A Shifter for New Years Page 5

  So, she typed out, You will look handsome in anything. Surprise me. Send.

  He wrote back, See you tonight.

  And now she had all day to overthink cooking Hamburger Helper for a man who was burrowing his way into her heart.

  Chapter Eight

  Everything was burning!

  She didn’t know this kitchen yet. The heat was too high on the stove, and the hamburger grease was sizzling and popping out of the pan. She was having to stir fast because it was sticking to the bottom of the pan. There was a lot of smoke from the cooking meat, and now the tiny house was freezing cold because she’d had to prop the door open.

  “Siri! Call the Black Sheep!” She really needed to change Leslie’s name in her phone.

  Leslie picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”

  “There’s so much smoke and I can’t find the button to the vent and I had to open the door and I’m burning everything and I need help!”

  “Open the bread hanger.”

  “Bread hanger,” she muttered to herself. There was a little cupboard on the small countertop. When she yanked it open, there was a switch inside. She flipped it, and the vent above the two-burner stove roared to life. “Oh, thank God!”

  “Knock knock, it’s the fire department,” Burke said, rapping his knuckles on the door.

  “Aaaah!” she shrieked.

  “The fire department!” Leslie cried through the phone on speaker. “Is the house on fire? Kieran! We need to get to Kimberly now! She’s set the house on fire!”

  “Oh, God, no!” Burke said, snatching the phone off the counter. “It’s just me, Burke! Nothing’s on fire, so tell Kieran’s lion to fuck off.”

  “Shit,” Leslie muttered. “I think he needs to Change now. Wait…Burke? What are you doing there?”

  “I’m banging your sister doggy-style. Mind your own business.” He disconnected the call, took the spatula from her hand, stirred the hamburger, and turned the burner down to low.

  Her phone lit up on the counter as she grabbed a measuring cup for the milk. All Leslie said was Aaaaaahahahahaha mom’s going to kill you. Welcome to the dark side. (0) *eggplant emoji* *lion emoji*

  “Ha!” Burke barked out after he read it over her shoulder.

  “Everything is fine!” she yelped, mortified. She slammed her phone face-down onto the counter. That was enough from Leslie tonight.

  Burke was draining the meat and somehow doing a damn-fine job of avoiding running into her in the tiny kitchen. They were this little team, and it was easy. Effortless.

  He brushed her waist with his fingertips as he scooted by her and made his way to a paper sack that he’d set down near the open door. It was less smoky in here now, thanks to the vent, so he pulled the door closed and came back with a miniature plastic bottle of the cheapest wine imaginable and a beer for himself.

  “I…I haven’t found any wine glasses in here.”

  Burke twisted the top off the plastic bottle and handed it to her. “Good. Less dishes to wash.”

  She scrunched up her face at his barbaric suggestion. “You mean I should just drink it from this thing?” she asked, holding up the chilled bottle.

  Burke’s grin was nothing shy of wicked as he popped the top of his beer can. He tinked it against her mini-bottle. “Ready for a toast?” he asked.

  “Uuuuuuh…sure?”

  “Here’s to bread, for without bread, there would be no toast.”

  She snorted. Okay, that was a little funny. Funnier than the long-winded Wilson family toasts that highlighted every single triumph the family had had.

  “This is very uncultured,” she murmured as she lifted the bottle to her lips.

  His bright eyes danced from above the can as he drank. “I like corrupting you.”

  She kept her face composed at the bitter taste of the cheap wine. “Delicious,” she choked out.

  “You won’t even notice the taste by the third sip. Or so I’ve been told by your sister, who, by the way, probably has some of these left in the fridge.” He stooped, opened the small fridge, then opened the bottom drawer and, yep, there was a four-pack of small wines in there. Same brand and everything.

  “How did you know what brand of horrid wine Leslie drinks?”

