Free Bleacke's Geek (Bleacke Shifters) by Lesli Richardson

damp hair. “Of course it is. I have a feeling we won’t get much sleep, though.”

    * * * *

    By the time they’d returned downstairs, Beck and Badger had brought all the groceries in. Most were put away already, although a few bags of stuff still lay on the counter. From the bloated wad of empty plastic bags hanging on a cabinet knob, it looked like Badger had shopped for an army.
    “What the hell did you buy?” she asked.
    “I’m not used to feeding a grazer,” Badger griped. “I’m used to feeding wolves. Wolves are easy to satisfy. Meat and coffee. As long as I keep those two things in stock, my throat stays intact. Well, and dark chocolate for ye when yer especially bitchy,” he teased.
    She pulled a box out of one bag. “Fa-kin?”
    He nodded at Ken. “Fake bacon. For yer mate. If he likes it, I’ll keep it in stock. The woman at the store said they sell a lot of it.”
    Ken fought the urge to laugh. He sensed Badger was making an uncharacteristically major effort for his benefit. Dewi caught his eye and winked.
    He winked back. Suspicion confirmed. “Thanks, Badger,” he said.
    “Though, I can’t blame ye if ye don’t like it. We’ll keep trying until we find something to yer tastes.”
    “Pancakes, scrambled eggs, cereal, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt—anything like that’s fine with me. But I do appreciate it. I’ll eat pretty much anything you cook except meat.”
    Badger hooked a thumb toward the fridge. “Stocked a whole farm’s worth of fruit, veggies, and salad stuff for ye, too. Couple of kinds of salad dressing. Cheese and yogurt.”
    Dewi hugged the man. “Thanks, Badger.” She kissed his cheek.
    He looked even gruffer, but puffed up just the same. “Gotta keep my girl happy. If yer boy there starves to death, I imagine ye wouldn’t be verra happy.”

Chapter Five

    Beck disappeared upstairs to a guest room to unpack. Dewi asked Beck to stay because she had a lot of things she wanted his help to teach Ken. Ken also surmised that Dewi was especially protective of Ken and wanted Beck around to help her keep him safe.
    He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know why she worried about his safety.
    Badger started cooking a huge breakfast feast and wouldn’t let Ken help at all. “Naw, first morning in the family, I’ll take it easy on ye,” he said, amused. “But after today, ye pull yer own weight.”
    Dewi hovered around Ken, touching him, kissing him, and draping herself over him as he sat on a stool at the counter.
    He didn’t mind in the least. His brain had started to surrender to the fact that she really did appear to want him as much as he wanted her.
    “Badger, he needs to go get his stuff and pick up his bike from the pub we were at last night. Can you take him after we eat? I’ve got that call. Since Beck’s back, he needs to sit in on it.”
    It surprised Ken that he didn’t feel the slightest bit jealous of Beck being alone with her.
    Badger nodded from his place by the stove. “Aye. I wondered if ye’d want me to take him.” He glanced at Ken with a teasing expression. “I promise I won’t let him run off.”
    Ken stared at Dewi and knew the adoration in her eyes matched his own expression. “No chance of me running off,” he said. “I promise.”
    Dewi grinned.
    He knew he’d kill to see her grin like that again.

    * * * *

    After a long, drawn out good-bye kiss where Dewi didn’t want to let Ken go, Badger clucked impatiently. “Come on, girlie. Let him go. I’ll bring him back safe and sound. Yer call begins in five minutes. Ye keep Peyton waiting, he’ll want to rip a strip outta yer hide.”
    “He can try,” she growled before nuzzling Ken’s neck again.
    He kissed her one last time before she let him gently push her away. “I don’t want you getting in trouble,” he said. “We’ll be back soon. It won’t take long. I promise.”
    She looked…well, like a lost puppy. “Hurry back.”
    “We will,” Badger insisted. He’d left his truck