Hungry Like a Wolf (Claws Clause 1)

Oblivious to how she was already trying to figure a way to get out of this Friday’s date night, Adam chuckled. “Wow. These last few days worked you over good, didn’t they?”

“I guess. But at least that job’s over and done with now. The next one’ll be a walk in the park compared to it.”

“Is that what you’re working on today?”

Evangeline hesitated. His tone hadn’t changed. Adam sounded as concerned and interested as he usually did and that, she decided, was the problem. It was bad enough that she felt like she had to account for her every move to her mother. Recently, she couldn’t shake the suspicion that Adam expected her to do the same for him.

“That was the plan. Get up, take a shower, get dressed. I slept through breakfast, so I thought I might pick up a muffin or something and get some coffee before I start my work. That sound okay to you?”

If Adam heard the sarcasm she couldn’t quite keep out of her short tone, he didn’t act like it. “I don’t know, Eva—”

“What’s wrong with my plan?”

“Don’t you have coffee in the kitchen?”

She did. But it wasn’t the same. “The coffeehouse is only a couple of blocks away. Plus, they have muffins.”

“Babe—”

“I’m just going to get coffee and come right back. It’ll be fine.”

“Hang on. I was about to go on break,” Adam told her. In the background, she heard the squeak of his desk chair as he stood up. A moment later, the jangle of his keys came through loud and clear. “Wait for me to get there. I’ll take you out.”

He had to be kidding. “What? No! I mean… you don’t have to do that.”

“I was on my way already. When you didn’t answer, I got Bennett to okay an early break. I’ll be there in fifteen.”

Evangeline closed her eyes, prayed for patience, then said, “Adam, don’t be ridiculous. I could walk to Mugs and back before you got here. And Grayson is harmless, right?”

She had to believe that. Even with Fiona and Adam’s endorsement, Naomi had researched every inch of the town before she approved Evangeline’s move. Its crime rate was almost nonexistent. Evangeline attributed that to its proximity to the Cage. About ten miles away, it was too close to draw many criminals. Paras wouldn’t want to catch the Cage’s attention, and human crooks feared the threat of being thrown inside with paranormals regardless of what the laws said.

Adam’s voice gained a hard edge. “You can’t think like that, babe. No place is harmless. Something could happen at any moment. You, of all people, should know that.”

Evangeline knew his heart was in the right place. Still, she hated when anyone tried to take her choices away from her. If going out to get coffee was the one thing she could control in her life then, damn it, she was getting that cup of coffee.

“Careful, Adam. You’re starting to sound like my mother.”

“That’s because I love you, too, Eva.”

She winced. He’d started up with that during their last night out together, right before she started the editing job that, okay, she might’ve offered to take because it gave her an excuse to avoid Adam for a few days. Afraid that he was just using the words to soften her up so that she would invite him to spend the night—and terrified he might mean it after only a month together—she refused to say it back.

The words held weight for Evangeline. She would only say them when she meant them. And, as much as she was growing to care for Adam, she didn’t love him. Not yet.

“I’ll be safe. How about this? I’ll bring my phone with me, grab my breakfast, then call you when I get back to my place. Better?”

Adam started to say something, stopped, then sighed. “Since you’re probably halfway out the door now, I guess that’s fine. I’m going on record saying that I don’t like it, though.”

“Duly noted, Officer.”

“Eva.”

His stern voice might have counted for more if he didn’t punctuate it with a sexy little chuckle. Between that and his handsome face, strong body, the charming dimple… she wished she knew what it was that Adam saw in her and why he was wasting his time when he could probably have half the population of Grayson with only a wink.

Evangeline was glad he couldn’t see the way her cheeks heated up. No matter how she tried to discourage him in the beginning, he was adamant about seeing her. She didn’t understand it, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t like the attention. He was kind, considerate, good-looking as hell, and willing to bend over backward for her. In her darker moods, she wondered if her mother was paying him to watch over her. But then she caught sight of the way he would look at her as if he was the lucky one and she had to smile.

“I’ll talk to you in a little bit, Adam. Promise.”

“Okay.” He sounded resigned, though he didn’t argue again. “Love you.”