“Blondie, no,” I caution her. It’s a trigger of mine. Not many things can send me over the edge—other than singing telegrams—but she’s about to step onto a landmine.
“A bear, named Ted,” she says slowly.
“You better stop right there, or so help me,” I advance on her. The clothes Eli brought me slip from my grasp and hit the ground. My heart beats into my throat as my blood heats up uncomfortably.
Then that perfect ‘O’ of her mouth spreads into a triumphant, brilliant smile and I know I’m seconds away from having to murder her.
“Which means you are—”
“Don't you dare fucking say it, or I will end you,” I bellow with every fiber of menace I possess as I stalk toward her.
My threat doesn’t register as she looks like she’s about to explode with joy.
Her voice slides up to an impossibly feminine octave as she cries out, “You are a Teddy bea—”
The throw blanket I held around my hips falls away as I close the distance and cover her mouth, stopping her from finishing that vile name she’s about to call me.
My other hand finds her hip, as I pull her soft, full body against my naked one using her as a makeshift cover. Hand still covering her mouth, I say in a low, dangerous timbre, “I swear blondie, if you say it, I will be forced to show you I am anything but and you will regretevercalling me that.”
Even though I’m covering almost half her face, her warm brown eyes shine up at me with pure fucking evil delight, and I feel the upward curve of her lips against my palm. Then the dark pupils of her eyes expand into obsidian pools as her body presses a little more into mine.
Different methods of torture filter through my head before the tactics take a more pleasurable turn. My mouth turns dry. How does she have such an effect on me?
Just as I start hardening against her, the front door bursts open. Goldie tries to jerk away, but I grab her hips, keeping her against me to cover my dick from whoever is intruding. JJ strides in, followed closely by Eli. JJ stops short, taking in the scene, Goldie still in her rumpled pink PJ set and me fully nude, plastered to her. My middle brother bites the inside of his cheek as if trying to suppress one of his irritating shit-eating-grins.
Eli lurks by the door, guilt still evident on his face, though his brow has a curious curve to it.
"Looks like we are interrupting," JJ finally gives into the broadest smile, eyes straying to Goldie. "And who is this lovely creature? Oh shit, is this the cream puff you were talking about?”
A growl emits from Goldie’s throat. “You seriously have to stop calling me that.”
Never.
But I don’t say that out loud.
Instead, I shoot JJ a warning glance. “Goldie, this would be my second dumbass brother, JJ.”
JJ winks at her and strides past, a cocky swagger in his step, "Now, now, is that a way to talk to your brother who brought all the equipment to make sure this place is looked after better than a bank vault? To keep the creeps out of everyone’s house.” He fixes Eli with a pointed glare. Eli squirms, looking positively miserable.
Again,good.
“What?” Goldie asks, stepping away from me. I take the opportunity to shuck my jeans on under the throw blanket I picked up again.
“Big bro here requested I set up some extra locks and cameras on your house for security purposes.” He looks over her head at me. “Lucky for you, I may have already been on the road, but I always keep a stash of equipment in my trunk.”
"Security cameras?" Goldie’s gaze swings from me to JJ.
"Yeah, you know, little cameras that record everything so if those guys come back, we'll have an eye on them," JJ explains, his eyes never leaving Goldie. He gives her a smile that has probably melted the hearts of countless women. But it's not working on Goldie.
Thank the faelords, because I’d be forced to murder him with what’s on hand, which would include a pile of romance novels and the throw blanket. Easy, I’d throw the books in the blanket and pound him until spines broke—his or the books.
I don’t bring up that we have more reasons than that to set up surveillance. Partly to figure out if Goldie is actually sleepwalking, but more importantly, to figure out who is leaving flowers for Goldie and touching her underwear. The idea there may be an intruder breaking into her house, touching her underwear, and leaving roses ignites a deep, dark rage I didn’t know I possessed. I’ve seen the way men react to her, so who knows who it could be?
“Weirdly enough,” Goldie says with a nervous laugh. “I don’t hate the idea of posting up cameras. Are uh, all of you werebears?” Goldie asks, her gaze shifting between us, looking a little dazed.
JJ freezes, alarm crossing his face. Eli stills behind him too, all expression draining away and leaving an implacable mask behind.
“The bear is out of the bag,” I tell them before turning to her and speaking softer. “I'll have you know we’ve managed to keep a low profile for a long time out here.”
