Species Interaction (7 page)

Ducian's head swung my direction, a look of complete frustration pasted on his face. "I don't suppose you know anything about buttons?" He snarled in annoyance.

Blinking, I took a moment to take in the situation. The vampire, dressed in black denim, stood with his fly blaringly open. Bare skin with a hint of hair contrasted with the dark material covering the other areas. His hand opened to reveal a shiny silver button, identical to the others still on the front of the pants.

I would have smiled at his helpless expression if it weren't for those deadly fangs flashing. Instead, I dug through my matching pink bag, pulling out black thread and a needle.

"Actually, you're in luck."

His eyes glanced from me to the needle and thread. "I have to go on in five minutes. Can you…?"

I smiled and kneeled in front of him, holding out my palm as I met his gaze. "If you would just give me the button, I'll have you good as new in two shakes of a bunny tail."

He handed over the offending item, and I went to work reattaching it. Scooting closer, I leaned in, my nose a fraction of an inch from his taut lower belly with the few dark wayward hairs leading downward. Of course it had to be the very bottom button, closest to Ducian's version of Mr Happy.

I could feel his body heat as I tugged on the button side of the fly, gaining a bit of room to avoid pricking him with the sewing needle as I slipped it through the material.

"Hey! Those are attached, you know," he grumbled down at me.

"Sorry." I slid my finger under the fabric, making sure I created enough space as I made my first stitch through the button and down through the tough material. "Trying not to poke you." I concentrated on the next loop and tried not to think about that bulge resting directly under my chin. If I moved my finger a tad bit more to the right, the debate of real or sock would be determined.

Glancing up, I caught Ducian watching me with interest. With a quick reassuring grin, I turned my attention back to the task at hand. I quickly made two more cycles before digging for my little scissors. Finding them, I made a quick snip, tied up the ends, and pressed on the button experimentally. "There. I think that'll last for this session. But you should get it repaired better afterward."

"Something is rubbing…" Ducian said, looking down and tugging his pants open farther.

"Oh, I probably left the end a bit long, let me see." Angling in, I turned my head, trying to find the problem area.

"You have some talent."

I jerked on his jeans to afford a bit more room and better light. At the same time my nose bumped his groin.

He let out a muted yelp followed immediately by a low groan.

"What's going on here?"

I twisted toward an all too familiar voice. "I was…"

Ducian shifted backward, only to stop short with my fingers trapped between the tight material and the warm skin of his groin. His gaze flicked from Meat's intense face down to me, before bouncing back again. His lips curled up at the corners.

Low rumbling came from Meat's chest and throat, a warning growl if I ever heard one.

A loud voice broke in as the MC used the microphone to announce the next dancer.

"That's my cue." Ducian grabbed my wrist, tugged it free, and then buttoned up his pants in one fluid motion.

One stride and he stood at the door to the dressing room. He paused, glanced back to me, then turned his attention to Meat. "She's good. Very good." His low sensual tone filled with sultry overtones. With a wink, he scooted out the door and disappeared before Meat could grab hold of him.

I sat back on my heels, staring up at the scowling liger.

Arms folded across his large chest as he pinned me with his eyes. To a bystander, he appeared angry. I knew better. His blue eyes sparked with mischief and a promise to yank my chain. Unfortunately, the high tides of my hormones didn't predict chain yanking as a good pastime today.

"Would you like to explain what was that was about?"

I sighed and slowly stood up.
Leave it to the Neanderthal to have his mind in the gutter
. Too bad I didn't feel up to bantering with the oversized lap kitty. "No."

Surprise flew across his face. Although his body didn't move an inch, I could tell he never expected such an answer. "No?"

Turning, I located my purse. "No, I don't want to explain." Opening the bag, I neatly tucked the needle and thread back into the miniature sewing kit kept for emergencies.

We stared at one another for a long moment before a tiny smile crossed his lips.

His amused expression did nothing for my sense of humor. "What's so funny?" I picked up my purse and wondered if there would be a mark left when I smacked him upside the head with it. Surely there was something hard enough in there to ring his bell. Besides, the customers were interested in his groin, not his noggin. Not to mention any purple bruise would blend in nicely with his black hair.

