The bell attached to the front door jingled and she practically jumped back from Rex. His strong jaw tightened in annoyance, but she turned away, ready to greet a customer. She smiled when she saw Davis, one of her packmates. He was a perfect buffer and she desperately needed one.
“Hey, Davis. What are you doing here? I thought you were at the casino helping with security.” He worked with Asher, Grant’s cousin, at the casino the pack owned. Though he was in his fifties, he looked like he was in his mid-twenties. Over six feet tall, he was muscular and intimidating looking—and he had the fighting skills to back up his appearance.
Davis barely glanced at her, instead focusing on Rex who was hovering a scant foot from her. “Max said you might need some help. What are you doing in town, Rex?” The question was benign enough but there was an underlying edge to it. Which surprised her. Davis was dominant in nature and had fought Asher in the way wolves did to prove who was stronger—and lost—when the other wolf had joined their pack months ago. But for the most part he was even-tempered. It was why he was so good with the security team.
“Bounty-hunting.” Rex’s short answer sounded just as strained as Davis. As if he was controlling his need to fight.
Her packmate moved toward them, winding his way through the round, high-top tables. “Shouldn’t you be out hunting then.” Not exactly a question.
“Job’s over and Grant asked me to join the pack.”
At that, Davis stilled, his gaze flicking back and forth between her and Rex. The energy in the air was electric, but not in a good way. Not like what Margery felt with Rex. Suddenly it hit her what was going on. Rex might not be a shifter, but he was still a dominant male. Which meant these two might act like morons in their need to prove who was stronger. Her animal understood why her packmates were like that, but it still drove her crazy when the males, and occasionally females, went at each other’s throats for no good reason. As one of the nurturers in the pack, she often had to defuse tricky situations.
Stepping closer to Rex she slid her arm through his, hoping that by showing Davis she accepted Rex as a friend and packmate it would tone down whatever was going on with him. “Rex has been a big help tonight, Davis.”
“I’ll bet,” he muttered, his dark gaze going icy as he raked it over Rex.
Next to her Rex tensed, but he didn’t say a word. Luckily Sarah chose that moment to come bounding through the swinging door. “I was out back taking out the trash and just saw a party bus pull up. I think we’re about to get slammed again.”
Relief slid through Margery. They were stocked for now, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t head to the back and whip up a few things to keep herself busy. Especially if Rex decided to stay. She still wasn’t sure what his intentions were. Well, other than wanting to sleep with her. Withdrawing her arm, she turned to Rex who watched her intently. “Thank you for your help tonight but you don’t need to stay with Davis here. We should be fine.”
“I’m staying.” There was no give to his voice or his expression.
Was that relief she felt that he was staying? When the door jingled again and a group of giggling, drunk college-aged kids stumbled in, she decided not to argue. “I’ll be in the back if you need me.”
“I’ll join you,” Davis said as he rounded the counter, heading straight through the swinging door before she could respond.
Rex looked like he wanted to say something, but just gritted his teeth and turned back to one of the registers.
Sighing, Margery headed to the back, unsure if she was disappointed or glad that Davis had interrupted what was sure to have been a scorching kiss. She knew Rex would have to leave before sunrise, but she wondered if he’d attempt to kiss her again before he left.
She definitely wouldn’t stop him.
Chapter 4
“It was sweet of you to come, but I think I’m good for now,” she said to Davis as she slid another tray of finished cupcakes into the waiting area. She’d made extra of her two most popular cupcakes—red velvet with cream cheese icing and chocolate with chocolate buttercream icing—and they were practically all gone. Thank God for starving college kids.
When she turned back around she found Davis barely a foot away. He had a little flour on his apron but he’d been incredibly neat and efficient. “I’d like to stay,” he said quietly, his dark eyes glittering with something she recognized.
But really wished she didn’t. On instinct she took a step back and knocked into the tray holder. “That’s okay.” Crap, she so didn’t need a packmate coming on to her. Especially not now when she was feeling so out of sorts and ridiculously horny. Maybe he scented what she was feeling for Rex.