“Not surprising considering your hands were full with the Withell Pride. Anyway, you may want to keep an eye out for them. They can be quite barbaric.”

“I remember that. I mean, for little kids they were really vicious.”

Conridge nodded. “Hyenas aren’t as big as lions, but they make their lives a living hell. The females and the children are especially brutal. So watch your backs.

She turned to Miki. “You’ve got tonight and tomorrow to relax. I suggest you do that. Don’t panic over this, Ms. Kendrick. You’ll be fine.”

“If you say so.”

“I don’t say so. I’m ordering it. Now go away.” Conridge went back in her office and closed the door.

“You brilliant types can be awfully abrupt.”

“What a ground-breaking observation.” Miki headed back to the stairs, Conall right beside her. She wasn’t shaking him any time soon.

Once outside, Conall took the rest of the papers from Miki. “Gimme.” Since molesting her in the stairwell, he was in a much better mood.

“What’s with you? Why are you so accommodating?”

“’Cause I won.”

“You won what?”

“You. Me. The seduction. In the stairwell.”

“I didn’t fuck you in the stairwell.”

“I didn’t say you had to. I said I had to get between your legs by Friday.” He grinned. “And I did.”

Miki stopped and stared at him. “You’re high. That was not the agreement.”

“Yes, it was.”

Miki made a fist, ready to deck him again when Craig walked up. “Hey, Mik. Can I talk to you for a sec?”

Miki wasn’t done with Conall. “Can it wait?”

“Go ahead. I’m satisfied.” Conall winked at her and walked off, her backpack and dissertation in his big hands.

“Asshole,” she muttered after him.

“Dude, it’s worse than that.”

Miki looked at Craig. “What are you talking about?”

“I found him sniffing Leucrotta’s door. Really sniffing it.”

Miki sighed. Damn shapeshifters. They were simply not discreet.

“Don’t worry about it, Craig. Besides, I’ve got bigger problems than his fetishes.”

“Like what?”

“Everything.”

Craig smiled. “That’s a lot.”

“I know.”

“Look your dissertation isn’t until Friday. So why don’t you come to my house party tonight. Everybody’s going to be there. You can even bring the Beastmaster if you want.”

Well, at least he didn’t call him teddy bear.

“I love your house parties.” And she hadn’t been toone in ages.

“Then come.”

That would give her a little reprieve from being alone with Conall. “Okay. I’ll be there.”

“Cool. It starts at nine o’clock. Bring any video games.” She chuckled. Techno geek parties were the best.

Craig headed off and she walked to where Conall stood.

She took a deep breath and forged ahead. “Look. Craig invited me to a house party he’s throwing tonight…wanna come?”

He’d wondered if Miki would say anything about Craig’s party. He could hear the dweeb invite her even though he stood a good hundred feet from them. When she asked him if he wanted to go he felt his heart swell a little. “Sure. Sounds great. I’m assuming I’ll be your date.”

“Well, you’re assuming wrong. We’re going as friends.”

“Why?”

“Because you didn’t win,” she bit out between clenched teeth.

Conall watched her walk off, and waited ten seconds before he yelled after her, “Yes, I did!” He laughed when Miki raised her middle finger high in the air like a salute.

He was really starting to love that woman.

Chapter Twelve

Miki looked up as Conall held out her cell phone. “It’s Angie.”

Miki took the phone and watched Conall go back into the room, closing the glass door behind him. With the bed no longer attached to the wall, they’d been forced to change rooms. Conall had been polite enough not to mention how much he had to pay the hotel for that little “accident”. But she loved the new room they had. She had a great view of Seattle and a small balcony she’d been sitting on for three hours with her feet up on the rail and her laptop right in front of her.

“Hello?”

“So how’s the big, blond pooch? Has he started humping your leg yet?”

Miki didn’t answer. She couldn’t answer.

“Okay, Kendrick. Spit it.”

“It’s complicated.”

“You fucked him?”

“No. Not exactly”

“What are you two up to?”

“Too much. It’s getting out of control.”

“Okay. Hold on.”

Miki waited while it became quiet on the other end. She assumed Angelina was at work and had a customer.

“Okay. I’m back. And I’ve got Sara on the line.”

“Oh, shit.”

“All right, Mik,” Sara said with way too much eagerness. “What’s going on?”

Fuckin’ Angelina with her three-way calling.

“This is too weird.”

“We want details.”

“Details about what?”