Why was I having such a hard time believing that?

Seven

“I know you’re hot, but I’m not into guys.”

Ethan’s wry words cut through my light sleep.  My eyes popped open as I recalled Carlos in bed with Ethan, and I sat up.  Light from the parted curtains illuminated the room enough so that I could see.

Ethan was on his back with his head turned so he eyed Carlos, who lay on his side facing Ethan.  It looked a bit too cozy, and I could understand Ethan’s concern.

Grey remained still with his eyes closed, though by the smile tugging at his lips and the waves of humor rolling off him, I could tell he was awake.

Carlos opened his eyes and glanced at me before eyeing Ethan.

“You’re safe with me.”

I wasn’t sure that was the reassurance Ethan was looking for.

Ethan turned his head as he searched for me.  He eyed Grey for a moment before meeting my gaze.

“Did he spoon me?  I feel recently spooned.”

“Minor spooning,” I said, keeping a straight face.  “Pants off, but boxers on.”

Ethan sat up and swung his legs off the bed.

“You’re warped.  How can such a twisted mind hide behind that pretty face?”

“You like warped.”  I couldn’t stop the grin.

“Lucky for you.  If no one is calling dibs on the bathroom, I’m grabbing it for the next ten minutes.”

“All yours,” I said, lying back down.

As soon as the bathroom door closed, Grey got out of bed and left the room.

Don’t look.  Don’t look.  I turned my head and looked.  Yep, Carlos was staring at me.

“Want to tell me what that was about last night?” I asked.

“No.”

“You keep too much in.  You’re going to give yourself an aneurism.”

He didn’t say anything, but I didn’t expect him to.

For the next ten minutes, we stared at each other.  It drove me crazy that I didn’t know what he was thinking or feeling.

When the bathroom door opened, I bolted out of bed to grab my bag and claim some alone time.  It wouldn’t pay to take a shower yet; I needed some time on the treadmill before we headed out.  So, I splashed some water on my face before brushing my teeth and combing out my hair.  After pulling the mass back into a ponytail, I braided it.

Ethan was the only one in the room when I reemerged.  He sat on the bed with his shirt off and the tube of cream in his left hand.

“I think you’re milking this,” I said, setting the bag down.

“Guilty.  So, you wanna tell me how I ended up in bed with Carlos?”

Ethan handed me the tube.  Then, he managed to pull off his own shirt while I squeezed some of the athletic cream onto my fingers.

“You were right,” I said as I started to rub it in.

“Hold up.  Say that again.  Only this time, say it like you’re selling it.”

“Shut up.”  I poked his side, then went back to spreading the salve.  “Carlos caught me on my way to the bathroom last night.  He said we were switching and took my spot.  At first, I thought he meant I should sleep with him.”

Ethan snorted.

“Like to see him try,” he said.

I grinned, remembering how I’d tried to knee Carlos.

“I think he’s jealous of you,” I said as I stepped back to signal I was done.

“Good.  Guess what he did before he left?”

“What?”

“Changed into workout clothes.”

That sneaky giant...

“Want to go for a run outside?” I asked.

Ethan bent down and lifted his running shoes.  He knew me too well.

*    *    *    *

It was early enough that the sidewalks were still clear.  Ethan and I ran in unison.  We didn’t run together often, but when we did, he stuck to me.  I liked the sound of our feet hitting the pavement together.

The gestapo caught up to us seven blocks from the hotel.  Grey’s worry gave them away.  I didn’t slow down or give any indication that I’d noticed them tailing us.  Ahead, I spotted a fast food chain restaurant.  I veered that direction.

Sweaty, but not yet breathing too hard, Ethan and I stepped inside.  I ordered double of everything we would normally eat.  To go.

“You always play nice,” Ethan said under his breath.

He was right.  I did.  When I could.  I tried to make up for the times my mood swings wouldn’t let me be nice.

Ethan carried the bags, and I carried the large orange juices.  Grey and Carlos were waiting just outside the doors.  The sight of Carlos in his tight exercise clothes made my palms sweaty.  I ignored the weird phenomenon and pushed my way through the doors.  Carlos’ gaze swept over me then locked on my face.  I pretended not to notice and focused on Grey instead.

“Grey, you’re going to need something other than jeans if you plan on taking up running.”  I handed him an orange juice.

“If the point of the exercise is to burn off the emotion you absorb, doesn’t stopping for breakfast defeat the purpose?” he asked.

“Sleeping in a hotel defeated the purpose before the breakfast run did.  If you would have felt what was coming from the room above us...”

He winked at me and took a bite of his breakfast sandwich.

“I’m going to have to tell Gabby to stop ratting me out,” I said, handing a juice to Carlos.

“She didn’t.”

“How did you find us?”

Grey answered by tapping the side of his nose before taking another bite.

“You should have showered,” Ethan said to me under his breath.

“Shut up.  I don’t stink.”  Did I?

He laughed at my frown and dug into his sandwich.

“Might as well walk back,” I said as I unwrapped my own food.  I wasn’t about to run with the two of them following us.  The whole point of leaving the hotel was to give myself some distance from Carlos.

Grey turned and started walking.  Carlos hung back, waiting for me to follow.  What did he think I would do?  Run away?  Where would I go?  They had the cars.  I rolled my eyes and sped up to walk beside Grey.

“Hey, Grey...do you fight?”

He grinned at me, a twinkle in his eye.

“Nah.  I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

Darn.  I needed a partner before we left.  And it wouldn’t be Carlos or Ethan.

My partner happened to find me as we rounded the corner near the hotel.  Luke stood waiting by the doors.

“Isabelle, may I speak with you for a moment, please?”

His proper speech made me grin.

“Sure thing.  What’s up?”  I stopped to talk to him while everyone else went inside.  Carlos lingered just on the other side of the doors.  I wished Michelle had never said anything because my stomach wouldn’t settle down around him.

“Bethi wants to speak with you.  Alone.”

“Alone seems to be pretty hard to do around you people.”

“You’re safe with me.  He knows it.”  Luke tilted his head toward Carlos.

What did I care if Carlos thought I’d be safe?  And why was Luke concerned about what Carlos thought?

“Because I’m Mated,” Luke said as if I should have asked why.  “Werewolves don’t stray.  Ever.”

Luke smiled.  I didn’t like his smile.  And I didn’t like how he glanced at Carlos.  I hated conversations with hidden meanings.  It was like those stupid picture books where you had to find the guy with the red and white striped hat.  I didn’t have time for games.

“Yeah...I don’t really care.  I’ll talk to her.  But after, you owe me twenty minutes in the exercise room.  Deal?”

He appeared to like the idea.

“Deal.”

No doubt, he was remembering the beating I’d dished him at Ethan’s back door.  Good.  It would make the sparring more interesting.

Luke reached for the door and held it open for me.  After we passed him, Carlos silently fell in behind us.  I should have bought him a bigger shirt.  There hadn’t been any bigger shirts.