That got me flustered, and I fidgeted in my loaned jacket.“I thought you were a dog, okay?Plus, you just talk about…that?Out in the open?”
Dom indicated the empty sidewalk in front of the hardware store.“No one around, Little Red.But I appreciate you being concerned.Ready to go, or anything else you want to ask Evan about us?”
I glanced back at Evan where he stood, next to the rear of the truck, expectant but not wanting or daring to come any closer.He smiled at me encouragingly.
Still, I shook my head.“I’m good.”
“Okay then.Watch that pretty head.”
Before I had a chance to tell him that pretty wasn’t the right adjective, Dom had already closed my door for me.I watched him walk around the back of the jeep, saying his goodbyes to Evan, who headed back into his store but paused to wave at me.Odd guy, but nicer than a lot of Steven’s friends.
I hated myself for even thinking about Steven’s friends, for how that jerk’s poison stinger was still stuck in my mind.With a frown, I huddled into my oversized jacket, glad for the protection.And yes, also the comfort.It smelled nice too—Linc’s man smell, presumably.It wasn’t a bad smell at all.
The driver-side door opened, and Dom slid into the seat.“We’re getting you that chai latte and a brownie or something, because you’re looking hella pale.I don’t like it.Then we’ll get you your shoes and a proper jacket.You okay with that?”
“Ihavea jacket.And I’m not pale.I also have shoes, just for the record.I don’t need you to buy me hiking equipment.”
Dom just kept smiling at me as he brushed his fingers over my forehead and cheeks as if he were checking my temperature, then started the engine.“Okay, okay.You look lovely.Just tell yourself it’s every werewolf’s darkest desire to see their mate dressed up as a sexy hiker.You’ll be doing us a favor.”
I snorted, but I didn’t complain.Complaining took effort I didn’t have in me.Also, Dom was really difficult to stop from doing whatever he wanted.The only person I’d seen him listen to so far was Linc, and Linc was the idiot who’d started with the shoes in the first place.
Resigned to my fate, I let my head sag back, was reminded of the stitches when I made contact with the headrest, and sat up straight again.Dom reached over to give my shoulder a quick squeeze.Well, I had promised him I would keep an open mind, and if he wanted to buy me a jacket, so be it.
16
The drive to the diner was under a minute, and we could’ve totally walked there.Not that I minded being lazy.My head was still pounding, and being treated as if I were precious was exhausting.
I almost got my door open before Dom could, almost, and his infectious grin got the corners of my mouth to twitch.
“Ready for that fancy tea?”
I slid out of the car and landed on the ground, both feet hitting hard.“When it comes to good tea, I was born ready.”
“Oh yeah?”Dom sounded as if that were the most entertaining thing anyone had ever said to him.
“Listen, maybe you don’t care, but I do.Tea culture is a good five thousand years older than your furry butt.Tea drinking is celebrated in pretty much every culture, and when I enjoy a good cup of tea, I’m joining hands with every tea drinker everywhere on the planet, those who came before me included in spirit.So yes, I was born ready.”
Dom blinked at me as if he was just now seeing me.“Did you just compliment my furry butt?”
I gaped.“That’s what you took from this?Saying you have a furry butt is not a compliment, but a statement of fact.”
He chuckled.“Agree to disagree.I think you like my furry butt just fine if you mention it during a tea rant, because you’re a fancy tea snob.”He leaned forward, right into my personal space.“You’re Linc’s kind of obsessively fancy snob.”He grinned.“Want me to build you a shelf for all your tea?You can look at my shapely butt all you want while I work.”
“I don’t want your butt, I just want my latte.”I sounded petulant, even to myself, but bearing this really wasn’t easy.I wanted to give in secretly, I was pretty sure.If anyone said butt one more time, I just might.
“Of course, Little Red.My treat.Come on.”
I groaned and walked with him around the car.“It’s not your treat, it’s what you owe me for slapping my ass!”
Dom chuckled, winking at me as he put his arm around my shoulders, and yes, fine, his good mood was contagious, and I was smiling with him.Right up until we rounded his truck.
Parked farther down and a stone’s throw away from the diner, I spotted a familiar car.Steven’s car.
“Shit.”Everything inside me deflated.
I desperately didn’t want to run into Steven.Honestly, I had no idea why he was still here.Maybe he’d called his twink in the hopes of parading around town to let me see the guy warming his cock.I really didn’t give a fuck about that.All I had left was the anger about being strung along for so long, for however long it had been going on.
Dom followed my line of sight.“Ah.The ex’s car.”
