Riley’s Downfall(7)

“Is everything all right?” Bryce asked and then shoveled a forkful of pancakes into his mouth. Sterling had never seen men eat the way the Lakelands did. Each and every one of them ate like they were going into hibernation and had to consume as many calories as they could.

It was a wonder none of them were nine hundred pounds by now.

“Everything is fine,” Pa answered and then took a sip of his coffee.

Sterling took a seat next to Riley, the only chair available at the table, and grabbed the platter of pancakes, tossing a few onto his plate. He wasn’t really that hungry, but he had to do something to pass the time before he went to work. Pushing pancakes around on his plate with his fork was just as good as anything else.

“He just wants to discuss the newcomers in town. The one’s staying over at the Manchester place,” Pa said to Riley.

“Is it true that Kenway is a buffalo shifter?” Olsen, one of the Lakeland brothers, asked.

Sterling’s fork came to a stop midway to his mouth. A buffalo shifter? There was such a thing? He was beginning to see that there were more than bears and wolves that could change back and forth from man to beast. But then again, Abe had told him that he was a fey. Whatever that was. And Darcy had told him that Raven was a vampire.

Sterling’s eyes had been opened wide to the world around him, and he liked it. He liked the fact that not everyone was human. It made life a lot more interesting, and a bit scary. He didn’t want to meet one of the bad nonhumans. He already saw what the bears and wolves were capable of when the fight had broken out a few weeks ago on the ranch. Wolves that could turn into men had attacked the Lakeland ranch, trying to kill every bear in the house. Raven, Darcy’s mate, had popped right into the living room, pulling Luke away from the bad wolves. Then the fight was on. More wolves showed up, but Sterling was told they were good wolves.

It was all so confusing, but it had taught Sterling that there was good and bad, even in this bizarre world.

Pa leaned back in his chair, scratching the stubble that had started to form on his chin. “It’s true, son.”

Roman gave a low whistle. “I haven’t met them yet, but I hear they are pretty damn big.”

Sterling had seen one of them in the barn the night the fight had broken out, and they were pretty damn big. At least the one in the barn was.

He shoveled the pancakes into his mouth, listening to Pa tell everyone about the new shifters in town. It didn’t hurt to get the lowdown on everyone, especially if Sterling was planning on making Brac Village his home. But if Riley kept avoiding him like the plague, Sterling just might consider moving on.

But he really didn’t want to. Aside from having the hots for Riley, Sterling liked this small town. He liked the bear family the most. They were a bunch of great guys, and Sterling didn’t want to leave.

“I’m not real sure what the rest of the men are, but from what little bit Maverick has told me, they aren’t all buffalos,” Pa informed them.

“And he wouldn’t tell you any more about them?” Riley asked as he tossed a few more sausages onto his plate. Sterling sat there in awe at how much food Riley had already eaten. The man must have a bottomless pit. When Sterling had come into the kitchen, Riley was scarfing down a stack of pancakes and scrambled eggs. Now he was eating the sausage as if he were starving.

His eyes flickered down to Riley’s large, tanned, and scarred hand, and Sterling could feel his face heating up at the remembered dream. What he wouldn’t give to feel that hand on any part of his body.

Although Sterling’s cock would be his first choice.

“No.” Pa shook his head and then took a sip of his coffee. “He said that wasn’t anyone’s business unless they wanted to share.”

“Well, it would be nice to know just in case we run into one of them in their animal form.” Riley finished off his breakfast and grabbed his mug of coffee, taking a long drink before his eyes cut to Sterling.

Sterling grinned widely at him, tossing in a seductive wink.

Riley quickly cut his eyes away and then stood, taking his dishes to the sink.

Grrr.

“That’s one of the things I’m going to talk to Maverick about,” Pa said as he laced his fingers together and tucked them behind his head. “The Manchester place isn’t too far from here. I want fair warning if one of them is going to be on my land.”

“You can tell Maverick that if he doesn’t give us fair warning, then whatever happens isn’t our fault,” Riley said before walking to the kitchen door and heading outside, leaving Sterling sitting there hard as hell and feeling dejected.

“Man,” Chauncey said as he leaned back in his chair, tossing his arm over the back of his mate’s chair. “Riley didn’t just fall from the grumpy tree. He was gangbanged by the whole damn forest.”