“Making sure you don’t run.” His tone was hard and flat and unapologetic, making him an easy wolf to hate.
“Where would I go?” The words left a bitter taste in her mouth and hit all too close to home. She curled her fingers into tight fists, her hands thrumming with each pulse of blood. “It’s not like I could outrun you.”
“Let’s go.” He motioned with his hand toward the direction of Jackson Square.
She hurried across the crosswalk before the light turned green. She didn’t need to glance over her shoulder to see whether he was following. She could feel him.
At this early-morning hour, few people were hanging around. Artists hadn’t even started setting up their highly coveted places around the square.
“Here is fine,” he growled.
He stopped behind the shadows of the shrubbery and trees in an attempt to hide his large frame and crossed his arms over his massive chest.
He was large, larger than the majority of the Weres she’d been around, with large broad shoulders that moved with the agility of a large lethal safari cat.
He wore dark jeans, black biker boots, and a white T-shirt stretched within an inch of its life. She wasn’t sure if he was trying to show off his muscled body or if the department store didn’t make a shirt in his size. With his size, it was probably hard to find clothes that fit.
He still had on the same damn black leather jacket she’d seen him in last night. A bead of sweat curled at his temple, and she knew he had to be sweltering. If not now, he would be once the sun was high in the sky. She wanted to tell him he didn’t need the coat for intimidation. He was intimidating without it.
She met his gaze and shifted her weight, digging the toe of her tennis shoe in the dewy grass and staining the white canvas green.
His dark blue eyes, almost a cerulean color, bore into hers. His face was handsome enough, but the glare he was giving her tempered her thoughts on his physical appearance.
His raven-colored hair brushed the tops of his shoulders. A rogue breeze ruffled his locks, sending his male scent directly to her personal space.
Her body tensed, and something stirred deep in her belly. Shivers raced through her system, and she wasn’t sure whether it was from fear or attraction. He smelled like no wolf she’d ever come across.
Right then, she knew she was screwed.
***
“Avocado flavor. Can you believe it?” Jaxon held up a woman’s green thong and waved it under Barrett’s nose. “I thought they only made candy-flavored thongs.”
“You would know.” Barrett gritted his teeth and shoved the lingerie out from his line of sight. It was bad enough he was trying to keep everyone in the dark as to where Lucien was, but now Granny had invaded the barracks, armed to the teeth with edible undergarments.
“They make all kinds of flavors, not just candy,” Granny stressed to the group of interested Weres. “There’s chicken and waffle, taco and refried beans, and don’t forget bacon. If you can put it on a potato chip, then they can put it on a thong.”
The slight headache that had started at his temple when he’d seen the old lady barging in was now building up to a migraine. She’d said she was dropping off some snacks for his Guardians.
He hadn’t realized she was dropping off thongs.
“Bacon’s pretty good,” Jayden growled with a red thong hanging out of the corner of his mouth. His canine worked the garment like a dog working a barbeque rib.
“Hey, pair it up with this avocado and see how that tastes.” Jaxon tossed the green thong and Jayden caught it one-handed. Jayden stacked the underwear together and began to go to town on them.
“What did I do for karma to put me in this hell?” Barrett mumbled to himself. He had a lot of shit to worry about besides standing around all day watching Jayden slobber over a pair of panties. “Why would you even bring those here?” He shot the old woman a look.
“Because I ordered the jelly bean assortment of thongs and bras.” Granny pursed her lips. “Those idiots at the factory messed up and sent me the football fantasy ensemble.” Her eyebrows furrowed to the point they almost got lost between her wrinkles. “And my ladies don’t want a bunch of underwear that smells like a Super Bowl party.”
“I don’t know. These things are pretty damn good.” Jayden eyes glazed over as he finished off the crotch.
“That’s what you think until you see the reviews. There have been more accidents with this package of thongs than you can shake a stick at.” Granny propped her hands on her skinny hips.
“What do you mean?” Jaxon stopped chewing, dropped the underwear, and gave Granny his full attention.