“Thanks for taping Sophie’s picture on the dummy. It really helped my motivation,” I told Nadine as we reached the little hut weshared.
She laughed. “Anytime.”
Sophie wasn’t that bad once you got to know her. We had a mutual banter that was working for us. I no longer wanted to rip her head off all of the time. Justsometimes.
As we approached the kitchen, I smiled at the dog bed Nadine had setup.
“I took an extra pillow from your bed and covered it with both of our shirts. That way he smells us and knows we are the bosses,” she toldme.
“Smart,” I commented as I grabbed the dog food she’d run out and gotten, and set it on the kitchen counter with his bowl. I grabbed a handful of dried kibble and mixed my scent around in it, then dropped it in his bowl, keeping it high up on the counter away from him. After that, I pulled out about five pieces and placed them in mypalm.
“Hemlock, you hungry? You want dinner?” I asked. His nostrils flared and he whined as I bent low, bringing my palm near his face, fingers flat. “I’m not going to hurt you,” I told himcalmly.
He looked into my eyes, then at the food in my palm. I held the food about three inches from his face, and instead of growling he lowered his head and tenderly licked the kernels from my palm. I looked up at Nadine, who was slack-jawed.
“Reward him!” Nadinesaid.
“Good boy, Hemlock!” I told him, and set the rest of the bowl down, petting his neckgently.
He scarfed the food as I stood to wash my hands. “He’s gonna be okay,” I toldNadine.
She smiled. “Because ofyou.”
“Because of you too,” I told her. But she was right. Because of me he was going to live, and that was a damn good feeling. Not just live butthrive.
Nadine pulled a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water, taking asip.
“So … while you were running the obstacle course, I overheard Keegan and Logan talking about your heat.” Shegrinned.
Mywhat?My eyes were as big as saucers and she cackled in glee. “Keegan has an ovulation predictor app, and he’s been tracking yourcycles.”
I nearly fell over inshock.
“Please, please, tell me you are joking,” I toldher.
She shook her head. “Not joking. They were talking about different options to keep you from shifting during that time. Logan said he could put you in that sleep again, but it lines up with when we have to be back to get thestaff.”
My mouth dropped open. How dare he even think of putting me into a three-day sleep! “What else did they say? This is beyondembarrassing.”
Nadine grinned. “Keegan remarked that since you were mates you could just … mate. Logan nearly deckedhim.”
That was interesting. “Why?”
She shrugged. “He’s chivalrous like that Iguess.”
I barked out a laugh, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl. “Not according toMonica.”
Nadine’s brows pinched in confusion. “Who?”
“Girl from Eva’sbar.”
Recognition dawned on her face. “Oh, her. Pshh, she’s nothing. I’ve never seen Logan so in love. Seriously, he was really lonely before you came along. Like … in a darkplace.”
Love.We hadn’t said that yet, but obviously I was falling in love with him. How could I not? Those smoldering eyes, those thick lips, his gentleheart.
“You’re moaning,” Nadinecommented.
I growled. “This damn heat! It’s coming and I can’t stopit.”
