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.Fortunately, Jason rushed to answer, “He wanted to come, but this isn’t really his, uh—” He paused and waved his hand around the crowded space.“He’s not much on crowds and this would have been a little much for him.He’s hoping I can talk you into hiking tomorrow, though,” Jason added.“Oh, yeah,” Trina instantly agreed.“That sounds like fun.”“Cool, there are—”“No, we don’t have time for that, Trina,” Brianna cut off her own son’s words.Jamie noted she hadn’t even greeted Jason.Jamie’s assessment of the woman didn’t improve, especially when she stated, “We’re touring two campuses in Denver tomorrow, so we really can’t be here long.”Trina frowned at her mother.“We wouldn’t have been so late if Arthur had followed the directions I gave him.”“Don’t you take that tone of voice with me, young lady,” Arthur reprimanded.Crossing her arms over her chest, Trina muttered, “Well, it’s true.And I thought we were checking those colleges out on Wednesday.Didn’t you get rooms at that bed and breakfast I sent you a link to?”Jamie knew from conversations with Jason that he’d thought his family would be staying a couple of nights at a local B and B.Evidently, they were changing plans on him so he couldn’t spend time with his sister.Unfortunately, that affected Preall, too, and Jamie knew his friend wanted time with Trina, too.The hiking trip was supposed to be followed by a picnic where Jason and Michel would leave Trina and Preall alone together.“No, we decided that wouldn’t be the most effective use of time on our trip,” Brianna replied.“We’ll do the college thing tomorrow, then still have time to check out that amusement park you talked about.”Trina frowned.“It’s summer.The park will be packed.Besides, I want to spend the day with Jason.” She lowered her arms and indicated her brother, as if their mother couldn’t see him standing right there.“Hey, maybe I can walk the campus with you,” Jason offered.“I don’t think—” Arthur started.Preall stepped forward, resting his hands on the back of the chair Jason had vacated.“I have an order of lumber to pick up in Denver.I’d planned to get it Thursday, but I can adjust my schedule,” he offered.“If there are two of us, the drive won’t be so bad.”“I said, I don’t—” Arthur tried again.Both Jason and Trina ignored the man.Instead, Trina beamed up at Preall.“You don’t have to do that.I’m not interested in the amusement park.It’d be way too hot this time of year and too many lines.I’ll do the hiking thing.” She looked toward the bar and pointed, “Does he have anything non-alcoholic? Oh, how about a virgin daiquiri?”“It would be my pleasure to get that for you, Trina,” Preall stated.Trina’s skin glowed in a light flush.“Thanks,” she whispered.Preall offered a mock bow, then headed over to the bar to place the order.Carson rose from his seat and pointed at the chair.“Have a seat, Trina.Catch up with your family.I’ll grab menus.” As Trina moved to obey, Jared also rose and moved to the next table over.He turned a chilly smile onto the parents.“Arthur, Brianna, have a seat over here.”Arthur scowled and opened his mouth as if to argue, but the narrowing of Jared’s eyes must have changed his mind.Jamie lowered his gaze back to the half of the potato skin still in his hand.Hell, if Jared looked at him like that, he’d do whatever the human wanted, too.“Huh, I thought he reserved that look for the target on his rifle range,” Paolo commented, leaning close.“Not many humans make me nervous, but damn.Not a look I want directed at me…or you, for that matter.”Jamie gazed at Paolo, who had evidently been watching everything play out in silence.“Me neither,” he admitted.“There are a hell of a lot of rumors swirling around about him,” he mumbled, cutting his attention toward the once again seated human.Feeling a set of eyes on him, Jamie realized Carson had settled at another table and now watched him solemnly.Jamie lowered his gaze.Paolo chuckled.With the intensifying of Paolo’s scent, Jamie realized he leaned closer and he turned to meet his mate’s gaze.Paolo winked, then pressed his lips to Jamie’s.He opened instantly to the other man, and Paolo took immediate advantage, thrusting his tongue in and tangling with Jamie’s.He tasted of salt and fries and the perfect musk that was all Paolo, and Jamie loved every second of it.“I can’t believe the staff here allows such displays,” Arthur’s grumbled words reached Jamie’s ears.Slowly, Paolo brought the kiss to an end.Holding Jamie’s gaze, he whispered, “I’d been thinking about doing that since I walked in.What’s ya’ll’s plans to separate Trina from her douche bag parents? And how did Jason survive that pair?”“Arthur is the stepfather,” Jamie murmured.“When Arthur physically expressed his displeasure at Jason being gay, Jason left and tracked down his uncle.That was last year and his parents have essentially disowned him, but his sisters don’t agree with that view.” He waved toward Trina, who leaned close to her brother and chatted away.Every few seconds, she’d glance shyly toward Preall, who currently waited at the bar.“As ye can see.His other sister, Alisha, is in college.She’s taking summer classes and couldn’t make it out here.”“And Preall is Trina’s mate,” Paolo mused quietly.“So what’s your plan to get them some alone time?”Jamie snickered.“Since Brianna and Arthur are being dipshites about allowing Trina to go hiking, we’ll put plan B into effect about halfway through the meal.Our job will be to keep the parents from causing a scene and going after Trina,” he admitted.“Ah, in that case.Best eat up,” Paolo urged, nodding toward the rapidly disappearing appetizers.Nodding, Jamie reached for a chicken wing, just as Gordon did.The elephant shifter chuckled.“Eat it.I’ll go get more.” Leaning toward Grady, Gordon winked.“You want anything else besides more of that?” he asked, pointing at the sauce all over the man’s mouth.Grady swallowed, then nodded.“How about another beer?”Sticking out his tongue, Gordon swiped across the corner of his mouth.“Mmm, you do taste good,” he murmured.“You got more sauce on your lips than in your mouth.”Chuckling, Grady winked at his mate.“Awe, you know what they say,” he murmured.“If it’s not all over the place, it shouldn’t be in your face.”Gordon rolled his eyes, even as they danced with mirth.“You and your meat.”“You and your tea,” Grady quipped right back.While Grady was a tiger shifter and loved meat, the rarer the better, Gordon was an elephant shifter.He preferred salads and had focused on the potato skins as opposed to the chicken wings…and the carrot and celery sticks.They were gone, too.Gordon was also known to the pack for his love of tea and hatred of coffee.For a long time, Jamie had thought Gordon had grown up in England…or at least spent a number of years over there.He’d never had the guts to ask though.“This round’s on me,” Paolo stated, drawing his attention.He grimaced as he moved his arm from the back of Jamie’s chair.“I could use some more fries, and maybe a shot of whiskey or two [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]