Added to that, she’d never been away from her family this long before. She missed them. As great as Max’s family were—some of them—they couldn’t make up for the connection she’d lost.
“Spit it out.”
Laurie jumped as the door to Max’s study opened. She turned to find him leaning against the jam, watching her.
“Spit what out?”
“Whatever’s bothering you. You’ve been pacing outside my door for half an hour. I can’t get anything done with you wearing a hole in the rug.”
Although she heard no annoyance in his voice, there was an edge to his words. A sharpness in his eyes.
“You’re busy.” Laurie turned to leave, but he stopped her with her name. She turned and met his gaze.
“Tell me.”
“I want a job.”
From the expression on his face, it had been the last thing he expected. Even she had been surprised by the words. That hadn’t been what she intended to say, but it would solve her problems. Give her something to do. Allow her to meet new people, and get her out of the house.
“We have plenty of money.” His money. Not hers. But she kept that thought to herself. “You can buy whatever pleases you,” he stated, as if he’d read her thoughts. He’d been tuning into her thoughts more and more despite her efforts to shield them.
“It’s not about the money.” Okay, it was partly about the money. But also about so much more. Laurie needed something to occupy her. She didn’t want to be a kept woman. She wanted to earn her place. She was strong and smart, and needed to prove she could stand on her own two feet. “I need to make this place feel like my own. I miss home.” She clutched her hands together as soon as the words escaped. Vulnerability was not a comfortable feeling.
Max reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. After a short search, he handed her a black credit card. She stared at it in confusion for a moment before raising her gaze to his.
“Why don’t you go find something that reminds you of home? Price doesn’t matter.”
Clearly he didn’t get it. She opened her mouth to argue but she could see his mind had already returned to his work. She nodded, pocketing the card she had no intention of using. He pulled her in, kissed her forehead, and disappeared back into his office.
Laurie stared out the window for a long moment. No matter what Max said, she needed something beyond a mere reminder of home. For sanity’s sake, if nothing else. She needed the connection she felt with other people. Her sense of importance. She wanted to feel needed.
But Max was right about the job. For now at least. In a few weeks, Samantha was due to have her baby and Laurie wanted the ability to travel. So she would hold off on job searching until after she returned home. But a few weeks was too long for things to remain the same.
Shaking her head to clear the depression threatening to consume her, Laurie grabbed her purse. One thing was certain, she couldn’t stay here any longer and twiddle her thumbs. The status quo no longer worked for her, so somehow, someway, it was time to shake things up.
*****
Max opened the door to his study, feeling guilty for the way he’d left things with Laurie that morning. He was supposed to be wooing her, but he’d been so distracted by the leap, he’d brushed off her problems without much thought. Twenty minutes ago he’d heard plastic bags rustling and footsteps signaling her return, but had been stuck on a conference call with a few of the other New York Premiers. Finally, he was free to search her out and apologize.
Before he’d taken three steps, he heard her muttering to herself in the half bath next to his study. He leaned against the wall and listened to her voice. The words were too soft to make out, but she continued a constant stream of mumbles. A smile curved his lips at the continued soft muttering.
Max’s gaze was drawn to Laurie as soon as the door opened. As always, his heart stumbled when he saw her. If only she knew how important she was to him.
When she met his gaze, her smile froze. He narrowed his eyes and tried to read her feelings through their bond, but found the path blocked. Interesting. His mate was hiding something from him.
“How was your day, my little rutabaga?”
She stumbled, closing the door quickly behind her.
“What did you just call me?”
“Nothing normal worked. Figured I might as well try something different.”
As he’d hoped, Laurie laughed, bringing light to his soul. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her against him and slid his lips up her cheekbone to her temple and breathed deep. Honeysuckle and citrus. Closing his eyes, he absorbed the pure pleasure of holding the woman he loved in his arms.
A low plaintive whine, muffled by the door, drifted from the bathroom. Max opened his eyes and pulled away, staring at the wood panel.
