Mate Marked(27)

That was fine, she thought, ignoring the tight ball of pain that had settled deep inside her. She was there to do a job, not get seduced.

She got up and walked out of the tent. She’d fallen asleep only two hours before, and she was exhausted.

Erika was lying on the ground underneath Leland’s car, Leland squatting next to her, handing her tools.

“Almost got it!” Erika called.

Chelsea walked over and waited for Erika to finish. She finally slid out and handed a wrench to Leland. “Oh, hey, good morning!” she said to Chelsea as she climbed to her feet. She had smudges of grease on her face.

“What are you doing with that car?” Chelsea asked.

Erika responded with something that sounded like, “The thinginator was making a vermilacious exponater noise,” and Chelsea remembered that she couldn’t speak car.

“Anyway, she fixed it,” Leland said happily. “Very nice! Sure you don’t want to join our pack of outlaws?”

“Oh, I can’t go travelling.” Erika laughed. “I have to work at my dad’s garage, or at least hang out there in case a customer ever shows up. But thanks anyway.”

Erika turned to Chelsea. “I came to give you a ride home. The pack already towed your pickup truck back to town.”

Chelsea looked around. Roman was nowhere in sight. She felt a sharp twist of disappointment.

“Let’s go,” she said abruptly, and she saw Erika suddenly look very uncomfortable. Leland frowned and walked away.

She’d been taking her medication, so if she was letting her mood affect them, she must be feeling it really strongly.

She paused for a second and made a strong, conscious effort to banish the dark cloud that was wrapping around her emotions.

My new pack bringing me home-made soap that smells like roses. The scent of fresh bread in the oven. Pepper curled up in my lap while I watch a rom-com and eat ice cream.

Her mood lightened, and Leland gave them a jaunty wave as they walked to Erika’s car.

“You know, I was fixing his car and thinking about how everyone there would know I’m not ladylike, and then I remembered I don’t care anymore because I’m going to die single anyway,” Erika said, sounding cheerful. “It’s great to be able to relax. I even burped, and nobody gave me a dirty look.”

“You do realize Leland has the hots for you, right?” Chelsea said, looking out the window and trying not to think about what it had felt like to have Roman’s mouth on hers.

“Me?” Erika let out a loud, braying laugh. “Ha! As if. I’m embarrassing and I sit like a trucker. Remember?”

“OK, Erika. You’re my pal, but seriously, for a smart girl you’re kind of a stupid-head,” Chelsea said, and leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.





Chapter Thirteen




It was mid-morning by the time Chelsea made it in to her office. Lorena and Susan were waiting for her as she walked up the steps. Lorena had an apple pie and Susan had a jar of preserves. “You’ve got a visitor,” Lorena rushed to tell her.

Oh, thank heavens. He’s regained his senses, is turning himself in on the warrant—

She saw Susan nod at the Juniper Police Department car parked nearby. So it wasn’t Roman.

Chelsea swallowed her disappointment and accepted the pie and the preserves, thanking them both. “I would invite you in, but I’m assuming he’s here in an official capacity to discuss law-enforcement issues.”

Susan nodded. “We took down the wanted posters of Roman, including the one in your office,” she said. “No sense letting the humans know our business.”

“Good thinking.” Also, that meant she wouldn’t have to sit there and look at Roman’s face staring at her with that sexy scowl.

“Come by the store later and tell me all the gossip,” Lorena said.

“I’ll tell you what I can,” Chelsea said. She stifled a yawn as she went up to her office. She hadn’t slept well at the outlaws’ camp the night before. She’d gone home for a quick shower, and Erika was still taking care of Pepper, so she’d just dressed quickly and headed in to work. Maybe she’d have time for a nap later.

Chief Tomlinson was sitting in her office, and on her desk was a large wicker basket full of sausages, jams and jellies.

“Well, thanks,” she said, surprised.

“That’s from Mitch Rodgers, actually. It’s kind of an apology, after I read him the riot act,” Chief Tomlinson said.

“Kind of?” She sat down behind her desk.

He sighed. “He still insists that someone from your pack is behind all this,” he said. “But he recognizes that his treatment of you when you brought back his lamb was inappropriate.”