Outfoxed (7 page)

Monday evening, Grady found Gabby downtown at her shop on Main Street. Gabby’s Greats, a sewing place that seemed to thrive, catered mostly to folks—women—needing curtains and alterations. But men generated a bit of her business as well. He nodded to a few male foxes leaving the store with frowns and did his best not to grin.
She’s mine, assholes. Get lost.

One of them curled his lip at Grady. Instead of returning the sentiment, Grady winked and let him pass.

“Lousy cats,” the fox muttered.

Grady knew the bastards were jealous Gabby had gone to live at the pride. If the foxes hadn’t been so snooty, she probably would have stayed with her clan. But too many of them preferred full-blooded foxes to half-breeds. Burke didn’t give a shit what you were, so long as you had decent sense and a backbone to defend the pride. In that he truly respected his brother.

He stepped through the front door and caught her scent without even trying. The moment his feet hit the tile, she swung from a customer to face him. Her face turned a pretty shade of pink before she smiled down at the older raptor fingering a bolt of fabric on the counter between them.

“There you go, Millie.” Gabby’s husky voice aroused him every time. Sex and sin all wrapped up in a redhead with a smile to die for. “Now remember, I give you this, I get free ice cream through the summer.”

Not a bad deal. Millie owned the local ice cream parlor, and with the weather finally heating up, it was a bitch fighting all the kids to get a cone. He cleared his throat and nodded in Millie’s direction.

Gabby didn’t quite smother a smile. “Oh and a free cone for Grady too.”

Millie turned to look at him, no doubt remembering all the trouble he’d caused when younger. Damn Dean. As usual, he’d have gotten away with a helluva lot more if his little brother hadn’t been tagging along all the time.

“Grady Chastell, eh? This big galoot hasn’t been bothering you too much, has he?” The old bird had a twinkle in her eye that meant trouble.

He gave her a wide smile and sidestepped a few older she-bears with big ears and roving hands. Fortunately they seemed to be leaving, so only Millie remained. “Now, Millie. Is that any way to talk to a man who’s had a crush on you since he could walk?” He took her frail hand in his, kissed it and pressed it to his heart, aware of Gabby watching him with wide eyes. “You gave me my first peppermint stick. How could I not love you?”

Millie flushed and shoved him away, but not before squeezing his hand in hers first. “Oh please. Boy has less sense than looks, I can tell you that. But those looks, whooee. Gotta love those cat eyes, eh, Gabby? And he’s got that strong Chastell blood.” She turned to Gabby and in a conspiratorial tone said, “Everyone thinks Burke is the dangerous one, but Grady’s the one to watch. He’s tricky, like a fox. He’ll ease his way into your confidence, then pounce.”

“And then it’s too late.” He wiggled his brows and had both women laughing. “You need help with that, Millie?” He pointed to the fabric.

She shook her head. “No. I’ll leave it here and have someone pick it up for me tomorrow. You kids have a nice night. Grady Chastell, behave yourself.” She gave him a stern frown, but the smile in her eyes took a great deal of the sting from it. “Bye, Gabby.”

“Millie.”

He and Gabby stood in silence, watching Millie take her sweet-ass time leaving the store. Grady had to grin. He’d seen the older woman move like lightning when she wanted to, despite her advanced years.

When she finally departed, he turned to see Gabby watching him, that blush still riding her cheeks.

“So you—” he said just as she said, “How was your—” They laughed together.

God, could she get any prettier? Gabby wore her silky hair pulled back in a ponytail. Wisps had escaped the band and framed her face, making her look like a tired pixie who wanted to have mischief on her mind but hadn’t the energy to do much. He swore he could see her fox sizing him up, then her cat taking his measure. He wanted to go hunting with her, racing through the woods as cats and then watching her shift into her fox form, all sleek and silver and red.

“You first,” she said softly.

“Oh um. Yeah.” He felt like a fool, unable to think of anything else to say but, “You’re pretty.”

“Thanks.”

They stared at one another. He wondered if she remembered how good it had been between them. If only that was all he could remember, he could have chalked up his attraction to chemistry. But everything about her made him soft inside. Hearing her laugh, seeing her interact with Millie, watching her eyes light up with joy when she pleased others…

“What’s wrong?” She frowned. “Are you okay?” Gabby glanced away from him, then back. “Is it Joy?”

Joy.
Fuck.
The truth swam between them, an ugly reminder that he had the situation with Joy to make right. Gabby had just handed him an opportunity to wipe the slate clean.

But as he stared into her whiskey-brown eyes, he couldn’t do it. Not yet. Not until he’d made them strong enough as a couple to withstand the small fib. “Ah, no. Not at all. I just don’t want to screw up my chances with you.”

She raised a brow. “Chances?”

“For a movie and dinner. That’s all.” He put on his best smile. “I swear. That’s all.”
Unless you want more.
“I was thinking we’ve been living in the pride together for three months but we don’t know each other too well. And I owe you for Saturday night.”

“Excuse me?”

Christ. Every time he opened his mouth around her, he insulted her without meaning to. “Gabby, I’m usually pretty good with words. Just give me a minute.”

“Your note yesterday morning was nice.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I should go outside and write you another one. Then you could read it and we could go out. On a date. Together.”

She said nothing, probably waiting to see how far he could shove his foot in his mouth.

“I’d like to get to know you. In bed, sure. I’m not stupid.” He chuckled. “But out of bed too. I think we’d like each other if we knew each other better. And about the other night…” He had to get this right. “Let’s just forget all about Joy and Dean and everything, okay? Pretend they don’t exist. Because you and me, that was never about them. It was about us. You were there for me when I needed you, and I’ll never forget it.” He gently rubbed her shoulder, constantly amazed at the delicate grace of her build and the strength of muscle within.

