Hunter s Moon - By Lori Handeland Page 0,65

one, one for all."

"Mix metaphors much?"

"Bite me."

"If Hector gets to me first, I just might."

Jessie glanced over her shoulder at Will, who was still amusing himself with the bonfire. "Remember what you promised me and I promised you?" she whispered.

How could I forget a promise like that? I nodded.

"We're partners now."

I scowled. I'd never had one of those, and I wasn't sure what to do. Hug her? Shake her hand? Knock her out, tie her up, and keep her somewhere until the danger was over?

"I've never had a friend like you before," she admitted.

Aw, hell. Now I couldn't tie her up.
Chapter 26
We returned to my apartment about midday. The parking lot remained deserted. A good thing, too, since Jessie's shirt was a mess. Will and I looked like we'd bathed in red paint to our elbows.

The three of us hurried to my place. I dug out my first-aid kit. After washing myself, I cleaned and bandaged Jessie's "scratch" while Will called Cora Kopway.

"You should probably have stitches," I said.

"Slap a butterfly Band-Aid or two on there and shut up."

I followed her advice, though none too gently. She didn't flinch. What a woman.

Her shoulder would match mine. If her furrow had been thirteen inches instead of three.

"She'll see us at four," Will said.

I finished my lame attempt at medical assistance. "How far away is it?"

"About an hour."

Great. I could catch a nap. Sadly, the two of them didn't seem in any hurry to leave.

When Jessie said she was going to stick to me like glue, I hadn't thought she meant while I slept.

"Aren't you two going to go back to your place?"

"What for?" Jessie asked. "I like it here."

She settled into a chair, put her feet on the coffee table. She'd appear relaxed if she'd been wearing a shirt. The bra and khaki trousers just didn't say "laid back."

"You need to change," I pointed out.

"Don't you like me just the way I am?"

"Get out."

"I don't think I will."

My eyes narrowed. "Listen, McQuade, I was doing just fine before I met you."

"That was against your average, everyday werewolf."

"You can't move in with me."

"No?"

"I don't need a babysitter."

"Come on, Jess," Will murmured. "You could use a shower, new clothes, a little nap."

"See? You guys need a nap. So do I."

"I can imagine who you'll be sleeping with."

I hadn't even thought of that. I had truly planned on a nap, but maybe I needed to get tired first.

"Get lost." I threw her bloody shirt into her lap.

Her mouth tightened mulishly, and I hurried to reassure her. "I'll be fine. I promise. No walks in the woods. I'll go directly from my apartment to my car with my gun drawn."

"We'll pick you up," she said. "It's on the way."

I decided to let well enough alone.

Jessie stood. Her shirt was really disgusting.

"I'd loan you one of mine," I said, "but I think you'd burst the seams."

She tilted her head. "Was that you being nice? Because you weren't."

"Here." Cadotte drew his T-shirt over his head and tossed it in her face. "Wear mine."

I couldn't help but look. All that smooth, toned, tanned muscle should have made me drool. Instead I could only think of another man's chest - one that was just as smooth, equally toned, but marble pale.

Jessie glanced at me and sighed. "You'd better keep yourself covered, Cadotte. You might cause an accident on the road."

"No more than you will with a uniform shirt that looks like something out of Night of the Living Dead.

Put the thing on and let's go."

Will stalked out the door. Jessie shrugged and put on his shirt, which fit her pretty well. Smoothing her palms down the front, she rubbed her cheek against the neck, inhaling deeply. Her face went dreamy; then she saw me watching and stiffened. I smiled. They really were very sweet together.

"We'll be back in a few hours. Be here. And try to be in one piece, OK?"

"I'll do my best."

I waited until I heard the motor start; then I listened to the gravel crunch, the sound becoming softer and softer until it disappeared altogether. An instant later, I was out the door, gun drawn as I'd promised. I hurried downstairs and across the wide yard that separated the tavern from Damien's cabin.

The air was warm, the sky sunny - the kind of lazy day referred to as Indian summer; I'm not sure why.

I knocked. No one answered. Damn. So much for afternoon delight.

A glance at the tavern revealed a closed sign in the window. Maybe