  “I told you. I notice everything. It’s a blessing and a curse,” he told her as he unloaded four cans of Spam into her cupboard along with four boxes of macaroni and cheese. When he pulled out two cartons of eggs and put them into her fridge, it was all too much.

  “Burke Dunne! I don’t want your charity!”

  He gave her a quick, disapproving frown. “Woman, I wouldn’t give you charity. I like that you’re posting up on your own. But next time you invite me over for dinner, it’s my turn to choose the food. I want deviled eggs because they are my favorite and I’ve been craving them lately, and also Spam cubes in macaroni. I eat a lot so I brought enough to get us both through a date night.”

  “This isn’t a date night,” she murmured.

  “It’s a practice date night.”

  “No, it’s not. I don’t date, and I don’t need practice. Yet. It’s too soon. The ink is still practically wet on my divorce papers.”

  “Brayden is bringing his girlfriend to the New Year’s Eve party tomorrow.”

  Her heart dropped to the floor. “How do you know?”

  “Kieran told me. He and Brayden are still friends.”

  There was a tiny sting of betrayal, but she didn’t understand why she felt cut.

  “What’s that face for?” Burke asked softly.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Sure you do. You’re a woman who knows her mind. You had a feeling just now. Spew it.”

  “You’re strange.”

  “Agreed.”

  “No, I mean you actually want me to say my feelings? That’s strange.”

  “Brayden didn’t like to hear about your feelings?”

  Kimberly shrugged. “I can’t remember anyone wanting to hear about them.”

  “Outer appearances are most important in the Wilson Family,” he said low.

  “Another shifter observation?” she asked.

  “No. Anyone with eyes in their head can see that.”

  She puffed air out of her cheeks and stirred the food on the stove. “I didn’t know Kieran and Brayden still talked.”

  “Territorial?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re feeling territorial over Kieran, which means you’re feeling territorial over Leslie. They are yours, and you don’t like that Brayden is still in their lives.”

  “Y-yes.” Why did her stupid voice dip to a whisper?

  “Good.”

  “Good?”

  “There are worse people to get territorial over than Leslie and Kieran. You’re a stunner, Kim. But you just let me know there is a heart beating in that ol’ chest of yours. Territorial is a word I understand.” His eyes flashed a brighter gold before he looked away. There were green beans heating on the other burner of the stove and bread warming in the oven, so they went to work getting the table all set.

  Another five minutes, and they were both sitting down at the tiny two-seater table with piping hot plates of dinner in front of them.

  “Leslie is a lioness now,” she said carefully.

  “Mmmmm.” His voice came out a rumble that didn’t sound completely human. “Curious about the shifter side?”

  “It’s just…she hasn’t shown any of the family her animal.”

  “What do you think your family would do in response to seeing it?”

  “Mom would definitely faint. But a fake, dramatic faint where she cracks her eyes open to make sure everyone is freaking out over her safety. I think Dad would get quiet for a few days since he’s accepted that she really isn’t human anymore, and our other sisters would shun her for a year or two. She would be the talk of every party from here on. Maybe that’s why she hasn’t Changed near us yet.”

  “Leslie’s dangerous.”

/>   It was two simple words but, oh, the impact they had on her beating heart. “What do you mean?”

  He swallowed a bite and lifted those inhuman gold eyes to hers before he relaxed back into his chair. “Your sister doesn’t care about your family’s opinions anymore. She’s gotten stronger over the last year. Tougher mentally. But she can’t Change in front of people yet until she has control of her animal. Her lioness is new, and she runs the show when Leslie is Changed. It won’t be like that forever, but for now, Leslie is safest in the woods with Kieran when she Changes. And everyone else is safer, too.”

  “Are you dangerous?”

  Burke canted his head, and any evidence of humor faded from his face. “Yes.”

  “You couldn’t Change around me?”

  “I didn’t say I was dangerous to you.”

  “Who are you dangerous to?”

  He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table as he locked her in his gaze. “Anyone who would harm you.”

