“I’ve been wondering about something,” Sherrie said after they’d turned out of the driveway and headed down the mountain toward town. “You never go out. I mean, as far as I know, you haven’t shifted since I’ve been living with you. Don’t you need to go out and hunt some nights? I don’t want you to hold back or for you to feel you have to act differently because of me.” She watched his eyes focused intently on the road. He flicked a sideways glance at her. “I didn’t want to leave you alone. You haven’t been here long, and I didn’t want you to feel strange or lonely.”
“No. It’s cool. You and I are different species. Believe me, I get that. I don’t want you to deny your nature because of me.” She waved a hand. “Go out. Hunt. Do whatever it is you do. I won’t be lonely. Hell, if it’s the middle of the night I’ll probably be asleep.”
“Are you sure?”
God, how she loved the concerned pucker between his brows. He was so sweet, she could eat him up.
In fact, she thought she would as soon as they got home.
“I’m sure. But I do have one other question for you.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you people ever own pets like cats and dogs for companionship?” He squinted. “They’re not so much companions as they are prey so, no, not really.”
“Okay.” She nodded. “Maybe I’ll get an aquarium.”
Much later, as they pulled apart, sweaty and breathless from having sex, she rolled onto her back and exhaled deeply. “I love making love to you. Wait a minute. Isn’t that a song?”
“I think so. But that’s okay. I love making love to you too.”
“Even more so now that it doesn’t feel like something beyond my control. Know what I mean?” She glanced at him, wondering if he’d felt the change after that last ménage with Grant. The urgency that had driven her toward each of the shifters was gone now. Instead of feeling propelled by an irresistible force, it was normal attraction and affection that propelled her into John’s arms every time.
He nodded. “I want you. But it’s not a compulsion and I don’t feel the same energy building as before.”
“That’s fine with me. I like it this way,” she said. “But I wonder if it would be different if Grant was involved.”
John turned his head on the pillow to gaze at her. “Do you want him to be?”
“Maybe a little. Just for spice. If he came for a visit, I wouldn’t mind inviting him into our bed. What about you?”
She peered into his eyes, trying to read the subtext of what he said. Did he feel threatened by Grant, or secretly aroused by him?
He paused, exhaled, stared at the ceiling. “Well… It wasn’t all bad, I guess, and it would be interesting to see if we build up a charge of energy like before.”
“Or maybe it would just be natural chemistry now.” She rolled to her side to face him and propped her head on her hand. “I have a secret, very hot fantasy about the two of you.” John cocked an eyebrow. “Really?”
“You know how guys love watching two girls make out?” He started shaking his head before she’d even finished. “Not gonna happen.”
“Aw, come on, admit it. All that snarling and fighting between the two of you is foreplay. You might like it better than you think.”
“It’s not foreplay,” John denied. “But I’ll make you a deal. If he drops by some time, we’ll have another threesome as long as you’re the one in the middle.”
“Not going to argue that.” She reached out and brushed the sweaty strands of hair from his forehead.
Just then, from the far side of the house, the doorbell rang. Before they could rise and dress to answer it, a voice floated down the hall. “Hey, anybody home? I’m back.”
“Aw, Jesus.” John flopped onto the bed, arms outstretched.
“Wow. That’s uncanny,” Sherrie said.
“He has sex radar. Heard you from miles away and came running,” he growled.
Grant appeared in the doorway. “Hi. What’s up? Got room for a third?” Sherrie held out a hand, and he came to join them.
Chapter Thirteen
Two months later…
“There’s no coffee.” Grant wandered into the bedroom and gazed at Sherrie and John lying on the bed, entwined together naked. “No coffee,” he repeated. “In the coffeemaker.”
“Jar’s in the cupboard. Make more,” John snapped.
“Or you could come and join us and make the coffee after,” Sherrie offered.
Grant paused, head cocked as if he was weighing his options—coffee or sex—before giving a feral grin and leaping onto the bed beside them. His purring rumble vibrated against her as he wrapped himself around Sherrie’s backside. One of his hands stole across her hip, and he reached for John’s cock.