“Mitch isn’t rude, though. He’s just”—he thought a minute and finally finished—“Mitch.”

“That don’t make it right.” She winked and began to amble off. He’d never met anyone who ambled in Manhattan, but Dee managed to.

“Uh . . . need a lift home?”

“Not going home. Got that meeting with that idiot feline and Desiree early in the morning and it’s too far to travel.”

“You can stay at my place,” he offered, hoping to look innocent and helpful rather than lustful and desperate.

“No, but thank you kindly. I’ll crash at Rory Reed’s tonight. He’s staying at Brendon Shaw’s hotel with the rest of the Pack, so he’s got room service and a real comfortable couch.”

“But my place has me and my waffles with blueberries.”

“I can’t keep living off you, Van Holtz.”

“It’s not living off me if you’re going to be my wife anyway.” Turning around and walking backward, she said, “Huh?”

Ric decided this wasn’t the time. “Nothing. Have a good night, Dee-Ann.”

“You, too.” She turned back around and quickly faded into the shadows. “And thanks for dinner.”

He sighed, thinking about another lonely night in his bed. “Anytime.”

CHAPTER 4

R ory Lee Reed was lying in his bed, wondering how much longer he’d have to sit here and hold this full-human female, when—finally!—his bedroom door slowly creaked open.

The full-human raised her head from his chest and, in a panicked whisper, “Rory . . .” She tapped his shoulder. “Rory. Wake up!”

He pretended to come awake, and looked across the room at Dee-Ann. She stood in his doorway, one denim-clad leg crossed over the other, Big Betty—the name he and his brothers had given her bowie knife—in one hand while she cleaned under the fingernails of the other.

“Dee . . . Dee-Ann? What are you doing here?”

“Came for my man,” she growled low and turned her head a bit so the early morning light made the yellow of her eyes stand out that much more. And, if he didn’t know her, he’d be terrified.

Heh.

“You told me you were single,” the full-human accused.

“Uh . . . well . . .”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said quickly and Rory stopped just short of rolling his eyes. She was one of those.

“You need to roll up out of here, darlin’,” Dee explained in a slow drawl. “Before I start gettin’

cranky.”

“Rory’s with me now,” the full-human told Dee. “I’m sorry if that hurts, but that’s the way it is.” Dee’s eyes flicked over to his and without saying a word, he begged,Please don’t leave me.

Please don’t leave me.

They’d only been on three dates! Three dates that led to one night of solid, entertaining sex.

But, as was the way with some of these full-humans, that was sometimes enough.

His daddy had warned him. Warned him but good. “Stay away from the full-humans, boy.

They’re clingy and don’t know when to walk away. They’ll put up a fight.” Of course, that warning came when Rory was sixteen. He was now thirty-five and, he just decided at this moment, way too old for this shit. By the time his daddy was his age, he had a mate, four healthy pups, and a decent business to keep them all going. And what his father hadn’t needed at the age of thirty-five was his best friend trying to help him get rid of his latest conquest . . . who wasn’t much of a conquest anyway. She’d practically dived into his bed.

“You gonna take care of our six kids, too?” Dee asked.

Six? Good Lord.

The full-human blinked. “Six?”

Tapping her knife against the tip of each finger, Dee named each imaginary offspring. “There’s Benny Ray, Johnny James, Jackie Duke, Juney Peach”— Juney Peach?—“Sadie Mae, and Sassy. She’s gonna be our pageant queen, ain’t she, Rory Lee?”

“You have six children?” the full-human demanded.

“And each one gets child support,” Dee added. “A real good amount, too. And with the oldest only seven . . . that’s a whole bunch of years of financial care he owes us. Ain’t that right, Rory Lee?” Rory stared at the full-human and answered, “I take care of my kids.” The poor room service waiter looked absolutely terrified when an hysterically laughing Rory answered the door. And with Dee on the couch laughing so hard she had tears, he placed the tray, got the signature from Rory, and took off.

“Juney Peach?”

Arms around her stomach, Dee replied, “Couldn’t use names of my kin. Didn’t know if she’d met them or not.”

Dropping on the couch across from her, Rory shook his head. “That’s it, Dee-Ann. I’m not doing it anymore.”

Wiping tears from her eyes, Dee-Ann sat up. “Not that again,” she sighed. “You always say that and I always end up rescuing your ass the morning after from clingy full-humans.”

“I’m thinking it’s time for me to settle down. I got a good job. The Pack’s in a secure place.” He looked her up and down. “You busy?”

“Oh, that’s nice.”

“You’re not still waiting for love are you?”

“When was I ever—”

“Third grade. ‘Rory. One day I’m gonna find true luuuuuuvvv. ’ ”