returned. Bayden swallowed, wondering if that should be considered a problem or not.
Axel was just a few inches away from him. Without either his clothes or his fur to get in the way, Bayden could feel the heat radiating from Axel’s body. It took all his self-control not to lean forward and snuggle against him.
“It’s safe to say you won that bet by a country mile.” Axel still hadn’t taken his hands off Bayden’s shoulders. They felt nice there.
Bayden smiled at his teasing and remained very still, hoping that would encourage Axel to keep his hands where they were.
A movement behind Axel made Bayden look past him.
“Don’t worry about them,” Axel said. “They’re leaving.”
Now, when all Bayden’s thoughts were human, but his lupine instincts were right there in the forefront of his brain, it was harder than ever to see Axel as anything other than an alpha wolf who deserved every other wolf’s complete respect. In their own way, even humans seemed to understand that. Whether or not they’d intended to leave, the other Dragons filed out at Axel’s command.
“You okay?”
Bayden nodded.
“Words,” Axel corrected.
Bayden cleared his throat. “I’m fine.” There was just a touch of wolf left in his voice.
Axel didn’t strike out at the reminder of what Bayden was. He didn’t pull away, either. “Do you always get dizzy when you shift back?”
“It happens sometimes.” Especially when he hadn’t eaten much for a few days. He straightened up, knowing it was stupid to let himself appear so vulnerable in front of a human. “I’m fine now.”
Axel moved his hand from Bayden’s shoulder, but only to push Bayden’s hair back off his face. His other hand moved to Bayden’s cheek. “How long does it take for your mind to switch from one to the other?”
Bayden frowned. “I don’t know what you’re asking.”
Axel stroked his hair.
Bayden looked down. He glanced at what he was sitting on. A spanking bench. “Are you asking if I’m human enough to do what you want?”
Axel seemed to think about that very carefully. “I’m asking if there’s a delay between you shifting back to looking human, and to you being able to make decisions the way a human can.”
“You want to know if you’d be screwing a man or an animal.” Bayden tried to turn away.
Axel tightened his grip on his hair and held him still. “I’m not insulting you.”
Bayden froze. It was exactly what he’d said to Axel before. He’d meant it. It was possible that Axel meant it, too. Maybe Bayden was seeing insults just as easily as Axel, and where they didn’t really exist.
Bayden nodded, willing to believe that was possible.
Axel stroked Bayden’s hair back from his face again. Bayden managed not to lean into his touch too overtly.
“Are you mad at me again?” he blurted out.
Axel raised an eyebrow at him.
“About the bet,” Bayden hinted.
Axel chuckled. “I object to seeing you get hurt, not gambling in general, pup.” He stepped back. The world seemed far colder. “Steady?”
Bayden nodded. He glanced at his clothes.
“Go ahead,” Axel allowed.
As Bayden got dressed, Axel got the money he’d held during the bet out of the pocket of his jeans.
Bayden barely glanced at the notes when Axel handed them over. It would all be there. Axel wasn’t like other humans.
About to push the notes into his pocket, Bayden hesitated. The folded money actually felt thicker than he’d expected. He studied it more carefully. It wasn’t one hundred and fifty pounds, it was two hundred.
Bayden peered down at the notes, his brain taking too long to kick into gear.
“Bayden?”
“The money’s wrong. Three fifties is one hundred and fifty,” he said, making sure to keep his tone extra respectful in case Axel thought he was criticising him.
“Four fifties,” Axel corrected. “Four men watched you shift.”
Bayden took fifty and held it out to him. “No.”
“No?” Axel asked.
“No. You
Axel was just a few inches away from him. Without either his clothes or his fur to get in the way, Bayden could feel the heat radiating from Axel’s body. It took all his self-control not to lean forward and snuggle against him.
“It’s safe to say you won that bet by a country mile.” Axel still hadn’t taken his hands off Bayden’s shoulders. They felt nice there.
Bayden smiled at his teasing and remained very still, hoping that would encourage Axel to keep his hands where they were.
A movement behind Axel made Bayden look past him.
“Don’t worry about them,” Axel said. “They’re leaving.”
Now, when all Bayden’s thoughts were human, but his lupine instincts were right there in the forefront of his brain, it was harder than ever to see Axel as anything other than an alpha wolf who deserved every other wolf’s complete respect. In their own way, even humans seemed to understand that. Whether or not they’d intended to leave, the other Dragons filed out at Axel’s command.
“You okay?”
Bayden nodded.
“Words,” Axel corrected.
Bayden cleared his throat. “I’m fine.” There was just a touch of wolf left in his voice.
Axel didn’t strike out at the reminder of what Bayden was. He didn’t pull away, either. “Do you always get dizzy when you shift back?”
“It happens sometimes.” Especially when he hadn’t eaten much for a few days. He straightened up, knowing it was stupid to let himself appear so vulnerable in front of a human. “I’m fine now.”
Axel moved his hand from Bayden’s shoulder, but only to push Bayden’s hair back off his face. His other hand moved to Bayden’s cheek. “How long does it take for your mind to switch from one to the other?”
Bayden frowned. “I don’t know what you’re asking.”
Axel stroked his hair.
Bayden looked down. He glanced at what he was sitting on. A spanking bench. “Are you asking if I’m human enough to do what you want?”
Axel seemed to think about that very carefully. “I’m asking if there’s a delay between you shifting back to looking human, and to you being able to make decisions the way a human can.”
“You want to know if you’d be screwing a man or an animal.” Bayden tried to turn away.
Axel tightened his grip on his hair and held him still. “I’m not insulting you.”
Bayden froze. It was exactly what he’d said to Axel before. He’d meant it. It was possible that Axel meant it, too. Maybe Bayden was seeing insults just as easily as Axel, and where they didn’t really exist.
Bayden nodded, willing to believe that was possible.
Axel stroked Bayden’s hair back from his face again. Bayden managed not to lean into his touch too overtly.
“Are you mad at me again?” he blurted out.
Axel raised an eyebrow at him.
“About the bet,” Bayden hinted.
Axel chuckled. “I object to seeing you get hurt, not gambling in general, pup.” He stepped back. The world seemed far colder. “Steady?”
Bayden nodded. He glanced at his clothes.
“Go ahead,” Axel allowed.
As Bayden got dressed, Axel got the money he’d held during the bet out of the pocket of his jeans.
Bayden barely glanced at the notes when Axel handed them over. It would all be there. Axel wasn’t like other humans.
About to push the notes into his pocket, Bayden hesitated. The folded money actually felt thicker than he’d expected. He studied it more carefully. It wasn’t one hundred and fifty pounds, it was two hundred.
Bayden peered down at the notes, his brain taking too long to kick into gear.
“Bayden?”
“The money’s wrong. Three fifties is one hundred and fifty,” he said, making sure to keep his tone extra respectful in case Axel thought he was criticising him.
“Four fifties,” Axel corrected. “Four men watched you shift.”
Bayden took fifty and held it out to him. “No.”
“No?” Axel asked.
“No. You
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