Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
T alon cut through the woods, emerging onto the sidewalk that led into town as he made his way toward Piper’s. After leaving last night, he had met with Wicked and Thorne to discuss what had gone down at the town meeting. They were planning to inform Zelda and Mac of the situation. After going into the guest house, Talon couldn’t sleep. Restless, he’d ventured into the woods, his mind clouded with thoughts of Piper.
Without realizing it, Talon ended up outside her house, convincing himself that he was making sure Chuck didn’t come around to cause more problems for Piper. His instincts had urged him to ensure she was safe. Leaning against a tree, he scanned the area until his gaze landed on the house. It took everything he had not to walk up to the porch and knock to see her again. To hear her voice.
A light had come on as he stood there, and he could see her silhouette moving around. He’d stayed there, rooted to the spot, watching, forcing himself to remain where he was.
Pecker, the damn turkey, began making a fuss. Talon faded into the shadows, retreating before Piper noticed him creeping outside her home. Rather than return to Wicked and Thorne’s, he had stripped, stashed his clothes, and shifted into his wolf, letting the run clear his mind. The pull he felt toward Piper was tearing him up inside. He knew what it meant, but acting on it could jeopardize not only her but everything he was working so hard to protect.
An hour later, as he walked toward her house, he couldn’t deny his feelings for Piper any longer. That’s how it was with his kind. Once they found the one, it was almost instant, but she was human, and he didn’t know what in the hell to do.
Halfway down the dirt road, the aroma of bacon hit his senses, making his stomach rumble and his wolf pant. He should have returned to Wicked’s and had something to eat, edible or not. Damn, it was going to be a long day.
His eyes shot to the house, then toward the lawnmower, so he headed toward the old piece of metal. Kneeling, he checked the gas and oil before standing back up to start the thing.
“Hey!” Piper’s voice had him turning. “No one starts work without breakfast unless you’ve already eaten.”
His stomach growled loudly in answer. “I haven’t.” He answered but didn’t move. His eyes roamed over her, and he couldn’t help but smile. She wore jeans with a sleeveless purple t-shirt that said ‘ Come at me, bro’ in white lettering.
“Well, come on before it gets cold,” She waved him over. “I made enough to feed the town, so I hope you’re hungry.”
“Breakfast wasn’t part of the deal.” He said as he walked toward Piper, unable to take his eyes off her. She wore minimal make- up; her blonde hair was down today, hanging past her shoulders in thick waves.
“Yeah, well, I felt that just dinner wasn’t fair, so I ran to the grocery early this morning and grabbed breakfast stuff.” She replied, then shrugged. “I mean, if you don’t want it, I’m sure Pecker would enjoy the extra treats.”
Talon climbed the steps, stopping in front of her. “I have never in my life turned down a meal.”
“Guess no treats for Pecker then,” She smiled up at him and then opened the door for him, but he reached above her holding the door open for her to enter first.
“Guess not,” he replied, his voice husky because her feminine and earthy scent, a mix of the outdoors and something uniquely her, was driving him crazy. “After you.”
He followed Piper, his eyes scanning the old farmhouse as they walked through. It was a cozy home that fit Piper's welcoming demure. He felt welcomed as soon as he walked in the door. There was no clutter; everything had its place.
The kitchen was spacious, and everything in it was old, down to the kitchen table. There was a nook with a small desk and computer. The walls were a pale yellow with white lacy curtains in the window that looked out onto the backyard and into the woods.
“Have a seat and help yourself,” Piper said, heading toward the coffee machine. “I have coffee, milk, apple juice, and water.”
“Coffee would be great, but I can get it,” Talon replied, uncomfortable with being waited on.
“Nope, tomorrow you can get your own coffee.” Piper started to pour a cup. “Today, you’re my guest.”
Talon chuckled at her reasoning. “Tomorrow, I won’t be your guest?”
“My Pops always said that if you come into our home the first time, you are our guest. The second time you’re like family and can get your own shit.” She grinned at the memory. “His exact words.”
