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)
I suck in a breath. So that’s why he installed the security at the house. It makes sense. But what doesn’t make sense is why he did it in secret. Why he waited until we were at Disneyland and came while we were gone. Why he was watching us all along but never stopped in. Never made contact.
I don’t understand it.
I’m realizing there’s so much more to Channing than I thought, but I’m not sure what it is. I’d written him off as an irresponsible, reckless, self-involved kid. Or sometimes, when I gave him more credit, I thought maybe it was too painful for him to be around me and Geo. That he didn’t want to face his grief over losing his brother.
Maybe that was it, but it still doesn’t quite fit. Because if he was protecting us all along, wouldn’t that mean he was facing his brother’s death?
Channing and Geo continue their chat, reliving their run. After inhaling enough pizza to send them into a food coma, they rise and clear the table. They stand at the kitchen sink, cleaning it out and doing the dishes. One short, one tall. One dark haired, one blond. Like Geoffrey and Channing used to do.
The memory tugs me, but instead of the pain of loss, there’s a nostalgic ache and a sense of satisfaction. The scene looks normal, looks right. Channing fits right into the space his brother left.
This is a moment I had envisioned initially, after Geoffrey died. That Channing would be around, playing uncle. Another adult to lean on. A shifter. A connection to Geoffrey. But Channing never came back.
I reach for my old hardened resentment, but it slips away. I’m not going to ruin this peaceful moment. Geo needs it.
“All right, Junior.” Channing claps Geo on the shoulder. “Time to turn in. School starts early, and you need your rest if we’re going to run tomorrow night.”
Without protest, without dragging his feet, Geo nods and turns to obey.
“Night, Mom.” He leans down and catches me in a hug.
“Good night, baby.”
“I’m sorry for… you know.” There’s a little catch in his voice, and I know he’s reliving the tense moments before he shifted.
I squeeze him hard. “It’s okay. You did nothing wrong. It just took me by surprise.”
Geo leans back, tossing his hair out of his eyes, so he can peer at me. He looks unsure. “It’ll be better next time.” There’s a question in his voice, one I can’t answer.
Behind him, Channing is nodding. “It will,” he confirms, and Geo’s body relaxes.
“I love you,” I tell my son, and he mumbles, “Love you,” back before releasing me and disappearing up the stairs.
Leaving me with Channing. Alone.
The air thickens between us, turning solid. His eyes glow a little in the low light.
I could close my eyes, but he’ll be there, waiting for me in my mind. Over six feet of hard, golden body. The image of him naked burned itself into my brain. I saw my brother-in-law naked, and worse, I didn’t want to look away.
I don’t want to look away now. The world has narrowed to his sharp green gaze.
“Relax, Jewels. He’s going to be fine. I promise.” He’s doing that thing again, using that smooth, commanding voice.
I bob my head, drawing in a deep breath.
The way his gaze caresses my face isn’t brotherly. It’s intimate. Affectionate.
“What you did with Geo–”
He puts a finger to his lips and points up the stairs. Right. Shifter hearing.
He takes my hand, pulling me out of the chair. My pulse leaps, but I let him lead me out to the patio.
“We can talk here.” He turns. His hand envelops mine. His skin is warm to the touch. Shifters run a little hotter than a normal human if I remember correctly.
I shiver for no reason.
Channing frowns. “Cold?”
“No, this is good.” I’m still overheated. I pull my hand from Channing’s and sink into an Adirondack chair. Channing stays standing, frowning down at me.
“What is it?” I ask, unused to a frown on his face.
“I need to sand these chairs,” he mutters and shakes his head to dismiss the thought. He snaps into a mode I’ve never seen before, intent and serious. “Tonight turned out all right,” he says like he’s making a report to his commanding officer. Is this what he’s like on missions? My pulse picks up speed. I love this side of him.
“Geo did well, followed my lead. There was a moment of panic at the end that he might not be able to change back, but I talked him through it.”
“Thank you.” I can’t say it enough.
“No problem.” He sinks to his haunches. I’m sitting, and he’s crouching, and he’s still my height, able to look into my eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for his first time, but I’m here now. And I’ll stay as long as he needs me,” he tells me.