Eventually they ended up back in the tub, duplicating the motions Michael had made to return to human form.
Cassie laughed as she found herself atop Alec in the tub, both of them in human form again—and naked, save for the pair of pelts resting on their hips.
His arms went around her instinctively, holding her close.
She gave him a deep, passionate kiss before letting out a soft laugh and settling against him.
"How much longer do you think he'll sleep?" Alec asked.
"A bit longer." She wriggled her hips, the sense of wonder continuing. "Did you want to swim some more?"
He ran his hands down her back, cupping her ass. "I wasn't thinking of swimming." He rocked against her, the familiar movement sparking a rush of heat through her body.
"Ah..." Cassie moaned, the slip of fur rubbing against delicate skin, her skin still tingling from the shift back to human form. "Maybe not in the tub. My back won't survive."
"Right then." Before she could react, Alec climbed out and scooped her into his arms. "Let me finish what I started when we came in here..."
***
"I wasn't sure your pelt would work," he confessed as they sat down to an early dinner. "The magi who helped me collect the ingredients to enchant the fur said the recipe was an old one, centuries old." He gave her a sheepish look. "There aren't many humans who come to our family."
"Is that how you got the scar, the big one—on your shoulder blade?" She didn't mention the other, smaller ones she'd discovered on his back—fresh, white stripes marring his skin.
"Yes." Alec rolled his shoulders back. He hadn't worn a shirt to the table, donning only jeans in a return to his earlier clothing habits. "Needed to get a certain ingredient for the spell."
"Too dangerous," she muttered under her breath.
He reached over and took her hand. "It was for you." He glanced over at Michael, safe in his highchair. "And for him, even if I didn't know it then."
The baby reacted by letting out a squeal and sweeping his arms across the tray, clearing off the crackers he'd been snacking on.
"You are a handful and a half," she said, feeding Michael bits of food off her plate between taking her own mouthfuls. "I'm glad you didn't have to go back and make one for him."
"He's special. He's my son." Alec let out a gleeful roar. "I've heard about children of both worlds, but never thought I'd be so favored." He laughed as Michael spat food in his direction, a meaty raspberry to follow up. "My mother's going to be thrilled. She always said I was a little devil growing up, so she'll be happy to see he's the same."
"Your mother." Cassie paused, spoon half-way to Michael's mouth. "Your family. You mentioned brothers, but..." Her mind spun, envisioning a line of otter shapeshifters scampering all over her house.
He nodded. "Two, but they're out on their own with their own families. Don't worry, they'll be fine with you and with Michael." He reached over and stroked Michael's cheek. "We'll all be fine."
The baby let out a squeal and slapped his hand down on a puddle of gravy, sending it everywhere. His chubby cheeks wobbled as he smeared the gravy over his face with a mischievous laugh, blowing bubbles.
Cassie reached for a napkin as Alec laughed, her train of thought derailed as she dealt with the issue at hand.
It wasn't until after dessert, when she'd managed to calm her son and put him down for a rest, to ask the obvious question burning in her heart since Alec's return, less than a day ago.
"I have to ask...what do we do now? I mean, now that you're back." She sat on the sofa, tugging at her Penn State sweatshirt. The comfortable track pants were soft, but seemed rough against her skin—likely a side effect of her time as an otter.
It was easy to understand why Alec preferred to wear as little clothing as possible. She couldn't imagine what sort of strange feelings he'd gone through, staying as a human for so long during his leg healing.
"Whatever you want." He sat on the couch next to her and pulled Cassie into his arms. "I came back for you, but obviously the situation has changed."
She lay there quietly, gathering her thoughts.
"Will your people welcome Michael as one of their own? Or will he be bullied, snubbed..." The words caught in her throat as she tried to imagine the otter equivalent of schoolyard bullies.
Alec shook his head. "I can't promise he'll never have a problem with his heritage. Except that I'll punch out anyone who says anything within my hearing."
She swallowed hard, past the lump in her throat. It was fine to follow her heart, but it wasn't just herself now.
Cassie snuggled into his embrace. "What... what do you want to do? I know you came back to see me, but now everything's changed, it's all different."
"Not really. I came back because I love you, because I promised to." He pressed his lips to the back of her neck. "I'm sorry it took so long—it must have been hard for you, going through all this by yourself." A pause. "What did Jean think?"
"She had her moments. Gave me a bit of grief, which I expected, but then settled in to be really helpful. Sent some extra money and supplies." Cass put her hand up before he could reply. "We were fine financially at the start, especially with the money you left behind. She helped me to pick out cribs, strollers, car seats—ordered online and had it delivered to the house. When my due date came up, she flew in for the delivery and stayed for a month, helped me come home and get settled."
She pressed her lips into a tight line, unsure how much to tell him. "She was a blessing, believe me. But when she left, she went through her usual mantra, asking me to consider selling out and coming to stay with her."
"Did you?" Alec shook his head. "I wouldn't have blamed you for thinking I wasn't coming back, not at that point. And you had to do what's right for both of you."
She sighed. "I did consider it, but then I knew you'd come back—and there was no way to leave a message to say where I'd gone and I didn't know if you could even follow me. Anyway, after Jean left, everyone else helped out—like Veronica." Cass waved a hand. "Sure, there were some whispers, some glances, but nowadays no one really makes a fuss about this sort of thing." She turned toward him and was rewarded with a soft, delicate kiss. "We need to decide."
"We will." He kissed her again, deeper and hungrier. "I'd like to unwrap my Christmas present again." His hands slipped under her sweatshirt.
"Uh..." Cassie let out a gasp as he cupped her breasts, her heightened senses going into overdrive at the simple touch. "That might..."
Then he kissed her again and all coherent thought fled.
Chapter Eight
"He just came back like that, and you let him into your house again?" Jean snapped into the phone.
Cassie held the receiver away from her ear, wincing. She'd promised to call on Christmas Day, and she wasn't going to break her promise to her aunt—despite the verbal minefield she'd just run into.