9. Pizza, beer and foot rubs

I stop and look around the lot.

No one is here, but I can’t shake the uneasy feeling that I’m not alone. I wait a little longer, to see if anyone appears, but nothing happens and if I don’t leave now, I’ll be late. I give the lot one more sweep of the area, then jump into my SUV and head home.

As I drive, I keep checking the rearview mirror to see if anyone is following me. I don’t notice anyone and think maybe I’m being paranoid because I part-shifted in public today. It was only my eyes, but I revealed myself. Fourteen years and not a single mistake or risk taken. Whatever possessed me to reveal myself today needs to be locked down tight to be repeated.

I turn onto my street and can see Finns squad car parked in front of the house. Damn, I really hate being late. I pull into the driveway, grab my bag and jump out quickly. Locking the SUV, I walk up the pathway to where Finn sits on the stairs, his dark head turned to watch me, an open beer hanging from his hand.

“You’re late Wills.” He greets, knowing it will annoy me, a twinkle in his brown eyes.

“Or I’m right on time.” I say, flourishing a hand to the pizza delivery man that just parked and is coming our way. I hand him some money.  “Do me a solid, get the pizzas while I open up.”

He grunts, takes the money from me and stands to get the pizzas. I unlock the door, turn off the alarm and then flick on all the lights. Dumping my bag by the stairs that lead up to the bedrooms and head to the kitchen. To grab some napkins and plates for dinner.

Finn closes the door behind him and goes straight t the living room, dropping the pizzas the six pack of on the coffee table then making himself comfortable on the couch. He grabs a bottle for me, twists the top and swaps it for the plate I’m handing to him. I flop on the couch beside him take a long pull from my beer and sigh.

“Rough day?” He asks, flipping the lid of the first box open. Pepperoni, kalamata olives and mushrooms. “This one’s yours.”

“Not rough – just really weird.” I take the pizza box from him and put it directly in front of me, sliding a few slices onto my plate before sitting back, taking my shoes off and then cuddling back into my corner of the couch. Chessy, salty, spicy goodness fills my mouth with the first bite, and I moan in pleasure. My eyes closed and a smile on my lips.

Finn clears his throat, his eyes glance at me, an uncomfortable expression on his face for a moment before he takes a deep drink from his beer, tipping his head back and finishing it off. I take another bite of pizza and watch him do the same, tanned arms resting on his knees. “Ok Wills, I’ll bite, weird how?”

“Hmmm, I had a vendor meeting today and the guys that came to present to us were – strange. I don’t know how else to describe it. They kept asking about my clan?” I fill him in on the basics, I won’t give him a play by play or tell him who they are as his cop brain and need to protect will kick in and then he will do something stupid like run an unapproved background check.

“Clan – as in what? Irish and Scottish clans?” He asks around bites of pizza, wiping sauce from his chin with a napkin.

“I have no idea. I thought the same thing, but I don’t think that’s what they meant as they asked me more than once. Anyway, I’m sick of thinking about it so – distract me. Tell me about your day?” I really don’t need to be thinking about Zale and his darkly sinful voice right now.

“I’m going to have to disappoint you – today was very average. A few speeding tickets, two call outs for welfare checks, and the rest were all patrol. No juicy stories to distract you tonight I'm afraid.” He grins, finishing off his slice and reaching for another. I give him an exaggerated pout; he has some of the best stories as he sees some of the strangest things. “Where’s your Dad? On shift?”

“Yep, went straight on shift after we got back from the cabin last night. He’ll be back in the morning.” I must be hungry, I’m down to the last slice of my pizza. I wash it down with the rest of my beer and then wipe my hands on my napkin.

“When are you two gonna let me come camping with you, huh? I’m starting to feel like you’re keeping secrets from me – what are you doing out there anyway?” He asks, I was expecting him to bring it up – he always does. It’s why I have been thinking about telling him about my wolf. Like Dad said though, until I have a better plan, I need to keep it a secret for a while longer yet.

“Oh didn’t you know, that's where we hide all the bodies. Can’t have a cop finding them now can we?” I raise a brow at him and grin. He laughs as he finishes his pizza, stacking everything together on the coffee table, always so neat and tidy. Turning to me he goes to grab one of my feet and pull it into his lap. “Ew Finn, you do know I have had my feet in a pair of converse all day – why would you voluntarily touch them?”

“I’ve had to touch worse, besides I thought you like my foot rubs.” He grabs my other foot, taking off my socks and then presses his thumbs right into my arches, going straight for the kill. I groan as he hits me right where it hurts, and starts to ease the tension I have been carrying all afternoon. He gives the best foot rubs, he knows exactly where all my pressure points are and where I’m ticklish.

“I do love your foot rubs, just wanted to give you fair warning that my feet are probably ripe right now.” I sink back into the couch, closing my eyes and going boneless under his ministrations. I know I’m making some obscene noises but I don’t care – it feels so good.

“So, these three guys that made you feel weird – you gonna tell me their names?” I open one eye to glare at him as he probes me both verbally and with a well-placed thumb on my heels, trying to get the information he wants.

“Why officer, are you trying a new interrogation technique on me?” I playfully joke back with him try to diffuse the situation.

“Nope, just wondering why you conveniently left out any identifying information about these guys.” He returns, moving to press the balls of my feet.

“Well, that’s because they are prospective vendors, they didn’t really do anything wrong.” Zales hand grabbing my wrist flashes in my mind. “And I know if I do tell you are going to go all protective cop on me and potentially get into trouble for unsanctioned investigations.”

“Hmmm, I’ll let it go for the moment then. But seriously Wills, if anything escalates with them, promise me you will let me know. He slowly puts my feet back on the couch one after the other, holding them in place as he catches my eyes, so I know he’s being serious. He cares for me and just wants me to be safe. I know this, but what he doesn’t know is that I’m probably more capable of looking after him with my wolf if it really came down to it. Plus I’m slightly stronger than the average male and not because I’m in the gym five times a week like him.