Smiley

  The front door opened a few minutes later and Smiley stepped in carrying a backpack slung over one shoulder and a thick black garment bag held aloft. He grinned.

  “You’re awake and you’ve already showered.”

  “Hi.” She felt a little self-conscious but tried not to let it show. They’d spent the night together and she needed to get over her shyness with him. He’d made it pretty clear with that note that he planned to spend a lot of time with her while she was at Homeland. There was no telling how long that would be.

  He dropped the backpack and laid the garment bag over a chair by the door. Smiley wore a blue long-sleeved, button-down shirt with black pants tucked into a pair of black biker boots. The style looked good on him. Her gaze lifted to his.

  “I’m sorry it took longer than expected. Justice wanted to see me. Our public relations team brought this garment bag for you. I was told it contains an entire outfit—ins to outs. I assume that means undergarments and shoes too.”

  “That was nice of them. I hope the sizes aren’t too off.”

  He crossed the room and sat on the coffee table next to her tray. “I have to confess something.”

  Her fork froze on the way to her mouth. The last time she’d heard a man say those words it had been her first boyfriend telling her he’d gotten someone else pregnant. That’s how their relationship had ended and she’d realized what a scumbag he’d been.

  “The task force team kind of broke into your apartment and scouted it. They relayed that information to our public relations humans so they could buy you accurate-fitting clothing for today.”

  “They broke in?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry, Vanni. It had nothing to do with us not trusting you. It’s just that you were sleeping so peacefully that I refused to wake you. The clothing you brought with you obviously wasn’t to your shape. I know you live with another female so I gave one of our males the shirt you wore to enable him to recognize your scent. He identified your clothing for the team and they recorded the sizes. A male who works with our public relations team had a shop open afterhours and he picked out something for you. I hope it is to your liking.”

  Her gaze drifted to the bag across the room and then to Smiley. He frowned.

  “Are you angry? They secured your home afterward and did no damage. Our public relations people wanted to buy you a new outfit to wear today when we take you to buy new clothing. It gives us a reason to show everyone we’re together. I saw no reason for them to take your possessions from your home without your permission.”

  “I’m just kind of surprised. That seems like a lot of work when you could have just asked my size.”

  “We get things done. You needed the sleep and I handled the situation. I also ordered personal products for you, like the ones you keep in your home. They will be delivered today.”

  “Personal products?”

  He smiled. “Your bathing products. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash and even the deodorant and toothpaste you prefer.”

  “Okay.” It seemed a bit much but she couldn’t really complain since he’d said they hadn’t damaged anything. It was actually very thoughtful. “Thank you.”

  He grinned. “I chose the outfit from the ones they selected. They brought a few. I hope you don’t mind. Someone will send the rest over later if you wish but I’m taking you shopping today. I thought you’d like to pick out your own style.”

  “I don’t mind.” It had to beat anything Mable had chosen for her when she’d been imprisoned at Gregory’s vacation home. “Have you eaten?” She indicated that he could share her meal.

  “I ate. Thank you.”

  “What time did you leave?”

  “Around four a.m. I thought I’d be back sooner but it took time to go to Security to collect your bag and pack my own things. I brought enough to last a few days and I can get more when I run out.”

  She managed to keep her mouth from dropping open. It did sound as if he planned to stay with her the entire time she was at Homeland. It wasn’t a bad thing in her mind. It was actually comforting and wonderful knowing she wouldn’t be alone.

  “Please eat your food, Vanni. You’ll need your strength.”

  She was glad she didn’t have food in her mouth when his gaze dropped to her breasts and a hungry look narrowed his beautiful eyes. His implications were clear.

  He glanced up and smiled. “Are you ready to go shopping today and get harassed by humans with cameras?”

  “I guess so.”

  “Don’t worry. No one will get too close. I’m going to protect you and we’ll have a few teams backing us up. Justice didn’t notify anyone of our plan so it will take the media some time to assemble wherever we go.”

