“Dr. Livingston’s office,” a perky voice answered. Tiffany, the woman who’d changed his life forever. Strange, until now he’d never even considered a woman capable of changing his life. Equally surprising was the fact theaccidentseemed more and more like a blessing rather than a curse. Perhaps he should be sending Junior’s flowers to her.
“This is Seth McDaniel. Can I speak to Monica, please?”
The woman squealed, and Seth snatched the phone away from his ear to avoid permanent damage. “Seth McDaniel! Oh my God! I’m sorry. I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am!”
Seth spent the next five minutes trying to calm the hysterical woman enough to get a word in edgewise. Remembering how softly his aunt had once spoken to him when he was upset, he waited until the wails subsided before venturing a gentle, “Tiffany?”
Sniff.“Yes?” Her voice wavered, as though she expected him to yell. Seth didn’t think he could be harder on the poor thing than she was being on herself. If what Dustin said was true, she couldn’t be expected to completely control her impulses yet, being a new shifter, right? Attempting to channel Auntie Irene from years ago, Seth lowered his voice, took a deep breath, and tried again. “I want to thank you.”
“Tha… thank me?”Sniffle.“For what?”
“If it hadn’t been for you, I might have gone back to Chicago without ever knowing the truth about my family.”
“And you’re not mad?”
“No, I’m not mad.”
“Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I was worried! And I—”
Having already spent far longer on the phone than he’d intended, he firmly but politely cut her off. “Nothing to worry about. No harm, no foul. Now, can I please—”
“You want to speak to Doc Livingston?” A bit of hopeful curiosity bled through her occasional snuffle.
“Actually, I’d like to speak with Monica Sims, if she’s available.” “Monica? Why do you…. Never mind. Not my business. Hold one moment, please. And thank you again.”
“Hello?” a gruff voice asked a moment later, the harsh tones exactly what Seth needed to hear. Thank goodness one person in town wasn’t falling all over him, seeking his approval.
“Monica?”
“Who is this?” Ah, lovely, lovely growling.
“It’s me, Seth.”
“Oh, in that case,” Monica said, her voice softening for a second before resuming a hostile edge times two. “What the fuck do you want?”
Ah! Some might find it sick, but Monica’s disdain sounded like music to Seth’s ears. Maybe a country and western tune about a nogood cheating scoundrel who’d done run off with the truck, but music nonetheless. “I want you to have dinner with me.” He could go two rounds at the Pitted Pig, no problem.
“Me? Why me?”
“I’ve been a bit… overloved lately. I need someone to smack me back to Earth.”
Monica hesitated before responding, a little more enthusiastically than the occasion warranted, in Seth’s opinion, “I’m your woman!”
Seth got the impression that not much surprised Monica, but from her shocked tone, he believed he just had. He licked a fingertip and drew a tick mark in the air.That’s one for me!
Chapter 17
SETHwaited on the back porch at The Pitted Pig, alternately chewing a hangnail and trying to convince himselfthat hurts! Cut it out!
He felt Monica’s presence long before her long blonde braids came into sight in the parking lot. She pulsed power, pissed-off attitude, andfuck, I’m hungryfrom a mile away. Seth tracked the trail of white-hot energy through the restaurant, easily imagining people scrambling out of the Valkyrie’s way.I want that!he decided. Not Monica, but the command she possessed that made people stand up and take notice. A few months ago, he’d longed to be desired, but now he realized that two men competing for his affections was highly overrated. Now he preferred… respect.
Okay, maybe not what Monica had, which inspired submission and fear, and maybe not the respect Dustin commanded without actually posing a threat. Seth wanted respect with a healthy dose of “owns a can of whoop ass and isn’t afraid to open it” thrown into the mix, used only as necessary.
Monica slumped into a chair across from him. “You’re paying.” Damn! Even while slouching her presence was commanding.
“Of course. To save us some time, let’s get a few things out of the way right now. Yes, I was a lousy great-nephew. No, I didn’t deserve a fabulous aunt like Irene. And yes, I’m from She-cargo, and have high falutin’ city ways. Did I miss anything?”
“Insufferable asshole.”
