Free CougarHeat by Marisa Chenery Page B

he
said.
    On the sixth ring, just before his
cell would have gone to voice mail, Blaise answered. “Hey, Taylor.”
    “Where are you?”
    “At the bar with Grady and Jase.
Why?”
    “Stay there. I really need to talk
to you.”
    “Okay. What’s the matter? You
sound…different. Is it because of the argument you had with dad? Caleb said he
walked in on you and dad having a disagreement about something.”
    “No, it doesn’t have anything to do
with that. I’ll explain when I get to the bar.”
    “All right. We’ll be here waiting
for you.”
    Taylor disconnected the call, then
pulled on his clothes. He kept his necklace under his shirt.
    He opened the bathroom door and
stepped out to find Aspen just closing the entrance one. She turned and smiled
when she saw him.
    “I told her we were too full from
dinner and that we’d have some another time. I also promised her I’d bring you
to the house very soon. She wants to meet you.”
    “Good, because we’re going out.”
    “We are?”
    “Yes. Go get your jacket.”
    While Aspen went to do that, Taylor
put on his that he’d taken out of his truck earlier when they’d gone out to
eat. Once she returned, he ushered her outside, down the stairs and to his
pickup.
    “Are you going to tell me where
we’re going?” Aspen asked when they were on the road.
    “To a bar. I need to talk to my
brother about something and that’s where he is. You’ll also meet two of my
cousins.”
    “You couldn’t say it over the
phone?”
    “Nope. It’s a serious matter, and I
just remembered about it.” Taylor glanced at Aspen. “Sorry.”
    “I don’t mind. I only thought it
was a bit sudden. And thanks for not getting upset about my mom interrupting.
That’s one problem with living above my parents’ garage—she likes to stop by
whenever she wants, which happens to be frequently.”
    Taylor smiled. “I understand. I’m
not that close to my dad, but I am with my mom.”
    He parked on the street a half
block away from the bar. Once they were out of the pickup, Taylor took Aspen’s
hand in his while they walked. He turned down the short alley and went to the
nondescript-looking door that was the bar’s entrance.
    Aspen looked at him. “There’s a bar
in there? Being so hidden away, I would think they wouldn’t get much business.”
    “They do. They like to be
discreet.”
    Taylor opened the door and guided
Aspen inside. He didn’t get very far before Nikki confronted him. She glared at
Aspen, glanced down at their joined hands, then gave him a hard look.
    “Taylor,” Nikki said. “What is
this?”
    “Nikki. This is my girlfriend
Aspen. I’m only here to talk to Blaise, then we’ll leave.”
    A look of shock crossed Nikki’s
face before it changed to anger. “Girlfriend? How could you take up with a hu—”
    Taylor cut Nikki off before she
could get the word “human” out. “Back off, Nikki.”
    He brushed past Nikki, taking Aspen
with him. Taylor spotted his brother and cousins at the same back table they’d
sat at his first night back in Anchorage. Once he reached it, he quickly made
the introductions.
    “It’s nice meeting all of you,”
Aspen said. She looked at Taylor. “I need to use the ladies’ room since you
didn’t give me a chance to at my place.”
    He nodded, then pointed her in the
direction of where the restrooms were. He watched Aspen until she disappeared
into the ladies’ room. He found Blaise, Grady and Jase staring at him.
    Blaise spoke first. “What were you
thinking, bringing a human here? I don’t have a problem with it, but that’s not
the case for everyone. And I’m sure Nikki is as pleased as anything,” he said
sarcastically. “Aspen’s scent is all over you and yours all over her.”
    Taylor pulled out a chair at the
table and sat. “I think this will excuse me.” He reached under his shirt and
took out his pendant. In the dim lighting of the bar, there was no missing how
the ruby eyes glowed.
    Jase leaned