He chuckled. “And all that other stuff too.”
“Go easy on the human, buddy. Don’t have any dates on the full moon.” He laughed, but it was no joke.
“I’m careful, Cole.”
“I know you are. Hell, you spend more time around humans than any of us. You’re a credit to the pack in every way.”
Lindsey popped some bubbles. “Yes, but no one wants their son to marry me.”
“God, I’m sorry Lindsey. They’re changing. At least they don’t believe there’s no such thing as a gay werewolf anymore.”
“They make an exception for you and Paris. They just think I’m human, so I don’t count.” He stared down at his too-slim-for-a-werewolf body.
“They love you.”
He blew out his breath. “Like their maiden aunt. But it doesn’t get my cock sucked, so I need to get out of this water and get dressed.”
“Let me know how it goes.”
That meant Reassure me that you didn’t go biting the humans, that you didn’t violate the pack law that says no human can know about the existence of the wolves. “Sure.”
“Hey, it’s going to be fun, dammit.”
Lindsey laughed. “Right. Talk soon, darling.” He clicked off and returned the phone to the side table.
He stood, stepped out of the tub, and grabbed a towel from the heated rack.
He loved Cole like his own brother, but he didn’t tell him everything.
Thanks to their recent war against Eliazer and his thugs, Cole had discovered Lindsey had a few more dangerous talents than he’d suspected. Mostly, that he was good with a gun. But one important bit of data remained missing from Cole’s bio on Lindsey. Despite the fact that he was a pretty crappy werewolf, thanks to his human blood, Lindsey had this violent streak. It only came out when he was threatened or very excited sexually. If a guy really turned him on, it was bye-bye Mr. Nice Guy.
He shivered and wrapped the towel tighter. He could kill somebody. Plus, if the pack found out he threatened their anonymity with his wolfy hard-ons, who knew what they’d do to him?
He opened the drawer and ran the brush through his hair. Pretty enough.
This Westerberg would be just one more tepid human. Or at least, he better be.
Lindsey sat back in the lounge chair and sipped his martini. Nice. But not too nice.
He smiled at the handsome guy across from him at the cramped cocktail table. Tall, dressed in a blue blazer and tan trousers, with sleek dark hair and chiseled features, Bruce Westerberg qualified as “straight gay.” No one would get a clue—except maybe for the cosmopolitan he was drinking.
Bruce took a swallow of the pink drink. “Shall we get some dinner?”
“Ah, so I’ve passed the invisible blind date test.” Lindsey twirled his olive.
That got a grin. “Why wouldn’t you? You’re gorgeous.”
“Thank you, kind sir. You’re not so bad yourself.” He leveled his gaze. “I just thought you might find me a little too”—he smoothed his lavender ascot—“too.”
Bruce glanced down and then back to Lindsey’s face. “Actually, I like that you are who you are. Besides, I’ve heard you’re a killer in business, so I expect you have hidden depths.”
Interesting observation and right answer. “Killer, huh? Just be glad you’re not a rabbit.” He laughed and waved at the waiter. The man hurried over. “Mr. Westerberg and I will be having dinner. Can you put this on our bill, please, John?”
“Of course, Mr. Vanessen.”
Lindsey got up with Bruce beside him and left some bills on the table for the cocktail waiter. The country club was a comfortable venue for a first date, but he would have liked a gay bar better. Two men couldn’t dance here, or do much of anything else, for that matter, and Bruce seemed like a safe choice for “something else.”
He threaded between the tables, waving and shaking hands with people he knew. A couple of times he introduced Bruce.
James Lownstein, a former captain of industry, now retired, put a hand on his arm. “Lindsey, have you heard that Elmer Dalton’s son was kidnapped?”
Lindsey covered James’s hand with his own. “Yes, I know. It’s shocking. I’m so sorry to hear it. What do the police say?”
“I’ve only heard bits, but they think the kidnappers will bring the boy back if the Daltons pay. That’s what happened to the last victim. He got dropped off after the money was collected. It just makes me so damned mad. These criminals are victimizing all of us.”
“I agree, James. I do hope the police catch them soon.” He pressed a hand to