Walker (Bowen Boys, #1)(49)
“No. Just when you’re pulled like Khan did to save you. When one of us shifts, it’s sort of like the other self takes over and heals us quicker. If you are hurt as a cat, the same thing happens when you shift to human. No other species that I know of can do that. When you want to shift, it’ll be a soft slow process that gives you time to adjust. When pulled, it’s like an instant change and it hurts.”
She laughed and started to play with the button on his shirt. “I suppose I should be grateful to him that he didn’t let me die. He hates me that much, you know.”
He thought about telling her that she didn’t see the look on his brother’s face when he came toward him. After her cat had lain in his arms Khan started to cry and beg her to forgive him. Walker wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen Khan so terrified, not even when Roseann had threatened them all.
“I think Khan might have a different outlook on you. I think you might scare him a little. You are one mean bitch when you want to be.” He hugged her when she laughed, and they both sat up when someone knocked on the door.
“Hello.” His mom walked in after he’d answered the knock. He got up to take the tray from her and set if over Caitlynne’s lap when she’d told him to.
“I can’t possibly eat all of this.” Caitlynne picked up a slice of ham and stuffed it in her mouth. “Okay, maybe I can. I’m suddenly starved. Thank you, Mrs. Bowen.”
“It’s Corrine or, if you’d like, Mom. Either is better than Mrs. Khan told me he thought you were hungry when he took off from here like he was in a room full of rockers and his tail was out. He mentioned that you were sort of scary.”
“She told him that his mate was going to be a human and would give him a run for his life.” Walker sat on the bed and took the last piece of ham. She’d made a huge dent in the amount of food in a short amount of time.
She asked him to go away. Well, she’d actually told him to go, but he smiled, kissed her, and left. His mom had given her some towels and some extra clothes of hers to wear. He would have loved to have joined her in the shower, but she said she needed some down time and she’d be with him very shortly. He left after another quick kiss.
Walker loved being in love.
~~~
Caitlynne made two phone calls before she got in the shower. She had an answer to one before she got out. Things were moving and now she just needed to talk to the president. Then to Walker and the rest of the family.
She knew she had to be in DC for a while. Things in the office were going to be a mess for some time. There was no director and there was no one to see that things got going. She hoped that the president made a good choice. He’d inherited this group and could now start fresh. She was looking forward to the new guy.
Then there was the land. She’d overheard one of the brothers talking about the city trying to get them to sell and if they didn’t, they were simply going to take it from them. She didn’t want that to happen and the call she was waiting on was hopefully going to fix that. She walked into the large living room to see that only the president and Marshall were there.
“Walker went to the hospital. Khan…he left. And I asked that the others leave so that I can have a long, nice chat with you.” He gestured toward a chair. “Why don’t you have a…you’re not armed are you?”
“Yes. Always. And I want to have a talk with you too. I’ll go first.” She wasn’t sure how to take his laughter and decided to ignore it. For now, at least. “Did you know that the city council is taking the Bowen land because of some stupid park they want to put in?” He nodded, and she did sit. “Well, what the hell are you going to do about it? This land belongs to them and it will really piss me off if I have to come back here and kick some ass to make them understand that. I’m reasonably sure that I might even kick yours too.”
“You were going somewhere?”
His question caught her off guard and she asked him what he said.
“You heard me. I asked if you were planning on leaving here. I mean, with Walker here, I just assumed that you’d sell your house in DC and come back here to bake cookies and have a few hundred kids. You’re not?”
“I don’t know what we’re doing. I suppose the answer to that will have to do with Khan.” She flushed and took the bottle of water that Marshall handed her. “Walker said he could be a doctor anywhere. He said he’s got a very good reputation. And don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. I’ve used the same tactics on bad guys for a lot longer than you have. What’s this have to do with this property, Mr. President?”
The president smiled. “Let’s start this off right, shall we? Call me Warren. And I’ll call you…what am I to call you?”
She flushed again. “Walker prefers Caitlynne, so I suppose that’ll do. And I’m not comfortable calling you by your first name. You’re my boss.”
“So I am, but I would prefer that you called me Warren. Now. About this moving thing. I think that you will need to stay here. Khan and I have had a nice, long talk and—”
“You and Khan had a talk? What the hell do you mean you—”
“Caitlynne, I may want you to call me by my first name, but as president, I would like to finish a sentence. Now, where was I?” He looked at Marshall who gave him a hint as to where he’d left off. “Yes. Now Khan and I have had a nice conversation and he’s thinking that having you around won’t be so bad. I agreed with him. As for Walker being a good doctor? There isn’t one better than him in all the state. All the country, I would say. But that has nothing to do with what I want.”