Her distress evaporated when she saw Sprinkles. Ryder had her on her back, cradled to his chest like a little baby, and she was looking up at him adoringly, her back legs limp against his arm. How fucking cute to see a strapping, musclebound, filthy-mouthed behemoth carrying her little hairy baby so gently.
Lexi picked up Sprinkles’s cart and made to leave. Harper and Alana hugged her farewell, and as she passed, Wes grabbed her hand suddenly. He held her there, locking her in his gaze as his bright green eyes tightened at the corners. And after the span of a couple of heartbeats, he released her grip and relaxed back into his chair. “Nothing,” he murmured in a satisfied tone.
“What was that about?” Lexi murmured as she and Ryder walked toward her Wrangler.
“Wes has some kind of fucked-up future teller sight. I guess he thought if he molested your hand, he would see something about you.”
“Wait, he can see the future?”
“He could before Alana was Turned. He had visions bad, but he hasn’t had any in the last few months. I guess that was the test. I guess he can’t see you.”
Ryder’s tone had darkened on that last part, so she studied his face in the illumination of the street lights that lined the road. He was suddenly very busy looking at Sprinkles.
“I feel like you only like me for my dog,” she teased.
“Not true. I fell for your tits first.”
Her surprised laugh echoed down the street, and before she could change her mind, Lexi wrapped her arms around his waist and fell into step beside him. After a moment of hesitation, he draped his empty arm around her shoulders and pulled her tightly against his side, pressed his lips against her hairline.
She felt like she was glowing under his affection. If she could see herself in this moment, there would be a soft, happy aura clinging to her like a second skin. She was falling hard for Ryder, and it left her a bit breathless.
“Do all owl shifters like affection?” she asked softly as they reached her jacked-up Jeep.
“Uuuh, I’m not sure. There aren’t many snowy owls.”
“How many are there?” she asked curiously, resting her back against the door as Ryder settled Sprinkles in the back.
“Me and my mom that I know of. There has to be more, but they’re in hiding or maybe dead. None but me and my mom have registered.”
“Oh.” That sounded lonely.
“Well, don’t pity me, woman. I have my mom, and my dad is a shifter, too.”
“What kind?”
“A boar.”
“Wait, the boar shifter?” There was only one registered as far as she knew, and the only reason she remembered was because he had a very specific, very intimidating name. “Your dad is the Beast Boar?”
“Yep. He took me in as his own when my real dad bailed. And I was brought up in a good crew. Well, my crew was bat-shit crazy, but they were family. I had good role models. But yeah.” He leaned his back on her Jeep beside her. “I think owl shifters are affectionate. I grew up watching my mom just melt against my dad when she saw him after a long day. They would stand in the kitchen for half an hour, not saying anything, just hugging each other.” Ryder swallowed hard. “I want that—being able to make someone’s day better just by holding them.”
“You’re a romantic.”
“No, I’m not. I’m very manly and unromantic. Cock, dick, finger-bang, tit-suck—”
“Okay.” She bit her lip against a smile. Ryder could deny it all he wanted, but he was straight from one of the romantic movies she liked to watch—but with a filthy mouth, a dirty mind, and a chronic boner.
“So, as far as first friend-dates go…”
“Yeah?” she asked.
“How would you rate this one?”
Lexi puffed air out her cheeks and felt like she was floating. He cared what she thought of today. “Ten out of ten for me. You?” she asked, trying to hide the hope from her voice.
Ryder gave her a sideways glance, and that sexy smile that took the corner of his lips was back. “Same.”
Gently, he pulled her in front of him between his splayed legs and dragged her hips close.
Lexi ran her hands up his muscular chest and settled her palms just under his collar bones. “How are you so warm?” she whispered in awe.
“Snowy owl,” he murmured. “I’m made for the cold.”
“I’m always cold. It’s hard for me to get warm.”
He angled his head, his eyes turning a muddier color, from blue to light brown. “We fit.”
She rested her forehead against his chest and shook her head in disbelief that just a couple of words from his lips could affect her heartrate like this. Her chest was pounding like a drum, and as she stilled against him, his was doing the same thing, as if their hearts were racing each other. Oh, she was in trouble with this one.
“Bark!”
Lexi checked on her dog around Ryder’s wide shoulders, and the little Chihuahua had pulled her body right next to the door and was looking up at them with her tongue lolled out.
“Jealous,” Lexi accused. “He’s mine right now.”
The grin slipped from Ryder’s face in an instant. “Say that again,” he murmured.
“She’s jealous.”
“No, the other part.”
Lexi hesitated until she knew her voice would come out steady. Then she ran her hands down his chest and linked their hands. “You’re mine right now.”