Getting Wet (7 page)

“What is he?”

“Horse.” Augusta snickered.

They pulled in and parked. She could see his truck parked in the lot and mentally thanked Rayna for not having it ticketed or towed. He probably made arrangements for it.

They went to her apartment first, and she packed up her clothing, bathrobe and a few toiletries. There was no use bringing her sheets, they wouldn’t fit his bed.

Once she was all packed, they left the bags and headed over to Rayna’s shop.

Rayna was there and looking a little green. She perked up when she saw Augusta. “Gusty!” Rayna ran to her, and Augusta braced herself for the impact. Rayna stopped, staggered and doubled over with a groan.

Augusta looked and clapped with delight. “Congratulations! Project Spotted Horse was a success.”

“Yee freaking haw.” Rayna groaned again.

“Are you all right?”

“Did you know that morning sickness is not confined to the mornings? I didn’t. Mom never mentioned it.” Rayna breathed deep and stood up, smiling weakly at Randal. “So, you found her. Excellent. It all worked out then.”

Augusta took Rayna’s arm and steered her back to her seat behind the counter. “Sit. Relax. Can I get you anything?”

“Call Gregory. He knows the drill already. Tell him code green.”

Augusta dialled and spoke quickly. “Hey, Gregory. Code green.”

“Damn. On my way.”

He hung up, and Augusta made her sister comfortable.

Augusta finally remembered Randal, and he was shopping. “Seriously?”

“Well, you had things handled over there and the holidays are coming. I thought I could get some shopping done and no one would be the wiser. How is she?”

Augusta looked over. “Stable. She’s stable for now. Mom never mentioned how sick she got because she didn’t get sick with any of us. I am guessing that Rayna’s mom had a bit of an issue.”

Gregory came in, and Randal introduced himself once again, this time as Augusta’s mate. Greg moved toward Rayna carefully and offered her a pack of saltines and lemon water.

Rayna fell on them with ravenous hunger. She stuffed a handful of the salted crackers into her mouth, and Greg rubbed her back slowly, an icepack in his hand. He did indeed have it down.

They closed up the shop and retreated upstairs. Once there, Rayna recovered dramatically and squeezed Augusta until she squeaked.

After the meeting, the admiration of the engagement ring, the girls agreed to part ways and Augusta left with Randal.

They met with her mother and father, hugging and being congratulated endlessly. An engagement party was planned and the wedding date was set.

Randal whispered on their way out, “You weren’t kidding about the invitations. I think I saw her start to fill them out.”

She laughed and followed him home in his sedan. He drove his work vehicle ahead of her, and she was interested to find that his home was only half an hour from hers. It was a bit of a surprise to learn that they had been so close and yet so far.

Agnes Forester looked Augusta up and down. “You are an otter?”

“I am, madam.”

“Call me Agnes.” She smiled and then sobered. “So, what do you do?”

“I run a shop for my sister. She is currently a little under the weather with morning sickness, and she needs me there all day every day.”

“She is married to another otter?”

It was a logical assumption, but Augusta had to break it. “No, she is married to a horse. My sister is a cheetah. She’s adopted.”

Agnes blinked.

The matriarch was interrogating Augusta while Randal was at a safe distance with his father and his youngest brother. He had just been downgraded from beaver to weasel in her eyes.

“You have a predator in the family?”

“I do. In fact, she is the one that Randal asked for help when he was looking for me.”

“I see. So, you know that my son is occasionally a stripper?”

“I know that he was, Agnes. That is how I first met him.”

“You frequent strip clubs?”

“Only when one of my relatives is having a bachelorette party and I am the designated driver. We left at the end of Randal’s set.”

Agnes blinked. “So, you didn’t see him dance?”

“Not really. He still had most of his clothing on when we left.” Augusta shrugged, it was a white lie and Agnes gave her a look that said she knew what was being unsaid.

Agnes gestured to the engagement ring. “You hold with human traditions?”

“No, Agnes, but there is a problem in Draycott in regards to Randal, so I am remaking his image.”

Agnes smiled, “He mentioned you were quite the bulldog for an otter.”

“We all have our talents. Mine is to get things done in the way I wish them to be. I inherited it from my mother.” She snorted.

Randal finally broke from conversation with Roger Forester and appeared at her side. “Isn’t she everything I mentioned?”

“And quite a bit more. So, when is your engagement party? If you are going human, I am guessing you are going all the way.”

Augusta handed a business card over to Agnes with her mother’s information on it. “Skip the middleman. My mother will be delighted to discuss it for hours, I am sure.”

Agnes grinned and got to her feet. She towered over Augusta, but all the Foresters did. “Welcome to the family, daughter.”

The hug was warm and comforting, but the scent of beaver brought memories of the lake roaring back. Randal pried his mother off and made their excuses.

Moments later, they were on the way home.

Her heart was pounding, and she was very confused. “What the hell was that?”

“My mother is a fertility focus. Her hug was meant to bring on the grandkids. Are you all right?” He looked at her with concern.

She controlled her breathing right until he turned off the engine and helped her out of the car. She pounced on him and rocked against him across the hood of his car.

“I am guessing that she works well, but I could have used a heads up. I don’t want to be racing Rayna to code green.”

He blinked as she loosened their clothing just enough to bring their bodies together. “You know, Augusta?”

“What?”

“We are going to have to try this in a bed sometime, start to finish.”

She laughed and threw her hair back, rocking on top of him until he growled and gripped her hips. For the ferocity of her attack, they should indeed make the largest otter on record or the most delicate beaver. Only time would tell, but it’s nearest cousin would be a spotted horse or a cat with a mane. It would be in good company.

This book is dedicated to the hard-working male strippers at the Hustler Mansion in Las Vegas. They know who they are…and so do I. I have photos.

Only one Crossroads book left this year, and December 1 at eXtasy Books,
Christmas Goose
will be out for all to read.

Being a goose shifter is bad enough, but the holidays are horrible. All she wants is a family, a life different from the solitude she has known and a stork with a penchant for tattoos.

She can find it all at the Crossroads.

Zenina Masters was born in Canada and lives in Canada. She has a regular job and does nothing particularly exciting with her life. She enjoys fishing, silence and the ability to pick and choose friends she can trust. Life is too short to watch your back all the time.

Her writing life is a teeny bit of escapism, she would probably chicken out if confronted by three naked men and looks forward to one day finding out.