Shadowing the Teacher (Perfect Pairs Book 3) (8 page)

Chapter Eight

Reid paced the sidewalk, his feet making a screeching sound every time he made an abrupt turn on the concrete. He swiveled again, and the noise made him flinch, the hairs on his spine sticking up in protest.

“Would you just relax, please?” Kane asked him as he stepped out of the motel, his psychologist voice in full flight.

Reid clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together in an audible way.

“I. Don't. Want. This.”

He couldn't begin to articulate how he was feeling. Hot depths of anger and frustration with excitement and fear thrown in. He didn’t want to feel like this, and hadn’t felt anything like it in so long his head was spinning with the sensations. It was a sickening combination that made his heart pound and his jaw clench tight together.

“You are going to give Sam a chance, Reid. We talked about this last night.”

Reid glared at his brother as Kane made his way around the car and climbed in the driver’s side as though he owned the world. How could his brother feel so confident?

“True, but that doesn’t mean I like it.” They had talked about it, but that didn't mean Reid liked what his brother was making him do, nor did he agree with his twin’s assessment of the situation. He didn’t want to talk to Sam, nor did he want to get to know her.

“I still can’t believe you called me on a promise I made you a decade ago.”

Kane chuckled. “You owe me a life, Reid. I’m your brother, and I think that should be enough, but since you are being so bloody stubborn, I’m calling in my favor. Do this for me. I need it. Help me.”

Reid glanced away, uncomfortable with his brother’s begging. A long time ago Kane had saved his life, literally. He’d had a bad car accident driving home from football one night and sliced open his femoral artery. Despite his strong healing shifter genes, he’d been bleeding out before his own eyes.

Kane had sensed his pain, found him, and gotten him to the hospital in the nick of time. He owed his brother, big time. But that didn’t mean he was going to just take on a new wife for his brother’s sake. There was no bloody way.

But he’d speak to her, give Kane the chance to find out for sure.

“All right. I’ll behave. Although I don’t know why you need me. You could talk to her alone.”

Yeah right. As if a Perfect Pair would be any good on their own.

Reid heaved a huge sigh. If Kane was right and they’d been wrong in thinking Amanda was their true mate, it would be like finding out there wasn’t a God. It would turn his whole world on its head. His whole life, all his beliefs, they were based on what the elders had told him. He’d given his heart to Amanda, and he wasn't sure there was enough left in him to love another.

Kane beeped the car’s horn, and Reid let loose a growl, the sound ripping through his stale vocal cords like a knife through week old bread.

Shit! What was that?

He could growl again, could he? No way. He hadn’t made a shifter noise since Amanda died. What was happening to him?

Fucking hell, I’m going to die any time now, aren’t I? How am I growling again?

His heart was pounding, and his shoulders were bunched. His body was readying itself for a fight—but with whom? He let out a long breath and let his shoulders sag. Enough had been said last night and Reid’s hand still ached as a reminder of the uppercut he'd given his brother yesterday.

The bastard had been right. Amanda hadn’t been perfect, but God, he’d loved her.

“Get in the car.”

Kane’s tone made him want to sit on the pavement like a five year old child. Just to spite him. But he owed his brother this favor, so instead he contented himself with glaring at his twin one more time and then stomped over to the car. He opened the passenger door and slid in, adding lots of huffing and puffing for good measure.

Kane gave Reid a sideways roll of the eyes and started the car.

“Kane…”

His brother pulled the car out onto the road and ignored him, not that Reid had any idea what else he was going to say. He’d exhausted every argument possible last night with his brother. They’d fought for hours over the possibilities, and despite Kane having to use his biggest card on Reid to make him agree, one point sat like a stone in his gut. The electricity of her touch had been undeniable, the attraction he felt for her beautiful face, unlike anything he’d ever known.

How was any of this possible?

They drove for a while in silence, then pulled up outside Ash’s house.

Reid frowned, confused. Why were they here? “She’s staying in Jack and Scott’s house?”

“Yeah, they invited her to house-sit while she’s here and they’re on their honeymoon.”

Reid stared up at the beautiful house his cousins had built for their bride. The family crest was carved into the ornate door.

“She’s never going to be able to handle us, Kane, you know that right? Not everything. The scars, the shifter blood, and the ménage.” It was too much for any human. Not for Amanda, she’d been amazing, seeing all the benefits to having two husbands from the minute they’d offered it to her.

He frowned at the memory. He’d never thought about it before. How quickly she’d jumped at two salaries, two lovers.

He shook his head and clamped down on his teeth. He was being stupid now, picking fault where there was none.

Don’t let Kane get into your head.

Kane turned off the car, seemingly undisturbed by the situation. That attitude was getting on his nerves. Why wasn’t his brother more worried about what was going to happen to them?

“Reid, she’s Laura and Ashleigh’s cousin. If that isn’t saying something about the bloodlines in that family suiting us, I don’t know what does.” Reid opened his mouth to deny any link, but Kane held up his hand and continued. “I’m not sure if I believe anything anymore, brother, except the impossible truth that you and I are alive and well. So let’s get in there.”

Kane opened the door and got out, slamming it shut once again and leaving Reid alone.

He clenched his hands into tight fists and took several deep breaths. There wasn’t much he wouldn’t do for his twin, but this was pushing those boundaries past anything Kane had ever asked of him.

Get out of the car, you chicken.

Reid groaned loudly and forced himself up and out of the car, following his brother up the driveway and standing once again in front of
that
door. It mocked him in the most uncomfortable way. He’d never thought to put anything like that in their home. It was a great idea, showed honor and respect for their heritage. He loved it.

