Page 31 of Rescued

And not with him. He didn’t like it.

He was surprised by how much he didn’t like it.

When episode six ended, he managed to kick them all out. “And you better bring me food tomorrow!” he yelled after them. “You all fucking cleaned out my fridge.”

After they left, Breanna got up and stretched, which even in her oversized sweats was a gorgeous sight. “I need to go for a walk or something tomorrow,” she said. “All I did today was sit on my butt.”

It was a beautiful butt, but he didn’t say that. Instead he said, “I’m going to make some dinner. Did you actually eat any of that food, or was it all them?”

“I told you, I can’t gain weight.”

“Why not? I have it on good authority that plumbers love curvy women.”

She huffed. “You don’t even know any plumbers. And I had hard-boiled eggs and a bagel. And some ham.”

If that was all she ate, she wouldn’t have the energy to go for a walk. “With no cheese or anything?” he asked, getting out a couple of steaks and putting them in the microwave to thaw. “That’s just wrong. Everyone needs cheese.”

“Everyone? What if they’re lactose intolerant?”

“That shouldn’t even be a thing. If it is, I’m glad I’m a shifter. We don’t get stuff like that. Our bodies are perfection.”

She gave another little huff, but he could see her checking out his bodily temple of wolfiness. Hah.

That evening, instead of just putting her music on, he talked to Bree while he worked on his drone. What kind of TV shows she liked. What places she’d always dreamed of visiting. What they’d both do if they had a million dollars.

“I’d build a giant robot,” he said. “Like, Godzilla size. And have it step on everyone who annoyed me.”

“A robot minion would be cool. You could be an evil genius villain.”

“I have a tiny robot minion.” He pulled Hank out of his pocket. “I’ve almost figured out how to get him to dance. Don’t laugh, though, he’s still practicing.”

He set Hank going on the table top. The robot shimmied his hips, kicked up one leg and then the other, spun around, and… fell over.

Breanna laughed.

“What did I tell you about laughing, woman? Now you’ve insulted Hank’s robot manliness. He’s crushed.”

“Sorry, Hank.”

“He’s not dancing for you anymore tonight.”

But he loved seeing her laugh. He suddenly wanted to make a whole chorus line of clumsy robots to see her laugh some more.

The next day, he got up early and brought one of the command center laptops over to the cabin so he could work there. “I don’t like leaving you alone with those guys.”

Breanna said, “Don’t worry. They’re okay. They’re only here for the TV.”

But he still stayed all day. Turned out that Malory’s Peak show wasn’t that bad after all.

Chapter 14

The third day, Switch had to go back over to the command center, leaving Breanna in the cabin. Episode seventeen of Malory’s Peak was playing when Boomer, Boomer’s brother and Dealer got simultaneous texts from Switch.

They all checked their phones and rolled their eyes. Boomer—who was a total remote hog—tossed his phone to Breanna and rewound the show twenty seconds to rewatch the part they’d just missed.

The text said, Tell Bree Mikey’s back. She brought clothes—no more clown shoes! This was followed by a row of alternating shoe and circus emojis. She should head over to Gunn & Mikey’s cabin, I’ll meet her there

Breanna had hardly ever been so glad to get a text before, even second-hand. “Thanks.” She gave Boomer his phone back. “Don’t get too far ahead of me on the show. I’m getting shoes!”