Etienne (The Shifters of Shotgun Row Book 1)(49)

“Just doesn’t like Bruno treating you that way.”

I didn’t, either, but that wasn’t the point.

“He’s a creepy arse. He treats all people that way. I feel bad for his crew.” And Janis and anyone he pulled over and pretty much everyone he came in contact with. Didn’t mean a part of me didn’t feel for him.

“Don’t. He is crew adjacent. He lives near us but is not part of us, not that we are a crew. It is complicated and with you pressing your delectable body against my cock, all I can think about is sinking into you.”

I was on board with that one, even if I knew it was a distraction technique. Best. Distraction. Ever.

“I thought we were going to sleep,” I teased as my hand slipped lower and lower.

“As we should. Now close your eyes, little vixen.”

“I have a better idea,” I teased as my hand reached his cock, giving it a light brush. Etienne rewarded me with a groan.

His lips found mine as his hand found me wet and wanting. I pumped my hips, begging for his fingers to move faster, go deeper, and continued to work him. I couldn’t help it. With Etienne, I was more brazen than I’d ever been in the bedroom, and every time he called me his Tasmanian devil, I couldn’t be happier. It meant I was satisfying him as much as he was me, and that was an amazing place to be.

After kissing and torturing each other to the brink of orgasm repeatedly, I found myself underneath him, his body becoming one with mine. I let myself get lost in the sensation as he pumped into me, his lips never leaving mine, worshipping them with his, owning them, loving them. Loving me.

This was different than our usual naked fun. It was somehow more. And when we collapsed into a sweaty pile of satisfaction, I realized why. I was home. Not just a place to live, home. I was home home. I had Etienne, mind, body, and soul and, as a free gift with purchase I got a crew, even if they didn’t call themselves one.

“What’s that smile for?” He kissed my nose before pulling the sheet up, the place too darn hot for a blanket—ever.

“So, we’re living together now, huh?” Not sure why it took making love to my mate to figure that one out. I’d spent every night there since our mating and, slowly but surely, my things migrated there, and now—now I had a kitchen. Color me dense.

“There was a question?” He laughed, settling his hand on my hip.

“No, I just—it makes me happy even if I hadn’t planned it out or anything.”

“Mates live together. You bit me—you ain’t ever leaving.”

“Caveman.” No that didn’t feel right. “Gatorman.” Yeah that was better.

“Your gatorman.”

Mine.





Etienne



I got out of the Dart and went directly into the station with a belly full of king-nuts and coffee out of my favorite cup.

“You’re late, Robichaux.” I heard the bark before the door had even shut behind me.

“I’m three minutes late. Shoot me.”

Bruno was being a real dick lately. Then again, I guess I would be a dick, too, if I had some ghost following me around all the time.

“And where are your reports for this week?”

I leaned against the reception desk and decided to hear him out. Maybe he would shut up if he got it all out.

“They are on your desk. You know, where I put them every week.”

Okay, maybe that last comment wasn’t warranted.

“Oh, yeah, okay. I actually haven’t even looked. Haven’t been sleeping lately.” Now that I looked at him, he more than sounded like shit, he looked like shit, too. There were dark circles the size of my fist under his eyes.

Bruno reached for the coffeepot, but I stopped him with a hand on his arm. He growled so loudly, I thought he might let his bear out right then.

“Bruno, maybe coffee is the last thing you need. How long has it been since you ran?”

The man got in my face, and I almost gagged at the bear stench all over him. It wasn’t just animal, it was dirty animal.

“You think I haven’t thought of that? That’s all I do once I get out of here. I run and run until I’ve passed out. Then I sleep in my bear until dawn. Didn’t get to shower this morning.”

That would explain the gag.

“Tansy is trying to help you, okay? Just hang in there.”

He looked at the floor. “Not sure how much longer I can do this.”





Tansy

“Hello, sunshine.” Meemaw was back. It had been three weeks of me calling her name, hanging around the bakery more than I should, and Bruno escalating. He was about to lose it, and my guess was his ghost upped his game after hearing I was trying to help.

“Where have you been?” I scolded, wishing she were corporeal enough to hug. That was one of the things I missed most about her—her hugs. Meemaw hugs were the best.

“That’s not something I could tell you.” She winced at her choice of words. What was the woman hiding?

“Could or would?” I rinsed off the pan in my hands before sticking it in the sanitizer sink and taking off my gloves. Dishes could wait.

“Does that really matter?”

“No,” I conceded. The likelihood was strong that knowing would actually make it worse.