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you, and I can scent you. What I’m sensing is a Shifter who likes to take care
     of everyone, but doesn’t do many things for herself.”
    “Hey, I get out. I come here. I’ve had a sex life, thank you very much. My boys are
     embarrassed about it.”
    “Not the same thing as letting yourself look for happiness. Before you kick me out
     on my ass, give me a chance to help you find that happiness.”
    Nell went silent. Shane and Brody sure were taking a long time fetching the drinks,
     and Joe saw the pain in Nell’s eyes when she glanced at the bar as though looking
     for her sons.
    This guy Cormac was pouring out his heart. In Joe’s opinion, he was rushing Nell a
     little—sounded like he’d read some letter her mate had written and he’d showed up
     here because of it. Amazing how they talked about a century here, a century there,
     like humans talked about years. Must have been hard on her, being a Shifter way back
     then, when Shifters had hidden their true natures, especially with kids to take care
     of.
    Joe watched them out of the corner of his eye as he took another sip of beer. Both
     the Shifters wore Collars, and both were larger than humans, but they looked right
     together. They fit. With their fingers entwined, Nell looking at their joined hands,
     Cormac’s gaze fixed on Nell, Joe figured it was only a matter of time.
    Cormac tugged Nell a little closer. “Tell you what. Why don’t we dance a little?”
    Nell looked up, not liking that. “If we leave before Brody and Shane get back, we’ll
     lose the table.”
    “There are other tables.” Cormac laughed. “You know half the people here. I’m sure
     they wouldn’t mind sharing.”
    “I do know half the people here. And they’ll see me dancing around like a fool.”
    “Not like a fool.” Cormac pressed a kiss to her hair. “Come on. There’s nothing to
     be afraid of.”
    Nell looked up at him, then took on a look of defiance. “All right. See if you can
     keep up.”
    “I love a challenge, darlin’.”
    Cormac led her away, walking in front of her—Shifter males always went first to scope
     out any danger. But he held her hand all the way.
    Joe lifted his beer in a silent toast. He hoped they worked it out. They made a good
     couple.
    As they disappeared into the mass of dancers on the floor, Joe’s thoughts returned
     to his plans to kill Shane. Nell’s story was heartbreaking, but twenty thousand dollars
     was twenty thousand dollars.

Chapter Four
    Cormac could dance. He could dance, he could kiss, and he had a smile that lit up
     the room. It wasn’t fair.
    The dance was a quick one. But instead of shaking himself around like the humans or
     the younger Shifters, Cormac kept hold of Nell’s hands, pulled her close, and spun
     around with her. He swung her out and then back to him, never missing a step.
    Nell found herself against his chest again, with his hands on the small of her back.
     He was a solid wall of male, strong and steady, a rock in a whirling maelstrom.
    Raking up her pain about Magnus was breaking something open inside her. It was too
     long ago—she’d moved on. She’d managed to survive after Magnus’s death because she’d
     had to. Shane and Brody had needed her.
    Once humans had discovered that shape-shifters existed and herded them into Shiftertowns,
     Nell’s past had receded, becoming a distant world. She’d found a new life, her sons
     had better chances of finding mates, and she looked forward to settling down and dandling
     her grandkids on her knees.
    Now Cormac was messing with her head. She hated thinking about Magnus lying dead,
     shot multiple times through the head with the large revolver he’d bought. One shot
     wasn’t always enough to kill a Shifter. Magnus had shot himself until he’d collapsed,
     and then he’d bled to death on the bank of a river.
    The pain of that was nothing Nell wanted to remember.
    Cormac swung her around again in the dance, then she ended up once more