“Fine. It’s not your house.”
“That’s a terrible hint.”
“But still a hint,” he said.
She stuck her tongue out at him, and Christ, how sex starved was he that even that innocent gesture made his cock harden?
Cece was staring out her window again, and he quickly adjusted his dick before pulling into the townhouse complex.
“Standen Court.” Cece read the sign at the complex’s entrance. He parked in the visitor parking as Cece studied the townhouses in front of them. “Do you live here?”
“Nope.” He grinned at the curiosity on Cece’s face as she followed him up the sidewalk to a corner townhouse, their breath white clouds in the cold air.
“Briggs,” she said. “Please tell me where we are.”
He turned to face her. “My friend Hudson’s house. He and his mate Rosalie are expecting us. Rosalie is nice, and I think you’ll like her.”
She blinked at him in slow astonishment. His face a little red, he said, “You miss your friends, right? I thought you’d like to have someone to talk to who isn’t a mostly mute introvert like me.”
She smiled a little. “I don’t mind that you’re quiet.”
His bear growled happily at even that small praise, and Briggs had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at his bear’s ridiculousness.
“Isn’t Hudson worried that I’ll put his mate in danger?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Hudson is a polar bear like me. We’ll protect you and Rosalie from any danger.”
“But if they’re using magic -”
“We’ll keep you safe,” he repeated firmly. “Look, Hudson is over the top protective of his mate. If he were worried, he wouldn’t have said yes to us visiting, okay?”
“Okay,” she said.
He turned back to the door, but it opened before he could knock. Briggs smiled at Hudson’s mate. “Hi, Rosalie. How are you?”
“I’m good. Come in!” He ducked inside the home, taking Cece’s jacket and hanging it and his in the closet.
“Hudson’s just upstairs, but he’ll be right down,” Rosalie said. A grey tabby cat weaved around her feet, and Briggs’s bear growled when the cat rubbed against his legs. Briggs was neutral about cats, but his bear found them annoying.
There were heavy footsteps on the stairs, and the floor shook lightly as Hudson joined them. Briggs heard Cece’s sharp inhale as she stared at Hudson. He and Briggs were about the same height, but Hudson was a little bigger overall. He slipped one arm around Rosalie’s waist, and she leaned against him, rubbing her hand up and down his arm.
Hudson was the only polar bear shifter Briggs knew of who had a human mate. Hell, he didn’t know one who’d even slept with a human before. Forgetting that most polar bear shifters had zero use for humans - male or female - the size difference made the actual act of sex, at best, difficult and, at worst, dangerous for the human.
But Hudson’s mate was nearly six feet tall with thick curves and looked sturdy enough to handle Hudson in bed. His gaze dropped to Cece. She was only around 5’10, but her curves meant she wouldn’t be nearly as fragile as a smaller woman. Still, if she slept with a shifter as big as him, they’d need to be gentle and careful with her.
His bear growled at the thought of Cece sleeping with someone else, and Hudson sniffed the air before giving him a look. His face growing warm, Briggs said, “Cecelia, this is my friend Hudson and his mate, Rosalie.”
“Hi, Cecelia,” Rosalie said warmly. “It’s so nice to meet you.”
“You as well,” Cece said.
There was a pause, and then Rosalie said, “I’m human. If that helps you be less nervous.” She immediately made a face before looking up at Hudson. “Why am I so awkward at making new friends, honey?”
Hudson grinned and kissed her forehead. “You aren’t, my mate.”
“I one hundred percent am,” Rosalie sighed. “If I haven’t already made things too weird, we’d love it if you and Briggs joined us in the kitchen for coffee, Cecelia.”
Cece grinned. “Call me Cece.”
