Page 12 of Handcuffs & Honey

Relief flooded him at the sound of Dominic’s deep and smooth voice. Julian instantly obeyed, throwing the door open to make sure Dominic wasn’t injured.

Only, he wasn’t expecting to find the guy completely naked. Holy…shit. If Julian thought the guy had a rocking body with his uniform on or in plain clothes, that was nothing compared to how he looked naked with that broad chest, rigid abs, and taut thighs, which looked as if he could crack walnuts between them. Then his gaze strayed to Dominic’s flaccid cock. The guy’s father must have been a freaking horse!

“Why are you naked?” Julian tilted his head to the side, forcing his eyes away from Dominic’s impressive package.

“I can explain.” Dominic sighed. “I thought you would sleep longer, and my bear was dying to get out.”

“You have a bear for a pet?”

“No.”

The skin under Julian’s eyes twitched. “Can you repeat that? I sounded as if you said your bear…”

“That’s what I said.” Dominic took a step back, held his arms out, and the next thing Julian knew, he was staring at the same bear he’d seen in the living room. It was a quick transformation, no bones snapping or contorting. Dominic had simply melted into a bear, if that was the right word.

Julian stood there frozen, his brain collapsing. His jaw dropped, and he took a step back, unsure what to do.

Then Dominic was there again in all his naked glory. “I’m a bear shifter, Julian.”

Julian slammed the door in Dominic’s face.

“I’m going to get dressed while you absorb things,” Dominic said through the door. “Just don’t take off, Julian.”

To where? Julian didn’t have a car, and at the moment, he didn’t even have a home. Wait. Was that wolf a shifter, too? Was that how he was able to drag Julian from under the bed by both ankles?

Julian moved backward, dropping onto the bed, only he missed and hit the floor.

“Are you okay?” Dominic called out.

“No,” Julian shouted. “Hell no!”

The door opened, and Dominic walked in, wearing sweatpants that looked delicious on him and a T-shirt that appeared one size too small. Fuck. How was Julian supposed to have a meltdown when Dominic looked so good?

Dominic hunkered down in front of him. “Ask me anything you want, and I’ll answer you honestly.”

“I’m…I’m trapped in one of my nightmares,” Julian managed to say. “Only this time it’s a bear instead of a wolf.”

“You’re not sleeping.” Dominic cupped Julian’s cheek, and damn it, the touch helped calm Julian down. “You feel the connection, don’t you?”

Julian felt something, but he wasn’t sure what it was. Insanity? An out-of-body experience? Whatever it was, he did feel something whenever Dominic was nearby.

“It’s called the pull,” Dominic explained as he sat down on the floor across from Julian, crossing his legs. “You’re my mate, Julian. Fate thought we would be perfect for each other.”

Julian held up a hand. “Hold your ponies. I’m already in the middle of a crisis. I don’t need you to pile things on.”

Dominic nodded as Julian tried to come to grips with his new reality. Men who could change into animals? Julian felt as if he needed a shrink’s couch. He rubbed his temples as he looked down at Dominic’s crossed legs. “This isn’t real. It can’t be.”

“It is,” Dominic said as he rubbed Julian’s leg. “Just take deep breaths, hon. I swear you’re not in danger. I would never hurt you.”

“You’re a bear,” Julian said softly, more to himself than to Dominic. “A freaking bear.”

“And my deputies, the ones who came to your house, they’re lion shifters.”

“Stop!” Julian rubbed his temples harder. “Just…stop.”

“Sorry.” Dominic gave Julian that beautiful, crooked smile of his. “I wasn’t trying to give you a bigger freakout.”

“Too late.” He glanced back up at Dominic. “That wolf?”

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