Years of building a reputation in Storybook couldn’t have prepared me for the embarrassment of peeing one foot away from a Chitah who was singing a Beatles song in my bathtub.
And of all songs that popped in his head, it was “Help.”Lucian wasn’t the best singer, but he also wasn’t terrible.Perhaps it was the unbridled enthusiasm he poured into the lyrics.
After flushing, I stood up, feeling much relieved, and slid the shower curtain open a little.“You didn’t tell me you had a nice voice.”
Lucian’s cheeks bloomed fire-engine red.
I chuckled softly at his reaction.“You’re more sensitive than my clitoris.”I ripped the curtain all the way open.“Your turn.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Well then.Thisshould be an interesting evening,” I purred.“Might as well tinkle while we’re in here.What’ll happen if I fall asleep on the couch?Are you going to carry me into the bathroom and lay me down on the sink while you do your business?”I tugged his wrist and smiled, tickled by how modest he was compared to most men.
Lucian entered the hallway.“Then let’s go outside.”
“You arenotpeeing in my yard.”
“It’s quieter.The water in the bowl makes”—he swallowed hard—“too much noise.”
I laughed.“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.Besides, the only one allowed to mark my territory is my animal.She’ll get agitated if someone else puts their scent all over the place.Let’s just get this over with all at once.”
Recognizing his discomfort, I stepped into the shower and lifted the shower curtain over the cuffs until my arm was sticking out the back end.I stood in the center of the tub to give him enough slack.When I didn’t hear anything, I turned on the faucet, and the water noisily splashed in the tub and chilled my bare feet.It wasn’t enough to drown out everything, but at least I wouldn’t have to sing.
If I were a bird Shifter, I’d have no problem slipping out of these cuffs.I really hope Connor didn’t lose the key.
After he flushed the toilet, I turned off the water.As soon as I stepped out, my wet foot slipped on the tile.I grappled Lucian’s shoulders to catch myself, but when he jerked his arm back to grab the towel bar, it yanked my hand off his shoulder.I lost my balance, and the momentum took us down as we tumbled to the floor.My body draped over his like a tablecloth.
He stared up at the ceiling with a defeated look.“This is the worst day of my life.”
I patted his chest.“As long as you didn’t eat any refried beans last night, it’ll be fine.”
“I broke your towel bar.”
“I need to renovate this room anyhow.”
“You should start by getting rid of that popcorn ceiling.”
We climbed to our feet and stood before the sink.
Lucian ran the faucet and pumped soap onto his hands, giving them a good lather.“What’s your animal?”
After he moved his hands out of the way, I filled my palms with the lavender-scented soap.“Why do you ask?”
“If you were an avian, you could shift out of these cuffs.”
“I was just thinking the exact same thing.”
“Unless you were an ostrich.It would tear through your wing.”
Our hands briefly touched while we rinsed, and it gave me nervous butterflies for some reason.
When Lucian finished, he opened my medicine cabinet and studied the contents.
I stretched across him and closed the door.“Don’t snoop.”
“I was looking for bandages to wrap beneath the cuffs so they don’t bruise my wrist.”
“Or maybe you were snooping.”
