〃He said to tell you that； of anything he had that would fit you； it covered the most； end quote；〃 Jason said。
I sighed。 〃Thanks； Jason； I'll be right out。〃 I closed the door without waiting for a reply。 The top that had looked loose actually clung pretty tightly across my breasts。 You'd certainly know whether I was cold or not。 The shorts were cut so high on the sides that the legs almost met the waistband。 It managed to cover everything and still not leave much to the imagination。 Lingerie design at its best； I suppose。
I opened the door and turned off the bathroom light as I came out。 Jason was already tucked into the covers on the right side of the bed。 Nathaniel was still sitting on the other side。 He got up as I came out； his unbound hair floating around him like a living curtain。 〃My turn；〃 he said softly； turning on the bathroom light and closing the door。
〃You look wonderful；〃 Jason said。
〃No pliments； Jason。 I'm unfortable enough in the lingerie。〃
〃Then by all means take it off。〃
I frowned at him。
He patted the bed beside him； grinning at me。 〃e to bed。〃
〃Piss me off enough and I'll send you back to your room。〃
〃Jean…Claude told me to stay here today。〃
〃I could insist。〃 I had my gun on top of my folded clothes； tucked under one arm。
〃If you'd shoot me just for teasing you； I'd have been dead a long time ago。〃
〃Please； Jason； I have had a very hard night。 Please； just behave yourself； just this once。〃
He raised his hand in the Boy Scout salute。 〃I won't bite； promise。〃
That made me think of Micah and caused me to blush； which was embarrassing under the circumstances。
Jason's eyes widened。 〃That's a better reaction than I've ever gotten from you。 I'll have to remember the line。〃
〃You reminded me of something embarrassing； that's all。〃
The grin faded to a smile。 〃I knew it wasn't because of me。〃
〃I am not going to baby…sit your ego； too； Jason。 You'll have to take care of it yourself。〃
〃Always do。〃 The smile had faded； leaving him serious。 With his yellow hair and blue eyes； he looked somehow out of place against all the black silk； as if he needed a different color to frame him to best advantage。 Of course； the bed wasn't meant to frame him to best advantage； it was meant to frame Jean…Claude。
The thought was enough。 I felt him in his coffin； felt him dead to the world； gone away wherever vampires go when the sun rises。 The feel of him so distant； unable to hold me； or help me； made me feel cold； and even more cut adrift。
I leaned against the heavy cherry wood post of the bed； one hand on it。 But my hands were not big enough to encircle the wood。 It was a big bed at least king size。
〃What's wrong； Anita？〃
I shook my head。 〃I don't want to talk about it。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I will be good。 I promise。〃
〃No more teasing？〃 I asked。
He tried to stay serious； but a smile crept through。 〃I'd promise no more teasing if I thought I could live up to it； but I will promise to try and not tease you anymore today。 How's that？〃
I had to smile。 〃Honest； I guess。〃 I sat down on the edge of the bed。
〃You seem lost tonight；〃 he said。
It was so close to what I was thinking that I turned and looked at him。 〃Is it that obvious？〃
〃Only to someone who knows you。〃
〃Do you know me that well； Jason？〃
〃Sometimes。 And sometimes you are totally confusing to me。〃
I pulled back the covers and crawled under the sheet； pushing the heavy satin coverlet away from me。 I'd left a lot of distance between me and Jason。 I slid my gun under the nearest pillow； safety on。 And for extra precaution； since I was sleeping with non…gun users； no bullets were in the chamber。
〃Honest； Anita； I'll behave myself； you can move closer。〃
〃I know。〃
〃And not just because Jean…Claude and Richard wouldn't like it。〃
〃Richard isn't dating me anymore； Jason。 He's not mine anymore。〃 Just saying it out loud made my skin colder； my stomach clench tight。
〃He may say that； but if he found out I tried anything tonight； anything serious； he'd make me pay for it。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃He may not be dating you； but I'll bet my favorite body part that he wouldn't tolerate you dating any of the other werewolves。 Him not being able to have you isn't the same thing as not wanting you。〃
I looked at him； sheet…covered knees hugged to my chest。 〃When did you get so smart？〃
〃I have my moments。〃
I had to smile。 〃Yeah； you do。〃
We were both smiling when Nathaniel came out of the bathroom。 〃Hit the lights； Nathaniel。〃
