“Yes.”
“Have you ever heard a person say anything about berries when you’re talking about vegetables?”
“What? What are you talking about?” He could chase Con’s train of thought for days and not catch it.
“I’m just saying, berries are in a class of their own. For bears.”
“Iama bear, you know.”
“When do we leave?” Con came to give him a giant hug, lifting him off his feet.
“We leave when we get a hold of the rabbit. I told you that, right? There’s a bunny shifter who needs our help?”
“You mean we’re hunting wabbit?”
He had a tick in his left eye. “I’m going to hurt you.”
Connal beamed at him. “No, you’re not. You like me. I’m interesting.”
He wanted to argue, but there wasn’t any sense in it, because he did think the son of a bitch was interesting, so he went with it. “Maybe, but that doesn’t mean I don’t also think you’re irritating as fuck.”
“Irritating? Interesting? Six of one, half a dozen of the other. It means you’re paying attention.” Con gave him another firm squeeze, swaying him back and forth like he weighed nothing. “It’s cool. I’m paying attention too.”
He breathed deeply, taking in Connal’s scent. God, he always smelled so good. Why did he have to feel like heaven too? That big body radiated heat. Like one of those lizard rocks.
Race wanted to curl up against it and just bask something fierce.
“Bunny.” He struggled free of that dangerous embrace. He didn’t need to feel things right now. He smacked Connal’s ass. “Get dressed.”
“Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy.” Connal matched deed to word, and that taut ass bounced all to hell.
“You are—” Race stopped, taking a deep breath. “Connal. Can you try to help me with this rescue now? You can go back to taunting me once he’s safe.”
Con seemed to ponder that, pursing his lips. “Yes.”
“Good. Now, get dressed.”
“Okay.” Con went to his bag to grab some faded jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, the look casual. It would blend.
Con’s bike would not. The guy was a custom motorcycle mechanic, and his bike was flashy. So they would share his bike riding to the area of town they needed to look over.
If they actually got the bunny in a place where he could rescue him, Connal would just have to call an Uber. Or steal a car…
He dressed quickly, making sure he was ready for whatever situation they might find themselves in. Connal had stoppedteasing, stopped driving him crazy, and oddly enough, it felt like a loss.
They walked outside, and Race frowned at the sight of three bikes in row, his, Con’s, and an old workhorse Harley he didn’t recognize. “Who’s here?”
He didn’t need bonus trouble, for fuck’s sake.
Connal shrugged. “No one. I called in in a favor. A friend of mine let me borrow it. I figured it’ll be easier than me riding bitch behind you and—” Connal shrugged. “—if we need to make a quick getaway with three, one bike doesn’t work. I can always come back and get my baby. In fact, if I’m not back to pick her up in the morning, someone will take her somewhere safe.”
Well.
This was a side of Connal that was unexpected and disturbing, because he didn’t forsee planning from the big grizzly.
He expected enthusiasm, absolutely. Unpredictability and quick thinking. He would totally go with quick thinking, but planning?
That was new.
