125. A distant relative
125
A DISTANT RELATIVE
Daire
I got out of bed and stretched. And then I collapsed onto the mattress again.
“Something wrong?”
“Every muscle in my body aches.”
“Okay.” Nate got up on one elbow. “I’ll remember that next time we have a weekend away and enjoy a fuck-a-thon.”
“I wasn’t complaining.” I leaped up and strode to the bathroom while wiggling my ass but I was biting my cheek to stop from wincing. “Never felt better.” When I closed the door, the smile vanished from my face, and I moaned.
“Liar.” Nate chuckled. “I can hear you.”
“Stubbed my toe.”
“Ha! A likely story.”
I stood under the shower, allowing the warm water to smooth my aches and pains. We’d had a lot of sex over the weekend and with every step I took, I got a reminder of Nate’s cock in me.
My eyes were closed while the stream of water flowed over my body until a voice interrupted my alone time. “Phone.” I opened one eye and turned off the water. It was my folks.
“Hello.”
“Daire, your cousin’s coming to town for a week and has asked to stay in the manor,” my alpha dad informed me. “You can arrange that, I’m sure.”
“Wait. Go back. Which cousin?”
“Technically he’s a second cousin… I think. ”
“You think?” I shouldn’t have been surprised. Both my fathers had sprawling extended families and there were always distant relatives appearing in our lives, staying for a while and then going on their way.
“Mmmm. I’m not entirely sure. He mentioned my Uncle Ralph so he must be from that branch of the family.”
“Why can’t he stay in a hotel? And why is he here for a week?”
“Job interviews.”
“Guess that makes sense.” I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my hips. “He can stay in 3B. When is he arriving?”
“Tomorrow. He has your number. Take him out for a meal on his first night and make sure there’s food in 3B.”
I saluted the phone and ended the call.
Nate had been listening in. “If he has free time, you can bring him to the motel.” We were filming part of our newest reality show this week in the motel we’d bought a few months ago. “People like to watch these shows but they never get to see behind the scenes.”
Yeah that’d be something he could tell the people at home.
“What’s his name?”
Oh, fuck I forgot to ask. “I guess we’ll find out.”
When we got home, I was thrown into a long workday. Micah and I were going through checklists with our new assistant making sure everything was ready for filming in two days. There were so many balls in the air, meaning if one person pulled out or got sick, we’d have to scramble to fill their place. Nate was in and out because he was filming and he needed the schedule for the rest of the week.
“Did you see if 3B is clean? And what about food?”
I groaned and slapped a hand over my face. “Forgot.”
Nate grabbed milk from the fridge, a loaf of bread, and shoved the fruit bowl at me. It was a start but I’d need to go to the grocery store. “Don’t suppose you’d?—”
“Nope.” Nate popped the P. “Mr. No Name is your family and besides, I’m busy.”
He was right. The cousin was my responsibility. But after a long day at work, I’d pictured myself on the couch eating take out.
After gathering cleaning supplies, bedding and towels I checked on 3B, leaving the food until later. I’d had the apartment cleaned after Martin moved out and he’d left a bed, sofa and coffee table here along with the old carpet where Nate and I’d had sex.
I dusted, mopped the floor, made the bed and turned on the fridge. That’d do and I’d grab groceries in the morning. He might be sleeping here and out the rest of the time so I wouldn’t do a huge shop. I was kinda looking forward to meeting the guy and hearing how he fitted into our family tree.
And when the alarm rang an hour earlier than usual the following morning, I was cursing “the cousin” as I started thinking of him. “Why can’t he stay in a hotel?” I grumbled.
It wasn't until I returned to 3B with the groceries that I was properly awake. I needed coffee first thing and I picked up an Americano while I was out. With caffeine running through my veins, I felt vaguely human—or as human as a bear shifter could feel.
It was mid-morning when I got the call and he introduced himself as Brax.
“Hi. Looking forward to meeting you.”
“Same here,” he replied.
I made to give him directions to the manor but he already knew how to get here and he was aware I now lived next door. My parents must have filled him in. Nate was at the motel getting everything ready for filming tomorrow and Micah and I were there too as the contestants were arriving. I made a mad dash to the manor at the agreed time and Brax wasn’t waiting outside. Neil met me on the porch saying he’d let him in and he was in 3B.
“Your cousin, huh?”
“Mmmm.”
He left it at that and went up to his office in 2A.
My introduction to Brax was a scent that I didn’t normally associate with the bears in my family. It was different—that was the polite word—and hey the guy couldn’t control his natural aroma. But it was my bear’s reaction to Brax that caught me off guard.
No !
What? He hasn’t spoken a word.
No!
Things would be strained if my beast was actively wanting me to get away from the guy. He seemed pleasant enough and appeared to be in his mid-thirties. I gave him the keys and said we’d go out for dinner but I had to get back to work.
“When’s your first interview?”
“Later today.”
After wishing him luck and apologizing I couldn’t stay longer, I left and arranged to meet at my apartment this evening.
“What’s he like?” Nate asked as I got back to the motel.
I shrugged. “I said two words to the guy. Seemed nice enough.” I didn’t mention my bear’s reaction.
I didn’t think about my cousin for the rest of the day until I walked into our apartment and he was sitting in the living room talking to Nate who’d come home before me.
“Oh, you’re early.”
“Mmmm.” Nate got up and had his back to me as he spoke. “Your cousin was waiting at the door when I arrived.”
He must have been really early because Nate would have been home an hour before Brax was due. Guess he didn‘t want to be late. After offering my cousin a beer, I headed for a shower but Nate stopped me before I left the living room.
“You’re fine. No need for a shower. We don’t want to keep Brax waiting any longer.” His clenched jaw gave me a heads up that he was annoyed about something. Maybe because my cousin was an early bird and Nate had hoped to have an hour to himself.
My mate steered me toward the door as Brax said, “Nice place you have. Must have cost a lot.”
Nate locked the door and replied, “Daire’s worked non-stop the last few years and is enjoying his success.” There was a hardness to his voice that was unusual for my mate. I gave him a look but he ignored me as we left the building.
“Were we supposed to have Charlie tonight so Neil and Martin could have a date night?” I asked Nate.
“They canceled.”
“Charlie? You’re his guardian, right?”
My parents weren’t normally chatty with people they hadn’t met, even if they were family, but they must have had a long conversation with Brax. “Yes.” Again that was Nate. My mate was giving off a weird vibe and that combined with my bear’s reaction had me wondering what was going on.
“How was the interview?” I asked Brax as the restaurant host seated us at a table.
“Oh, it went well but I’m keeping my options open.” His polished answer shouldn’t have raised an alarm but Nate nudged me under the table and I couldn’t work out what his problem was.
“What’s your line of work?”
Brax shrugged. “I’m in PR. But tell me more about your company.”
The waiter interrupted us by bringing our drinks and the three of us studied the menu. During the meal, Brax questioned me about work and each time Nate steered the conversation back to him.
“How exactly are you related to Daire? His parents have a detailed family tree and they can’t place you on it, Brax.”
My parents had no such thing. Now it was my turn to kick Nate under the table.
“I’d have to ask my dad. A third cousin once removed or something.”