Sheri very carefully lifted the sun-catcher out of the box Simon had packed it in. The big artist stood over her, watching her every move like a hawk. She made sure she was extra careful with the delicate piece.

She’d been working at Wallflowers for two days now, and she hadn’t been left alone for a moment. If Becky and Emma were absent, some other member of the Pride “just stopped by to do some shopping”. As if even a woman like Marie Howard could shop in one store for three hours. Thank God for Belinda. At least she made no pretense of why she was there, and the two women had become fast friends. And maybe if Rudy was gone from her life she’d be able to help Belinda get her dream off the ground.

“Please don’t break it.”

“I’m being careful,” she replied, starting to get pissed off.

“No offense, but you’re taking forever to do that.”

“Would you like to do this?”

“Nah, looks like you’ve got it covered.” He began to pace, moving restlessly around the delicate furniture like a caged…well, mountain lion. “Becky’s officially moving in with me this week.”

“I know. I’m helping her pack.” She gently laid the sun-catcher in the white gift box bearing the store’s name and logo printed in gold lettering. “She said I should be able to move in by the end of the week since she’s not taking any of the furniture.” Which was pretty fast work considering it was only Tuesday.

“So she’s already taken you up and shown you around?”

“Yeah, I know the layout and everything.”

“Cool. Not that you’ll live there for very long if Adrian has anything to say about it.”

“Simon?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me about Adrian.” She could have bitten off her tongue for letting the words slip out, but curiosity was eating away at her like mad.

“He’s the same age as me, so a year younger than Max. He went to school locally, his parents still live here and have been happily mated for nearly thirty years. He’s born, not made. He has a sister and a brother, both younger, both still in college, both out of town. He owns his own home and car, shares a practice with Max, and has never been in trouble with the law.”

“Women?”

“None serious.”

“As bad as you?”

Simon growled. “I wasn’t that bad.”

“No, of course not. Revolving doors belong in everyone’s bedroom.”

“Pain in my ass,” he grumbled.

Sheri grinned. “So he’s a player?”

“Not so much. He didn’t date very seriously, but Sheri? He told me you’re his mate, which means now he doesn’t date at all.”

“He’s mistaken,” she lied.

“So when he approaches you about it, you treat him right, okay? He’s one of my best friends.”

“I’ll bang him on the head with a baseball bat if he tries,” she replied calmly.

“He’s a good man, and he’ll take good care of you.”

“I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”

“His mother’s going to love you.”

“She’s never going to meet me.”

“She’s Pride, she already has, and knock it the hell off.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she sniffed as she finished tying a pretty gold bow to the box.

Her hands were lifted away from the bow. She looked up into Simon’s dark eyes. “You’re mates. Trust me, there’s no denying it. I fought my pull towards Becky for six months…hell, if I’m honest it was probably longer than that, and it was pure agony.”

“So?”

“So if you fight it, the dreams will start. Hot, sweaty dreams. The kind that leave you aching. And it gets worse. You’ll feel no desire for anyone else, because if your body can’t have the real thing it’ll take the dreams. There is no denying your mate.”

She pulled her dark glasses down and tried not to squint in the light. She allowed her eyes to flash red. “Rudy will kill him. If my denying him protects him—”

“Bullshit.”

Sheri winced; she hadn’t noticed the bell over the door jingling. She pushed her glasses back up her nose and pulled back into herself. “Hello, Dr. Giordano.”

“Call Becky,” Adrian said to Simon.

“Why?” Simon asked.

For an answer, Adrian vaulted over the glass countertop and slung Sheri over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. He ignored her squeak of protest, picked up Jerry’s harness. Jerry, the traitor, immediately obeyed as Adrian carted them calmly out of the building. “Bye, Simon!”

Simon’s laughter boomed out behind her. “Bye, guys.”

“Put me down,” Sheri growled.

“Nope.”

“Put me down now, doofus!”

He huffed out a laugh. “You’re not the first person to call me that.”

She stilled, an unreasonable jealousy causing her to see red. “Who?”

“Simon and Max.”

She relaxed. “Oh.”

“You bite me and I’ll paddle you. Just so you know.”

His cheerful tone of voice was really beginning to grate on her nerves. That and her upside down position was beginning to give her a headache. “You and what army, bud?”

“You think I need help handling you, princess?”

She grunted as he put her in his car with a loud smacking kiss on the top of her head. She felt three years old. “You know, they have some pretty good drugs for people with your condition. Have you considered taking some?”“Don’t even think of getting out of the car.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. You have my dog,” she muttered and folded her arms over her chest as he shut the car door with a laugh. At least her sunglasses hadn’t fallen off. Of course, Dr. Doofus hadn’t bothered to grab her jacket, so she was sitting there freezing her ass off in her thin black blouse and pants. The dork.

He grinned, opened the driver’s side door and put Jerry in the back. The traitor settled in happily, waving his tail as Adrian petted him. Then Adrian got in behind the wheel and started the car.

“Where are we going?”

She could hear the smile in his voice. “My place.”

“No.”

“No what?”

“No, I’m not going to your place.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“Good. Take me back.”

“Nope.”

“Then what are you sorry for?”

“For disappointing you. You are going to my place.”

“Dr. Giordano,” she started to say.

He put his hand over her mouth. “My name is Adrian.”

“Mph rr hmph.”

“What?” Adrian took his hand off her mouth.

“Thank you.”

“Uh, you’re welcome?”

“Now take me back to the store.” She folded her arms across her chest again and glared at him, trying desperately not to shiver with cold. He noticed it anyway and put the heater on.

“No.”

“Now.”

“No.”

“I mean it!”

“No.”

She growled. She freaking growled at him. “Adrian.”

“Sorry, mate, not happening, stop asking.” They pulled into a driveway. Just as he hit the garage door remote she opened her car door and got out, intent on walking back to Wallflowers. She’d only gotten about ten steps before he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

He patted her butt soothingly as she growled at him.

“Oh, no you don’t. I have your dog, remember?” The laughter in his voice merely caused her to snarl. She could feel her eyes turning red with aggravation.

“Good morning, Dr. Giordano.”

“Good morning, Mrs. Anderson.” She felt him lift a hand off her butt to wave at someone.

“Isn’t that the newest Pride member?” the elderly lady asked in a scandalized whisper.

“Yes, and she’s my mate,” Adrian whispered back with wicked humor.

Sheri snarled again.

“Oh, good for you! Welcome to the neighborhood, young lady!”

“I’m being kidnapped against my will,” she called out calmly. One of them needed to remain sane.

“That’s nice, dear. Have a good day.”