  “Me?” she whispered, confused.

  “I told you.” He grinned brightly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I understand territorial.” He busied himself with eating, and after a few moments, she did the same.

  He was protective of her. Her. Kimberly Wilson.

  He was the most handsome, striking, thoughtful, powerful, and complicated man she’d ever met, and he was protective of little old nothing her, who had no more than a name to offer a man. Huh.

  “You can never Turn me,” she pointed out.

  He sighed and agreed. “No, I cannot.”

  “And the rules for lion shifters are that you have to Turn a human immediately if you choose them. But only one in a lifetime. You used your Turn up.”

  “Yep.”

  “So, I can’t get attached to you.”

  “Then don’t get attached. I’m your bodyguard. It would be unprofessional to get attached.” His smile was baiting.

  “Hmmm. Just, easy as that, huh? Just don’t get feelings?”

  “Easy as that.”

  The problem was, the more she got to know him, the more she wanted to know, and the more her little heart opened up.

  What was she doing, inviting into her home a man who was so off limits? Because, yeah, this little house was her home now. She was already used to it and liked her space and was falling for her little life here. But she was drawing in a man whose only option was to break her heart.

  He’d been right. He was very dangerous indeed.

  “I’m sorry in advance for any insults my family hurls at you tomorrow. It’s not you. They just don’t get impressed very easily.”

  “Well, lucky for you, they already met me and conditioned me to ignore their insults. At your sister Beth’s birthday party last month, your mom asked me, ‘What’s your name again?’ three times, but still called me, ‘Hey, you,’ about seven times after that. And she kept ordering her drinks from me like I worked with the staff.”

  Kimberly snorted and belted out a laugh. “God. She knows exactly who you are. That’s just one of her games to show you she rules the roost in that house. She always acts like dominant people are beneath her.”

  “You used to do that,” he said softly.

  Kimberly frowned. “No, I didn’t.”

  “Don’t bristle up. Hear me out. At this end of this is a compliment.”

  Kimberly crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. “I like compliments,” she murmured. Just didn’t want to go through an insult to get there.

  “You did the same games as your mother with me. Acted like you forget my name at each party. Looked away fast if I paid any attention when you talked, like I was invisible. And don’t think I’m saying you singled me out. You didn’t. You were consistent with treating people outside of your family like that. But now?”

  “Now what?”

  “Lately you treat people like they matter. Me included. That’s growth, Kim. I respect growth.”

  And something about that sang deep to her insecurities. It hummed through her soul and landed in her heart. He respected her because she was nice? She liked being respected and lifted up for something as simple as being kinder.

  She admitted something out loud that she had never uttered. “I didn’t really like myself. I still don’t maybe.”

  “I like when you said that. You held my gaze so I could see the honesty in your eyes. What you said is a terrible truth, but one that can be changed.”

  “Can it?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “I always told Leslie she was weak.”

  His eyes swirled with disappointment, but something more sat there in the gold color as well. Something she didn’t understand.

  Be brave.

  She continued. “I told her she was weak for not fitting in with our family. For not being proud of the name our family built. But over the last year, as I watched her grow into her own, as I watched her smile and laugh outside of our family, as I watched her find joy in the things that mean something to her and nothing to anyone else, I grew resentful. My life was falling apart, and I’d done everything right. I’d let my mother and father mold me into exactly what they wanted in a daughter. I made the grades they wanted, went to the college they wanted, met a man I knew they would approve of. My mother planned my wedding, and the focus had stayed on Brayden’s rising career. That meant he had to provide a comfortable life for me instead of how we felt about each other. In the family photographs, he would put his hand on my waist so formally, and we felt like strangers more often than not, but my family would oooh and aaaah at the picture, so I felt like I was doing something right. I got that positive reinforcement. He wasn’t happy. I could see it plain as day written onto his face. We fought too much and didn’t match, but on the outside, we put on this…show. It was a great show. People would tell me how perfect we looked, but looks became less important over time. The pictures were games, and what good are games if the players are broken? He said I was overbearing and controlling and didn’t let him breathe. I was hurt and angry, but do you know why?”

