Free Wolf Line by Vivian Arend Page B

exploits.”
    “You’ve got a whole ship full of willing shifters. Go find your own toy to play with.”
    Tessa sighed, long and dramatic. “I can’t. Gotta be responsible and all that. So you’re under full orders to have a big enough blast for us both.”
    “Thanks. Can I go now, or do you have further plans to make me spill deets?”
    “There are already deets?”
    Oops . “I’m hanging up now. Bye.”
    Keri clicked off before she could do any more damage, but at least she’d accomplished her goal. She had the afternoon and evening to spend not only sating her body with her mate but hopefully finding out how to direct the disaster situation somewhere manageable.
    Although the lust clouding her mind would probably distract her for a few hours first.
     
     
    Jared showered and dressed in three minutes flat and was hard on Keri’s heels. Her determined expression worried him a lot. She was up to something.
    Even the concern he felt made him happy though. It was a brand-new sensation, like she was under his skin and he had to help her. He skittered around a corner and flailed his arms backward to avoid slamming into a couple.
    “Excuse me.” He tucked against the wall to allow them to pass, a man in an extremely sharp business suit and a woman in a dress that screamed expensive. Both of them looked vaguely familiar, and recognition hit in a rush.
    Oh hell.
    The delighted gasp from the woman made him straighten up and put on his best smile in spite of the pit of despair opening at his feet.
    The gasp progressed to a laugh of delight. “How marvelous. Duncan, look who is here. It’s Jared Gilliland.”
    “Whatever are you doing, young man?” A firm finger pressed to the front of his T-shirt as the gentleman stared over his elegant thin-framed glasses. “Traveling a touch on the casual side, aren’t you?”
    Jared took in the Fedoras with a growing sense of dread. There was no way out of this, no way at all. “Yes, sir. Just a bit of a holiday and there didn’t seem to be a need to dress up. How are you?”
    They responded politely while Jared scrambled to find a way to deflect the situation. A trickle of memory hit before they could ask any more awkward questions about his presence on the ship. “My parents mentioned you were looking at some property in the south of France. How did that turn out?”
    Distraction was the correct response. They both beamed and described the small resort to him. “Small” meaning there was probably only a legion of staff waiting on the few family members who would visit the premises.
    He had spent his entire life working to avoid this situation. Being around the elite wasn’t a horrible thing, it just wasn’t his thing. His parents had allowed him to step out in his own direction instead of remaining in the limelight of the upper class—which had kept his handicap concealed.
    And now? Trapped in a hallway with the leaders of the European werewolves? Way to stay undercover…
    Mr. Fedora looked him up and down again, his gaze narrowing slightly. “Why haven’t I seen you in the dining hall? Not once during the entire voyage.”
    Two pairs of eyes stared into him and Jared wiggled. He hoped he wouldn’t get asked a direct question that he didn’t want to answer. But then again, if he started down one route then changed tracks, that would be worse. In tough situations there was only one thing to do—tell the truth and hope like hell the dust landed in the right places.
    “I slipped on board with nothing but the clothes on my back and I’ve been doing hard labour ever since because no one knows who I am and I really don’t want to tell anyone and I just met my mate and—”
    A long, low squeal of delight escaped Mrs. Fedora as she snatched up his hands in her fingers. “Your mate! How simply delightful. You must introduce us.”
    “Darling. Did you not catch the part where he’s traveling incognito? I doubt he wants to trounce down the hallways and have it