How to Run with a Naked Werewolf (Naked Werewolf 3)

And the ever-erudite werewolf responded, “Uh . . .”

She gave me one long, disdainful look. “When you figure out what you’re missing, you give me a call,” she said, turning her back on me.

“It was really nice to meet you, Mary Ann!” I chirped.

She sashayed away, her butt swishing back and forth. Caleb closed his eyes as if he was wishing the whole situation would go away. “Never going to live this down, am I?”

I shook my head. “No.”

Before he could come up with some explanation, a tall blond man came barreling up to Caleb, pulled back his fist, and punched my werewolf square in the stomach.

Seriously, I couldn’t take him anywhere.

Caleb grunted, doubling over and propping his hands against his knees to get his breath back. I hissed out a growl and yanked my trusty baton out of my bag. I flicked it to full extension, but Caleb pulled himself upright and grabbed my wrist before I could swing. “No! This is my old friend, Abe Clarkson.”

Caleb took time off from reassuring me to swing up at Abe’s gut, doubling him over. Abe gave a wheezing laugh right before using his lowered center of gravity to fly-tackle Caleb and send him toppling against a booth.

“Do any of your old friends like you?” I asked him as both men roared with laughter. None of the bar patrons seemed to notice the exchange, as if it was a regular occurrence for Abe to brawl with customers.

Caleb brought an elbow down between Abe’s shoulder blades. “No, that’s just how he says hi.”

With Abe’s grasp around Caleb’s waist weakened, Caleb shoved his alleged friend halfway across the barroom. I assumed that the abusive greeting ritual had concluded, because Abe approached me, gave me a once-over, and waggled his eyebrows. “Who is this sweet little thing, Caleb? You know, Mary Ann’s been missing you—”

Caleb interrupted him with a loud clearing of the throat. “Abe, this is my Tina. Behave yourself.”

Abe instantly straightened up, his expression more friendly than flirty now. I guessed Caleb’s calling me his held some sort of special significance. In a second, I’d gone from hanger-on to lady of significance. I felt I deserved nonflirty respect either way, but given the eager, open smile on Caleb’s face, I wasn’t going to be churlish about it.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Tina,” Abe said, shaking my hand. “I was afraid he was going to end up as the male version of a crazy old cat lady.”

“That’s still a possibility,” I told him, making Abe frown at Caleb.

“She’s a kidder,” Caleb assured him. “She’s crazy about me.”

I snorted. “â??‘Crazy’ is a good word for it.”

Abe shot Caleb a sly look. “Oh, I like her. You deserve her, buddy. I’m looking forward to watching how this plays out. You in a relationship? That’s like one of those shows about guys who wrestle with wild gators. I don’t know how it’s going to turn out, but it will be bloody, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to laugh.”

“Is Trixie here yet?” Caleb asked, ignoring Abe’s jab. “I would like to snap her up before these guys figure out I’m taking away their entertainment. That could get ugly.”

“She’s not due for another thirty minutes or so,” Abe told him. “You got a minute, man. And I need a favor.” Abe jerked his head toward his office. Caleb gave me a skeptical look, as if he didn’t want to leave me alone, but I waved him off.

“Go have fun,” I told him. “I’ll be fine.”

“The last time you said that, you ended up offering to show Jerry your boobs,” he said.

Abe’s mouth popped open to comment, but instead, he asked, “You hungry?” The blond man laughed at himself. “What am I saying? You’re with Caleb ‘Jerky Hog’ Graham. Of course you are.”

Before I could respond, Caleb protested. “That was one time! And you left the bag in the truck. What was I supposed to do? Starve?”

Abe shook his head, giving me a knowing look, and flagged down his bartender, a pretty brunette. “A beer and a crab special for the lady. Anything she wants is on the house.”

I started to protest, but Caleb lifted me up and deposited me on a bar stool.

“Eat,” he told me. “Sit here. Stay in one place. Please try to stay out of trouble.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” I informed him.

“You’re right, but as someone who cares about you, I am only asking that you eat a good meal and try not to jump directly into harm’s way, waving a sign that says, ‘Here I Am!’ in big red letters.”