Page 35 of Knot Quite Ready

His comment is rhetorical, but I’m still mesmerized by this display before me, so I shuffle a little in his hold. “Why doesn’t it surprise you then?”

That infernal chuckle rumbled around me like a washing machine set on high...one that I'm sitting on and taking for a wild ride that General Motors did not intend it for. But I digress.

“Chestnut horses are damn crazy. Ask anyone, and they will tell you one with that coloring are wild and unpredictable, needing a bit more patience...or maybe an extra feeding of hay laced with mare-ijuana," he laughs.

A smirk tugs at my lips. Ahh, redhead syndrome. It didn't surprise me; Storm is one of the spiciest women I have ever met. Although, seeing as how best friends naturally saw each other naked, I can attest that the carpet did not match the drapes. Or, in this case, is it 'the pelt did not match the felt'? I shrugged internally; either way, she was naturally a brunette.

Suddenly their ears prick up as they realize they aren't alone. I mean, besides the fact that we’ve been standing and staring for the better part of five minutes. I watch in fascination as the Hagrid of horses stuffs all that stallion back into a human body and turns into a very naked Calian.

A very hung and aroused, naked Calian. My jaw drops. How the hell did he fit that Galloping Girth inside my tiny best friend? Okay, logically, shifter bodies are made for their mate, but Luna guide the chariot or something like that.

I nudge Casimir and whisper, “Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"You mean the Wild Pegasus Power-Piston?" He whispers back.

"Yeah, the fucking Trotting Treasure Torpedo. Do you think Storm sings a variation of Horseplay Hallelujah when it hits her cervix?”

Calian scowls, although the effect is completely lost as he reaches for a pair of pants and shifts the earth's axis.

"I can hear you, you know," he says wryly, now clothed from the bottom down.

"Well, we canseeyou," I chortle. Then gasp as Storm barrels into me, wrapping her legs around my middle, butt ass naked.

I laugh as I easily hold her weight and spin us around. Casimir diverts his gaze with a chuckle as Calian tries and fails to wrap us in a blanket.

Storm nuzzles my neck, "Annie! My moonbeam. Yum, you smell so yummy. Like warm cinnamon buns dipped in warm milk chocolate, is it because of the baby? Pregnancy smells good on you!"

I laugh and set her down, and Calian immediately covers her with a frown.

"Pregnant?"

"You knew?"

Casimir and Calian have matching angry expressions as they speak over each other. Storm shrugs sheepishly. Well, she tries, but she doesn’t look the least bit chagrined.

"If I had known she was pregnant, I would have gotten her location from you sooner and sent Casimir to get his mate," Calian growls.

"Well, my loyalty is to Aneira," she sniffs, chin high. " Besides, she was perfectly safe. She was on a cruise ship owned by a damn water dragon and on an island in Barbados full of Osprey shifters. Do you think I would send her off without hacking your council computer systems, which are super weak, by the way, and threatening their lives if she were hurt in any way? I mean, I am no amateur. Even if I weren’t a shifter, I would have hacked every damn system to keep an eye on her. It’s part of the best-friend stalker code."

I blink, "you did what?"

She smiles maniacally," The charm was also a tracking charm. I texted Lyndsay right after you did. You're my emotional-support lycan. This was the closest I could get to getting you micro-chipped."

I'm mildly impressed, yet not the least bit surprised.

"Who are you?" Casimir questions, an adorable glazed look of shock on his face.

"That's what I'd like to know," Calian murmurs, a hint of pride and wonder in his voice.

Storm waves them off, "Never mind that. I'm just an evil genius in the making. Call me the Alpha Night-Mare," she laughs and grabs my arm to steer me inside.

"Let's get my niece or nephew some tea. Then you can go take a nap."

"I think, maybe just nap. I'm exhausted," I yawn into my mouth, suddenly overwhelmed with the need to fall into my bed. Casimir sweeps me up into his arms before I can take another step.

I smile gratefully as my eyes droop. Cas tucks me firmly into his chest, and it becomes an enormous effort to keep my eyes open before darkness edges into my vision and sleep starts claiming its hold on me.

His chest rumbles as he says his goodbyes to both of us and let the soft motion of his walking lull me into a deep sleep.

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