Talon waited until she poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down before he sat down.
“There’s milk and sugar if you’d like.” Piper blew on her coffee before taking a sip.
“Black is perfect.” Talon watched her blow and felt a tinge of jealousy at the fucking cup of coffee so close to her luscious lips. Feeling his cock stir, he shifted in the chair. Fuck, he needed to eat and get the fuck out of there before he did something stupid like pull her on top of the table. He took a drink of coffee. His eyes widened in shock. Holy shit, his eyes actually watered.
“What?” Piper said, hiding a grin behind her cup. “Too strong for you?”
“No, not at all.” Talon chuckled, shaking his head. “I was a little surprised that you enjoy coffee this strong. I wasn’t expecting it.”
“It’s what keeps me going through the day. I’ve been making and drinking coffee since before I could drive. One of my many bad habits.” Piper said as she handed him a bowl of steaming scrambled eggs. “I scrambled the eggs because I wasn’t sure what you preferred.”
“Whatever is easiest for you.” He took the bowl, dishing out spoonfuls before going for the bacon. “I’m not hard to please when it comes to food.”
“As long as it is edible?” Piper smirked with a cocked eyebrow. “So, is Wicked the one you were talking about not being able to cook?”
“That depends.” Talon cocked his eyebrow back at her. “Do you know Wicked?”
“No, not really. I’ve seen her, waved once or twice, but never talked to her.” Piper took a bite of bacon. “She’s very beautiful, so I’m sure her husband doesn’t care if she can cook or not.”
“Wicked has Thorne wrapped around her finger.” Talon nodded, taking a drink of coffee, still shocked at how strong it was. He wasn’t complaining. The stronger, the better, but thinking this woman liked it this strong surprised him. “He grills a lot.”
“Ah. Smart man.” Piper stood, grabbed the pot of coffee, then walked over and refilled his cup.
“Thanks,” he muttered, forcing himself to focus as she walked back to the counter, her hips swaying, drawing his gaze. He averted his eyes, grabbed a biscuit, and took a large bite. The warm, buttery taste melted in his mouth. He really needed to focus on the food rather than torturing himself by watching her hips and ass. “You said you work from home. What do you do?”
“Medical transcription. I could do it from home, which was useful when Pop’s got sick.” She sat back down, buttered a biscuit, and added bacon, making a sandwich. “I do remote transcription for the two ER departments in the area.”
Talon raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “What exactly is that?”
“I type notes of doctors I’m contracted with. Basically, I take what they dictate and format it into reports for billing, insurance, and other purposes. Unfortunately, with new technology, many doctors can do it themselves through various computer programs or they work with companies that send their transcriptions overseas. I’ve been lucky to find doctors who prefer having someone local and who do not want to do it themselves. I work freelance, so I find my own clients, and I’ve built up a good reputation for fast, accurate work.”
He leaned back in his chair, studying her with a newfound curiosity. “I bet you hear a lot of crazy stuff.”
Piper snorted. “The craziest stuff I’ve heard isn’t even medical. It’s the doctors themselves. They forget to turn off their recorders while eating. Listening to someone chew for ten minutes is nasty. And don’t even get me started on them forgetting to turn it off when they go to the bathroom. I’ve heard plenty of toilets flushing mid-report.”
“You’re kidding?” Talon frowned. His eyes widened when she snorted again. “You’re not kidding.”
“Nope,” Piper laughed at the expression on his face. “Dead serious. So next time you see a doctor using one of those little recorders, think of the poor transcriptionist on the other end having to listen to it all.”
He chuckled, shaking his head, but the amusement quickly faded as reality hit him. He almost slipped by telling her that he was a Shifter and never went to a doctor. The sobering thought that he wasn’t here for the fun of it settled back in. He was supposed to use her to gather information and keep her from finding the truth, not enjoying her company. He cursed silently, staring at his empty plate, the weight of his real purpose pulling him back to the present.