With Caution

he got a call from his brother.
    Wrapping his arm around Remi’s waist, Sterling hugged him briefly, then shrugged and lengthened his stride. “Okay, dude, you’re cramping my style. I’m not six anymore.”
    Remi chuckled and shoved the little shit’s shoulder. Some of the tension left him, seeing Sterling acting like a fourteen-year-old again. “Brat. I offer to take you to breakfast and this is the thanks I get.”
    Opening the door of the diner, Sterling nodded and held it for Remi. “Uh-huh.”
    An array of scents assaulted Remi’s nose, making him wrinkle it. God. Was he ever going to get used to all the strong smells? Being a werewolf was hell on the senses.
    Stepping out from behind the cash register, the hostess greeted them. She smiled and puffed out her chest a little as she went to the podium. Grabbing menus and napkin-covered utensils from the pockets on the side of the stand, she asked, “Two?”
    “Yes,” Remi answered, studying his brother and trying to block out the suffocating aromas.

    www.samhainpublishing.com 9
    J.L. Langley
    Sterling seemed okay, but Remi wasn’t fooled. He knew how scary the situation was.
    The kid was putting up a good front. He was more at ease now that he was away from the house, but shit like this didn’t just go away. Remi knew that firsthand. He’d been dealing with it all his life.
    Sighing, he took a seat across from his brother at the booth the hostess indicated.
    She placed their menus on the table, leaning over way more than necessary to put their silverware down.
    Whoa, that’s where the overwhelming flowery smell was coming from. Did she bathe in perfume? What was she doing anyway? Remi glanced up and got an eyeful.
    Good God, the woman was about to pop out of her white dress shirt. Remi averted his attention from her boobs and met her gaze.
    “Your waitress’s name is Sally.” She winked. “But you let me know if there is anything I can do for you.”
    Had her voice sounded that sultry when she’d first greeted them? Remi nodded and gave her a polite smile. Normally, he’d have flirted back but under the circumstances he wasn’t in the mood. Besides, her scent didn’t appeal to him. And that was too bizarre to think about. The weirdness that came from becoming a werewolf never ceased to amaze him.
    Sterling batted his lashes at her, grinning from ear to ear. “Oh, he will, I’m sure.”
    Biting his lip to hold back a chuckle, Remi furrowed his brow at the brat.
    The hostess smiled at Sterling before giving Remi one last look and leaving.
    Remi waited until she was out of hearing range. “What was that for?”
    Sterling shrugged, but his eyes were bright with mischief. “Only trying to help you out. She was totally into you. Besides, you always used to use me as a chick magnet. I thought I’d bump up the magnetism a little. You need a girlfriend.” Sterling unrolled his silverware out of the dark green cloth napkin.
    “I did not use you as a chick magnet. You always seemed to attract them.” Which was the absolute truth. Remi had never taken Sterling with him to entice female attention.
    However, he found out real quick a teen lugging around an infant did just that. Hell, even 10
    www.samhainpublishing.com

    With Caution
    when Remi was in his early twenties and Sterling was in elementary school, Remi ended up getting phone numbers and offers that generally had him covering Sterling’s ears.
    “And I do not need a girlfriend.” Especially not one who doused herself in perfume.
    “You haven’t been dating much lately.”
    “And since when did you become my keeper?”
    “I thought—” Sterling shrugged again. “Sorry. I was only trying to help. You seem lonely. You rarely hang out with Chay anymore and you keep to yourself lately, except when you’re with me. She was pretty, wasn’t she?”
    Remi reached across the table and grabbed Sterling’s hand. He had to nip this in the bud right now. The last thing he needed, while trying to learn to be a werewolf, was a girlfriend. “She was okay. But I’m serious, if I want a date I’ll get one myself.”
    “You should go out with Chay’s assistant. Tina’s nice.” Sterling grinned.
    For some odd reason, Tina’s brother, Jake, sprang to mind. Jake was tall, dark and handsome, in a rugged way. He was appealing to Remi’s nose too. Remi’s cock began to fill and he swore he could smell Jake, but it was only his imagination. Even if Jake were in the restaurant, who could