Page 83 of Fangs and Fudge

MC was standing in the hallway.

“Vena, I–”

“Good morning,” her mom called, coming around the corner. “I thought I heard you two moving around up here. Are you hungry, MC? I was making some waffles.”

“Yes, thank you, Mrs. Hunter,” he said.

“Everly and I are going to have to pass on breakfast and head back early. MC, would you mind taking Miles back?”

Vena met his gaze, and I could see his conflict. He wanted to give her anything to make her happy, but by agreeing, she’d also be running from him. I felt a smidge of pity for him.

“Thanks,” she said, patting his chest and walking by him with a smile on her face. She kissed her mom’s cheek and kept going. I hurried after her down the stairs.

“Vena,” her mom called as she followed.

Vena reached the front door and flung it open. She stopped in her tracks. I froze, too, seeing around her.

“Oh my,” Mrs. Hunter breathed, proving she saw the same thing we were.

Vena’s wish to see Shepard in nothing but a necklace had come true.

I’d known Shepard was fit and rippled with muscles, but seeing all of him spotlighted under the morning sun was more than my brain could handle. I averted my gaze. Even staring at the ground, the image of his golden, damp skin glistening in the light as he cupped two hands over his baby batter baster filled my mind.

Vena nudged me. “Toss him something so he stops hiding his panty pleaser.”

“This is not the time,” I said, even though I wanted a naughty nuggets sighting, too.

MC stepped around us and smirked as Shepard did his best to conserve a sliver of modesty in front of Vena’s gawking mother.

“MC, get me a towel,” Shepard said.

With a sigh, MC went back inside. Mr. Hunter and Miles showed up not long after, and I suspected MC had something to do with it based on Shepard’s scowl.

Shit. Why was I looking again?

“Do I want to know why you’re standing in front of my home without any clothes?” Mr. Hunter asked.

“I doubt you do,” Shepard said. “But I would be grateful if you could take Vena and Everly inside until MC finds me something to wear.”

“And I’d be grateful if you come inside before the neighbors call the police.”

Mr. Hunter nudged Vena and me back and motioned for Shepard.

As he walked past us, Vena and I both blatantly looked at Shepard’s backside. It was beautiful, marred only by a red welt on his right cheek.

“Do you think Anchor is built like that?” Vena whispered.

“I don’t want to know,” I said.

“I do. And I’m going to find out as soon as we find him.” She frowned, and I wrapped my arm around her just as MC returned with a pair of shorts.

Shepard excused himself to change–taking MC with him–and Vena turned toward the door. I caught her arm.

“We should wait for Shepard,” I said.

She gave me a what-the-hell look.

“I know what I said. But now I’m saying wait. He was just naked in front of your mom. We can’t leave him.”

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