"You're wearing pink." He crossed his arms once more, leaned back against the door.

I looked down at my clothing, then returned his gaze. "Yeah. So?"

His smile widened, showing off straight white teeth. "And you're cranky."

Oh, he was asking for it.
Men didn't accuse women of being cranky to their face. It simply wasn't done.

I hefted my purse and attempted to pull on my limited geometry knowledge and nonexistent physics to plan the perfect angle to wallop him a good one.

He grabbed my wrist before I could muster up enough strength. If that wasn't frustrating enough, his smile broadened into full fledged male amusement.

"Ducky was all out of chocolate?"

My mouth dropped open in confusion. "Huh?"
My typical intellectual fall back response.

Meat bent over to whisper loudly in my ear. "Let me guess. Without chocolate syrup, Ducky tastes like chicken?"

The goon chuckled at his own joke until my heel stomped on his big toe.
Heathen.

Meat continued to stare, not even flinching at my small violent outburst.

"I didn't touch Ducian's… penis. Well, I almost did, but I really didn't."

"Your face was buried in his crotch."

"I was fixing his button."

His eyebrow arched as he stared down at me.

I squirmed. "I was."

"I prefer you stay out of other men's pants."

"Ohhhhh. You're such a… cow patty! I swear."

The MC broke in announcing Meat. His music started a second later.

"Be here when I'm done."

I frowned at him, my irritation level still high. "So you can torment me some more?"

Leaning in, he sealed his lips over mine. The kiss didn't last more than a couple of seconds, but long enough for my knees to weaken and my heart to pitter patter. Shy parts sat up and begged for more. With a wicked grin, he hurried out of the room, black leathers sculpting his delicious rear with each departure step.
Oh my.

Plopping down on the beaten up old wooden single chair in the room, I tapped my toes, pondering my next option. I did drive in to watch Meat dance. Granted, he would be performing again later in the evening, too.

A soft knock jarred my attention.

"Is it safe to come in?" Ducian cracked the door open and peeked inside.

"Sure. Come on in."

He stepped forward, clad only in his black Speedo, carrying a wad of clothing. "Did the puddy cat get all huffy?"

I rolled my eyes.

He smiled at me, dumping the used clothing into a pile. Digging in the closet, he pulled out jeans and a t-shirt. A handful of money appeared only to be shoved into a wallet.

"Aren't you going to take the thong off too?"
After all, who would want to wear it all night after having all that germy infested money stuffed inside?

His lips tilted up. "Can't wait to see me naked?"

Now that he mentioned it… "Umm… well…"

He reached over to tap me on the nose. "Yeah, it's coming off. You wanna watch?" Those eyes flashed as he grinned wickedly.

"Well…" Sure, I wanted to see. Possibly. Maybe. But to admit such a thing might ruin my innocent image. Decisions, decisions.

I settled for slapping my hands over my eyes. "Okay. I'm ready."

He laughed, but I heard the slide of material over skin. "So what happened with you and the overgrown lap kitty?"

I tried to peek between my fingers but discovered he was as quick to put on clothing as to remove them. Dropping my hands, I peered down as I recalled the event. "Let's see. He said as his girlfriend, I shouldn't be in other men's pants. I stomped his toe and called him a cow patty. Hmmm. Yeah, I believe those are the highlights."

Ducian spun around, jeans in place, shirt just over his head as he tugged it down over those well defined muscles. His mouth gaped open. "You called him a pile of shit?"

Blinking, I shook my head. "Nope. I called him a cow patty."

He chuckled. "Bet he's never been called that before."

I snorted, fingering the shoulder strap of my purse. A moment later, Ducian cupped my chin with his fingers as he squatted in front of me. I met his gaze steadily.

He pressed a gentle kiss against my forehead, but didn't release me. "You do know jealousy when you see it, don't you?"

"Jealous? Of me sewing on a button?"

Ducian smiled. "He's an alpha male. They are famous for jealousy driven rampages and overprotection to the nth degree. Not to mention irrational."

I lowered my eyes, digesting the information.

