Page 48 of Stubborn as a Shadow

“So you didn’t rent it under your own name or use your own ID?”

“Oh…” He rubbed his chin, smearing the dampened makeup onto his hand. “Well…”

“You used your own ID, didn’t you?”

“Well, maybe, but… Only because I wasn’t wearing my disguise when I picked it up, so I couldn’t register it under Rudy Tada.” His face twisted, showing his disappointment. Then he shook his whole body, and I got the sense he was shaking off the negativity like a dog shook off water. “Okay, let’s shake a leg, or whatever it is people say when they go on a motorcycle.”

I put my hand on his shoulder and looked in his eyes. He was wearing a smile, but it didn’t seem genuine. And I hated that he thought he needed to hide his emotions from me… and that he was so scared to begin with. He turned away from me.

“Morgan, wait.”

He paused and met my gaze. What was it about this man that made me want to protect him and give him the world?

“I swear to you,” I said, “once we know it’s safe, I’ll take you home. Until then, we’ll figure out how to get some clothes for you and anything else you need.”

“You don’t need to convince me, handsome. I’m already going with you.” He batted his eyelashes at me.

I recognized the fear beneath this flirtation. But with the snow wetting his face, his mascara and eyeliner had become messy circles of black, and that made him look even more vulnerable. I swallowed hard, before any promises slipped past my lips.

After a long moment, I nodded. Then I led him over to where I’d stashed my bike under the canopy of the trees by the side of the road.

“Oh! Is this it?” Morgan skipped over to it.

I couldn’t see the hotel parking lot from here, but a sense of urgency still clung to me. We needed to leave before that wolf caught Morgan’s scent again.

But I needed to check my bike before I started it up. It wasn’t something I could rush. Old habits died hard, I guess.

When you worked with one of the top SC teams, you made enemies. I didn’t think anyone had touched my bike in the few hours since I’d parked it, but I’d still check it to be sure. This mission had already gone to shit; I wasn’t taking anything for granted. I methodically examined my bike. Luckily, I’d done this same thing enough times it’d become routine.

“Whatcha doing?” Morgan jumped up and down and rubbed his hands over his arms. “Why aren’t we leaving?”

“Just give me a minute,” I said as I finished up.

As far as I could tell, the bike was fine with no signs of tampering. I opened the top case, where I stored the helmet. I rarely bothered with one. If I crashed, I could shift into my shadow form and save myself. But the others on the team needed helmets, so I’d gotten used to carrying one with me. I’d almost taken it out after we left the SC to make more room for my geocaching supplies. Now I was glad I hadn’t.

I handed the helmet to Morgan and wished I hadn’t left my leather jacket in the limo. That was shortsighted of me and not atall my norm. This job had apparently been going sideways even before I realized it.

I dug around in my saddlebags for something Morgan could wear, because he couldn’t stay in his cloak. I found a crumpled sweater in one and pulled it out. It was a start. He needed an extra layer or two. Then I rummaged through the other one and found Teague’s jacket. He must have stuffed it in there when he last borrowed my bike. I shook it out, then I held everything out to Morgan.

“Put that on. Then this jacket.”

Morgan didn’t take the clothes. Instead, he twirled in a circle, so his cloak fluttered up around him. “I already have clothes and a fabulous cloak.”

“You’ll freeze if you don’t change.”

“Oh, very well.” He huffed out a sigh and took the sweater. He scrunched his nose as he eyed it. Then he leaned over and peered into the saddlebag. “Don’t suppose you have it in a different color? Black is so… blah.”

“Says the man who is already dressed from head to toe in black.”

He glanced down at what he was wearing, as if he hadn’t remembered. He sighed again before doing as I asked. When he handed me his cloak, I tucked it into the empty top case.

Morgan shivered as he pulled the sweater over his head. The garment was probably cold, but it’d warm up with his body heat. He rolled up the sleeves, which were too long for his arms. He reminded me of a little kid playing dress-up in his older brother’s clothes—I refused to thinkfather’s. Sure, I might be old enough to be his grandfather or his grandfather’s grandfather, but I didn’t feel paternal toward him. Not at all.

In fact, seeing him in my sweater…

I swallowed hard as I pushed the jacket toward him. He tugged it on. It was too large for him too. But at least seeing himin Teague’s jacket didn’t trigger any weird possessive feelings like my sweater had.

“Now the helmet.” I handed it to him.