Industrial Magic
Page 26

Lucas had taken his suitcase straight onto the jet without opening it, probably fearing that the look on his face when he glanced inside might make Savannah feel her efforts were underappreciated. Though Lucas owned very little in the way of casual clothing, I suspected every piece of it was in that bag, and not a single item suitable for court. I only hoped shed thought to grab him some socks and underwear.
When I unpacked my bag, I saw that lack of undergarments wouldnt be a problem for me.
What did you do, empty my entire lingerie drawer into the bag? I said, untangling a web of bras.
Course not. I dont think they make suitcases that big. She tugged a pair of garter straps from the bra-knot. Do you actually wear these? Or are they just for sex?
I grabbed the garters. I wear them.
Of course, when I did wear them it was only because they improved a certain sexual advantage of wearing skirts, one that was very awkward to accomplish with full nylons. That, however, wasnt a tidbit I was sharing with anyonewell, other than Lucas, but he already knew.
You promised me Id get stuff like this when I went to high school, she said, lifting a pair of green silk panties.
I promised no such thing.
I mentioned it, and you didnt say no. Thats the same as promising. Do you know how embarrassing it is changing in a locker room, having the girls see me wearing cotton grannies?
All the more reason to keep you wearing them. If it embarrasses you to have girls see them, itd be even more embarrassing to have guys see them. Like a modern-day chastity belt.
I hate you. She fell back, spread-eagled onto the bed, then lifted her head. You know, if you wont get them for me, I might sneak behind your back and buy my own. Thatd be bad.
You gonna start doing laundry, too?
As if!
Then Im not worried.
Someone knocked at the door. Savannah vaulted from the bed and was out of the room before I could stuff my handful of lingerie into a drawer. I heard Savannahs shout of greeting and knew who it was.
Paige is in the bedroom putting away her underwear, Savannah said. Itll take a while.
I grabbed another handful.
Shit, said a voice behind me. Shes not kidding. Whatd you do, rob a lingerie store?
There stood the worlds only female werewolf, a title that sounds more like it should describe a circus freak show than the blond woman in the doorway. Tall and lean, Elena Michaels had a werewolfs typically athletic build, and the kind of wholesome good looks that cause men to say things like, Wow, if she dolled herself up, she could be a knockout. Those who dared say such things, though, were more likely to find themselves knocked out.
TodayElena wore a T-shirt, cutoff jean shorts, and sneakers, with her long silver-blond hair tied back in an elastic band and maybe, just maybe, lip glossand looked a helluva lot better than I did after hours of grooming. Not that Im envious or anything. Oh, did I mention she was thirty-two and looked mid-twenties? Or that she can eat a sixteen-ounce porterhouse steak and not gain an ounce? Werewolves get all the goodies: extended youth, extreme metabolism, sharpened senses, and superstrength. And, yeah, Im envious.
Still, if I cant have a werewolfs gifts, Ill take a werewolf as a friend. Being part wolf makes them extremely loyal and protectivewhich made Elena the only person to whom Id entrust Savannah.
Elena surveyed the mess of lingerie scattered across the bed. Im not even sure where half that stuff goes.
Savannah zoomed past Elena, jumped on the bed, grabbed a bra, and held it up to her chest.
This ones mine, Savannah said, grinning. Cant you tell?
Elena laughed. Maybe in a few years.
Savannah snorted. At the rate Im going, itll take a few years plus a few pairs of socks. Im the only girl in the ninth grade who still wears a training bra.
I was still wearing one in tenth grade, so Ive got you beat. Elena bent down to pick up a negligee Id dropped. Expecting to spend a lot of time alone with Lucas, I see.
I wish, I said. Hes already headed back to Chicago. Savannah packed my clothes, and I do hope there are clothes in this bag somewhere.
At the bottom, Savannah said.
I shoved the last of the lingerie into a drawer, then stuffed the half-packed suitcase into the closet and turned to Elena. I resisted the urge to hug her. Elena wasnt the hugs-and-kisses type. Even fleeting physical contact, like handshakes, made her vaguely uncomfortable, though nowhere near as uncomfortable as they made someone elsewhich made me realize someone was missing from this reunion.
Wheres Clay? I said. Waiting in the car? Hoping he can avoid saying hello to me?
Hello, Paige, came a Southern drawl from the living room.
Hello, Clayton.
I popped my head around the bedroom door. Elenas partner, Clayton Danvers, was standing by the window, his back to me, likely not an unconscious gesture. Like Elena, Clay was blond-haired, blue-eyed, and well built. While Elena was attractive, Clay was traffic-stopping gorgeousand had all the charm of a pit viper.
The first time we met, Clay had tossed me a bag containing a severed human head, and things went downhill from there. I dont understand him, he doesnt understand me, and the only thing we have in common is Elena, which causes more problems than it solves.