Dream Catcher (Woodland Creek)

WARREN

“So let me understand this, you drove her over to her dorm on campus and just left her there with Reagan of all people?” Jase paced back and forth, making me dizzy with his agitation.

“Jase, you make it sound like I kicked her out of the truck and sped off.”

“Did you hear me say Reagan? Reagan Avril, resident bird brain?” Jase looked frustrated and I knew why. I was sure Reagan wouldn’t tell her anything. She wouldn’t knowingly spill any secrets of our town, but she did have a big mouth. I couldn’t help it if Kerri figured some things out on her own. I knew Woodland Creek didn’t have an official ban on shifters and humans because I knew several couples who flew pretty low under the radar. My parents included.

“I’m sure it will be fine. Reagan is taking her to get a new phone later. You and I will be getting her things from her car at the mechanic’s shop and drop them off.” Jase’s eyebrow rose and his lips pursed with disapproval.

“She has a sprained wrist, bruises all over her body.”

“Because you looked thoroughly, I bet.” Jase made me feel defensive. I knew why and I hated it.

“It’s my job to make sure she wasn’t injured anywhere else.” I hoped that didn’t make things weird the next time I saw her.

“Sure it is,” Jase said in a sing-song accusing voice.

“Did you expect her to carry those boxes up three flights of stairs? Remember when we roomed at Lupin Hall last year before getting this place off campus?” I didn’t really want to explain myself. Jase was sometimes as stubborn as his sister, Eden.

“They do have an elevator.” Jase sighed and popped the tab on his soda can. The fizz of carbonation filled the silence and I thought about the moment inside my truck. Brief and fleeting like deflating soda pop, but a

stark reminder of the differences between Kerri and me.

I wanted to pull her across the seat and kiss her, but I settled for helping her out of the truck and then again in the hall when she almost tripped. My hand still felt the residual tingles having been splayed over her soft belly. I wanted to touch her again and pull her closer to me. “You should have seen the way she looked up at the painting in Lupin Hall. Scared the shit out of me quite honestly.” Lying on the couch, I propped my feet up as Jase sipped on the soda. Groaning, my body had protested when I let her go. Pressing forward was dangerous ground indeed.

“Okay. She’s not a shifter. Big deal. You can still tap it. Just don’t tell her about it.” He was obviously working things out inside his head about the situation.

Sitting up glaring at him, I told him how I felt about it. “You’re an asshole. I don’t want to ‘tap it’ as you so politely said.” Frustrated with my cousin, I sat on the couch staring at the ceiling, hoping it might suck me out of there and his inquisition.

“You like her?” He teased.

“I don’t know her,” I stated firmly, but it was a lie because I wanted to get to know her.

“So change that, man. Geez. Have I taught you nothing in all our years together running in the pack?” Stalking around our house, he grabbed an open bag of chips, stuffing them in his mouth.

“I’m not, uh…as experienced as you might assume me to be.” I was ill at ease to tell Jase the truth and regretted it the moment the words came out.

Mouthful of chips, he spit several out. “Say what the fuck?” He brushed the crumbs off his chest. “Dude, how is it you’ve never, uh…been with a girl before?” Jase sat on the end of the couch and I wanted to kick him to the floor. He irritated me on the highest level possible and I would’ve preferred he left me the hell alone right then.

“I have dated before.” I defended.

“I know we’ve picked up girls and gone out together…so you’ve never—” Jase made a face and I cut him off before he could take in a cruder direction.

“I just haven’t and I don’t see why this is any of your business, Jase. I’ve done fine all these years. I never said I didn’t mess around, I just never…you know.” Standing, I went out into the kitchen, wishing I didn’t share a house with Jase. Thankfully, it was a two-bedroom, so I had some privacy, but I was sure he was going to follow me everywhere relentlessly. I opened the refrigerator and took out some leftovers I’d swiped from my mom’s house earlier in the week.

“Dipped the wick? Tasted forbidden fruit?” Jase leaned in with a snarky whisper like he couldn’t contain his glee over my lack of sexual prowess and blew in my ear. “Humans taste like chicken…” Practically cackling, the hair on the back of my neck rose when he kept going like the dickbag he was.

“You’re an asshole.” Muttering, I shoved him off me and pushed back my hair, which covered my forehead, again. I swore that shit grew extra-long and quick when I was at my most frustrated.

“So you’ve said, cousin.”

“Asshole.” I was hoping the third time was the charm to get him to leave.

“Seen one of those, have you?” Jase laughed uncontrollably like he’d made the best joke of his life. “Let me know if you need any pointers!” I made my way past him, clipping his shoulder hard on purpose, sidestepping past him.

“Take off, Jase. If I knew you were going to be a douche-canoe, I wouldn’t have said anything.” He tried grabbing me to wrestle out our argument and with a growl I brushed past him again to escape.

“You know what you need to do, bro’…” I paused long enough to contemplate what he was going to say next and realized it would be stupid to humor him.