Desperately Seeking Shapeshifter (24 page)

“I don’t mind humans,” Maynard said. “Long as they’re pretty.”

Ugh. I hesitated, torn. Everything in my body told me that this was a bad idea, but what choice did I have? I had four wolves sitting right across from me, and I didn’t want to piss them off. Any of them could take me in a fight. Plus, I knew my sister and Beau wanted the pack to join the Alliance. Beau had a dream that if all supes were under the same umbrella, the harassment from those outside the Alliance would end.

So I gave them a polite smile and turned to my computer, opening up a blank profile document. “All right. Who should we start with?”

“You can start with me,” Maynard said. “After all, it’s only right.”

“Why is that?”

His eyes glittered. “Because you were supposed to be my mate. I’m the oldest. Second only to the alpha.”

I swallowed hard and feigned cheerfulness. “Too bad for you that I’m taken. Let’s work on your profile a bit. Name?”

“Maynard Anderson,” he said, then drawled, “You know that.”

I did know that. “It’s just a formality,” I said stiffly.

“I’m interested in names, though. Like the name
of the fella that turned you, and why he ain’t hovering over your shoulder right now. Wolves watch their women closely.”

I stiffened in fear. What did they think they knew?

Gracie rolled her eyes, oblivious to my reaction. “They only watch the ones that look like they’re gonna bolt.”

“True enough,” Maynard said with a chilling grin.

I found my voice. “We’re not here to talk about me. We’re here to set up a profile for you. If not, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I’m too busy to waste time. Now,” I said firmly. “Age?”

Maynard’s gaze remained focused on me. “Thirty-six.”

As I typed, I asked the next question, and he gave me his stats and we continued on like normal, civilized people.

“All right,” I said. “This next part is about your preferences in a mate, and what you’re looking for. Let’s start with species. What is your dating preference?”

“Wolf,” he said with another leer at me.

The shiver on the back of my neck started again, and my mouth filled with saliva. “I see,” I said evenly. “You are aware that we don’t have many wolves that use our agency, Mr. Maynard? I’m afraid you’ll be limiting your dating pool. We have lots of lovely women from all supernatural races—”

“Fine.” His eyes glittered as he watched me. “Put whatever down.”

I checkmarked the box for Any. “Any physical build you prefer?”

Again, his gaze went over me. “Small. Flat-chested’s fine, too.”

Quelling the anxious flash that shot through me, I continued on as if nothing had been wrong. I was going to keep this professional, damn it. “Any other preferences for your dates?”

“Red hair,” he said, and when I turned to look at him, that nasty, leering smile was back. “Short red hair,” he amended. “I like it a little bit wild.”

“I like red hair, too,” Wyatt said, his wolfish grin as revolting as his brother’s.

“I’m partial to blue,” said Buck with a drawl. “A nice, slutty blue to go with her big brown eyes.”

My skin crawled. It was obvious this was the next stage of their harassment—show up and demand to date someone just like me and make me realize that they weren’t giving up. I ignored their pointed looks and continued filling out the dating questionnaire, skipping the personality profile. That would take too long, and I wanted them out of here ASAP. So I defaulted on the rest of the fields, saved it, printed up his confirmation, and then held it out to Maynard. “You’re all set up. You’ll need to fill out a few more fields in the privacy of your home, and then you can contact other profiles.”

Maynard took the paper, smirking down at me. “Where’s that mate of yours? I don’t see him around here.”

“He’s out for the day,” Gracie said helpfully,
and I could have kicked her. “The human gal, too. There’s a big dance tonight. An
Alliance
dance,” she said meaningfully.

“Oh?” Maynard said, looking interested. He didn’t even glance at the profile, just folded it up and stuck it in his pocket. “You in that Alliance? Levi ain’t gonna like that.”

“I didn’t ask him if he liked it or not,” I said stiffly and turned to Buck. “Did you want to start your profile?”

All three men stood, and Gracie moved back to Bathsheba’s desk, putting her feet back up again. “Don’t need one,” Buck said, grinning down at me.

“Changed your mind?” I asked, but I couldn’t say I was sad to hear that. The dating pool would be better without them in it.

“Didn’t say that.” He thumbed a gesture at Maynard. “You got him in the system, so Wyatt and I don’t need a profile. Everybody knows that Maynard shares with his brothers.”

Buck leered at me and elbowed Wyatt. “Can’t wait until you’re Maynard’s woman.”

Maynard winked at me, and then the three turned and left, grinning back at me.

I was going to throw up. I stood, my desk reeking of their wolf scent, and seized one of the files on my desk. “I’m going to do some filing,” I said in a tight voice, the muscles in my calves rippling.

“Whatever you want,” Gracie said lazily, picking up her phone and texting again.

I walked tightly back to the filing room, shut the
door, and fell to the ground in a shuddering heap. The urge to change fought hard within me, and it took long, long minutes of trying to control it before I could breathe easy again.

They had come to the agency specifically to threaten me. When would they stop? Would they ever stop?

The afternoon was excruciatingly slow. “Any dates lined up today?” I asked Gracie hopefully.

“Nope,” she said. “I’m all yours.”

Lucky me. I worked absently until Marie showed up to take over the late shift. She’d come in early, since the rest of us would be helping with the barn dance. Marie looked a bit tired, her normally beautifully curled dark hair pulled into a tight bun. She wore no makeup, and I could see dark circles under her eyes.

As she sat down at one of the desks, I asked, “You okay? You don’t look so well.”

