Chumming with a Great White - Charlie Richards Page 0,1

Graham knew it hadn’t been his finest moment. He’d only had the prosthesis for a week in the hospital before he’d been released to Grisham’s care. He’d still been unsteady on it, and it took work to rise from the sofa. When Cuzco had seen him struggling, he’d hurried over to help.

Graham had pushed his hand away, grumbling, “I don’t need help.”

The look on Cuzco’s face was just one more thing to haunt his dreams at night.

And my thoughts during the day. Just great.

“A-Are you ready to go?” Cuzco asked softly, twisting his hands before him. “The show starts in twenty minutes. I have the golf cart ready.”

Nodding, Graham used his cane to push to his feet. “Yeah, Cuzco.” He’d become steadier on his fake leg over the last couple of weeks, but there was no way he could hike all the way into the nearby marine park, and they both knew it. “Thanks for getting that for me.”

“Of course.” Cuzco’s uncertain expression disappeared as his smile lit up his features. “You’re family. We always help family.”

Graham forced a return smile, even though he felt anything but happy. Still, he’d promised his brother that he would get out more. Fresh air would do him good, too.

“That’s kind of you to say,” Graham muttered as he followed Cuzco from his room, his gait a little slow, but at least he wasn’t limping too badly. “I’m glad my brother has you.”

Even though Graham still found it odd that Cuzco had caught Grisham’s eye, let alone ended up so smitten, his words were true.

I’m happy my brother’s life is on track. Now what am I supposed to do with mine?

* * * *

Eban O’Gillie heard Ovram shout his name. Pushing to his feet, he rounded his desk and headed across the hall. He leaned against the open door and met the sea lion shifter’s gaze.

“Yeah, Ov?” Eban asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “What’s up?”

Ovram pointed at a security monitor. “I think we have an issue in the underwater aquarium.”

Easing closer to the screen, Eban rested the knuckles of his left hand on the desk and took in the scene. The camera showed the wall of glass thirty feet away. Within the aquarium swam a vast array of fish, sharks, and other marine life.

Except, Eban knew that wouldn’t be what Ovram was referring to. He swept his gaze over the large area full of milling humans who all appeared to be enraptured by the creatures beyond the glass. Well, all of them except one.

Near the far-left side of the viewing room stood a man leaning against the wall. He clutched a cane in his right hand, and he stared at the floor. Even through the camera, Eban spotted the slight sheen of sweat dotting the man’s brows as well as the pallor of his skin.

Even obviously under the weather, this guy is handsome.

Huh. Weird thought, but damn.

Eban couldn’t help but sweep his gaze over the guy a second time. He figured he was a little over six feet, and his shoulders were wide with a trim waist. The jeans he wore molded to his muscular thighs. Eban even found the day or so growth of dark hair on his cheeks and chin sexy.

“Should I send someone in security to see if he needs assistance?”

Ovram’s question yanked Eban out of his admiration of the man. He opened his mouth as he straightened, intending to nod and order him to contact Dare—an enforcer for their pod who worked under him in security. Except, then Eban felt the great white shark he shared his spirit with rumble in the back of his mind, displaying displeasure at sending the unmated giant octopus shifter to see to the man.

Ooookay.

Still, Eban would heed his animal’s desires. “I’ll go myself,” he told their marine park’s tech guru. “I was about to head to lunch anyway. Maybe he’s diabetic and needs food.”

With the other shifter’s jaw sagging, Eban hustled out of the office, then the security building. He strode swiftly through the park, his long legs closing the distance between him and the hot man on the monitor. Eban really hoped he arrived before someone else had offered assistance.

Eban didn’t understand his desire, but he wasn’t one to second-guess himself, and he never second-guessed his shark’s instincts.

Heading down the ramp that led into the tunnel that led to the underwater viewing areas, Eban easily dodged between viewers. He arrived in the room he wanted in just over five minutes. In