“What was that?” he asked carefully, remembering the way Laurie had murmured to herself while in the bathroom. At least, he’d assumed it had been to herself.
“What was what?”
Max shifted his attention to the innocent expression on Laurie’s face. In two months, he’d yet to see such a look from Laurie. Innocence didn’t suit her.
Another whine, more pathetic than the last, floated from the closed door.
“That.” He moved toward the bathroom, determined to unveil the mystery himself.
“Now, Max…” Laurie stopped when Max opened the door and a ball of fluff no bigger than a toaster jumped out of the room and ran toward her. Max closed his eyes in disbelief.
“Please tell me that I ate something strange, and that I’m only imagining a dog in my house.”
“Don’t worry, it’s a fox terrier, so it’s hypoallergenic. You won’t have any issues,” Laurie said, reaching down and picking up the offending animal.
“I’m not allergic to dogs!”
“Oh good, then we don’t have a problem.” She turned and crossed to the couch.
“That’s not the issue! Don’t let it—” But she’d already set the thing on the couch. Great, now his sofa would forever smell like dog. “Laurie, this is a leopard’s den. You can’t bring a dog in here.”
“Why not?” She looked at him with wide persuasive eyes, and he wanted to agree to whatever she asked of him. But a dog? He was a leopard; his relatives were leopards. Couldn’t she have gotten a cat if she’d wanted a pet? Or a fish. What was wrong with a fish? Max turned a circle, trying to block out the image of her pleading gaze.
“We’re a group of leopards, Laurie. This is no place for a canine.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he wished he could pull them back. Belatedly, he realized who he was talking to. What the woman he loved shifted into. Foot, meet mouth.
“Excuse me?”
He winced at the tone. Crap. She sounded pissed.
He turned toward her then. Oh yeah, definitely pissed. Her narrowed eyes were shooting daggers at him, her mouth flattened into a thin line, and her hands clutched her hips. He was in trouble. Yet, at the same time, the sight of her ready for battle made his cock harden until it hurt. Calm down, tiger. Doubt any part of him would be getting relief tonight.
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“And what did you mean exactly?”
He opened his mouth to respond, ran through his options in his head, and closed his mouth. No way would this end well for him. Nothing he said would cover the words he’d uttered except total retreat.
Well, crap. He was going to have a dog.
He’d never hear the end of it from his family. How one little female had come into his life and completely turned it upside down. He looked at her as she cuddled the puppy, still glaring in his direction, and almost laughed out loud as the dog glared too. Who would have thought he’d be so grateful to have his home upended.
“Well, that’s settled,” Laurie stated, correctly reading his thoughts. “Come on, Kitty, let’s set up the dog kennel upstairs.”
“Did you just call me kitty?” Max asked, not sure whether to be up
set at the cutesy nickname or thrilled that she’d used an endearment on him. Laurie wasn’t an endearment kind of girl, much to his dismay.
“No,” she stated.
He stared after her as she started up the stairs, the dog trotting in her wake. She’d said it so matter-of-factly, it took him a minute to comprehend.
“You named it Kitty?” he shouted up the stairs in disbelief.
Only Laurie.
*****
Two days later, Max glanced down at the plaintive whine. When the dog saw it had caught his attention, its tail wagged so furiously its whole body shook.
Max growled, low and deep, until the dog scurried around the sofa. As soon as it disappeared, guilt assailed him. Whether he liked the thing or not, it was Laurie’s pet. What would she say if she came home from dinner with Amy and found it cowering in its cage? Hell, he’d probably have to spend the night in the guest room.
Reluctantly, he put his beer on the coffee table and started to rise until the dog came back into view. In her mouth, she carried a silly lion stuffed animal, almost as big as her, with dangling limbs that dragged on the floor. At her feet, a ball rolled a few feet in front of her as she chased after it, pawed at it until it changed direction, and went running after it again. She brought it to his feet and backed away, her tail wagging furiously. When he made no move to grab it, she looked at him and back at the ball, her head jerking in the ball’s direction.
