A Little Bit of Magic and a Lot of Fur

The entire company he worked for was moving their headquarters to get away from the tax burdens in Illinois, and because, he suspected, they had lucrative contracts with other shifter-owned companies waiting for them.

Devin could manage the cyber-security part of his job from anywhere, and he looked forward to protecting a different batch of clients than the ones he’d had lately. He wondered if he’d be shadowing wealthy ranch or casino owners instead of escorting celebrities and CEOs from place to place.

He also looked forward to the privacy and protection offered by more rural surroundings.

The wide-open spaces in the Southwest were some of his favorites. He’d traveled there a couple of times in the last decade, and he could barely wait to get back. The thought of more privacy and the joy of shifting and running during the cool desert nights stirred something in him that he’d been missing for a while.

If he got homesick for the cold, snowy, windy Chicago winters, he figured he could always visit Lake Tahoe or take a run up a mountain.

A foot came down on the side of his again as the busy man next to him shifted his briefcase from one hand to the other to dig in a pocket.

“Hey,” he said, without much heat behind it. “That’s twice now.”

The man frowned at him, then looked him quickly up and down and must have determined that frowning at someone as tall and muscular as Devin might not be wise. He grinned sheepishly and followed Devin’s gaze to the ground and his scuffed boot.

“Sorry, dude,” he said, seeming more like an out-of-shape surfer than a businessman, and took a few steps away, turning his back to continue his conversation.

Devin hoped his company would have headquarters in Nevada, near Las Vegas, or at least kept him working in that area. He liked to gamble and was good at it. If he used his heightened wolf senses to smell when people at the poker table were bluffing, well, everybody had gifts, didn’t they?

He made sure not to win every hand. He wouldn’t last long in a Vegas casino if he didn’t make some sacrifices to keep the pit watchers from picking up on his incredibly good luck.

The light changed, and the crowd Devin stood in hurried across the street. Even if he worked in a city after he moved, he’d live further out this time, away from the stink of exhaust and the never-ending background noise of horns, engines, and sirens. One of the first things he planned on doing after he moved was to run out into the desert on a clear evening, far away from streets and light pollution, and look up at the stars in the complete dark of night.

As he stepped onto the curb on the other side of the street, he closed his eyes and imagined it. He’d done it for the first time a few years ago, and it remained one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen. It made him feel like he belonged there, like he was meant to be staring up at the universe and feeling like he was a part of it.

He always knew he’d settle out there someday but had let a hefty paycheck and steady work lure him to Chicago. Devin was glad that he’d be getting back to the desert climate sooner than anticipated.

“Come on,” someone grumbled, stepping around him so close he shoved Devin to the side as he stomped past.

If he hadn’t been in such a good mood about leaving the city, he might have grumbled back at the guy. No, he definitely would have, even though he’d been the dumbass who stopped the flow of people walking.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he ignored it. Whatever it was could wait until he got to his apartment. He’d only been there a little over a year, and the rent recently doubled. He intended to enjoy letting the building manager know where he could shove that rent hike. Then he’d check his calls while still in a great mood.

It was probably just Griff or Strand checking if he wanted to join them at a bar anyway. As if they needed to ask.

He took a few steps, turned the corner, and spotted a man walking toward him in a direct line, his head down as if lost in thought. He wore jeans, a blue sweatshirt, and a small leather backpack slung on one shoulder. Both hands were shoved into his pockets, and he had those damn earbuds in like half the people in the city.

He seemed to be mumbling to himself as he listened, his coppery brown hair ruffling in a breeze that blew from behind him.

As the breeze reached Devin, his breath caught at the scent of the man. The guy looked up just in time to sidestep and keep himself from crashing directly into him. The smell as he walked by was so rich and enticing that Devin spun on his heel and stepped forward to follow it.

The man didn’t smell like any specific thing, but more a combination of scents that made Devin’s mouth water. He just smelled good—fragrant and spicy and delicious under the almost-burned-toast and peppery scent of the strong magic that surrounded him.

Devin opened his mouth to taste the air. That mumbling man smelled the way the nighttime desert sky looked to Devin: fascinating, beautiful, and like he’d found the place he was meant to be. Home.

Mate.

The thought hit him like a punch in the gut and sent his pulse racing. He followed the man, admiring his shapely thighs and firm ass with every step. The guy ran long fingers through his mess of hair, still looking down, even as he stepped off the curb into the flow of traffic.

Devin lunged for him, shouting, “Look out!” along with a few other people looking on in horror. Despite the earbuds, the man turned toward his shout so that when Devin’s arms went around him to pull him out of the road, they were face to face. The yellow cab that headed directly for them tried to stop, brakes screeching, and Devin turned to throw them out of its path.

He was a split second too late, and the taxi bumped him from behind. Fortunately, it had slowed enough that the impact sent him stumbling without lifting him much off his feet. He managed to roll so his back hit the ground, and he could cushion the fall for the man on top of him.

The face above Devin’s had a fine nose, full lips, and shining amber eyes that made Devin’s breath catch again.

“Are you okay?” the man asked him.

He’d never smelled magic as strongly on any other person, but beneath that was the fresh, shimmering scent of mine and home. Devin inhaled deeply and let it wash over him like a warm August rain.

“Are you hurt?” the man asked again.

“I’m good,” Devin finally said. He used his index finger to brush the man’s bangs across his forehead. “You okay?”

Someone in the crowd around them wondered aloud if they needed an ambulance, and Devin remembered that he was in public, making eyes at a stranger he’d just pulled out of the street. He didn’t really want to stand, because that meant the man’s comforting weight on top of him would disappear, but he also didn’t want to draw even more attention.

“I’m fine,” Devin said to the people standing around. “It barely bumped me.”

He moved, and the man carefully stood, holding out his hand for Devin to take. He took it, though he didn’t need help getting to his feet. The hand felt so right in his, he didn’t let go. “I’m Devin. Devin King. You sure you’re okay?”

“Riley Loren. And I’m okay, thanks to you. You might have just saved my life.”

“I doubt it,” Devin said with a chuckle, stepping closer and squeezing his hand. “The car had nearly stopped, so I probably only saved you from a bruise or two. Do you wanna . . . go somewhere? Are you hungry? We could get some dinner and take it to my apartment a few blocks away.”

Thoughts of Nevada and casinos and privacy were pushed from his mind. All he could think of was getting his mate alone and basking in the way being near him made Devin feel.