“Just having trouble sleeping,” Marie said and gave me a faint smile. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine once I get a cup of coffee in me.”

I noticed that she didn’t move toward the coffee machine, though. She just sat at the desk, as if all her energy was gone. “Do you need to go home?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” she stressed, and I heard a bit of annoyance in her tone. “I’ve just been working more overtime than I’m used to. It’s okay.” When I still
hesitated, she laughed. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll turn the phone’s ringer up and take a nap in the back if it’s slow. Okay?”

Guilt flashed through me. Marie had been working extra hours since Bathsheba and I had taken over. I hadn’t realized just how many. “Since I’m your manager when Bath’s not here, I should tell you no. But you look like you could use a nap. Just don’t work too hard, and if you have to leave, call me, okay?”

“Will do,” she promised.

“I’m out of here,” I told her, getting my purse out from under my desk. The dance wouldn’t start for a few hours and I was scheduled to work a little longer, but the phones were dead and I was a nervous wreck. “I just called Jeremiah, and he’s swinging by to pick us up.”

“Have fun at the dance. If someone gets drunk and does something embarrassing, I want pictures.” After a moment more, Marie added, “Especially Joshua Russell.”

I laughed and held the front door open for Gracie, who sauntered out at a much slower pace. “We’ll drop you off at the house first—”

Gracie blinked her eyes at me. “What do you mean? I’m goin’.”

“No wolves allowed,” I told her. No Anderson wolves, anyhow. “This is an Alliance dance.”

“You’re going,” she pointed out.

“I’m Alliance.”

“But you’re letting me date Alliance men,” she
pointed out. “I can date them but I can’t go to your dance?”

She had a point.

“This is so unfair,” she said in a pouty voice, pulling her phone out and beginning to text again. “I’d hate to have to tell my father that you’re going to be out tonight and I can’t be at your side.”

I snatched the phone out of her hand, my temper snapping. “Fine,” I said sharply, and tossed her phone into my purse. “You can go to the dance, but I have a few rules.”

Gracie crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

“One,” I said. “You do not text your dad or your brothers or
anyone
that you’re at the dance. Understand?”

She nodded.

“And two. Be on your best behavior. This is very important to our clients and our Alliance.”

She looked hurt. “You don’t trust me?”

Gracie herself wasn’t bad, but I didn’t trust her family a lick. “I’m just saying in general,” I explained. “And three. Put some damn shoes on.”

Gracie grinned at me, delighted. “I can buy flip-flops at the gas station.”

When we pulled up to the Little Paradise community center, I was impressed. Decorative bales of hay had been placed near the front doors, and Ryder and Ellis Russell stood atop them, hanging a sign that proudly proclaimed
BARN DANCE
. Ryder even wore a cowboy hat and a red checked shirt.

I was still in my work uniform of jeans and a T-shirt. Today’s shirt said Be Careful, I Byte, an ode to my geek sense of humor.

When we got out of Jeremiah’s car, Gracie shielded her eyes from the setting sun and stared up at the sign. “Looking good,” she called out. Then she added, “The sign, too.”

Ellis Russell turned around, and I could have sworn that he blushed a little. “Hey, Sara,” he said. “Bath’s inside if you’re looking for her.”

I gave him a little wave and tugged at Gracie’s arm, dragging her inside the community center. Her flip-flops slapped with every step, but she was grinning as if amused.

“Didn’t realize there was a dress code,” she said. “I’da worn something pretty.”

“A sundress?” I quipped. Her entire wardrobe was sundresses. The shorter, the better.

“However did you guess?”

“Just a hunch,” I said dryly. Men were moving hay bales to the corners of the room, and a few folding tables had been set up along one wall for refreshments. The heavy scent of hay and were-cougar touched my nostrils. Smart of Bath to recruit the Russells to do the heavy lifting.

Joshua Russell tossed aside his hay bale and came over to us, lifting his cap and wiping his brow underneath. I noticed his gaze went to Gracie and her skimpy dress and long, tanned legs. “You guys are here early.”

“Work was slow,” I said with a shrug. “We decided to come see if we could help.”

He tilted his head, flashing a grin at Gracie. “Your sister’s in the kitchen, trying to make everything herself.”

“I’ll go help her out, then. Gracie, you coming?”

“I think I’ll stay out here and . . . supervise the hay,” she said in a low, husky voice.

Joshua gave her another appraising look, then winked at me. His thumbs hitched in his belt loops. “Come on, Miss Gracie. I’ll make you up a seat.”

He was deliberately flirting to get Gracie off my back. Good man. I waved at a few more of the Russells and slipped into the kitchen.

Bath was alone, slicing toothpicked sandwiches into triangle quarters. She looked up briefly and then kept on slicing. “You’re here early. Something wrong?”

I didn’t miss the note of stress in her voice—Bath very badly wanted this to go well tonight. I lifted a slice of bacon from the enormous tray next to the sandwich assembly line. “So do you want the good news or the bad news?”

She looked up again and thought for a second. “Good news?”

I tilted my head and gave her a little grin. “I’m here two hours early?”

One eyebrow rose. “And the bad news?”

“I brought Gracie.”

“Oh, Sara,” she exclaimed, setting aside the four perfect triangles and reaching for the next sandwich. “You couldn’t ditch her for the afternoon? Set her up with another satyr?”

“I thought it would be a good idea to keep her close,” I said. “Because the wolf pack stopped by the agency earlier and signed up for the service.”

My sister’s downward slice stuttered and she yelped, nicking her thumb. Bath dropped the knife, staring at me with wide eyes.