Jordan's Desires [Brac Village 9] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove), Lynn Hagen [sight word books .TXT] 📗

tested. Maverick is determined to get to the bottom of this. Wolfsbane is deadly. Jordan is one lucky man.”

Bailey felt a fine tremor just under his skin at the thought of how this could have turned out so differently. The doctor had said the same thing, how lucky Jordan was. Bailey was beginning to feel like he was the lucky one. If Jordan had died…Bailey couldn’t even contemplate that thought.

“Need company?” Travis took a long swig of his water. “I cleared my night so I could sit with you if need be.”

“There’s nothing I can do while he rests. I guess we can watch some television. But if he wakes up, I’m kicking you out.”

Travis chuckled. “I would be worried if you didn’t.”

Bailey leaned against the counter, his thoughts going right back to Jordan. “Can you think of any reason why someone would want Jordan dead?”

His friend shrugged. “I really don’t know Jordan that well. He’s new here. It could be something going on from his past, or those psycho-ass Vampire Hunters. No one really knows right now.”

“What about the shooter?” Bailey asked. “Did they ever find out who it was?”

“Not yet,” Travis answered, anger inflecting in his tone. “But I would love to know who it was.”

Bailey would too. He didn’t appreciate getting shot at. As far as he knew, he had done nothing wrong to anyone. “Or it could be someone seeking revenge against you.” Bailey remembered Travis’s confession about sleeping with married men.

Travis waved off Bailey’s concern. “I was just pulling your chain. I would never violate the sanctity of marriage.”

Bailey was relieved. He really liked Travis and would always remain his friend, but he had hoped the man had more scruples than that. “You lied?” Bailey tried and failed to keep the humor out of his voice.

“It was a stressful situation. I was just trying to add a little levity so we both wouldn’t die of a fucking heart attack.”

“Next time try not to add shock value to your statements.” Bailey punched at Travis’s shoulder. “Because I would cut your dick off if you came anywhere near Jordan.”

Travis rubbed his chin, tilting his head in contemplation. “I don’t know, man. Jordan is one fine-looking shifter. Who wouldn’t want all that muscle wrapped—”

Bailey growled as he pulled Travis into a headlock. “Don’t even think about it!”

Travis laughed. “Uncle!”

Bailey released him, shoving at Travis as he smiled.

Travis swiped the bottle of water off the table as he pointed a finger at Bailey. “It really is good to have the old you back.”

“Why is being mated so different from just dating someone?”

Travis’s looks became guarded. “Talk to Jordan about that. He’s the one that can best answer your questions.”

“Why can’t you?” Bailey asked.

Travis took a long drink of his water, his eyes studying Bailey. “It’s not my place,” he finally answered. “Ask Jordan.”

Once again Travis’s eyes dropped to Bailey’s shoulder. He was starting to suspect that Jordan had mated him. The sex they had was wild and passionate, and Bailey wondered if maybe the man hadn’t lost control.

He would ask Jordan, but when he was better. Jordan was dealing with enough right now. Plus, Bailey needed time to come to terms with the fact that he was ninety-nine percent positive he was now mated.

So why wasn’t he freaking out? Why wasn’t Bailey demanding answers? Why was he standing in Jordan’s kitchen, calm? He felt a deep connection to Jordan, something he had never felt for anyone else.

Bailey wasn’t sure what to think right now. He needed time to absorb it all. But at the moment all Bailey cared about was getting Jordan better. Once the man was fully healed, then Bailey would throttle him. Not for mating Bailey, but for not telling him about it.

“Come on, let’s go watch some television.”

Chapter Seven

Jordan cracked his eyes open. It had been six days—roughly, since Jordan was out of it and time seemed to mean nothing to him—since he was poisoned, and every single time he woke, Bailey was at his side. He honestly thought the man would have bailed by now. Bailey had made it clear on more than one occasion that they were just friends.

Why would he stick around?

His mate was sitting on the couch, at Jordan’s feet, Jordan’s legs resting across the man’s lap. Bailey was watching television, giving Jordan’s calves a slow massage. He lay there enjoying his mate’s fingers pressing into his skin, feeling himself getting hard.

Bailey glanced his way and smiled. “You’re awake.”

“Barely,” Jordan said with a raspy voice. But there was one part of him that was standing at full attention. “What day is it?”

“Saturday,” Bailey replied as he lightly squeezed Jordan’s leg. “And before you ask, it’s seven in the evening.”

Jordan stretched, feeling his joints pop. It felt damn good. He was sore as hell but didn’t feel anything wrong with him. He hoped like hell the wolfsbane had no lasting effect on him. Jordan still had to stand and try out his limbs, but so far, he was okay.

Bailey continued to hold onto Jordan’s legs, his fingers gripping him.

“Have you been home?” Jordan noticed that Bailey was wearing his shirt and the man looked damn good in it. The T-shirt was a bit large for Bailey, but that only made the man look sexier.

“Nope, I had a patient to look after.”

Jordan yawned and turned over onto his back. “I don’t get you, Bailey.”

His mate grabbed the remote and turned the television off. “What’s there to get?”

Jordan almost forgot what he was talking about when Bailey began to massage his legs again. “Why you stayed. If we are just friends—”

“Mates.”

Furrowing his brows, Jordan gazed at the guy. “What?”

His mate looked peeved as he glared at Jordan. “You mated me.”

Jordan gulped—loudly. Had he been talking in his sleep? He couldn’t figure out how Bailey knew.

Bailey snorted, a very unattractive sound but one Jordan was pretty sure he deserved. “Don’t look so stunned. I figured it out when Travis couldn’t stop looking at my shoulder.”

Jordan