He glanced outside at the sound of the rain. “I get tired of being wet all the damn time.”
She just kind of looked at him.
“What?” he asked.
“That’s more or less an existential issue for an alligator, isn’t it?”
“I suppose.” He looked out of the windows again, and the door, too, which reminded him how unsafe the back of her home was. “You have to change this sliding door.”
“No!”
“At least the door. It’s not safe, Hell. Someone, anyone, could break in by simply shattering the glass. It’s no protection at all. You should be safer than that.”
“I’m plenty safe. I’m a shifter. I can take care of myself.”
“Fine. But when you’re screaming for help because you were too stubborn to take the precautions before you needed the precautions, remember I said you should have done it now.”
“I have an entire clan of family and friends around me. They’d all come running if I called for them.”
“What if they don’t hear you?” he asked.
She tapped her temple. “I don’t always call vocally.”
He nodded. “Okay, but still, you should be better protected. What kind of males allow a female to be this vulnerable? And where is your male anyway? I saw you walk away from the water’s edge with him.”
“I don’t have a male. You saw me walk off with my Alpha, and who the hell do you think you are to spy on me?”
“Wasn’t spying. Was trying to shift. Not my fault if none of you people take the time to secure your surroundings.” He picked up the channel selector and started changing channels again.
“Put that back!” she ordered as she went back into the kitchen.
“Aren’t you going to cook?”
She was indeed going to start making herself something. But now that he’d pointed that out, she wasn’t so sure. “Why would you think I’d cook anything?”
“Because where I’m from, a female cooks her male something hot to eat when he’s tired and hungry.”
“Where I’m from, either can cook their partner something to eat. So why don’t you cook us something?”
“I just told you I’m tired and hungry.”
“And you’re in my home uninvited.”
“Don’t need an invitation when you’re dared. You dared me with that putting the key back.”
“I did not.”
“And I’m here because of you anyway. Least you can do is feed me.”
“Feed your damn self!” she snapped.
“Okay. Move out of my way,” he said, rising slowly from the couch and limping toward her.
For just a split second, she felt bad about making him get up and cook for himself with him hurting so bad and still not fully recovered. But that was only for a second, until she remembered that she didn’t invite him in, and realized he’d implied that she was his female. “I am not your female!”
He grinned at her. “Noticed that, did you?”
“And you are not my male!” she insisted.
