Page 77 of Heir

Nodding, I closed the lid and together we walked to the front of the bakery and inside, standing in line with all the hipsters who just had to have their Earl Grey scones and their pumpernickel cobs. My eyes threatened to stay fixed to the back of my head I was rolling them so much.

We reached the front counter and Omaera ordered a box of a dozen mixed pastries.

“What are you going to have?” I asked her.

Her mouth dropped open. “Right. Relentless appetite. I forgot. Josh, make that two dozen mixed pastries, please.”

The young man with the bright-blue hair in a manbun nodded. “You got it, O.”

We carried our boxes out into the sunlight. But I wasn’t ready to go back to the apartment and share her with anyone yet. I wanted her to get to know me better, and I certainly wanted to get to know her better too.

“Come on,” I said, tilting my head to the side. “I want to show you something.”

“If it’s your dick, I’ve already seen it. Impressive, but let’s leave our pants on. Okay, Pooh Bear?”

“Clothes are just so restrictive. It’s hard to find them in my size. And what do I do with them when I shift?”

She snorted. “All valid. But it’s still weird.” Her brows knitted together. “So do you like legit live in a cave or a den or whatever?”

“Sometimes, yeah. It’s actually very nice. Nice and cool in the summer.” I led her across the street and down a path toward the park. People were in the field throwing balls for their canine companions, while others with small children pushed them on the swings, or cheered them on when they came down the slide.

I’d need to go deep into the woods with her to avoid running into people.

“You’re not taking me into the woods to kill me, are you? Because I’ll toast your gray matter right now.” The look she gave me was more playful than it was serious. But I knew her well enough now, to know that she also wasn’t kidding.

All I did was give her a cheeky smile in return followed by a growl in my throat that seemed to turn her on rather than intimidate her. The sudden flare of her nostrils and the rush of color to her cheeks was all kinds of sexy and had my cock thickening in my pants.

We meandered off the main path into denser woods, blazing a trail of our own. Mosquitos and other bugs buzzed around us and she swatted at a few. I kept a keen eye out for people or other animals. Some people chose to let their dogs off leash, even though this was marked as a strictly on-leash park. The last thing we needed was Fido or Fluffy stumbling upon us.

Once we were well off the trail and hidden from view, as well as any curious off-leash dogs, I set the boxes of pastries down on a stump and started to unfasten my jeans.

“Whoa!” Omaera said, backing up. “Not happening, bro. If you brought me out here to force me into mating you, I will flash fry the contents of your skull and Maxar will burn you to dust with that magic black fire of his.”

I paused and cocked my head to the side, shaking my head slightly. “I’m not going to force you to do anything. Ever. I want you to mate with me because you want to. Because you want me. But that means you need to get to know all of me.”

Her brows narrowed, but she didn’t back up anymore. “Okay . . .”

I finished unfastening my jeans and dropped them to the ground. I never wore boxers. I’d also grabbed shoes and socks when I snagged the jeans and shirt, so I ditched those too. Last was the open flannel shirt. I folded everything neatly and put it on the stump next to the pastry boxes, then stepped back and dropped to all fours.

Giving a happy little shake, because it felt so good when I shifted, I let my instincts take over. My face elongated into a snout, my teeth sharpened and descended, my spine, ligaments, and muscles lengthened, and fur sprouted from beneath my skin. It only took about a minute before I was fully in bear form.

I did another big, satisfying stretch, then faced Omaera. Her mouth was open and her eyes wide. I ambled over to her, and she backed up a little, fear in her green gaze.

My tongue flicked out toward her hand.

She reached out timidly, and I licked her fingers.

She giggled.

Such a lovely sound.

I did it again, and she grew bolder and reached out further to pet my head and scratch behind my ears. Her laughter was the most beautiful music I’d ever heard, and as she grew less afraid and scratched me rougher, I stepped closer. But I stepped a little too close and accidentally nudged her hard enough she fell backward on her butt.

I went to her, licking her face as an apology. Only she continued to laugh, looping her arms around my neck so I could haul her up. She sat up, but remained sitting on the cool, pine needle covered earth. I plunked my butt down beside her.

“Can you speak?” she asked.

I shook my head.

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