Page 14 of Bride of Choice

“Whadda ya know, I’m not cold anymore!” I chirped, ignoring how high and tight my voice sounded.

Booger glanced over his shoulder. One look at my face and he grunted, a huh sort of sound, then turned to eye me. Those all-knowing peepers darted from Gopher, who sat frowning at me from his spot on the couch, looking like he wanted to jump up after me as I hopped up like I’d just been goosed, but he held himself back.

“Jojoknee ‘kayed?” Booger asked, his gaze once more darting from Gopher on the sofa to me.

“Totally,” I fibbed through my pretty little teeth.

“No look fine…” the Boogster rumbled out softly, cocking his head as he eyed me.

“Are my cheeks really that pink?” I muttered, reaching up to feel my face. I didn’t need to check. I could already feel the flames without needing to clap my hands to the furnace my cheeks had become. Sometimes I was unnaturally shy, especially when the situation was pinched and made me feel… awkward, put in between. “Gosh, I should probably go lie down.” Grabbing up the book Gopher had borrowed and left in here the time before last, and my purse, I waved them off as I practically ran from the bunker turned movie night escape hidey-hole for only the coolest beings in Yetidom.

I was halfway home, castigating myself for being such an uncomfortable dingus, when I realized I’d forgotten my tablet.

Turning around with an inward sigh, though a part of me was quietly pleased I had one more excuse to prolong the inevitable blow up between me and my Rekless boy toy, I headed back towards the bunker, mentally rolling my eyes at myself.

It wasn’t nearly as fun walking here all by my lonesome, especially not after that creepy demon beastie I’d run into. They didn’t, like, hang around these parts, did they?

I’d been so discombobulated this was the first time I’d had a minute to even think about the demon beast. Bum-bum had seen it, hadn’t he? I should go and ask him about it.

The bunker was just up ahead when I heard it, something like leaves crunching, twigs breaking underfoot.

Gaze darting around, I was all set to scream and run like an idiot at the first sight of anything, edging my way towards a prickly bush, when the bunker door swung open, a Lo denaii popped his fuzzy head out to glance around, then dipped back in. Huh. It was so loud in there it sounded like someone was Yeti to party. Boog and Gopher’s voices could be made out amongst them. They were so loud, calling out to be heard above the din, just shy of shouting. Huh.

Walking around to the door, I hefted it up, then turned to clasp the ladder and work my way down inside.

The crazy inside went from over the top and boisterous, to dead silent as I hopped down off the last rung. “Forgot my tablet,” I started to say as I spun around, to blink, then blink-blink some more at the sheer number of white fluff monsters stuffed inside this underground box. “That’s a lotta furry sausage jammed into one casing,” I joked as I worked my way over to the shelf my tablet was still sitting on. Wide bodies parted like the red sea, making room for lil ol’ crazy me.

Booger and Gopher, who seemed to be the life of this party, or the head of it or whatever, motioned for the few that didn’t get the memo to step aside so I could squeeze by.

“What’s all this? A Furred dudes womenz hatin’ club?” My gaze darted around as Boog and Gopher’s faces flushed with embarrassment simultaneously. “Shit, was I close?” I blurted with a frown, eyeballing each male gathered around questioningly.

So many familiar faces mixed in with a sea of unknowns.

When no one said anything, I’d admit a pinch of hurt. “Right. Fine then. Have fun… with whatever you’re doing that I’ve obviously just accidentally walked my happy ass in on. Human hatin’ council may proceed!”

“Why Bok female no like Bok?” a rather tall Lo denaii with bulging biceps and what could pass for a Yeti goatee rumbled out from the back. His small, beady black eyes reminded me of a rat for some reason I couldn’t really put my finger on. It was his nose too, I supposed, the way it had that mousey, rodent twitch to it.

Turning fully, because I’m a nosy bitch like that, expecting to find him addressing Boog or Gopher, I blinked to find him staring straight at me. “Your female doesn’t like you, you say?” I asked lightly.

He gave a grunt and a nod.

“For starters, maybe call her something besides your female.” My eyebrows arched when he frowned. “You do know your female’s name, don’t you… bawk, was it?”

“Bok,” the male grumbled. “No’ bawk, like hoodman’s chickens.”

“Right. Right.” My hand lifted in a wave and I flicked my claws at him. “Bok choy boy. Got it.”

“Not-” Bok started to say, to shake his head when a lo denaii called something out that had the group gathered snickering and chuckling equally. The noise he made said he’d been advised to give it a rest and just let me do my thing.

Booger let out a choking sound, Gopher grinning as I made a show of glancing their way and tossing the pair an overdone wink.

“No like Bok female’s name,” Bok finally answered, though I had an inkling he’d love to chat somewhere about the super fun nickname I’d christened him with. His need of aid had won out.

“You don’t like her name or she doesn’t?” I questioned.

“No like Bok say female’s name.” Bok seemed to wilt a bit at his admission, the doubly wide shoulders attached to his thick arms drooping as he sighed and ducked his head.

“What’s your female’s name?” I was curious to know.

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