Page 22 of Loup Garou
With a reach into his front breast pocket, he pulled an extra pair of my sunglasses out and slid them on me. “You forgot these this morning.” His voice sounded strained.
“Before you yell, I’m sorry I didn’t call you the second Gina told me about you finding me.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “I knew you’d yell and I—”
Jay had me up and off the ground before I could even blink. He held me tight to him and rocked me in his arms. My feet dangled. “You’re okay.”
“Other than the fact you’re cutting off my ability to draw in air,” I teased, hugging him back.
He set me back down and kissed my forehead. “I just had to see for myself.”
“Do you want to come in and eat?”
He let out a soft laugh. “No thanks. Gina made sure to tell me that you left with a guy. I’m not here to cause problems for you, Lindsay. I just needed to know you were really okay.”
“I’m fine, thanks to you.” I tossed my arms around his neck and gave him a good squeeze. “Mmm, what would I do without you?”
“Probably bring home serial killers and try to feed them dinner.”
Laughing, I let go of him. “Are you sure you don’t want to come in and meet Exavier?”
“Nice name,” he said, sarcastically.
“Jay.”
He put his hands in the air in anI’m innocentpose. “I was just saying. I bet he’s agreatguy. A real pretty one, I’m sure.”
“Are you done?”
“Done with what?”
Snorting, I put my hand on my hip. “Being an ass. I know you’re mad about what happened. I swear to you it wasn’t my fault, Jay. Like I’d purposely go and—”
He yanked me to him so fast that I yelped. “I never in a million years thought it was your fault that some sick bastards have targeted you! Never! I’m sorry I’m in a shitty mood, Lindsay. I had a hell of a night. I got back from a case that had me out of town for three weeks to find one of my closest friends, my ex, a woman I still care very much for, lying in a fucking parking lot, barely breathing and mangled!”
“Lindsay?”
The sound of Exavier’s voice made me gasp. Putting my palm against Jay’s chest, I patted it several times. “You better be nice. I mean it.”
“I’m the nicest guy I know, darling.” He slapped a rather fake smile onto his face and looked at Exavier. “Nice to meet you.Lovethe name. It’s very pretty.”
“Jay,” I said in a warning tone.
“Lindsay, are you okay?”
Turning as much as I could considering Jay had a hold of me, I found Exavier standing there looking deadly. His stare was cold and directed at Jay.
I elbowed Jay and he let go of me. “I’m fine. Exavier, this is Jay. You’ll have to excuse him. He’s a little cranky today.”
“Just today, huh?” Gina asked, running up from the back side of the diner, glancing at Exavier and then me. I gave her a questioning look. She smiled. “I was, umm, hungry?”
“Bullshit, Harly called you the second he saw me pull in,” Jay said, shaking his head. “Have I ever hurt Lindsay?”
“Nope, but you do tend to get loud and make scenes. I’m here to cut those down to a minimum.” Gina came and stood next to me. “Wait, does that time you got caught out on a date with that blonde chick, while you and Lindsay were still a couple, count as hurting her?”
I tried not to laugh but failed miserably. “Or the redhead?”
Exavier snickered.
“Or that one who we were sure was really a guy?” Gina ducked behind me as Jay made a move to grab her. She peeked out from under my arm. “Ooo, how about the bimbo who kept trying to answer your door every time your pager beeped? God, she was stupid. Who thinks that’s a doorbell? What did she do when it went off in the car—think God was trying to communicate with her?”