He couldn’t help the laugh that burst from his gut as he watched her antics. Stupid animal. Didn’t even have the sense to worry about the giant predator in the room. Still, he couldn’t help but be charmed by her. Laurie had found her at the ASPCA storefront, and according to her, hadn’t been able to resist bringing her home. Changing the name from Kissy to Kitty had been too easy.
Although he’d never admit it to Laurie, he understood why. Much like Laurie, the dog had a way about her.
Picking up the ball, Max threw it across the room. The dog bounced after it. She didn’t run. She hopped, like a little bunny. When she reached the ball, she once against pawed at it until it changed directions, and maneuvered it until it hit his feet once again.
“This is going to get old fast, little one.” Her tail sped up at his words. “Maybe not for you, then.” He reached down and threw the ball once more.
Three more times, and the dog finally appeared to be tiring of the game. She now sat on the rug in front of him, chewing the ball, the stuffed lion beside her.
Turning back to his book, he fell into the story until a low whine pulled him out.
As soon as the dog saw she had his attention, she ran to the front archway, turned to look back at him, then looked at the portal. When Max didn’t move, the dog ran toward him, turned in a circle to get his attention, and back to the arch leading to the elevator.
No. Max refused. He would live with the thing. Would make sure it had food and water. But he absolutely refused to let the rest of his leap see him walking it around on a leash. It wasn’t his damn pet.
Seeing that Max wasn’t moving, the dog ran back and sat at his feet, raising one paw in the air with a low whine.
God help him, but she was cute. With her butt still on the ground, he’d swear the dog jumped, it wiggled so much.
Sympathy swamped him. Thank God he didn’t need to rely on others to go to the bathroom. He supposed it wouldn’t be too bad to take her out. After all, it was better than her going in the apartment. Thank God Laurie had gotten an already potty-trained dog.
As soon as he stood, the dog’s tail picked up speed and it ran around the corner.
Crossing to the entryway, Max grabbed the leash on the front table. He crouched down and clipped the end onto the dog’s collar.
Picking up the other end, Max stared at the attached container where a plastic purple bag hung from the opening. What in the world was that for? Clearly it held plastic bags, but why?
Then it hit him. He’d seen other people walking their dogs in the city. Watched them lean down to pick up their dog’s droppings. Had wondered why anyone would lower themselves to do that.
Well, not him. Walking the dog was one thing; picking up her poop was quite another. There was no way in hell.
The dog looked back at him and barked, and he pressed the elevator button. She better not have to go number two.
*****
“And there’s Max, leaning down, picking up a steaming pile of dog poop like he was handling radioactive material.”
Cackles sounded around the table as Colin told the story of catching him picking up Kitty’s droppings. Laurie looked at him with sympathy, but tears of laughter shone in her eyes.
Hell, to be fair, Max had to laugh the way Colin told the story. Even Tyler grinned. He gazed at his cousin, riding the sadness that always overtook him. His cousin had never been as lighthearted as the rest of them, but his mood seemed to be getting darker recently. Something had changed. He just wished he knew what.
Even Leah seemed subdued, her eyes glued to the napkin in her lap. She hadn’t done her usual subtle jabs at Laurie all evening. Not that he wasn’t grateful for that fact, but the meek attitude felt amiss coming from her. She wasn’t as dominant as the rest of them, but she was no submissive shifter. He could almost feel the waves of despair flowing off of her. What was happening with his family?
He turned his attention to her husband and mate. Chad seemed relaxed, smiling and joking with the rest of the family. Between them, their hands were clasped on top of the table. He nodded his approval. He’d always liked Chad. Friendly and warm, he balanced Leah’s sometimes harsh cheer. Most of all, Chad doted on Leah. Whatever was wrong, no doubt Chad had the situation under control.
