“I brought your dress, La-la,” Re said as he pulled a garment out of the satchel he had slung across his chest.
I cocked my head. I hadn't even noticed the bag. Then I looked around. Only my husbands and children were there. So, I shifted back to my human form and quickly pulled on the dress.
“Thank you.” I kissed Re's cheek, relieved to feel my desire for him return.
But then, it was hard not to desire Re. He was every woman's fantasy rolled into one. The whole of him may not be to everyone's liking, but I'd bet every woman—and a lot of men—could at least find one physical attribute they liked about Re. Honestly, he'd been too attractive for me in the beginning. It was intimidating. Some women might not mind that, but I did. I need to be able to relax around a lover. And I certainly don't want to feel inadequate.
That's the thing, though. The sexiest part about Re was how he made a woman feel sexy. Any feelings of inadequacy gotburned away in the light of the Sun God's intense attention. Even now, just the way Re looked at me made me feel as if he thought he was the lucky one.
“Thirsty?” Re asked as he pulled a water bottle out of his bag.
“When did you pack a bag?” I shook my head in wonder as I accepted the drink.
“When you were changing. I just ran inside and grabbed a few things. Then I slipped into the changing room and got your dress.”
“Thank you. You're always thinking of me.” I hugged him, his sun-drenched body as warm as mine. I snuggled in and sighed, loving that about him too.
“I can't help it, La-la,” Re whispered and kissed my cheek. “Nothing holds my interest like you.”
A crash interrupted our loving moment and then a whoop as two giant snakes came rushing out of the grass. They twisted together, gaining height, then came down to slither over to us. Shortly after they appeared, Dominic and Sebastian landed and went to lie down by their siblings who were piled up with Zariel, having a cat nap. Well, a cat and puppy nap.
Viper shifted back into his man form and declared, “This guy is so much fun!”
Que shifted too, but thankfully, he had a loincloth on. I blinked at that, remembering how he had been wearing it in his territory too. I hadn't thought about it much then, what with saving him from that fall. But now, I wondered.
“You're very fun too, Viper,” Quetzalcoatl said. “My serpent has never had the chance to play. Thank you for that.”
“Oh, that's just too easy,” Re said.
I shook my head at my naughty husband. And then I found myself influenced by him. The words just popped out. “Speaking of your snake, where did that loincloth come from, Que?”
My husbands burst into laughter, and I clamped a hand over my mouth. Quetzalcoatl blinked, snorted, and then joined in the laughter.
“I'm sorry,” I said. “But seriously, where was that loincloth when you were in snake form?”
“It gets pushed down my body and tucked into my tail feathers,” Que explained. “Then, when I shift back, it travels in reverse, moving back where it needs to be.”
“Damn. I need to try rockin' a loincloth,” Viper said. He was completely naked and completely unconcerned about it.
Kirill, Trevor, and Odin had merely transformed into were-forms that covered their bits. Trevor was a werewolf, Kirill was in his werelion form, and Odin had made his version of a werelion, only white. Now that was a first for him. With his beefy, Norse body beneath the thin covering of sleek fur, and his divine jaw widened by the semi-lion face, Odin looked damn fine as a werelion.
I left Viper to bond with his new bestie, took Re's hand, and went over to give Odin a more thorough inspection. “Werelion looks good on you, Odin.”
“Thank you.” Odin leaned down to nuzzle my cheek. “I like it. It's a fun body.”
“I don't remember if I've asked you this before, but when you're in an animal body, do you feel their instincts? Or is it different since you aren't a normal shifter?”
“It's different, I think,” Odin said. “I'm still me in whatever body I take. Why? Do you become fully lioness?”
“Not fully, but I feel her needs more intensely than those of my human body.”
“I wouldn't classify it as human,” Re said. “You have the body of a goddess.”
I chuckled. “Well done. And thank you.”
“You're welcome, but it wasn't a compliment—just fact.”
“So, your goals shift,” Odin said. “When you're a lioness, you focus on what a lioness wants?”
