Page 23 of The Dragon's Mate

Bren splashed some milk into his coffee beforetaking a sip. “It’s good, thanks.”

Kaida added a generous amount of sugar toher own mug. Behind him, Bren could hear Corey and Tyler talking in lowtones. Feeling a bit awkward, he said, “Thank you again for keeping Corey overnight.”

“You’re welcome.” She took a sip ofcoffee.

There was more awkward silence and Bren clearedhis throat. Normally, he didn’t have any problems talking to women, even onesas beautiful as Kaida. But for some reason, being around Kaida made his tonguetwist into knots and his brain go foggy.

It probably didn’t help that he keptwanting to check out her rack like he was a horny teenager. He was a tits guy,always had been, and Kaida’s looked perfect. Full and firm and probably asmilky white as the rest of her skin. Were her nipples pink? He bet they werepink like her mouth. Or maybe they were –

Bren!

He realized he was sporting a semi againand he shifted a little closer to the table, making sure his junk was completelyhidden beneath the wooden surface. What the fuck was wrong with him?

Kaida was staring at him like she knewexactly what he’d been thinking about. She probably did. Shifters had greatsenses of smell and as a bear shifter, hers was one of the best. No doubt shecould smell his arousal.

Embarrassment heating up his chest, hesaid, “So, uh, how do you know Bishop?”

She toyed with the handle of her mug. “Wehave been friends since we were yearlings. Not much older than your brotherand the fox shifter.”

“Yearlings,” he said. Cadmus had used the wordearlier as well and it struck him as strange. “Is that what bear shifters callteenagers?”

“Yes,” she replied before looking over atTyler and Corey.

Tingles went down his spine. He had an excellentbullshit detector – he wasn’t sure if that was from years on the force or if itwas an innate trait – and he knew Kaida was lying. He tucked the little tidbitof info away in the Kaida file he’d created in his mind.

“So, was Bishop a part of this clan or…?”

“No,” she said. “I found him in the woods oneday. He’d been caught in a bear trap.”

“Jesus,” Bren said.

Kaida’s face turned soft with the memory. “Ithad done incredible damage to his leg and he’d lost a lot of blood, but he was stillalive. Even as a child, he was one of the toughest shifters I’d ever met. Ipried open the bear trap and brought him to Gram. She thought he might losehis leg even with his healing abilities and her healing poultices, but,” anothersoft smile that sent a weird streak of jealousy through Bren’s stomach, “mybear is stubborn and fierce. I believe he kept his leg by sheer willpower alone.”

“Your bear?” Bren said.

Shit, did hesoundjealous?

Pink tinged Kaida’s cheeks. “My nicknamefor Bishop.”

Unease settling in his stomach – did Kaidahave a thing for Bishop? Jesus, what was with him having the hots for everywoman who wanted Bishop King? – Bren said, “You know that Bishop is gettingmarried to his human girlfriend in two weeks, right? They have a kid togethertoo.”

“I know. I’ve been invited to the wedding.Bishop and I are only friends, nothing more.” She eyed him over the rim ofher coffee mug. “Are you going to the wedding?”

“Yes.”

He’d been a little surprised when he got theinvitation. Despite saving Bishop’s life, the grizzly shifter still wasn’t thatfond of him. He’d wavered on going or not and, in the end, RSVP’d yes.

There was a knock on the door before it swungopen and a young woman stepped inside. She had long blonde hair with streaksof orange in it and she was, by Bren’s estimate, about thirteen monthspregnant.

“Kaida, do you have any eggs? We’re outand Jarvis has a craving for an omelet. How weird is that? I’m the one who’ssupposed to have pregnancy cravings, but Jarvis has been…”

She stopped dead in her tracks, sniffingthe air before staring first at Tyler and Corey on the couch, and then studyingBren at the table. Her hand rubbed her distended belly and a smile of delightcrossed her face. “Humans!”

Kaida stood up abruptly. “Sika, I don’thave any eggs, but Gram probably -”

“Hi! I’m Sika!” The pregnant womanhurried over to the couch and grinned at Tyler.

“Hi, I’m Tyler and this is Corey.”

---