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“I’m having the same thought,” said Havana. “He might not have openly claimed you, Bailey, but he made it clear in his own way that you weren’t to be touched.”
Aspen absently fiddled with her necklace. “You know, I’m not so certain he’ll walk away once the touch-hunger subsides.”
“Then you’re moronic,” said Bailey.
Aspen narrowed her eyes. “You’re deflecting again.”
“Can’t help it.”
Havana cut in, “I happen to agree with Aspen on this. What are you going to do if we’re right and he does suggest that you two keep things going?”
“He won’t.” Bailey dumped her spoon in her empty bowl. “I was clear on where I stand, and so was he.”
Aspen shot her a tired look. “Oh, please tell me you didn’t give him the ‘ground rules’ talk.”
Bailey’s back straightened. “There’s nothing wrong with having firm boundaries.”
“No, there isn’t,” the bearcat allowed. “But it guts me that you’re so set on keeping everyone at a distance.”
“Just so you know, Bailey,” began Havana, “I don’t think you’ll find it easy to do that with Deke.”
Bailey felt her brow furrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ve slept with dominant shifters in the past, but never one as dominant as he is,” Havana explained. “Dudes like him respect boundaries. Until they don’t. Until they decide that it doesn’t suit them anymore and so they start being pushy and bossy. If he wants to plant himself in your life, he will—you won’t be able to keep him out no matter what you do.”
“He’d never want to do something like that.” But even as Bailey said that, she recalled his warning …
You can’t keep a wall up between us forever.
Bailey hadn’t yet decided how she felt about him wanting to “know” her. Nor did her mamba. It made them slightly uneasy. They weren’t used to people showing such interest in them.
In any case, she wasn’t taking his words as an indication that he was looking for more than casual sex. Bed-buddies generally did like to “know” each other. And if Deke wanted more, he’d have just said so.
A cell began to ring, and Havana fished her phone out of her pocket. “Gotta take this. I’ll be right back.” She went into Bailey’s bathroom to take the call in private.
Grinning like an idiot, Aspen said, “I think Vana’s right. I think you won’t manage to hold Deke at bay.”
Bailey gave her a blasé shrug. “If you want to be wrong, that’s fine. Not everyone can be brilliant like me.”
The bearcat snorted. “I don’t know if I’d use the word ‘brilliant.’”
“Of course you’re unsure. You’re not brilliant.”
“I’m freaking fabulous.” Aspen splayed her hands on the island. “Whereas you’re a pain in the ass.”
“You say the latter as if I should be … you know … sorry or something.”
Aspen let out a pfft sound. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m well-aware that repentance is not your—”
“Don’t start making up words again.”
“Repentance is a word.”
“Not in my mental dictionary.”
“Tell me you two aren’t arguing!” Havana bellowed from inside the bathroom.
“We’re not arguing!” Aspen called out. “We’re just talking about Deke!” She refocused on Bailey. “And you’re doing your best to change the subject, because it’s making you uncomfortable. You know I’m right, you know there’s a chance Deke will cleave himself to you, and it’s freaking you out. Ha.”
Actually, Bailey had absolutely none of those worries. She knew where she stood with Deke and, what’s more, where she’d never stand with him. “You’re genuinely not bored of this conversation yet?”
“No. I find it fascinating.”
“Well, that’s just sad. No wonder Camden always looks like he’s zoning out when you two talk. Your conversations are probably boring him to tears.” Poor guy.
Aspen’s mouth tightened. “I far from bore him.”
“Oh yeah? Then where is he?” Bailey pushed her bowl aside. “Needs a break from your whiny-ass personality, does he? Ah, bless.”
Aspen’s nostrils flared. “You want me to knock you the fuck out, don’t you? That’s what this is.”
“Oh, please. Like you could get the drop on me. You and your bearcat are—”
“Don’t bring her into this. Unless you want her to kick your snake’s butt.”
“She couldn’t kick her own ass, let alone my mamba’s.”
Aspen shifted.
So did Bailey.
Their animals clashed.
The bearcat stomped on the snake, who struck fast in retaliation—biting her face three times. They tussled. Hissed. Snapped their teeth.
“I do not believe you two.”
The animals paused—the snake wrapped tight around the bearcat’s waist while said bearcat held the mamba’s mouth closed.
Havana stormed over to them and perched her hands on her hips. “Do you not get tired of being a pair of idiots?”
They only stared at her.
“Back away from each other. God, if bearcats didn’t have a peptide in their blood that made them immune to snake venom, Aspen would be dead a billion times over.”
The bearcat slowly let go of the mamba’s mouth.
Disappointed it was over, the snake reluctantly loosened her hold on her prey. Then sharp claws raked over her head. The snake hissed, displaying the inky black coloration inside her mouth, and then lunged—biting the bearcat’s ear.