Nathaniel did what I asked； and the blackness was plete。 The lights were on a timer and would e on softly in a few hours。 But until then it was a darkness so plete it was like being dropped in ink。 I'm not usually bothered by darkness； but just then it was claustrophobic； like some giant black hand pressing against me。
I felt Nathaniel by the bed。 〃Please； turn on the bathroom light； leave the door ajar。〃 He went back and did it。 One of the good things about Nathaniel was he didn't question orders much。 It used to bug me。 Now I counted on it； sometimes。
He left the door open a crack； just enough to let a slender finger of light fall into the room and slant along the bed。
Nathaniel lifted the sheet and crawled into bed without a word。 But him crawling in meant I had to move over closer to Jason。 I found the gun and moved it down a pillow with me。 But Nathaniel didn't crowd me； and there was still space between us when we all tucked in for the night。 Not as much space as I'd have liked； but still space。 In fact I was able to roll over onto my side without bumping anyone。 Of course； that wasn't how I slept at home。 At home Nathaniel and the rest of the wereleopards cuddled into big piles。 I'd slept most of the last six months among them。 It was； sadly； getting to the point that when I slept alone I felt lonely。
Nathaniel had rolled automatically onto his side； his back to me； waiting for me to close the distance between us。 He'd already moved his hair to one side like a blanket that had to be moved out of the way； leaving his back and part of his neck smooth and bare。 I lay there for a second or two； then thought； screw it。 I moved in against him； pressing myself to the smooth warmth of his body； my arm sliding around his waist。 He was just a few inches taller than me； enough that I cuddled down just a little； pressing my face into his back； in the hollow behind his shoulder blade。 It was the way we'd gone to sleep for a long time。
〃Now I do feel left out；〃 Jason said。
I sighed； clutching Nathaniel a little tighter。 〃Do you promise not to try anything？〃
〃I promise to be good。〃
〃That's not what I asked。〃
He gave a small laugh。 〃You're better than you used to be at this game。 Okay； I promise not to try anything。〃
〃Then you can get closer； if you want to。〃
〃You know I do；〃 he said。 I could feel him moving across the bed towards us。
〃You also promised to be good。〃
〃You have no idea how good I can be。〃 He was very close when he said the last。
〃You're pushing it； Jason。〃
〃Sorry。〃 But he didn't sound sorry。 He curled against my back； his body spooning against me； his knees bending into a near perfect line behind mine。 We were within an inch of being the same height； which made spooning easy。 It also put certain parts of his anatomy up against my butt； and it was hard not to notice that he was happy to be there。 Not too long ago； I'd have made him move； but I'd spent months learning shapeshifter etiquette。 The men tried their best not to get erections； and not to use them when they did； the women tried to ignore the fact that they had them。 That was the rule。 It allowed everyone to pretend we were just a bunch of puppies sleeping in a nice friendly pile。 To acknowledge anything else meant the system fell apart。
I realized that it didn't bother me。 Over the months I'd learned that it was just one of those involuntary things that happened； nothing truly personal。 I think Jason was disappointed that he didn't get more of a reaction from me。 When I didn't react at all； he moved his hips just a fraction away from me； but snuggled the rest of himself against me more tightly。
I was effectively sandwiched between them； and it reminded me forcibly of waking up between Caleb and Micah。 Not a forting memory。 But the smell of Nathaniel's skin was familiar。 The vanilla scent of his hair where it edged my face and stretched under his body was forting。 I drew the scent of him around me like a blanket； pulled my body in as close to the warm curve of him as I could go and not e out the other side； and clung。 I acknowledged in my head； though never aloud； that tonight I clung。 I held him like he was the last solid thing in the world； the way I'd wanted to hold Jean…Claude and couldn't。
Jason's hand smoothed along my hip； but I'd forced his hand up from around my waist when I tucked so tightly against Nathaniel； there was really nowhere else for it to go。 His hand was very still against my bare leg； and there was a tension to him； as if he was waiting for me to protest。 When I didn't； he relaxed and even moved his entire body back against me。 He'd managed to calm himself。 Good for him。
Honestly； it was nice having Jason's weight at my back。