Shaking off his apprehension, he turned his gaze to his parents, who were in town for a couple days before heading to Thailand. Plenty of time to talk to Tyler and Leah later. He only had a few days with his parents. He didn’t begrudge them their time spent traveling the world, but he did miss them.
His attention shifted to Laurie as his father drew her into a conversation about war books. Earlier, he’d seen his mother and her pouring over cookbooks in the kitchen and laughing while baking a cake.
She fit.
As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, her hand squeezed his thigh under the table. His chest filled with so much pride and love, he was surprised it didn’t burst out of him like the creature from Alien.
Yeah, she fit. And if that meant he had to pick up dog poop, or listen to her sing ear-splitting country songs in the shower, or even cook her bacon every day, he’d happily oblige. Because no one else would do. Laurie was it for him. And he was determined to make sure she felt the same way.
Chapter 12
Max hunched further into his coat as the winds assailed him. Cold nipped at his nose and ears, creeping into his clothes despite the scarf wrapped around his neck to protect against such things. Winter had come fast and early this year. Before long, snow would turn the city into a gray mush pile, rife with hidden puddles of road-colored slush just waiting for the unsuspecting walker to step in. And somehow, this winterland hell felt like home. Flaws and all, he loved it.
He picked up the pace, anxious to get home. His meeting with the lion pride downtown regarding an incident between some of the leap cubs and pride cubs had taken longer than anticipated. Darkness had fallen long before he’d left the Pride’s office building.
He glanced at his watch. Eight forty-five. A hushed curse fell from his lips. He’d promised Laurie he’d be home for dinner. Once again he’d broken his word.
More than being out late, or the cold wind stinging his face, he hated disappointing her. As leader of the leap, one would think he’d get to set the rules. Be able to spend time with the woman he loved. But lately, there seemed to be more and more troubles within the leap. He felt out of control, something the alpha in him loathed. Hard to admit, but the truth sometimes was.
At least the issues in the leap weren’t as serious as the shooting i
ncident the week before. They’d never found the man, or men, responsible, reinforcing his belief that it had been a freak accident. The coordinated search party between the shifter groups who hunted the grounds had cleared the area of any dangers. Still, parents had been warned to keep a close eye on their young ones while hunting in the area. So far, there’d been no more incidents.
On the sidewalk in front of him, a woman walked her standard poodle. Or rather, the poodle seemed to walk her while the woman struggled to keep up. Did all dogs rule their owners? Probably, he was forced to admit. He thought of Kitty and how irresistible she could be when she wanted something. It was impossible not to love her. Just like her owner. Thoughts of Laurie brought a smile to his face.
He stumbled as hands grabbed him, pulling him into a small alley between two office buildings. Shock, more than anything, prevented him from reacting as the first punch slammed into his stomach.
He doubled over, struggling to catch his breath. Something hard hit him in the back of the knees, buckling them. He hit the ground, his knees cracking against the concrete. A grunt of pain escaped before another fist hit him on the jaw, cutting him off.
He fell over, struggling to catch his breath. His brain fought to connect what was happening. Was he being mugged? Rare in this part of the City, but not unheard of.
Another kick to the gut.
Max instinctively curled into himself, glancing back to try and see his attacker. A man stood beside him dressed all in black with a black ski mask covering his face. He lifted his foot for another kick even as he reached into his pocket. A flash of silver caught Max’s eye as the assailant pulled something out.
Max reacted, slamming his foot into the other man’s exposed privates. The man doubled over, and Max pushed the pain to the back of his mind. He got to his feet, using the momentum to swing his doubled-up fist into the man’s face. The man crashed into the brick wall behind him with a curse.
Max didn’t pause, grabbing the attacker’s head and slamming it against the bricks until the man collapsed unconscious. Not leaving anything to chance, Max kicked the knife away before resting his hands on his sore knees and struggling to catch his breath as adrenaline coursed through him. Damn. It felt as if he were breathing in glass. He hoped to God he didn’t have a broken rib.
Brink Of Passion (Alpine Woods Shifters) Page 15