“Just focus on your muscles, your joints. Think about them changing back to how you feel when you’re human.”
I do as he says, imagining a light illuminating beneath my skin at the places he instructed. It happens slowly at first, my skin pulling and muscles stretching, but then I’m standing before him, human, and naked as well. “Do our clothes just disappear?”
“No, see.” He nods toward my porch, where my clothes are torn to pieces. “If you can undress before shifting, it’s ideal, and cheaper for your wardrobe.”
“Shit. So what if you’re shifting and going somewhere else?”
“You can get a pack to wear around your waist or something like that. It will usually hold up. Or tie something to your leg. But that’s not normally a worry. We don’t travel out of pack territory.”
The sun is completely visible now, the birds chirping loudly. “We better get inside. If anyone sees us standing out here like this, we’ll both be in the back of a cop car.” I rush inside and he follows behind me, shutting the door and locking it.
“Scared of the calico?” I tease him, but there’s some truth to my words.
“No, I think you took care of Addison.” He chuckles. “She wasn’t expecting you to shift.” He sobers then, reminding me of my question earlier.
“Why did I just now shift?” I cross my arms, watching him expectantly.
“Well, that’s a long story, really.”
“I have all day. I don’t work until seven tonight.”
“How about we make some coffee?” he suggests, refusing to meet my eye.
“I don’t have any syrup or creamer, but you’re welcome to coffee. I’m getting dressed first, though.” I head to my bedroom without waiting for an answer, but his footsteps thunder behind me.
“You haven’t looked in your cabinets, have you?”
“My cabinets? No, I woke up yesterday and got ready for work.” The top drawer of my dresser squeaks as it slides open, and I pick out my most comfortable pair of pajamas. I slide them on without looking up. I don’t feel his gaze on me while I dress, but I don’t want to see him without clothes again. That’s a lie, though. Because I’ll go in heat again at some point.
“Here.” I grab my robe from the back of the door and hand it to him.
We finally look at each other, and he has a teasing smile. “Oh, can’t resist looking at me?”
“In your dreams.” I scoff. “Now what’s this about my cabinets?”
“Renee did some shopping for you. She picked up all your favorites.”
“Renee doesn’t shop.”
“No, but I asked her to.”
Doubting his claims, I open the top cabinet carefully, and sure enough, there’s my macadamia nut syrup. My stomach swoops at the sight, at the thoughtfulness. My aunt despises grocery shopping, but she went anyway, and he thought to ask her to.
“Okay. Let’s get this coffee going, then you have some answers to give me.”
“Yes, ma’am. Sit down. I’ll make the coffee.” He motions to the small table I got on sale when I moved into this apartment.
“You know, I normally despise listening to men, yet that’s all I seem to do around you.” The seat is cold against my skin, and I wonder if I’ll always run hot now. He moves around the kitchen as if he lives here, and a nagging thought surfaces. “Do you live in these apartments?”
“I do.” He grabs a gallon of filtered water and adds it to the machine, then measures out coffee grounds.
“So what, is this just like, the center for shifters or something?” I joke. But the look he gives me stifles my laughter. “Oh, god. Everyone here?”
“No, but most. Or friends. All of the employees.”
“Even Janice?”
He chuckles. “Yes, even Janice.”
