wine hiding in a cabinet.
“Hey, this looks great,” Diesel said, finally showing some life.
“For a wolf Shifter, your recovery period is kinda crappy,” I teased.
“Excuse me?” He ran a hand through his mussed hair, making me smile at how freakin’ sexy he looked sitting in bed naked with just a sheet covering his groin. “I believe my energy reserves should be commended. Five or six times, remember?”
I handed him a glass of wine and sat across from him, letting the quilt fall to my waist.
His eyes immediately focused on my bare breasts. “Hmm, looks like you might have a few love bites.”
I glanced down and grinned at the teeth marks he’d left. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Good.”
We sat on the bed, working our way through the snacks until I said, “I wonder if you can shift now.”
He’d had his mouth open, getting ready to bite into a cracker, but he froze. A second later, he discarded the snack and said, “You know, if you were the key, then I should be able to. You forgave me right?”
“There was nothing to forgive,” I said. “But if you were supposed to prove your worth, then I’ll be damned if you didn’t do just that.”
“And I will again the first chance I get,” he added.
I rolled my eyes, but a bolt of anticipation rippled through me and I wondered exactly when that might be.
Diesel stood, his glorious godlike body nearly making me swoon.
“For the love of all that’s holy,” I said. “I think you should be required to never wear clothes.”
He raised a curious eyebrow. “Are you suggesting that I become a nudist?”
I gave him a half shrug. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing ever. I mean, everyone could use a little more beauty in this world.”
It was his turn to roll his eyes. “Sure. Except I’ll end up freezing my ass off. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
“I suppose not.” I shoved a piece of gouda in my mouth and washed it down with a gulp of Cabernet. “Well? Are you going to get your shift on, or what?”
“I’ll try.” He lowered himself to the floor and propped himself up on his hands and knees. “Here goes nothing.”
He wasn’t kidding. After a full minute, he was still in the same position, his head bowed as he concentrated. No shift in sight.
I opened my mouth to say something, but then a pale light shimmered over him and I swore something started to happen. The light sparked, and I expected to hear bones cracking or see them elongating, but nothing happened… except a butt full of fur.
I couldn’t help it. I laughed.
Diesel, on the other hand, scowled and let out a growl of frustration.
“I’m sorry,” I said between giggles. “That just caught me off guard.”
He stood and walked over to the full length mirror, checking out his partial shift. “Son of a…”
“Can you shift back?” I asked, trying to be helpful.
He shook his head. “No, it’ll probably rectify itself on its own, but who knows how long that will be.”
“You should probably be ready to seek medical attention. You know what they say about a shift that lasts longer than four hours—”
“Too soon, Ida May. Too soon.”
7
“ D o you think Zelda would let me borrow some more clothes?” I asked Diesel as I helped him wash the dishes. “At least until I can figure out what to do about money. I can’t wear your sweats forever.”
He paused and cast me an appraising look. “What do you need clothes for? All the plans I have include being naked.”
Butterflies danced in my belly at the thought of more bedroom gymnastics. “I bet they do.”
“It’s settled then. All you need are some socks. I’ll take care of the rest.” He bent and brushed his lips over mine, lingering there for just a moment. “That wine tastes good on your lips.”
I picked up my half-full glass and took a sip. “Yes, yes it does.”
“How about after we’re done here, we get comfortable by the fire and forget the wine while we get
“Hey, this looks great,” Diesel said, finally showing some life.
“For a wolf Shifter, your recovery period is kinda crappy,” I teased.
“Excuse me?” He ran a hand through his mussed hair, making me smile at how freakin’ sexy he looked sitting in bed naked with just a sheet covering his groin. “I believe my energy reserves should be commended. Five or six times, remember?”
I handed him a glass of wine and sat across from him, letting the quilt fall to my waist.
His eyes immediately focused on my bare breasts. “Hmm, looks like you might have a few love bites.”
I glanced down and grinned at the teeth marks he’d left. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Good.”
We sat on the bed, working our way through the snacks until I said, “I wonder if you can shift now.”
He’d had his mouth open, getting ready to bite into a cracker, but he froze. A second later, he discarded the snack and said, “You know, if you were the key, then I should be able to. You forgave me right?”
“There was nothing to forgive,” I said. “But if you were supposed to prove your worth, then I’ll be damned if you didn’t do just that.”
“And I will again the first chance I get,” he added.
I rolled my eyes, but a bolt of anticipation rippled through me and I wondered exactly when that might be.
Diesel stood, his glorious godlike body nearly making me swoon.
“For the love of all that’s holy,” I said. “I think you should be required to never wear clothes.”
He raised a curious eyebrow. “Are you suggesting that I become a nudist?”
I gave him a half shrug. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing ever. I mean, everyone could use a little more beauty in this world.”
It was his turn to roll his eyes. “Sure. Except I’ll end up freezing my ass off. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”
“I suppose not.” I shoved a piece of gouda in my mouth and washed it down with a gulp of Cabernet. “Well? Are you going to get your shift on, or what?”
“I’ll try.” He lowered himself to the floor and propped himself up on his hands and knees. “Here goes nothing.”
He wasn’t kidding. After a full minute, he was still in the same position, his head bowed as he concentrated. No shift in sight.
I opened my mouth to say something, but then a pale light shimmered over him and I swore something started to happen. The light sparked, and I expected to hear bones cracking or see them elongating, but nothing happened… except a butt full of fur.
I couldn’t help it. I laughed.
Diesel, on the other hand, scowled and let out a growl of frustration.
“I’m sorry,” I said between giggles. “That just caught me off guard.”
He stood and walked over to the full length mirror, checking out his partial shift. “Son of a…”
“Can you shift back?” I asked, trying to be helpful.
He shook his head. “No, it’ll probably rectify itself on its own, but who knows how long that will be.”
“You should probably be ready to seek medical attention. You know what they say about a shift that lasts longer than four hours—”
“Too soon, Ida May. Too soon.”
7
“ D o you think Zelda would let me borrow some more clothes?” I asked Diesel as I helped him wash the dishes. “At least until I can figure out what to do about money. I can’t wear your sweats forever.”
He paused and cast me an appraising look. “What do you need clothes for? All the plans I have include being naked.”
Butterflies danced in my belly at the thought of more bedroom gymnastics. “I bet they do.”
“It’s settled then. All you need are some socks. I’ll take care of the rest.” He bent and brushed his lips over mine, lingering there for just a moment. “That wine tastes good on your lips.”
I picked up my half-full glass and took a sip. “Yes, yes it does.”
“How about after we’re done here, we get comfortable by the fire and forget the wine while we get
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