Movement caught her eye, and she groaned when she saw the African Violet plant slowly shrinking back to its normal size. She turned to Hudson and Rosalie, her shame deepening. Hudson had pulled Rosalie so close that she was nearly sitting in his lap, and he had one big arm crossed protectively in front of her body.
“I’m so sorry,” Cece said. She wanted to cry with embarrassment. Briggs had done something nice for her, and she’d repaid him by losing control of her magic and scaring his friends.
“It’s fine,” Rosalie said.
“It isn’t,” Cece said, her gaze landing on Hudson’s arm across Rosalie’s body. “I scared you.”
Rosalie tugged at Hudson’s arm before smiling at Cece. “You didn’t scare me at all. Hudson is just a tad obsessive about keeping me safe. Heck, he does this sort of thing when someone walks too close to me in the mall.”
“I… really?”
Rosalie nodded. “Yep. One time, we were at the bookstore, and the next thing you know, Hudson’s got me in his arms and growling at some poor old man just trying to reach for a cookbook.”
“He touched you,” Hudson said. “And he was a black bear shifter.”
“He accidentally brushed against me, and he was, like, ninety years old,” Rosalie said.
“In the grocery store, Briggs growled at an eighty-year-old lion shifter who used a cane just because he talked to me,” Cece said without thinking.
Instead of looking annoyed, Briggs said, “He shouldn’t have gotten so close to you.”
“He wanted potatoes, and I was in the way,” Cece said to Rosalie.
Rosalie laughed. “Man, it must be a polar bear shifter thing. They’re way more protective of their mates than other shifters.”
She made a face. “Not that Briggs is your mate. I know he isn’t. I mean… the two of you are super cute together, and you would make a total power couple, but I know he’s not… that you’re not… oh God, Hudson, tell me to stop talking.”
“Stop talking, Rosie,” Hudson said.
Even though she was a little embarrassed, Cece couldn’t help but laugh as Rosalie sighed. “This is why I only have Maggie as a friend. Sorry, Cece.”
“It’s fine,” Cece said.
“We should get going,” Briggs said. “It’s getting late.”
“We’re meeting Judd and Tori for dinner at the Gallery restaurant. Why don’t you join us?” Rosalie said. “The more the merrier, right?”
“Oh, um, I don’t want to put anyone in danger,” Cece said.
“We’ll be with three bear shifters and a seriously bad ass bunny shifter,” Rosalie said. “It doesn’t get any safer than that. Tori alone could probably kick anyone’s butt who came near you. She’s tiny but tough.”
“I’ve met her, actually,” Cece said. “Her and Judd. Once… a while ago.”
“Small world,” Rosalie said with a smile. “What do you say? Have dinner with us?”
Cece turned to Briggs. She wanted to have dinner and cultivate the growing friendship she felt with Rosalie, but she didn’t want to make his job any more difficult than it already was.
He studied her for a few seconds before nodding. “Sure, we’d like that. We need to drop some groceries off at home, and then we’ll meet you at the restaurant.”
“Awesome,” Rosalie said happily. “I’m so glad you’re joining us.”
“I am, too.” Cece smiled at Briggs, a jolt of lust running through her when he returned her smile. God, he really was so friggin’ handsome.
She leaned toward him just a little, tilting her head and parting her lips. One quick kiss wouldn’t hurt, right?
“Meet you at the restaurant in half an hour?” Hudson’s voice broke through her fog of lust.
Briggs cleared his throat and looked away from Cece. “Sounds good.”
