After more miles than she’d bothered to count, she slowed and glanced around. Self-derision jolted through her. She was on the corner of Jack’s block. He’d gone home earlier this morning, claiming that he was meeting someone for lunch. And he’d called the someone a “she,” so Selina was pretty sure he had a lunch date with another woman. She refused to let that bother her. A part of her had wanted to argue against him doing anything other than working with her today, but it was Sunday, and everyone deserved some downtime. They’d get a call if something happened that they needed to handle, but at the moment, they were just waiting for various people to run down paperwork for them.
It boggled her mind that Friday night, she’d been at Merek’s wedding, Saturday morning she’d been thrust back into her worst nightmare, and now the weekend wasn’t even over yet. It felt as though a million years had passed since she’d danced with Jack at the wedding.
Ignoring the urge to jog past his house, she forced herself to keep going a few more blocks to a local park. She’d take a spin around the park, get Grim some water, and then head back to her place before she drowned in her own sweat.
Kids ran around squealing with laughter on the playground, their parents close by keeping watch. Selina did an automatic sweep of the area to make sure nothing shady was going on. Far too many druggies and perverts liked to pick their prey at parks, but she didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
The grass and trees were the vivid green she’d grown used to since relocating to Seattle. Someone who didn’t grow old by human standards had to learn to move every few decades or so, and she’d liked the atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest. Slowing to a stop at a drinking fountain, she took a swig and then turned on the faucet for Grim to lap up as much as he wanted.
She glanced around at the tennis courts, basketball courts, and softball field. The park was hopping. Everyone seemed to be taking advantage of a morning of nice weather.
“Dude, Peyton! Get the lead out!”
She froze at the sound of the familiar voice coming from the basketball court.
No. It couldn’t be. She’d deliberately avoided his house. It figured that Fate would be such a fickle bitch as to throw him into her path anyway. He’d said he had to meet someone for lunch—a woman—not a bunch of guys for a basketball game. He’d forgotten to mention this part. Then again, maybe his meeting with the other woman got cancelled, and this was Plan B.
That was not relief she felt. It was not. She refused. He meant nothing to her, and she didn’t give a damn if he slept with every female who crossed his path. She had magic on her side, and she took a monthly potion to ensure that she couldn’t get knocked up unless she wanted to. The same potion made sure there were no diseases he could give her either. If he wanted to slut around, then whatever. She hadn’t offered him any kind of exclusivity, and she didn’t expect any.
The writhing mass of ugliness that filled her chest at the thought of him banging another woman made a liar of her, but she ignored that. She didn’t have time left to get truly involved with anyone, and it wouldn’t be fair to do that to him even if she wanted to.
Still, she couldn’t stop herself from staring at the group of four men glistening with sweat while they played ball. They were all well built, so it wasn’t any kind of hardship on the eyes. Jack and Peyton seemed to be on the same team, playing against two other dark-haired men. One had had his nose broken more than once and the other was so good-looking he was almost pretty.
Grim tugged on his end of the leash, and she released the water fountain to stop the flow. He nudged her leg with his shoulder, trying to move her along with their run. She just glanced down at him and arched her eyebrows. “Hey, you might not be interested in shirtless guys, but did I stop you from doing a little prance past that cute poodle a few blocks back? Or stop you from letting her owner pet you and tell you what a pretty puppy you were?”
He made an indignant noise in his throat, then glanced at the men, gave a resigned sigh, and sprawled onto the ground at her feet. She chuckled and bent to rub him between the ears. The grunts, swearing, and squeaking tennis shoes brought her attention back to the men on the basketball court.
Jack slapped the ball out of the pretty boy’s hands and bounced it to Peyton, who was making an obvious effort not to use his superhuman speed. The two men they played against were clearly Normals. Some Magickals could disguise their abilities better than others, even from other Magickals, but there was always that shiver to the senses, that awareness, that another wielder of magic was nearby. Selina felt none of that with these two. They, like Jack, were Normal.
Which meant Peyton had to be careful not to be too strong or too good or have reflexes that were too swift for the human eye to follow. He was doing a good job of slowing himself down, Selina thought. Which was probably why the guy covering him managed to elbow him in the face while they both dove for the basketball.
The wolf staggered back, covering his nose with one hand and bending over to brace his other hand against his knee. He shook his head and said something Selina couldn’t hear when the guy who’d hit him tried to pull him upright.
“Dude, just let me look. It’s not nothing. I felt your nose give under my arm. It’s definitely broken.”
Or at least it had been before Peyton’s werewolf healing abilities had taken care of that little problem. And that sounded like a good cue for her to step in.
“Come on, Grim.” She jerked on his leash, and he groaned as if she were torturing him, even though he’d been the one wanting to move a few minutes before. Damn dog.
He made a funny little laughing noise in the back of his throat before he ambled forward with her.
“Hey, Jack. Hi, Peyton. I didn’t know you guys would be here today.” She lifted the bottom of her T-shirt and hastily swiped at the sweat on her face.
When she let her shirt drop, she found every man’s eyes glued to her midriff and chest, their gazes displaying varying levels of interest. Okay. Not the distraction she’d been going for, but she’d take what she could get. Peyton shot her a grateful glance as his unbroken nose was forgotten.
“Hey,” said Jack in greeting, his gaze sliding up from her breasts to meet her eyes, his voice a low growl that sent goose bumps down her skin. He shot a pointed, territorial glance to the other men, which was pretty rich considering he’d told her he was having lunch with another woman. “Guys, this is Selina Grayson.”
“Honey, you need to stay away from these Feebs. Try a real cop on for size.” The guy who’d elbowed Peyton gave her a cocky grin.
“Nah, she’d like the CIA better.” Pretty Boy ducked into her line of sight. “Ever taken a spook for a ride?”
Jack rolled his eyes. “She is a real cop, jokers. Detective Grayson is with the Seattle PD, but she’s using her expertise to assist Peyton and me on a case.”
She gave them a cool nod. Even though she was far too sweat-drenched to pull off ice queen, she’d give it a try. “Gentlemen. And I use that term lightly.”
“Probably for the best.” Mr. Cocky Cop gave her a slightly less lecherous smile and a solid handshake. “I’m Rick Tanner.”
“Hi.” She let his hand go the moment civility allowed it, but then she had to repeat the process with Pretty Boy, who tried to touch her longer than was necessary.
“I’m Stephen Mitchum.”