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“Right, because Daisy was afraid of shifters,” Hedra said. “Chase told me about it.”
“The guys were really worried for Cooper, and they hoped that if he slept with another woman, it might convince his lion that Daisy wasn’t his mate. I didn’t think it worked that way, but Ryan said their cat sides can fall out of love with a mate just like humans do.”
“They can,” Hedra said. “Cat shifters mating for life is this weirdly persistent myth that humans believe. Which is ridiculous because shifters have just as high a divorce rate as humans.”
“Ryan thought I was well over Jaden and back to my slutty ways, and I hadn’t told her any differently, you know? Plus, I’d finally confessed my secret to her about never sleeping with a shifter so she figured this would be my chance. She asked me if I would be interested in meeting with Cooper and if there was an attraction between us, having sex with him.”
“Wow.” Hedra sat on the bed beside her, ignoring Alfie’s warning growl. “So, why aren’t things awkward between you and Daisy? You got along fine the other night at dinner.”
“Well, Cooper and I never even kissed or anything like that. In the mother of all ironies, Daisy was having dinner with Eleanor at the same pub I met Cooper at on our ‘get to know you and maybe go back to my place and fuck’ date.”
“Holy shit,” Hedra said.
Shay laughed. “Right? Anyway, I was actually attracted to Cooper. First time since Jaden that I found another guy desirable. I would have slept with Cooper that night, but it was obvious that he wouldn't sleep with me even before we realized Daisy was at the pub. He was completely and utterly taken with Daisy despite his denial. It was adorable.”
“So, Daisy didn’t know you were there with him?”
“She did. She saw us and knew why we were having dinner together, too. But Daisy is an incredible person, and while she was jealous at the moment, I think Cooper must have made it clear that she was the only one for him because they’ve been together ever since, and she’s been nothing but nice to me.”
“Maybe she realized that you were trying to help the man she loved,” Hedra said.
“Maybe,” Shay said. “Either way, she and Cooper are very happy together, and I still haven’t banged a damn shifter.”
She grinned at Hedra, but Hedra could see the pain in it. She put her arm around Shay’s shoulders and squeezed lightly. “I’m so sorry about Jaden.”
“Thanks, Hedra. But enough of my sob story. I want to know why,” she held up a tuft of orange fur she’d plucked from the quilt, “you have tiger fur in your bed?”
She wiggled her eyebrows at Hedra. “I think you may not have to pretend too hard to be Boone’s girlfriend at this party.”
“It isn’t what you think,” Hedra said.
“So, Boone isn’t sleeping in your bed? Also, does he, like, sleep in his tiger form? Is that a shifter thing? Do they walk around in their shifter form when they’re at home?”
“It depends on the shifter,” Hedra said. “Some shift to their animal form more than others. My dad shifts to his cheetah form a lot at home, and my oldest brother’s wife says he does too, but my other siblings don’t shift as often.”
“Cool. So… back to finding Boone’s fur in your bed.”
“Maybe it isn’t Boone’s,” Hedra said.
Shay glanced at the door that led to her and Althea’s shared bathroom. “You let Althea sleep in bed with you?”
Hedra laughed hard. “No, you dork. Look, it is Boone, but he doesn’t know he’s doing it. When he was a kid, he used to sleepwalk in his tiger form a lot, and while he’s mostly outgrown it, Althea says he still does it when he’s stressed.”
“So, he sleepwalks straight to your room,” Shay said.
“Yes,” Hedra said. “His tiger is looking for comfort.”
“His tiger, not him,” Shay said slowly.
“Boone doesn’t even remember doing it. His human side is asleep.”
“That is super weird,” Shay said. “Why is his tiger going to you and not his nan for comfort?”
Hedra shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Shay studied her before grinning. “Fibber. So, it must be pretty crowded with a full-grown tiger in your bed.”
“It is,” Hedra said. “I tell him he has fifteen minutes, and then he has to return to his bed, but I usually fall asleep before he leaves.”