  “Is that a good or bad thing?”

  “Good. Humans use social networks when they see us and upload photos. The press arrives soon afterward. We’ll be in and out before they can get too many vans out there and set up to shoot video. We do this all the time.”

  “You have to face that every time you go shopping?”

  “We don’t usually buy our clothing in the out world. It’s mostly online but we do have outings we can’t avoid sometimes. It’s not as bad up at Reservation because there aren’t a lot of hotels or motels to house the reporters who hound our people. The humans who live in the nearby town aren’t too welcoming of the press so there’s less to deal with. Here at Homeland it can get pretty bad, fast.”

  She finished most of her breakfast though her appetite was gone. Her brief dealings with the media circus outside her apartment wasn’t a fond memory. “I don’t think anyone really likes reporters.”

  “The humans who live by Reservation are friends of ours. They won’t tolerate protestors either.” He grinned. “I like Sheriff Cooper. He asks for our help often and arrests anyone who causes Species trouble.”

  The NSO compound known as Reservation was located up north and it would be a long drive to visit it. “Do you go there often?” The heavy feeling in her chest at the concept of him being gone for months was unpleasant. It would mean she couldn’t see him if she wanted.

  “I live at both places. It depends on where I’m needed most.”

  “Oh.” She dropped her gaze to stare at her discarded food to hide the way that bit of news affected her. Long-distance relationships never worked, at least none that she knew of.

  “Vanni?”

  She stood. “I should get changed. I hope the sizes are right.” She crossed the room and lifted the garment bag. “Wow. It’s heavier than I expected.”

  Smiley stood in her path when she turned and she almost stepped into him.

  “What’s wrong?” He frowned.

  “Nothing.” She schooled her features.

  “Tell me the truth. What did I say that made you shut down that way?”

  “I’m just nervous about the shopping trip.”

  He leaned down a little. “You’re a bad liar.”

  “I am nervous about leaving Homeland.” She held his gaze.

  “What else is wrong?” He studied her closely. “You asked about Reservation. Does it frighten you? What have you heard about the Wild Zone? We don’t really feed our enemies to the tigers and lions we’ve rescued.”

  “What? I’ve never heard that.”

  “You were at the conference. Some of the protestors there were stating that.”

  “I didn’t pay them any attention. That’s awful. I think it’s great that you guys have taken in animals other places would have killed. I read that story last year about the two grizzly bears some jerk had abused that were found half starved in cages on his property. The humane society had nowhere to house them since no zoos had room for them but the NSO offered to take them.”

  “Gus and Pete.” He grinned. “They are doing well.”

  She suddenly feared for his safety. “The story said they were in pretty bad shape.”

  “They were mistreated. They took to freedom well. I was there when they arrived. Both have put on weight
and are doing great.”

  “That’s so cool.” Her admiration for him notched higher. “Isn’t it a bit dangerous though? I mean, I read they aren’t in cages anymore.”

  “They don’t belong in them. Nothing can be happy locked behind bars. They’ve made friends with some of our residents and are pretty playful. Species take care of them.”

  “You’ve played with them?”

  He grinned. “You just have to watch the claws and teeth when they’re hungry. Pete loves to have his belly rubbed and Gus enjoys swimming in the river. I helped him learn how to fish.”

  Her mouth hung open. Smiley chuckled and reached out, pushing it closed with his fingertip under her chin.

  “I’ll introduce you to them if you want. I promise I’ll keep you safe. The Wild Zone residents have really done wonders to socialize them. They are learning to trust us.”

  She recovered. “How do you teach a grizzly how to fish and why would you want to?”

  “They were born in captivity so their instincts were denied. Bears are smart and they pick up what they see. It was just a matter of taking them to the river and showing them how to fish. They caught on quickly. The residents of the Wild Zone spend plenty of time with them.” He dropped his hand away from her. “You should get dressed. The store we plan to go to opens at eight and we need to assemble at Security to go over basics before we leave Homeland.”

