“No cock in pussy?” Zeph asked doubtfully, squealing when Stella threw a pillow at her.
“It sounds too big to fit in there anyway,” Gen said. She looked to Zeph and Lena. “Doesn’t it?”
Zeph shook her head, and Lena smiled with a hint of smug satisfaction. “It will fit,” Zeph replied, “and it will feel fantastic, I promise.” She patted Stella’s velvet-covered knee. “It’s all about the arousal. And I feel confident that Jak is the kind of lover who is patient, slow, and absolutely devoted to making sure his partner is more than ready.”
This is nothing to how I’d torment you, caressing, touching, tasting until you couldn’t hold still. Until you were begging me to let you come. Jak’s words echoed in Stella’s memory, and she didn’t doubt Zeph was correct about that. “Again, it doesn’t matter,” she said firmly, “because it’s never going to happen.”
“Nilly, darling,” Gen said softly, chewing on her lower lip, concern wafting off of her. “I hope you won’t let wanting to win this bet get in the way. Zeph is right about that—you deserve to enjoy a flesh-and-blood love affair. If anyone would do right by you, it’s Jak. He understands how you are.”
“He’s always looking after you,” Lena agreed.
“And he has nimble fingers,” Zeph pointed out with salaciously raised brows. “Good with his hands.”
“Not to mention his other endowments,” Gen said on yet another giggle.
Stella sighed. “Have your fun, but don’t be disappointed when you lose this bet.”
“Oh, don’t be that way, Nilly.” Gen pouted. “I want this for you. More than I want to win the bet.”
“Think of it this way, Gen,” Zeph said, eyeing Stella. “If you lose, at least you won’t be only virgin among us.”
“Oh. Hrm.” Gen lost all sparkle, a cloud of regret condensing around her.
Stella swung her legs off the bed. “What happened?” she asked, abruptly worried. This must be what had been bothering Gen.
“Happened?” Zeph sat up, too, and Lena took Gen’s hand.
“You slept with Henk,” Lena said, watching Gen’s face, trying to contain how appalled she felt. The strong emotion from her—and Zeph—however, became palpable to Stella.
Gen nodded, looking miserable, tears leaking down her face. “At Elderhorst, that last night.”
“Oh, honey.” Stella moved over to wedge in on Gen’s other side. “Did he hurt you?”
“No.” Gen released a wobbly breath. “It wasn’t like that. I was willing and all.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Zeph asked gently, no teasing in her now.
Gen gave her a watery glare. “Tell you what? That I took your advice and kicked off the shackles of sexual innocence with the first guy who would have me and it was awful?”
Stella stroked Gen’s chestnut hair, sending calming love into her. “I’m so sorry it was awful,” she murmured.
“It just… wasn’t what I thought it would be,” Gen said in a small, wretched voice.
“And Zeph told you to do this?” Lena asked, casting a doubtful eye at Zeph.
“No,” Zeph replied firmly. “I decidedly did not.”
“It’s not Zeph’s fault,” Gen said, giving her cousin a rueful smile. “She just advised me to stop evaluating everyone I met for true-love potential. I thought I could go about it like shapeshifting, trying out various forms to see what I like.” She huffed out a harsh laugh. “Well, I guess I know what I don’t like.”
“Henk is an ass,” Zeph said, grimacing.
“We thought so before,” Lena agreed, “but now we know beyond a doubt.”
“He was definitely not a considerate lover,” Gen said. She leaned against Stella. “That’s why I want you to be aware of how lucky you are. If Jak is your first, you’ll be so much better off.”
Stella absorbed that with considerable chagrin, feeling that she’d been terribly selfish. “I wish your first had been better.”
“Me, too,” Gen said with some force. Then she laughed a little. “At least it didn’t last very long.”
“Was it…” Lena asked on a grin, “…very long?”
Gen held up her pinky finger, and they all collapsed into laughter.
~ 8 ~
“Do you think they talk about us?” Rhy asked suddenly. When both Jak and Astar frowned, he added, “The girls. Do you think they discuss us, talk about what we’re like in bed, who has the biggest dick?”
“That’s easy,” Astar said. “Jak does.”
“It’s true,” Jak replied equitably, drinking the very excellent ale. “But I try not to brag.”
Rhy snorted. “Since when?”
“Also true,” Jak said, conceding the point.
“Besides,” Rhy continued, “shapeshifters have an advantage that way. Selective shapeshifting can be a beautiful thing.”
“Selective shapeshifting is beyond my skills,” Astar said, not sounding at all bothered. “But Zephyr is happy with me as is.” He smiled the smile of a man well sated, and Jak drowned the stab of envy with a draught of ale. The interlude with Stella that morning had been intensely erotic. So much so that the release had been sadly all too temporary. She’d also been avoiding him ever since.
“I come by mine naturally,” he informed Rhy. “No cheating necessary.”
“Shapeshifting isn’t cheating,” Rhy countered. “Mine is as natural as yours.”
“Are we seriously swinging dicks here?” Jak asked.
“Yeah, why are you wondering, Rhy?” Astar signaled for another pitcher of ale.
“About Jak’s dick?” Rhy deadpanned. “I’m not.”
Jack grinned easily. “You, my friend, are the biggest dick.”
Rhy gave him a narrow glare, the wolf glinting out of his eyes. “Care to go another round with me? You won’t get the drop on me again.”
“Nobody is fighting anyone,” Astar said, his tone making it clear he was very serious. “We have enough problems without fighting among ourselves. Stella is taxed already keeping everyone healthy without us creating unnecessary work for her.”
“That’s the problem with having mossbacks along who can’t heal themselves,” Rhy replied with a shrug and a snide curl of his lip for Jak.
“Did I do something to offend you?” Jak asked. He’d like to pull a blade to toy with, but that sort of thing in a crowded tavern was asking for trouble.
“Stella is my cousin,” Rhy replied.
Jak’s fingers itched for that dagger—nothing like being a regular human guy keeping company with shapeshifters who could attack with tooth and claw in a blink—but he settled for setting down his ale and tapping his fingers on his thigh conveniently near an easily pulled blade.
Astar looked between them. “What’s this about Stella?”
“They did the nasty in the carriage,” Rhy said with a smirk.
Oh, fuck him.