Merrily Mated(6)

Ryan frowned. Magic had been weird lately. He was happier, but that wasn’t the change. It was more personal. Like he wanted to say something to Ryan but for some reason, never did.

“I won’t find it here,” Ryan said, quietly, wanting to move it along.

“But you’ll be back to visit?” Josie asked, her brow creased in worry.

He forced a smile. “Of course. You know I will.”

Stepping forward, he went to hug her as he always did, but she ducked away just as a sharp growl sounded from the desk.

Shit. He forgot, she was mated now, and even an innocent touch could be too much for a male cat to watch. Freshly mated males were volatile creatures from what he knew. Eagan still had trouble with Clara working with a crew of guys. But he used sharp knives on a regular basis, so they’d all used a little extra caution in their day to day interactions with her.

Ryan lifted his hands in submission. “My bad. Old habits die hard. We’re good.”

Magic rose slowly from the desk and walked around to Josie, pressing her tight against his side. A small smile curved her lips and her gaze fluttered away.

“I know you’ve known her longer. And I know you’re a good friend. But I can’t tolerate you touching her when she’s growing my cub.”

Ryan blew a breath through his lips. “I understand completely, big guy.” And he did. The thought of any male touching Layna left him feeling murderous. That would have to change. He had no claim on her, as the big cats would say. “I best be going now.”

Magic’s expression eased and he gave Ryan a nod. “You’re one of us,” he said stiffly. Magic could rant the night away, but he was useless at saying the important stuff. “You belong here, but if you need to leave to figure that out, I won’t stop you.”

Ryan smirked. “Aw, don’t be getting all sappy on me. I love you too, Magic.”

Magic narrowed his eyes, but his humor showed in the creases around his mouth. “On second thought, go, and never come back.”

Ryan chuckled sadly. “I’ll see ya around, cat.” His gaze found Josie. She was more than a friend really. She was like a second sister. “Be good, Jos.”

She grinned, her eyes watering with unshed tears. “I will.”

Ryan ducked out of the office before any had a chance to fall.

He’d said his goodbyes to Beth and Renner already. Better to get that out before he packed. Beth had cried, and he felt shitty for putting her through this right now. But she was strong, and she had Ren to fall back on. He was confident his little sister would be okay.

Mason wasn’t easy either, and he’d taken care of that goodbye this morning while the girls were out shopping. The cat was exceedingly pissed at him, but he’d get over it. Mason was as level as a shifter could be. More like a normal human even. Maybe that’s why the two of them hit it off so well.

Ryan dragged air into his lungs and let it out on a painful sigh.

There was only one person left, and she was nowhere to be found. He’d tried her room, the kitchen, even the spa which she only ever visited if she was looking for Bethany. He knew the girls had returned from shopping because Beth had given him his Christmas present early.

So where was Layna?

Leaving his suitcase in the lobby, where several employees were packing up the fall decorations, he went outside to look for her. He checked the boathouse, the barn, and the hot pool.

No Layna.

He walked the trail that would take him to the clan cabins. Still no sign of her.

Ryan stared into the thick tangle of almost bare tree branches. Maybe she’d taken to the woods to let her cougar run.

At the thought of her cat, he felt all the blood in his body rush south. His growing erection pounded behind his zipper. Layna’s cougar was the most beautiful animal he’d ever seen. Golden fur, dark on the tips. Powerful, lithe body that pranced when it wasn’t in a hurry. But her eyes… those enchanting eyes with their long, dark lashes that looked so much like her human ones. Those eyes turned him on better than any naked body he’d seen to date.

Ryan squeezed his eyes closed. He couldn’t think like this now. Not when he had to find the strength to tell her goodbye.

If he could ever find her.

It wasn’t lost on him that he’d be able to sniff her out, hunt her, if he was a shifter.

Damn the irony.

Taking the trail to the back side of the lodge, he scanned the woods as he went, looking for any flash of gold that could be his cougar. But there was still no sign of her.

In the lobby, he waited. That way he wouldn’t miss her when she returned.

An hour passed and the sun finished setting over the lake. Ryan watched the orange glow meld into the water as if it was a burning ember being slowly snuffed out. He’d miss this too. Sunsets over the Ouachitas were breathtaking.