  “Basics?”

  “Go over safety measures and timetables so we can control the situation. I believe our public relations team wants to speak to us too.”

  “Okay. I’ll go get ready.”

  “I’ll do the dishes.”

  She stopped and watched him pick up her tray and stride to the kitchen. He was actually going to wash her plate and mug. It was sweet and reminded her again of how much he differed from the guys she’d dated. They would have expected her to do the chores.

  She entered the bedroom and dropped the garment bag on the bed, still thinking about what he’d said regarding the bears. She pictured him standing half naked next to a river with two ferocious beasts, showing them how to fish.

  “I’m apparently dating the bear whisperer,” she muttered, stunned but impressed.

  * * * * *

  Smiley hummed while he dried the dishes. He even wiped down the already-clean counters and then folded the wet towel over the holder. It was tough not to go into the bedroom but he didn’t want Vanni feeling as if she had no privacy. He repositioned the coffee table and fluffed the couch cushions. One glance around assured him the room looked tidy. He lifted his backpack and set it inside the closet to keep it out of sight in case it reminded her that he planned to move in.

  She hadn’t thrown a fit when he’d mentioned bringing enough clothing to last for days. A female Species would have picked up his bag and tossed it out the front door, ordering him to fetch. She’d have slammed and locked the door with him on the other side of it to prevent him from returning. He grinned, grateful Vanni was human.

  The soft sound of clicking drew his attention and he stared at Vanni when she paused at the end of the tile hallway. The button-down shirt she wore hugged her breasts and ribs. He had thought she’d look good in it but hadn’t known she would keep a few buttons open at the top to reveal a hint of cleavage. His gaze lowered to the black form-fitting skirt that fell to mid thigh. Her rounded hips were accented and it made him want to touch them. She was short but the heels made her legs appear longer than they really were.

  “Does this look bad?”

  His gaze jerked up to her face. She wore no makeup and had just brushed her hair into a ponytail. He shook his head.

  “The skirt is kind of short and the shirt is a little tight. I tried to button it all the way up but it gaped open over my bra.”

  “You look perfect.” The compliment brought color to her cheeks and it angered him a little. It was as if males rarely told her she was appealing, when they should. He wouldn’t make that mistake. “You’re beautiful, Vanni.”

  Her hands clasped over her lower belly and she straightened her shoulders. “Thank you. That’s sweet to say.”

  He stalked closer. “Not sweet.” His attention strayed to the vee of the shirt and he licked his lips. “None of my thoughts are.”

  She stared at him. “I don’t understand.”

  He gently gripped her hands, stilling their motion “You look sexy and I’d like nothing better than to remove those clothes from you. I would toss you over my shoulder to take you back to bed if an SUV wasn’t waiting outside. I’m going to do that later though. Expect it.”

  That seemed to surprise her. “I’m not even wearing makeup. I mean, I look a lot better with it on.”

  “No, you don’t. I prefer you just like this.”

  Her gaze lowered to his mouth and he wanted to kiss her. He knew better. He’d end up following through and taking her to the bedroom. As tempting as it was, he didn’t need Justice, Fury or Jericho on his ass for ruining their plans to dispel the horrible rumors the church had started. He didn’t care what humans thought of him but they’d damaged Vanni’s reputation as well.

  “We need to leave.”

  She nodded and finally stopped staring at his mouth. “Okay.”

  “It’s going to be fine. I won’t leave your side.”

  “I trust you.”

  A warm feeling settled in his belly. That was one hurdle down in the path to gaining her as a mate. “Good. I would pity the human who tried to harm you.”

  Her eyes widened.

  He just smiled. “You’re mine to protect and I won’t fail you.” He released her hands and stepped back, offering his arm the way he’d seen gentlemen do in films. “Allow me, beautiful. Let me escort you to the SUV.”