She coughed into her hand but didn’t step away from him. “I… So you’re not upset about what happened at my place? I felt really bad that I’d taken advantage of you.”

The woman had to be joking. “No way. I didn’t want you to think I took advantage of
you
. You know, you being all generous and then I make a move. Joy isn’t…”
What you think she is. She’s a conniving feline like my devious brother.
“She’s not important, Gabby.”

What looked like relief flitted over her features. “Okay then.” She stepped back, and he regretfully let her go. “I’ll get my purse and jacket and we can head to dinner.”

“My treat,” he promised.

“With that offer, how can I refuse?”

This is so, so bad.
In the raptor-run restaurant a block down the street, Gabby smiled and tried to focus on Grady’s words, not the firm lips shaping them. If anything, the distance from him the past two days had made her need even worse. It was like he’d awakened an inferno of lust inside her and she needed him to put out the flames. She hadn’t paid any attention to the men who’d come to visit her today. Even Miles, who’d stopped by her store to check out the new places in town, hadn’t turned her head.

Knowing how Grady tasted, how he felt in her hand, made it hard to do more than sigh at him. And then to watch him flirt with Millie, to tease her yet treat her with respect, to witness him gracefully sidestep the aggravating she-bears with ease without making a scene. She liked him more and more. There had to be something wrong with him…aside from the fact he couldn’t dance.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He sounded wary.

“You’re awfully nice.”

He nearly choked on the swallow of beer he’d taken. “Nice?”

“Yeah. I’m trying to match this version of Grady with the man who taped a
honk if you want me to make you purr
note to the back of Burke’s pickup last week. Or the man who left his inebriated baby brother, naked as a jaybird, in front of Sonia Daly’s house.” Sonia was an older raptor who liked her men young and handsome. And drunk.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He struggled to hide a grin and stared at his half-eaten plate of food.

“And last month. Who was it that dressed a stuffed animal—a dog, not even a wolf—in Monty’s sunglasses, covered the thing with his clothes and scent, and sent him to Sophie?”

“Sophie who?”

“She told me the note promised hot nights with Scooby if she played her cards right.” Scooby. She grinned at the remembrance. Monty had been more than pissed at the time, while Sophie had thought it hilarious.

“Gabby, I’m hurt. How could you think I would do any of those horrible things?” The snort of laughter gave him away.

She joined him, and they laughed so hard they annoyed the wolves, bears and raptors trying to have a romantic dinner nearby.

A waitress came over to see what the fuss was about. Gabby started to apologize but stopped when she saw who’d come to inquire. “Sonia Daly?” she squeaked.

“Yeah.” She looked Grady up and down. “Hey Chastell, you tell your brother I’m still waiting on that date he promised me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” They waited until she left, looked at one another and burst into laughter again.

Grady didn’t wait for management to kick them out. He plunked some cash onto the table, grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the restaurant, still trying to catch her breath.

They stopped a few stores down from the restaurant. She turned to say something when their gazes caught. That tingle in her belly turned into an outright flutter of something special. Something warm and happy and right. Then he sighed her name and took her in his arms.

With the shared press of their lips, she fell headlong into love.

Chapter Five

Gabby dreamed about that kiss in the days that followed. She’d gone to a movie with Grady after that perfect peck. They still laughed about Sonia, and she thought it just one more point in Grady’s favor that he could love his brother after what Dean and Joy had done to him. How incredibly unselfish to put love and his sibling ahead of his own wants and needs.

But from what she’d seen, Grady’s wants included her. Now all his compliments and sly come-ons intrigued her, because she knew they were sincere. Her brother-in-law didn’t like them one bit, so she knew Grady wasn’t doing her family any favors by showing her so much attention. They didn’t spend much time together in front of the others, wanting to keep their new relationship special, just between them. She hadn’t seen much of Dean or Joy either but chalked up their absences as fortunate happenstance. Though Miles had given her and Grady a few odd looks, the rest of the pride ignored them in favor of the danger plaguing the Bermins. Apparently the threat in Miami might well follow them here.

Miles wanted to leave with his sisters, but Burke and the others—Grady too, to her surprise—rejected the idea. Miles and his sisters, they’d argued, would be safer among the Ac-taw at Cougar Falls. Gabby agreed, though she’d talked to Julia privately about making sure to stick close to Ty and the others. It didn’t need to be said Gabby would defend her unborn niece or nephew with everything she had.

Which reminded her—Ty and Julia had gone out on a date, leaving her free to meet Grady for a run tonight. Their first time running together in animal form.

In the four days since their first big date, they’d done coffee and played board games, which had been much more fun than she’d expected. Grady didn’t like to lose, and neither did she. They’d had a few rounds of miniature golf the night before last, followed by free ice cream at Millie’s. Last night they’d taken a break, because she had a few orders she had to work on. And now, Friday night, the weather cool yet not cold, Gabby rejected her old friend, the television, in favor of a run with a sexy Shifter due to meet her at any moment.

Excited yet nervous, she didn’t know which form to take. Both her animal spirits longed for freedom and to feel the earth under their paws. For years she’d exercised her fox but had to hide her cat, not wanting others to know of her dual nature. With the truth now out, it shouldn’t matter. So why did she worry what Grady would think?

Would her differences, seen up close and personal, put him off? Worse, would her fox try to make a move on the cat she already considered her own? He’d seen her as a cat a few times since she’d moved in with the pride. But they’d never
turned
together, naked flesh into fur.

She had goose bumps just thinking about seeing Grady’s finer-than-fine body again.

A faint noise startled her as she moved deeper into the woods, to the spot he’d shown her the day before, a good distance from the cabins but clearly still on the Catamount Ranch. She lifted her nose but didn’t smell anything off, unless an intruder stood upwind. Yet she heard nothing more and chalked up the noise to a curious rodent.