Briggs backed up, his face still hot, but Cece looked more amused than embarrassed, and his bear chuffed happily when she began laughing as well.
“Jesus,” he said, “does Ronin keep anything to himself?”
“Not a damn thing. He’s as bad as Willow at keeping secrets.” An amused look on her face, Tori turned to the others. “Let’s crack open some beers and get the steaks grilling. I’m starving.”
CHAPTER 24
“How goes the job search?” Tori plopped down on the couch, rubbing her hands together before blowing on them.
“Not so great,” Cece said, closing her laptop. “Sorry, it’s so friggin’ cold in here. I’ll build up the fire some more.”
“I’m fine,” Tori said.
Cece laughed and scanned the bunny shifter up and down. Tori wore two sweaters, a heavy scarf, a knitted hat, and thick wool socks. Cece was also pretty certain Tori had both leggings and yoga pants on. “You’re freezing your butt off, Tori. Admit it.”
Tori grinned at her. “During the day is fine, but I might have been a bit cold overnight. How would you feel about a bunny shifter in your bed tonight?”
“Works for me,” Cece said.
“You say that now, but wait until I put my frozen feet on your legs,” Tori said. “I can’t believe how quickly I’ve gotten used to having a furnace in my bed every night.”
At Cece’s confused look, Tori said, “Judd runs super hot. All the bear shifters do.”
“Briggs walks around the house in a t-shirt and jeans, and I’m dressed like I’m about to do an expedition in the Arctic,” Cece said.
“Yeah, polar bears run the hottest of the bears, I think,” Tori said. “There’s honestly not a lot known about them. They usually avoid humans. The fact that we have two living here in the city, even one as big as Ashdale, is crazy. Although Judd says that Briggs probably moved here because he knows Hudson. Which makes sense.”
She studied Cece. “Is it just the conduit thing that’s causing the connection between you and Briggs, or would you want to fuck him even if he wasn’t your conduit?”
Cece blushed. “Briggs and I are just friends.”
“Girl, please. We could all see how you were practically drooling on each other last night. Hell, I’m surprised that Briggs even left. I assumed he’d camp out on the couch overnight and not just because he thinks I can’t protect you.”
“He doesn’t think that,” Cece said.
“Uh, yeah, he does, but I’m not taking it personally. Male shifters always get weird and protective over their mates, even the prey shifters.”
“Briggs doesn’t think I’m his mate,” Cece lied.
Tori gave her a look, and Cece sighed. “His bear is a little confused, but Briggs says it’s because he doesn’t understand that the magic enhances our attraction.”
“Right,” Tori said. “So, would you?”
“Would I what?” Cece asked.
“Fuck Briggs, even if he wasn’t your conduit,” Tori said.
Cece opened her mouth to tell the bunny shifter it wasn’t any of her business. Instead, what came out was, “Yes. I’d bang that guy like a drum.”
Tori laughed. “Does it make you more or less enthusiastic to fuck him if I tell you that bear shifter peens are well known for their impressive size? And polar bear shifter dick is the biggest of them all.”
“More,” Cece said. “I like a challenge. Also, dragon shifters are probably bigger in that department, right?”
Tori shrugged. “Maybe? You’d probably be able to find out pretty easily if you were really curious. Now that dragons are no longer a secret, they’re screwing humans left and right.”
“Seriously?” Cece asked.
Tori nodded. “Yeah. I can’t blame them. There weren’t that many of them, so they were limited in their mating choices for years. Now it’s practically a sex buffet for them.”
