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Though there were very few occasions for Santee to use it. He’d joked with Orion at work, but that was the extent of his good mood.
Until he’d met the Lovato family.
They were starting to grow on him, even Cormac, who’d gone back to his stoic self. Now that Santee knew that was just who Cormac was, he didn’t feel so intimidated by the guy.
He just wished Cormac would smile once in a while. Some people were just natural frowners, and it seemed Cormac was one of those people.
“Okay, strip,” Beckett said. “You’re dripping water all over the carpet.”
Santee froze. “You want me to get naked in front of you?”
Beckett shrugged. “I figured, you know, since we’re mates, I won’t go to hell for ogling your body.”
Santee’s jaw dropped.
His mate winked. “You’re not the only one with a sense of humor. Although I’m looking forward to sealing our bond, right now my demand is purely nonsexual. The carpet is getting wet, and you’re shivering.”
Not because Santee was cold. One, he didn’t want his mate to see his body, since Marvell had always berated him about it. Two, no way was he going to admit that the only thing he’d ever done with another guy was oral sex, and Santee had been told he was horrible at it.
“I’ll go into the bathroom.”
“We’re mates,” Beckett reminded him, though that was something Santee would never forget. “Eventually I’m going to see you naked, kitten.” Beckett’s smile faded. “Do you have scars you’re trying to hide from me?”
Santee had to roll his eyes. “I’ll remind you that you have seen me naked.”
Until he’d said that, Santee had forgotten that fact. How could he have forgotten that? When Beckett had rescued him from that snare, he’d demanded that Santee shift into his human form.
And then again when Beckett had asked him to shift because the skunk smell had been so bad that his mate hadn’t been able to tell that the bunny was actually him.
Beckett was watching him a little too closely. “Those moments were brief.”
That hadn’t stopped Beckett from letting his gaze wander over Santee the first time he’d shifted in front of his mate. He would never forget that heated stare. Even now, Santee was aroused by the memory. Because that was the first time anyone had looked at him that way.
Not even the guy Santee had fooled around with had looked at him with such desire. That had been ages ago, before his parents had left, when Santee had his freedom to come and go as he pleased.
“Just don’t…” Santee crossed his arms over his chest. “Just don’t gawk at my nipples.”
Beckett frowned. “What’s wrong with your nipples?”
Santee shrugged. “Marvell constantly teased me about my body. He always said that my nipples were the size of peas.”
“Why was he commenting on your body?” Beckett growled.
“Because I used to shift in front of him,” Santee said, as if Beckett should have known.
“It’s bad form to gawk at a shifter when they’re nude.”
Santee had no idea since Marvell—and their parents—were the only people he’d ever shifted in front of, and his mom and dad had never really paid Santee any attention.
It had been Marvell who’d teased Santee relentlessly. “Are you messing with me?”
Beckett’s brows shot up. “How do you not know this?”
“You don’t have to make fun of me.” Santee tightened his arms around himself.
“Baby, I’m not making fun of you. I’m simply confused that you didn’t know the basic etiquette of shifting in front of other shifters.” Beckett eased Santee’s arms away from his body. “I would never make fun of you. I promise. I’m just in shock. I don’t even look when it’s my own family. We joke and talk, but our eyes never wander to anyone’s groin.”
Trusting Beckett at his word, Santee slowly peeled his wet clothes off and then curled his arms around his chest again.
