Laurie’s Wolves(40)

Corbin stiffened visibly for a second and then shrugged. “Not necessary.” He didn’t lift his gaze. “They’re older.”

“They’re older? What does that mean?” Laurie swallowed her bite and set her fork down. “Corbin?”

He finally met her gaze. “I haven’t told them about you yet. It’s no big deal. No rush. When we get settled, I’ll give them a call.”

“Seriously? Dude.” Zach spoke this time. “I didn’t realize you hadn’t told your parents. Why the hell not?”

Laurie picked another angle. “What do you mean ‘they’re older’?”

Corbin blew out a breath. “They’re old school.”

No one said anything for so long Laurie could hear her own pulse in her ears. “You mean they won’t approve?”

Corbin pursed his lips and stared at her.

Zach spoke again. “Do you mean they won’t approve of you mating two people? Or you mating someone who isn’t Native American.”

Corbin lowered his face and said nothing.

“Oh geez,” Laurie began, “I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell us?”

He shrugged. “That my parents are bigots and won’t approve of me mating a white man and a mixed woman? Oh, I don’t know.” He threw up his hands. “Maybe because it’s embarrassing to admit. Or I’m a coward. Or I simply chose to pretend they don’t exist for a few days.”

Zach’s fork clanged to the table, making Laurie flinch. “Please tell me you weren’t in their field before last week. Please tell me you never thought like that and didn’t walk into that cabin last week and cringe to find out we weren’t Native American.”

Corbin jumped to his feet. “Fuck no. Of course not. I’m not that asshole. I just have parents that won’t approve, and I’m fucking embarrassed for you to find that out about them.”

“Maybe if they meet us…” Laurie started.

Corbin paced, running a hand through his hair. “No. Trust me. Meeting you won’t help matters. They’re stuck in another time period. Bitter on behalf of their ancestors. And they have no ability to hold their tongue on this subject. They will make me feel like I’m five years old and tear you both to shreds. Trust me.”

Laurie paused a moment and then continued. “I can take it. I’m a big girl. And I know Zach can too. All we can do is what we know is the right thing and go to their house and introduce ourselves. If they choose to reject us, that’s their problem. It doesn’t reflect on you.” She stood and approached Corbin slowly.

When she reached his side, she wrapped her arms around him and held him close. “We’re a unit now. Not breakable. And we need to face your parents and tell them. Every day we don’t, it will get worse.”

Corbin’s shoulders slumped. “I know. You’re right. Can we at least finish eating?” He turned in her arms and buried his face in her hair. “I love you.”

It was the first time one of them had said those words.

Not that Laurie hadn’t felt them, especially in her soul. It wasn’t unusual for newly mated shifters to fall hard and fast, but the initial emotion was lust, pure and simple. Bone deep lust that swept them into a frenzy.

She knew she would do anything in the world for these men, but professing love was another step. It was time. “I love you too. Both of you.” She turned to face Zach who had stood from his spot at the table. “And we’ll get through this. Hell, if my day is anything to go by, your parents are just two of hundreds of people who won’t be taking kindly to our arrangement.”

Zach closed the distance and wrapped himself around her from behind. He kissed her hair. “I love you too,” he whispered into her ear. “Now, can we finish eating? The sooner we eat, the sooner we can get to Corbin’s parents’ house. And then we can get back here and get you naked.”

When she twisted her neck to face him, she found him grinning.

»»•««

Corbin’s hands were sweating. He hated this more than anything in the world. For as long as he could remember, he’d never shared the beliefs of his parents. Probably because he had friends with normal parents, and he spent the majority of his formative years in their homes, where he listened to more tolerant rhetoric.

It seemed no one in his community of friends had parents that scowled at each other over the table and bitched about the widespread disregard for preserving the Native American culture.

And now he stood on the front steps of his childhood home and wiped his hands on his jeans like a recalcitrant child about to get a tongue lashing—which wasn’t far from the truth in all likelihood.