Kane knocked, and the door flew open, the woman Reid said liked to be called Sam, standing on the other side of the door. Something hard kicked him in the guts, and he clenched his teeth not to groan aloud. Her eyes were so bright, and beautiful.

“I was worried you guys weren’t going to come.”

Kane gave him a sideways glance. “Sorry, Sam, bit of trouble on the way. But we’re here.”

“Come in, come in.”

She waved them in, and Reid stepped over the threshold, a jolt shuddering its way along his spine.

Fuck me … what is this?

He rested his shoulder against the plastered wall for a moment, then slowly turned around, making himself useful by shutting the door while the other two walked into the lounge room.

He couldn’t get use to that feeling. She did something strange to his body when she was close, and he hadn’t experienced it before. How did she make him simultaneously both weak and strong in the same moment?

He shook himself and straightened up his shoulders, forcing his legs to work as he walked into the huge front room, joining his twin and Sam.

They both twisted around to face him, Sam’s smile dying on her lips.

“What’s wrong?”

He must have the look of a thundercloud on his face if the sadness in her eyes was any indication. He couldn’t maintain eye contact, and looked away. He may not like this situation, but he didn’t want to hurt her. She seemed like a lovely person actually.

“Nothing … ignore me.”

He turned his back completely away and looked around the room as though he cared about furniture and all that sort of crap. Inspecting paintings and pictures, staring hard at the ornate fireplace while Kane chatted quietly with her about her day.

She laughed again at something Kane said, and Reid had to turn, watching her beautiful face light up as his brother sat next to her on the couch.

He slowly inched forward, his ability to stay separate falling away as the warmth in the room drew him to them. Sam turned towards him and gave him a shy smile. “Are you going to join us now?”

He nodded and dropped into the armchair facing them. “Yeah, pretty rude not to.”

She grinned at him again, and this time it sent strange butterflies straight through his gut.

“I thought so, too, although you never know with some people.”

Reid swallowed hard, an acid flush following in the wake of the butterflies. “What do you mean?”

She jumped to her feet. “Oh, I forgot something, hang on.”

She ran out of the room and returned a moment later with a large tray full of sandwiches, cookies, and fruit. “You looked a bit sick there for a moment, and I realized I’d thrown some food together. Nothing homemade sorry, but I’m not the most domesticated person.”

“Thanks, Sam, I’m quite hungry actually.” Kane said and dove in on the sandwiches, picking up two and biting into one with great gusto.

Since when do you have an appetite?

“Reid?” Sam picked up the plate and held them out to him.

He stared at them for a moment, then finally took one when his stomach rolled once again. He bit into the soft bread, fresh chicken and creamy mayonnaise exploding across his taste buds, and a loud moan left him. He glanced up at her, embarrassment flushing his cheeks hotly.

“Sorry,” he mumbled around bites, eating the first half, then the second. His hunger rose like a wave, his hands moving faster and faster to get food into his mouth as he chewed and swallowed. He couldn’t remember ever being this hungry.

He grabbed for a peach, biting into the sweet juicy flesh and groaning again. His stomach growled, and he kept eating while Sam sat and smiled at him.

“You did look a bit peaky, as my grandmother would say. Glad you’re eating.”

He slowed down his chomping and took a sip of the water she’d placed in front of him. “Yeah, we haven’t eaten very well since…” He stopped, not wanting to say Amanda’s name out loud here.

“Ash said your wife passed away last year. I’m so sorry to hear that. I can only imagine how devastating that would have been.”

He nodded and took a chocolate biscuit that she offered. Her gentle smile and kind words made his jumping stomach settle once again. “We didn’t think we’d survive it actually. But here we are.”

Sam looked from Kane to him. “Well, I’m too new to this world to really comment, but my own cousins are marrying two men at a time, anything’s possible.”

A strangle chuckle emerged from his throat, and he relaxed into the chair. The food was having a strange, drug like effect and his head was spinning. “Whoa, I’m full.”

Sam laughed this time and started eating the biscuits in front of her. “It’s so nice to be up here at the moment. The scenery is just so beautiful. When do you guys go back home?”

Kane moved closer to her on the couch, lifting his hand and placing it on her thigh. Reid narrowed his eyes and watched his brother start a dance Reid wasn’t sure he wanted to join in.

Sam was lovely, yes, and beautiful, but he hadn’t touched a woman in a year. He’d never planned to again. It felt wrong somehow.

“We don’t have any plans to go home at all. We both have gone on extended leave from our jobs, and we want to stay for a while. We’re in the motel at the moment, but our aunt and uncle have asked us to stay with them.”

Sam turned to Kane. “Jack and Scott’s parents?”

“No, Brandon and Tyler’s parent’s actually. Their house is massive, and it’s so close to the national park we could relax a bit. Which after the year we’ve had, would be great.”

Sam had turned her whole body towards Kane now, and he was stroking her face. She was leaning into the caress like a flower to the sun.

Reid’s chest was getting too tight, as though his ribs were squeezing his lungs. “Kane, I think we should go.”

Kane didn’t move, but Sam turned to look at him. “Really? Oh, I … ok.” Her face looked downtrodden, but she went to stand up, as she should, since he’d said he wanted to leave.

Kane pulled her down into his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist. “No. We’re staying. How much do you understand about us, Sam?”

She looked from Kane to him, and back again. “I’m too heavy, please let me down.”

Kane squeezed her so tight she squeaked. He growled, “You’re perfect.”

Sam got a strange look on her face and then slowly crept her arms up Kane’s body until she had her hands around his neck.

“Um … just what Ash told me. You’re a Perfect Pair, just like Ash’s husbands, and Laura’s husbands. And that means you generally only have one wife, whom you share…” The last word was almost whispered, her full cheeks coloring pink.