I couldn’t. I couldn’t at all. This conversation was getting more and more awkward by the second. “It’s private.”
“He strikes me as a man who would be very attentive in the bedroom.”
“He is.” He paid a lot of attention when we slept in the same bed. That wasn’t what she meant, but it worked.
“But he’s also demanding, right? Does he ever let you sleep?”
“Yes. He insists I get rest.” Once again I’d skated the truth. I dared a glance at Jocelyn’s face. Was she buying any of it?
She grinned. “I guess he wants you ready for him.”
“I also think he worries about my wellbeing. He cares.” We needed to stop talking about sex.
“How do you think he’d feel about mixing things up? I know Dires don’t usually do it, but we’re of a rare breed ourselves.”
“Mixing things up?” My body tensed. She had better not be implying what I thought she was.
“Yeah. Tonight. I know we’re always ready for a new adventure.”
“Hunter doesn’t like to share me.” That was true. There was a lot I still needed to learn about him, but I doubted he’d want to add partners in the bedroom.
“What about you? Would you want to share him?”
“No. I wouldn’t.” I hadn’t given much thought to sex with Hunter, but no matter who the guy was, I wasn’t interested in getting involved in some weird paranormal foursome.
“That’s too bad. We could have had fun.”
“Yeah, too bad.” I couldn’t chop the peppers anymore or they’d be microscopic.
“If you ever change your mind, let me know. Why don’t I give you my number? Do you have your phone on you?”
“I don’t. Hunter doesn’t think I need my own.” In actuality he didn’t trust me with one, but telling her that would have set off red flags.
“That’s ridiculous! Of course you do.” She shook her head. “Hunter! Come in here please.”
I was taken aback. I’d never heard someone talk to Hunter that way.
Hunter walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around me from behind. I leaned back into him, surprisingly relaxed by his touch. “Can I help you ladies with something?”
“Your mate needs her own phone. Every girl needs one.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment. “Oh. I planned to buy her a new one when we settled.”
Jocelyn narrowed her eyes at me. “Then why does Mary Anne think you don’t want her to have one?”
Hunter covered for me. “Because I was going to surprise her.”
“Oh. No. I’m sorry about that!” Jocelyn put a hand to her chest. “I didn’t mean to ruin your surprise. I wanted Mary Anne to have my number in case she wanted to gab sometime.” She winked. My stomach turned. Couldn’t one of these people turn out to be normal?
“Oh. She can use my phone anytime.” He tightened his arms around me. “She’s always with me anyway.”
“Of course she is. You’re a lucky man, Hunter.”
“I know.” He kissed the top of my head. “The luckiest.”
“I’m going to whip up our omelets. Mind getting some meat out for the boys? Oh and you think Marni wants an omelet to go with her steak?”
Hunter released me and walked over to a large freezer. “Probably not.”
“I figured. I’m kind of a weird shifter in that I prefer other foods most of the time.” She was explaining for my benefit I’m sure.
“What kind of shifter are you?” I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask if she was being open.
“A Saber.”
“Saber?” I asked.
“Think long teeth.”
“Wait. Like a saber tooth tiger?” Now that was a cool type of shifter.
“Exactly. We’re even rarer than the Dires are, which is why we live off the grid as well.”
“You’re hiding from The Society too? Are they hunting you?”
“Not for the same reason, but they’d keep us on a short leash. Can you image what would happen if a human saw us walking around in our animal form? They’d think saber tooth tigers weren’t extinct.”
“Are they really? I mean aside from the shifter type?”
“Unfortunately.” She sighed. “But that’s evolution for you.”
“That’s so cool.”
“That Saber Tooth’s are extinct?” She looked at me like I had two heads.
“No.” I waved my hand in front of me. “Of course not. I meant what you are. What you shift into.”
She smiled. “Oh. Yeah. I’m glad you think so.”