Page 97 of Shifted Desire
As we eat our titty cake, talk turns to the upcoming nuptials, but I’m only half-listening, wondering if I text Nathan, will he be aware enough to read it. I want him to know that I’m thinking about him.
“So, Samantha, do you still need a date for the wedding?”
I look up from my phone to see who is asking. It’s Max’s mothman friend, Tomas, who I’ve met a handful of times, and only once in his human glamor.
“Aren’t you mated?” I tease. I’ve met his sweet human partner, Caleb, who I invited, but he’s at Mona’s bachelorette party since they’re closer friends.
Tomas chuckles. “Not for me. Our friend Nic is free, though. He couldn’t make it tonight, but he’ll be at the wedding…”
“Oh, Nic is awesome! He’d be a great date,” Max’s cyclops friend Ren adds. Or at least I think he’s a cyclops. I can’t keep all of Max’s monster support group friends straight sometimes, but he looks the part, massive even with his glamor, his hair falling over one eye.
“He’s too old to be Samantha’s date,” Max says with a chuckle. “Sage would be a better choice, too bad they’re out of town.”
Wesley, the minotaur my sisters wanted me to ask to go with me, waves his hand dismissively. “Sam would eat Sage alive. And Nic’s in his mid-50s, which isn’t that old. Especially for a bear shifter.”
Max grimaces, clearly disagreeing.
I hold my hand up to stop further discussion. “This Nic guy sounds great, but I don’t need a date.”
Max pats my arm, his cheeks a little flushed from the alcohol. “Yeah, if you want to come alone, that’s fine with me. I know Claire and Maggie are up your ass about it, but I’m the one getting married and I say it’s okay.”
I shake my head, although I appreciate his sweetness. “I’m not coming alone. Nathan is coming with me.”
My brother’s brows shoot up. “Uncle Nathan is your date?”
All eyes turn to me, and my skin heats. “He’s not our actual uncle,” I say quickly, needing to stop the scandalized looks. “Neither of us had a date, so we figured we’d pair up.”
“Oh, that makes sense,” Tomas says amiably. Ren nods, mumbling something through a mouthful of cake.
Max’s eyes narrow, assessing me. Panic rises, worried that I’m about to blow our cover. When his eyebrows raise, I know I’m fucked, because he’s a damn empath and he can feel how I’m freaking out.
He hooks an arm through mine. “If you all will excuse us for a minute, Samantha and I need to discuss something for the rehearsal dinner.”
I reluctantly let him pull me up out of my chair, grinning like nothing’s wrong, as his friends give me a quizzical look.
When we’re outside on the patio, Max lets go and levels me with a stern look. “You can’t be serious, Sam.”
“What do you mean?” My confusion is weak and unconvincing.
“You can’t bring Nathan as your date to the wedding. Not when you have feelings for him! It’s a terrible idea, and I don’t want you to get hurt if you make a move and he—”
“We’re dating,” I blurt.
Max blinks at me as I cut him off. “What?”
“I was going to wait until after the wedding to tell people because I didn’t want to cause any drama and ruin your big day, but fuck, I’m so sick of keeping this secret.” My face heats as anticipatory shame at yet again being the problem of the family floods through me. “Nathan and I are in a relationship. A serious one. I’m sorry, I know it’s weird and is going to piss people off and I tried not to fall for him, but he’s perfect and he cares about me and—”
My brother’s arms wrap around me, cutting off my anxious stream of words. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not.” I huff out a humorless laugh. “I’m so sorry. I don’t want to ruin anything for you. I’m sorry.”
Max squeezes me tighter. “You don’t have to apologize for loving someone.”
I pull back, blinking away the water in my eyes. “But he’s… Nathan. He’s Dad’s best friend and older, and my boss.”
“I didn’t say it wasn’t fucking weird,” Max says, his tone teasing yet reassuring.
“I don’t have to go with him to the wedding. I can go with that guy, Nic, and Nathan would be willing to stay home. I don’t want to cause drama, and if you figured it out, then the rest of the family might.”
