Page 22 of Grumpy Special Ops Bear: Ep. 2
“Well, I’m sorry for throwing that unbecoming tantrum and walking off. That shit wasn’t cool.” I reached over to hold my shoulder, staring at it for a long second before I realized a wolf-shifter had bitten me. “Oh shit!” My fingers trembled. “Tonight’s a full moon. I’m going to turn into a wolf, aren’t I?”
A scene from a cheesy D-list horror flick flashed through my mind. I was foaming at the mouth, running around in circles and ripping off my clothes while simultaneously morphing into a grotesque monster before howling at the moon… horribly off-key.
“What?” Fergus asked.
I inched sideways on his lap and glared at him. “You know what the hell I’m talking about. Give it to me straight. Rip it off like a fucking Band-Aid. Will I turn into a wolf?”
“No, it doesn’t work like that.”
I could tell by the light in his eyes that he was trying not to laugh.
“You sure?” I squeaked. “Because I own a very nice condo in SoHo, and I can’t be shifting in the middle of the night and racing through my building, attacking and eating my neighbors.” My eyes narrowed. “Though there is that snotty blond chick down the hall I’ve been itching to tear into pieces for walking her dog and not picking up his shit.”
He laughed. The husky sound made me giddy, almost sending me to an ungraceful splat on the ground.
Fergus snaked his enormous arm around me, firmly pinning me to him. “Yes, I’m sure. You’re born a shifter, or you’re not. Trust me, Trinity. You’re safe.”
Tilting my head back, I stared at him. “Okay. But if you’re lying, I’m finding your ass and ripping out a huge chunk.”
He smiled. “Do your worst. I’m not scared.”
I smiled back. I shook away the vision of me licking and nipping my way up his muscular body.Jesus, Trinity, get your mind out of the gutter.“Well, you should be. I’m hell on wheels when I’m pissed the fuck off.”
He moved forward. Our faces were mere inches apart.
“Why aren’t you afraid of me?” He stared at me with a mixed look of fascination and confusion. “Most humans would be curled up in a ball, screaming for their lives. But you’re taking all this in remarkable stride.”
I shrugged and then winced from the pinch of my stitches. “Believe me. I already went through my shock-and-awe phase hours ago. I don’t cower away from shit. I adapt. There’s a gang of crazed wolf-shifters hunting me down. That’s simply a fact. You and your elite team, who are also shifters, saved my ass—also a fact.” A sudden memory struck me, and my stomach plummeted. “Shit. Wait. Did I bend over and tell you to kiss my ass?”
Fergus nodded. “Don’t forget the part where you smacked your ass like you were a backup dancer at the music awards.” He smirked. “I believe there was twerking involved.”
“Oh my fucking God.” I wanted to bury my head in embarrassment.
Fergus went on. “But that was after you smacked me in the face.”
“Damn, I would trade my motorcycle just to have a pic of that shit.” Grant laughed and then tried to cover it up with a cough.
“Sorry,” I replied somberly. “Apparently, I was delirious.”
“And I’m the polar bear.” Grant winked at me. “You know, the one you petted like a damn puppy.”
I groaned inwardly. “Fuck.” They must have taken me as a raving lunatic. “Apologies,” I mumbled.
“No worries, sweetness. I loved getting stroked by you,” Grant replied while waggling his brows. “It reminded me of this hot chick I knew out in Texas. She liked to—”
I sat up, staring at him, truly interested in hearing where his freaky story was going.
Fergus growled at him. “Get your kinky ass out of here, Grant.”
Grant smiled. “Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little fur-play.”
“Fur-play? Oh, I get it… So…” I grinned at Fergus. “You’re Grumpy Bear. Grant is Kinky Bear. And Cutter is Clown Bear.”
“Hey, I want to be Kinky Bear,” Cutter chimed in from out of nowhere.
Damn, these shifters have very good hearing.
Grant puffed out his chest. “Sorry, asshole. I got dibs on the nickname.”
