Figure of Speech

“Bull pit.” She tugged him until he lay down next to her, then reached for the covers. “Moving and mad moms make you tired.”

He grimaced, his hand resting on her breast. “But, I want it.”

She patted him on the head like the little kid he resembled. “You can have it later.”

“Promise?” His voice was already fading.

She brushed his hair tenderly off his forehead, then kissed it. “Promise.”

“I’ve always wanted a tattoo.” Spencer glanced around Cynful with a gleeful expression and rubbed his hands together. “Can I have Grumpy Cat?”

Chloe laughed as Jim flicked the back of his brother’s head. “Dork.”

“What?” Spencer smacked Jim’s hand away when Jim went to flick him again. “Asshole.”

“At least get an animal that isn’t a meme.” Jim strode forward to shake hands with Ryan.

“Like what, a flamingo? Cause everything else is taken.” Spencer rolled forward too. “Hi. You must be Chloe’s brother, Ryan, right?”

Ryan blinked. “How’d you know?”

“You were snarling at Jim.”

Chloe glared at her brother. “He didn’t do anything bong, Ryan.”

“Reflex. Sorry.” Ryan held his hand out to Spencer. “You must be Jim’s brother, right?”

“What gave it away?” Spencer grinned.

“You smell similar.”

“That’s because I stole his body wash.” Spencer winked at Cyn, who stood behind the counter. “So, you’re a shifter?”

Ryan eyed Chloe then nodded. “A Grizzly.”

I’ve been dying to ask this.” Spencer’s eyes widened. “Can I be a wereskunk? That would be awesome.”

Ryan groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “There are no weremoles, wererats, wereskunks, werechipmunks, werebunnies other than Alex…”

Chloe giggled at that, then tuned them out. She’d heard a similar spiel before, when she’d questioned her parents about what kinds of shifters existed. Shifters were all mammals, omnivorous or carnivorous, no larger than a Grizzly and no smaller than a Fox. Those kinds of questions were common from those who were just learning about them, or from shifter children who either didn’t know any better or just wanted to see that vein pop on their parents’ foreheads.

“…and no, repeat, no werecapybaras.”

Cappy what? Chloe shook her head as Spencer wheeled himself over to Cyn, talking quietly with her. From the expression on Cyn’s face the two of them were going to get along like peanut butter and chocolate. “What do you think he’ll choose?”

“I don’t know, but I’m kind of hoping Wolf.” Jim shrugged. “Still, I’ll be happy with whatever he wants.”

“You want my opinion?”

Jim nodded. “Always.”

Chloe smiled, pleased with his instant response. “I think he’s either going to choose the Pumas or the Bears.”

“Why?” Jim was staring at her curiously.

“The way he interacts with people. He’d fit in beautifully with either my family or the Pumas. He’s got the same sense of humor as Emma, but the tenacity of Ryan.” She watched as Cyn shook her head and gestured for Spencer to follow her into her work area. “Five clucks says he comes back with a pissed-off cat tattoo.”

“No bets.” Jim kissed the top of her head. “I know my brother better than anyone, and he’s in there right now getting a famous snowshoe Siamese inked somewhere on his body.”

“You think Cyn will explain Bears to him?” Chloe bit her lip and eyed the closed curtain. “She’s so new herself she might not be cable to answer all his questions.”

“We can go in there, make sure he gets all the information he needs.” Jim grimaced. “Or you can. It’s not like I know much more than she does.”

“I can get Ryan to talk to him after he drops me off tonight too.” Chloe was beginning to think bringing Spencer into the shop to talk about shifters might not have been the brightest idea. Anyone getting inked or pierced in one of the other rooms could overhear, and if they weren’t a shifter, it could be bad.

“Then let’s go see how Spence is doing before I head off to work.” He’d had last Saturday off, so today was his day to go in.

“Sure thing.” She followed him into Cyn’s workspace, grinning when she saw the beginnings of… “Is that a wheelchair?”

“Yup.” Cyn shook her head, smiling slightly. “Got him to change his mind. We’re putting something better on his leg.”

“Like?”

Spencer winced as Cyn inked a thick, rounded line. “Professor X, the most bad-ass wheelchair-bound superhero known to man.”

“Good call.” Jim patted Spencer’s shoulder, careful not to shake him and ruin the lines of Cyn’s work.

“I want the cat on his shoulder, though.” Spencer winked as Cyn rolled her eyes.

Cyn bit her lip and tilted her head, studying her design. “How about Nightcrawler perched on the back?”

“And have the Professor looking annoyed, while Nightcrawler looks smug?”

“I like the way you think.” Cyn began free-handing the professor, something Chloe hadn’t seen done before. Usually the design was done on transfer paper, placed on the skin, then the lines traced before color was added. Free-handing meant that Cyn was working without a template on the skin. It was something, watching Cyn work the ink into Spencer’s skin, the design taking shape before them.

“How’s your tattoo coming, little vixen?” Jim whispered in her ear, the brush of his lips sending shivers down her spine. “I haven’t seen it yet.”

That was because they hadn’t been naked together again since he’d claimed her in her apartment. She’d gotten up before him that morning, so he hadn’t had a chance to see it. “It’s coming.”

Jim coughed. “Really?”

The way he drawled that had her poking him with her elbow, hard. “Perv.”

He chuckled. “I want to see it.”

Since it was hidden under her T-shirt she’d have to practically remove it for him to see it. “Later.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Jim slipped his arm around her waist and tilted his head. “What say we leave Spence in Cyn’s hands and go get some coffee?”