Page 108 of Beware of Dog

Shep snorted and said, “Yeah. Ask me a fucking hard one.”

They regarded one another, and Cass thought, maybe, things were okay.

“Tenny,” she said, “do you disapprove?”

“What if he says no?” Shep asked. “You gonna leave me?”

“No.”

“I don’t disapprove,” Tenny said, head tipping back against the chair. “Women are an enigma. You especially.” He looked at Cass. “I thought you were so innocent.”

“You thought wrong.”

“Clearly.”

Shep sighed. “Are we good?”

“No,” Tenny said, grinning. “But we’re okay. Wait until the others get here.”

~*~

When the others would arrive, Tenny refused to say, smirking.

Shep retaliated by informing him that they could take the couch or bunk beds in the bunk room.

Tenny looked startled, then tried to insist they would take Cass and Shep’s bed, chin lifted.

Reese snorted into his drink.

Cass said, “Try it. I dare you.”

She didn’t know where they meant to sleep, but she and Shep went back to bed. Where, once they were settled all tangled up together, he exhaled heavily.

“I’m sorry,” Cass said, scratching at his stomach, “but you did know he was my brother before we got together.”

“Yeah. Shit.” He chuckled. “And he’s the craziest, but he’s not the one I’m most scared of.”

Cass pushed up on an elbow, startled. Tucked her hair over her shoulder. “Wait. What?Whoare you most scared of?”

His face crinkled up. “Now I don’t wanna say. And, I’m notscared.”

“Yousaidscared.”

He rolled his eyes, and huffed. “Your Honor, I’d like to change my answer.”

She made a conciliatory hand gestured that made him snort.

“I am the most…”

“Worried? Concerned?”

“Convinced,” he said, triumphant half-grin at the corner of his mouth, “that Walsh is the one most likely to shoot me in the face without even calling me an asshole first.”

“Huh,” she mused. “I can actually see that.”

“You gonna be my human shield?”

“Well, if he’s shooting you in the face, I wouldn’t be tall enough,” she said, sweetly, and bent down to kiss him.

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