  “Why?” he asked softly.

  “Because he was right about me. That isn’t me having a pity party, Burke. I mean, I knew he was right. I was unhappy and he was unhappy, but I just kept going the only way I knew how because sometimes I would get to take a perfect picture of my perfect marriage and would get the approval of the family. For those few moments, everything was okay. I breathed for the times when everything felt like it was okay. Leslie was never the weak one.” Kimberly swallowed hard and closed her eyes as a tear slipped down her cheek. “I am.”

  Something soft touched her cheek, and when she opened her eyes again, Burke was leaning forward, his eyes searching hers, the pad of his thumb wicking away the dampness on her cheek. “Weak people don’t make admissions like that. Everything is okay.”

  She laughed thickly. God, it felt good to hear those words. Everything is okay. She was living in a tiny house, working at a pottery shop for practically nothing, didn’t have a penny to her name, and was sharing a cheap meal with a man she could never have. Nothing was okay, but his words still held weight. Nothing was okay and everything was okay.

  “Your parents are a lot,” he said, still leaning forward on the table, just inches from her. “But they love you. You’re unlucky in some ways but lucky in others.”

  “I shouldn’t complain about my parents when yours are gone. I’m sorry.”

  “Never apologize for sharing with me.” He shook his head. “Never. My parents died six years ago. You missed the fireworks there. I spiraled for six months after that. Shut down on Kieran, and put my liver to the test with whiskey. I had a bad time coping, and I’m kind of glad you missed that part of my life. I wish they were still here and they could meet you and Leslie, but I have to be grateful for the time I did get with them. Fortunately, I still have Kieran. And, yeah, he’s a douchebag most days, but he’s my family. He’s a damn good brother. But if you tell him I said that, I’ll deny it �
��till my dying day.”

  She giggled. “And you have Leslie now.”

  His eyes softened. “Yes, I do. She’s a good sister.”

  “Yeah, she is. I’m just now figuring that part out. I’m just now figuring a lot out.”

  “I have an admission, too.”

  “Yeah? Is it you came here for a fun night but I cried on our first non-date?”

  He belted out a laugh. “No, that’s not it. I admit I like being here to watch the changes in you.”

  “But I’m a stranger.”

  “Are you?”

  She didn’t understand and shook her head in confusion.

  “You’ve shared more of yourself than you realize. Now, you can call me a stranger all you want, but I brought you canned meat, and strangers don’t do that. We’ve upgraded, Kim. Bodyguard Non-Date, get excited. Now let’s do some more bonding and build a fire on your front lawn and burn some shit.” He stood and cleared their plates as she stared after him, dumbfounded.

  “Oh,” he said, turning back to her, “and ignore the yellow snow on the corner of your house. My lion took a piss.”

  “Why would your lion pee on my house?”

  “Because,” Burke said with an unapologetic smile, “he’s territorial, too.”

  Chapter Nine

  There were twenty-seven text notifications on her phone as she stood on her front porch—her front porch—and sipped a mug of steaming coffee. She still had fifteen minutes before she needed to start opening the pottery shop, but she’d come out here to get a breath of fresh, freezing air and clear her head. Or perhaps just to take a moment to mentally prepare for tonight’s shit-show.

  Twenty-seven new notifications, but she cared about only one.

  Good morning, snob. Busy day with deliveries today but I’ll be there at six to pick you up. Last night was fun. Illuminating and fun.

  Illuminating? What did Burke mean by that? At least he’d had fun. And he still wanted to go to the party with her, so he wasn’t completely turned off by her as a person. Bonus, bonus.

  She’d cried at the table, admitted more than she’d ever intended, and then they’d burned the memories in box number five.