Page 38 of Iris
I haven’t. Judging by the looks from Dorian and Noah, they haven’t either. Noah shrugs as Kieron glances between the three of us before sighing.
“Alright. I’ll be right back.” Our hands separate as he steps off the pathway. “I’ll shift behind the large tree there and be right back.”
Pursing my lips, I try to figure out why he’d want to hide his shift. Maybe, for all his confidence, he is shy? How cute would that be?
Dorian moves so he is behind me as he wraps his arms around my middle, pulling me against him. My body instantly relaxes into his. No more worrying about if they actually want me or not. I know they do. I know they love me, I'm the only one who hasn’t really said it out loud.
Noah, feeling left out based on his pout, stands in front of me. He leans into me to kiss Dorian. Their kiss is slow with only a hint of tongue. Now I'm ready to go back to the bedroom and watch them do the full-limb tango.
Just as the kiss starts to heat up, there’s a rustle in the tall grass at the pathway. The two pull away as we all watch in anticipation.
What emerges from the grass is not what I’d been expecting. Based on Kieron’s rough exterior, I’d thought he was maybe a wolf, or a fox shifter. I had no idea what a quokka was. I just thought it had been a fancy name for a specific species of wolf or fox. I was wrong. So wrong.
As Kieron comes to stand in front of us, he sits back on his hunches, looking up at me. He can’t be bigger than a house cat. He has a naked tail that looks to be about a foot long behind him. His face looks like a teddy bear with fluffy brown fur. He has rounded ears like a mouse, and he is smiling. Like an actual smile! He has short front paws, bigger legs in the back. I think maybe he looks a little like a kangaroo baby with his legs and front paws.
Kieron’s nose moves as he sniffs. His smile is so big with two large square teeth showing. I go down on my knees and offer my hand to him. He doesn’t hesitate as he presses his nose into my palm.
“Oh, Kieron.” Fighting back the squeal I really want to let out, I pick him up gingerly. His tail is soft as it wraps around my outer wrist. “You’re so adorable!”
“So, our shifter is some kind of cross between a teddy bear and kangaroo?” Noah bursts out laughing. “I thought he’d be huge!”
I swing my gaze up at him, my eyes sending daggers at him. Dorian coughs into his hand as he tries not to laugh. That’s it. If they are going to act like kids, I’ll punish them like they are children.
Standing, I hold Kieron against my chest, squishing his face into my breasts. “Kieron is beautiful and fluffy!” The squeal I’ve been trying to hold back comes out but I keep going. “How can you make fun of him?! He’s perfect! He’s cuddly, sweet, adorable, and sized for bed snuggles!” I squeeze Kieron tighter and kiss the round nose that pokes out from between my breasts.
Noah holds his hands up as he struggles to stop laughing. “No, you’re right! I’m sorry, it’s just. Come on! He’s so CUTE!”
Stomping my left foot, I let my magic out to the large willow tree that Kieron changed behind. Its branches grow. One picks up his clothes, bringing it to me so I can hold them in my other arm while four others wrap around Dorian and Noah tightly, but not enough to hurt. The branches yank them backward to the tree, wrapping them halfway up the trunk. The pull on my magic leaves a slight ache in my arms, but it's well worth it.
Their faces are priceless from where I stand still holding Kieron. His smile has gotten bigger as his grey eyes look up at me. From the soft expression in them, I know he isn’t really hurt or bothered by the guys comments. I kiss his twitching nose.
“You guys can spend the night thinking about your actions there. You’ll be safe. Just might end up a little hungry by morning.” I level a glare at Noah. “It’s mostly your fault this happened. So be nice to Dorian and let him have your hand if he gets hungry for blood. I’ll see you for dinner.”
If I sway my hips more than necessary as I leave the greenhouse, ignoring their protests? Well, that’s what they get.
