Series: Shifter Ops Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 65371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Images fill my head–ones from my dream, from seeing Channing naked, and more, new images of me in every position, obeying his every command.
“Relax, Julia,” he whispers, and I do, inhaling his scent.
I hear him suck in a ragged breath, like he’s as turned on as I am. Possibly as bothered by it as I am.
I feel the barest touch of his fingertips brushing my hair from my face.
“I’m sorry,” he murmurs again. “I never meant to hurt you by staying away. I didn’t realize…I mattered that much.”
I open my eyes and find his gorgeous face blurry, obscured by my unshed tears. “Of course you mattered, Channing. You were part of our family. My family. You’re Geo’s uncle. I loved you like my own brother.”
The moment I say it, I know my mistake.
The vulnerability in Channing’s face morphs to that impassive, battle face I saw out on the deck last night.
And that’s when I realize this attraction definitely isn’t one-sided. Channing feels it, too. I haven’t been imagining things.
And I just inadvertently shut it all down by saying I felt brotherly toward him.
He gives me a tight, dimpleless smile and moves away, and I’m left alone, aching for what I just turned away.
I twist the wedding band on my finger. Look down at it.
Am I ready to move on? It’s been years since I’ve been with a man. After having a man like Geoffrey–a shifter–ordinary human men were just not even the slightest bit interesting to me.
Channing isn’t an ordinary human man, though. He’s all shifter. All male. He makes my pulse race and my blood heat. I can’t deny that since the moment he showed up on my drive, I’ve been imagining what it would be like to be with him.
If there was anyone on this planet who might fulfill the neediness in me, the emptiness, I think it might be Channing.
I slide the ring off, stare at my finger without it, then slip it back on.
I don’t know. Moving on is scarier than holding onto the ache of the past.
I listen for the sounds of Channing moving around the house, checking locks, putting things away, and I realize the ache of the past has already morphed into something else.
Longing.
Longing for my future.
Chapter Seven
Channing
For two days, I keep my head down and do everything I can to help around the house. I fixed the roof. Today I’m sanding the deck and chairs. Tomorrow I will stain and seal them. Julia’s car needs an oil change and a thorough check up. Buddy is coming with his tools to help me with that.
And all the while, I remind myself that Julia loves me like a brother.
So awesome. That will make it much easier to leave again once I’m sure Geo’s comfortable with shifting.
I remind myself of that fact thirty times a day to keep from touching her. Brother. Brother. Brother. Just her brother. I’m using everything I can to keep from marking her with my teeth. Keep from betraying my brother’s memory by claiming his mate.
Why would Fate make us both fall for the same human female? I’ve heard of some unusual shifter packs where the males mate in pairs–but never brothers. And they’re a slightly different species of wolf.
It is interesting to note that I didn’t have the urge to mark her until Geoffrey died. I thought she was hot. Enjoyed hanging around her. But it wasn’t until his funeral that the urge to mark her and claim her hit. As if Fate threw me in as a substitute. But I was only nineteen. I was partying a lot, hanging out with Buddy. Working at a local pizza joint and racing cars on the side for money. Basically, doing nothing with my life.
Julia was ten years older. A lawyer. Out of my league. And she was grieving for my brother. I knew I wasn’t fit to fill his shoes. Not even close. I never will be.
So I joined the military–to remove myself from the temptation of Julia and to grow up. I guess, subconsciously, I chose to mold myself after Geoffrey and make myself worthy of her. Except I quickly learned, I couldn’t be Geoffrey. I’m not serious and determined. I’m a goofball. I roll with things. Go with the flow. Love to laugh. I’ve never had any desire to lead. I’m a great soldier.
And then I was recruited to Colonel Johnson’s Shifter Op team–he was the same guy who recruited Geoffrey. And… the years went by. It was easier to stay away than to show up and risk sullying my brother’s memory by seducing his mate.
Julia certainly didn’t need me confusing matters.
I had no idea she was hurt by my absence. That she would’ve wanted me around.
But as a brother. As an uncle to Geo.
Not as a mate.
I walk into the living room to find Julia on a yoga mat, her ass in the air. I don’t know why she’s not working right now. Some kind of break?