  Vanni curled her fingers around his forearm. He wished he’d worn a short-sleeved shirt so he could enjoy her touch better. He liked skin-to-skin contact. He glanced down as they walked forward, getting a better view of her cleavage. His dick stirred at the thought of putting his mouth there later. It took effort to contain his desire enough to control his physical reactions. A raging hard-on would be noticeable.

  He led her outside. Slash, Jericho, Wager and Flame were the four males he’d requested for the Species team. They were human-friendly and trustworthy. He shot a warning glare at Wager, who stared a little too intently at Vanni’s legs. Wager frowned but averted his gaze immediately. Smiley paused beside them.

  “You’ve met Wager and I heard you were introduced to Jericho yesterday, Vanni. This is Slash and Flame. They are friends of mine and have been assigned to protection duty. They will travel in our SUV with us. A second vehicle will carry our human task force team members.”

  “Hello.” Vanni smiled at the males. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  He watched her face closely, hoping none of them would appeal to her. She didn’t keep her gaze on any of them for longer than a few seconds. He did notice that she glanced at Jericho again. The male had said his eyes frightened her. Smiley drew her a little closer against his side.

  “It’s good to meet you.” Flame grinned. “We’ll have fun shopping. That’s the main point of this, besides showing the humans that Smiley isn’t a monster you hate.”

  Smiley snarled, not liking the way Vanni’s smile faded at Flame’s remark.

  Flame backed away. “I’m sorry. That was intended to be a joke.”

  “She didn’t laugh.” Smiley tried to control his temper but it was hard to do, knowing Vanni had been offended. “You drive, Flame. Silently.”

  “Okay.” The male fled around the SUV.

  Jericho opened the passenger door. “Please get in, Vanni. You take the middle seat. Smiley and I will sit by the doors.”

  Smiley helped her climb in and watched her fight the skirt to keep it from inching up her thighs. Jericho clamped a hand on his shoulder when he attempted to scoot in after her.

  “Get a grip,” the male whispered.

  Smiley wasn’t sure what he meant.
>
  “You’re acting irrational. You’re Smiley, not Grumpy Ass, ready to tear off the heads of males who look at your female. Everyone knows she’s yours.”

  Smiley jerked out of his hold and climbed into the SUV. Jericho slammed the door and he winced. His friend had a point. He wasn’t behaving as he normally did. Vanni drove him a little insane. Wager had no business appreciating the sight of her legs and Flame shouldn’t speak to her at all.

  She put on her seatbelt and he tried to relax. He didn’t want her to see his stress. She touched his hand. He met her gaze.

  “Are you okay?” She sounded worried.

  “Yes.”

  The door opened and Jericho took the seat on her other side. He didn’t like his friend that close and fought the desire to remove her belt and place her on his lap instead. It was unreasonable and stupid, yet the urge still goaded him.

  Vanni stroked the back of his hand. “I’m not afraid. I feel safe. You can relax.”

  He wished it were that simple. Jealousy was a new emotion and he didn’t like it one bit. He recognized it though. Vanni wasn’t his mate. Yet. That left room for other males to draw her attention. He had to resist glancing at her stomach. His son might be growing there but that wasn’t why he wanted her. It just meant he’d have a valid reason to beat on any male foolish enough to flirt with her.

  “Listen to her,” Jericho ordered. “Chill out. We have two teams on this mission and this will be a short, surprise outing. We don’t expect any trouble but we’re prepared if anything happens. We even have the helicopter on standby in case we need an emergency airlift.”

  No one had mentioned that last part to him. “For a medical emergency?” His gut twisted. Did they think someone would shoot at Vanni? He wouldn’t risk it. “I’m calling this off right now.”

  The red in Jericho’s eyes flashed more prominently than usual, showing his anger. He knew immediately what Smiley was thinking.

  “In case the roads are congested, Smiley. No one expects violence. This outing is needed to show the humans you didn’t harm one of their own. We might have to helicopter her and you out if the media has a chance to catch us if we’re stuck in traffic. You know those bastards would drive on the sides of the highway to reach us.”