As usual when he was around Shaya, he was assaulted by a number of erotic images. He could imagine her being bent just like that, but naked and over a table while he was slamming into her. Or sprawled across his lap while he spanked her ass over and over until she begged him to take her.

And now his c**k was hurting like a son of a bitch.

In the middle of a damn grocery store.

Knowing she didn’t work on Sundays and she was always so exhausted after working long shifts, he’d figured she would sleep most of the morning. Apparently his Shaya liked to be up at the crack of dawn on Sundays to go shopping. He had been on his way to the gas station when he’d spotted her heading inside the store.

Either she’d picked up his scent or had sensed someone’s gaze on her, because she suddenly glanced over her shoulder. He almost laughed when her eyes widened and she straightened abruptly. No doubt she had a good idea of the kind of thoughts and pictures that had been forming in his mind.

“What are you doing here?” asked Shaya, flustered—and annoyed with herself for being flustered. She knew she sounded particularly cranky, because she was cranky. Menstrual cramps could do that to a girl. “Are you following me?”

“It’s harder than I thought.”

“If I were you, I’d do the intelligent thing and f**k off,” she growled.

“No.”

She growled again. “Has anyone ever told you you’re unbelievably stubborn?”

“Frequently. But, really, it’s not stubbornness. It’s just that I can say no without feeling guilty.”

His lopsided smile miraculously made her want to smile back, but she would not. “What do you want?” His eyes went slumberous.

“You. In my bed. Naked. And wet and ready for me.” When she gaped at him, he shrugged innocently. “You asked.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, seeking patience. But she simply wasn’t a patient person. “I don’t have time for this. Move out of my way.”

“I’m here to help.”

Her words came out through clenched teeth. “Nick, not today, okay.” The ass**le actually put a jar of Bolognese sauce in her cart. She returned it to the shelf with a huff. “You can harass me again tomorrow.”

“I don’t harass you, I just show up wherever you are.”

She growled when he put the sauce back into her cart and also a bottle of garlic oil. “Stop putting things in my cart!”

Picking up on her wolf’s unusual prickliness, he frowned. Sure Shaya and her wolf were snippy, but this was different. “What’s wrong with your wolf? She’s a little…off today. Come to think of it, so is your scent.” He leaned in and brushed his nose against her neck. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” she said with a sardonic smile. At least one good thing would come from her menstrual cycle starting: he’d leave her alone for a few days, knowing seducing her wouldn’t be possible. And he wouldn’t send her a message similar to the one he’d sent last night that went a little something like:

If I was lying in bed with you now, if I had my hands on your body, where would you want me to touch you first?

Her traitorous body had responded to that, just like it was responding to his very presence now. But getting him to go away would be simple enough. Not simply because seduction wouldn’t be possible, but because no wolf liked to be around menstruating female shifters. Shifter PMS was a bitch—a time filled with excessive fatigue, mood swings, irritability, cramps, bloating, aching br**sts, tension, increased appetite, sleeplessness, and hot flashes.

“So that’s why you’re snippier than usual,” said Nick. “It explains what your pretty ass is doing out of bed so early, too—you usually have major trouble getting up in the morning.” It also explained why her br**sts were bigger than usual. But he wouldn’t comment on that. He wasn’t stupid.

She gasped, indignant. “I get out of bed just fine each morning, thanks. And I’m not snippy.”

If he was sensible, he’d walk away. Female wolves with PMS were likely to eat someone’s face off at the slightest provocation. But this was his female wolf. And right now, she needed someone to take care of her, whether she’d admit it or not. He curled an arm around her shoulders and used his free hand to push the cart. “Come on, baby. Tell me what stuff you need, and I’ll help you get this over with. Then you can go home and lounge on the sofa all day. Doesn’t that sound good?”

It did, actually. Nonetheless, she snapped, “I’m perfectly capable of putting items in a freaking shopping cart.”

“Of course you are. But if I help, you’ll get out of here sooner.” Despite her grumbles and the string of unprovoked insults she flung at him as they strolled down aisle after aisle, Nick aided her in loading the cart and then helped her bag the items. When he offered to pay, he thought she’d break his jaw.

“I’m not a charity case,” she hissed. Slightly mollified by his apologetic look, Shaya fished the money from her purse and held it out to the cashier…who was staring lustfully at Nick and wearing a seductive smile. Shaya cleared her throat particularly loud. “Do you see something that you like, because he doesn’t,” she spat. Apparently the guy waiting to be served behind her thought that was pretty funny. Shaya wasn’t at all amused.

Holding the grocery bags with one arm, Nick gently but firmly took Shaya’s hand and pulled her to him. “Ready to go home, baby?” Her response was a low growl that made him smile. As she ranted in the parking lot about how much she liked to walk thank-you-very-much, he placed the bags into the trunk of his car and then guided her into the passenger seat.

She continued ranting all the way home, and he did what any wise male shifter did when his mate had a PMS-induced tantrum—he kept his mouth shut and nodded along. She was still ranting when they pulled up outside her house. When he retrieved her bags from the trunk of his car, Shaya went to take them from him, but he shook his head and advanced up her driveway.

Shaya growled. “I’m—”

“Perfectly capable of carrying your own bags,” he finished soothingly. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t do it for you, does it?”

“Stop with the therapist tone!” Realizing that something about the yard was different, Shaya took a moment to study her surroundings. “Did you mow the lawn?”

Nick shrugged. “It kind of needed it. You only just noticed? I did it yesterday while you were at work.”