“No,” Cyrus deadpanned. “And you know you’re not.” Running the fingers of his right hand through his hair, he sighed, “And just so we’re clear, I know my purpose, and I am quite happy being exactly who I am, but that woman…”
“Whoa!” The word flew from the Black Bear’s mouth almost as quickly as he closed the distance between them. “That woman, as you call her, is your Fated Mate, isn’t she?”
“Now, I didn’t…”
“You didn’t have to.” Smiling wider than if he had a handful of those wonderful cinnamon rolls Bonnie Sampson made especially for him before she headed back to Texas, Luke chuckled, “It’s written all over your face.” Inhaling deeply, he sniffed the air. “And you got the smell, my friend.”
“The smell?” Cyrus grunted, making a show of wrinkling his nose. Lifting his right arm, he sniffed his armpit, then snapped his eyes back to the Black Bear’s. “I donotsmell. I took a shower and used deodorant just like my momma taught me.”
“Cyrus,”Dom warned.“Don’t mess with that lad. He’s a good guy, and he’s just trying…”
“My patience,”the Guardsman mentally grunted.
“No,”the Dragon King huffed.“He’s trying to be a good friend, and you’re being an arsehole.”Dom’s voice dropped at least an octave, and his brogue got thicker.“Just tell the man what’s really happening, and…”
“No,”the Guardsman spat the single syllable before completely tuning out the Dragon King.
“Not like that,” the Black Bear laughed out loud. Smacking the palm of his hand on the top of his thigh, he went on, “Youknow what I mean, Eejit.” Still chuckling, he added, “You crack me up, Cy. You really do. You know what I mean, the Mating scent.”
“No,” Cyrus snapped, “I most assuredly do not know what you mean. What the hell is the Mating…?”
“Stop,”Dom growled.“Stop deflecting. Stop messing with a truly good person who is trying to be your friend. Just tell the Bear…”
“No. It’s none of his business.”
“It’s none of his business?”the Dragon King seethed.“He is trudging up this frozen mountain with the wind howling and the temperature threatening to go subzero at any moment, and it’s none of his business?”
“That’s what I said,”Cyrus shot back.“Besides, I didn’t ask him to come. Actually, if I remember correctly, I distinctly told him not to come.”
“You know what?”The Dragon King snapped.
“No, what?
“Vanessa was right. You are a stubborn Neanderthal.”
Not dignifying the Dragon King’s accusation with a response, Cyrus once again tuned into what Luke was saying.
Waving his hand between them, Luke huffed in mock irritation. “Chill out, Dude. It’s nothing bad.” Tilting his head to the side, he furrowed his brow and continued, “Are you sure you’re not just messin’ with me? Just havin’ a little fun with the guy from the country.”
“No, I am not messin’ with you.” Taking a step forward, Cyrus worked hard to appear earnest when all he wanted to do was laugh out loud. “I have no clue what in all that’s holy you’re talking about.”
“Stop this now,”Dom warned.“Don’t make me embarrass you. You know…”
“Just let me have a little fun, will ya’?”
Ignoring the Dragon King’s growing irritation, he added, stressing every word and opening his eyes as wide as they would go. “Really, what is the Mating Scent? Tell me. I gotta know if I stink.”
“Okay, dude. First of all, you need to calm down.”
“I’m calm.”
“Okay. Sure, and I’m Smokey the Bear.”
“Well, if the fur fits.”
“Shut your mouth.” The index finger of Luke’s right hand stopped a few millimeters from the tip of Cyrus’s nose as he ground out through gritted teeth. “I am a Black Bear, thank you very much. Old Smokey is a Grizzly.”
“And the difference is? Isn’t a bear a bear?”