"What do you think all that marking was about?"

I shrugged. "He's a possessive cow patty?"

This time he threw his head back and laughed heartily. "You may be right on that." Standing, he grabbed my hand, pulling me up. "But I can say this. You should have seen his face. It spoke volumes."

"What did it say?" I quietly asked.

The door opened, with a next to naked Meat striding in. He glowered at Ducian, then down to me, before slapping the money on the nearby table.

"What are you doing here?" he grumbled at the vampire.

Ducian grinned. "Getting dressed. Or did you forget this
is
a dressing room?"

That comment earned him a low growl. "Smart ass."

"Yep, that's me." Ducian smartly saluted the shifter, flashed his fangs, then headed toward the door. He paused to glance back at me. "Call if you need me, Princess."

I shot him a soft smile and mouthed 'thank you'.

The door clicked shut, leaving me standing in front of one randy tomcat by the heated expression on his face and the growing tent in his undies. While I would normally avoid hanky-panky in the dressing room, after the searing hot kiss he bestowed on me before his dance, I leaned toward giving kinkiness a try.

Just as I opened my mouth, Misha flounced in, slamming the door behind her.

Just great
. As if the evening wasn't bad enough already. Seems the witch had arrived. Too bad Misha wasn't gray headed, spindle thin, and bug-eyed. Where were those magic potions to turn her into a turtle when you needed one?

"Why haven't you answered my calls?" She threw her bag on the desk, standing toe-to-toe with Meat.

His gaze flicked over her. "I've been busy."

She sneered. "Busy with what? Sleeping with the bearded dragon?"

"Hey!" I glared at her.

She turned to snarl back. "I hear you're a jail bird."

"Yeah, well. I hear you're a slut." I stuck my chin in the air with that comeback. Her answering hiss told me I hit a nerve.
Score one for me.

Her head snapped around, dismissing me with a haughty shrug. "You've been avoiding me."

I took the opportunity to have a seat on the chair and watch as the fireworks flew. Served him right for being a caveman to have to deal with the whiney shrew.

He didn't answer, simply shrugged. Then his attention focused back on me, his gaze alone set my stomach into a slow, exquisite somersault.

"I've lost something." She leaned in and lowered her voice. "Something vital. And, need your help finding it." Her eyes darted my direction but quickly returned to Meat.

Yeah, she's lost something all right. What little brain cells that remained.

Meat looked at her, his attention snared. "What is it?"

Her shoulders relaxed, easing back, her spine rounded a bit, allowing her cleavage to bulge out farther. "The Talisman Stone," she answered quietly, lowering her head as if in shame.

"You
what
?" His anger flew to the fore. "Do you have any idea what could happen if that got into the wrong hands?"

I blinked and kept my mouth shut. Meat shifted gears, sparing me a quick look of resignation and regret. "I'll have to call a rain check."

"I'm not going anywhere. I know about 'others'"—I did the quotation sign with my fingers—"so there is no need to shoo me off like a hungry bunny eyeing a tomato plant."

Misha took offense. "This isn't human business, simpleton." She spun on her stilettos, adjusting the teeny black dress that barely covered her behind and endowed cleavage at the same time.

"I'm dating a shifter, lackwit," I fired back.

A throat cleared loudly, before Meat broke in. "Maybe she's right. It's better that you aren't a part of this."

"What?" I gaped at him in surprise.

He sighed heavily. "This involves some tightly held shape-shifter secrets. I don't want you in danger in case someone learns you have this knowledge."

Oh, he didn't think I would actually buy that, did he?
I stomped my foot for emphasis. "I don't care. We're a team."

"Not this time," he announced with a firm voice that invited no argument.

I gasped, hurt by his unyielding stance. He expected me to walk away leaving him with Marilyn the Octopus in this room while she gave him her piddley excuse as to how she lost this item? Knowing her manipulation, she created this whole scenario in order to steal his attentions back to her. Why couldn't he see that for himself? He must be using that southern brain again instead of the one with all the neurons that actually worked from time to time.

Misha looked back and forth between Meat and I before tilting her head. "Trouble in paradise?"