Page 28 of Grin and Bear It

TWENTY-EIGHT

Thora looked at the rich cake, then at Artair’s confident expression. Her sabertooth’s competitive nature stirred. “I’m in.”

Surprise flickered across his face. “You sure? Bears have a particular... capacity for honey.”

“Sabertooths don’t back down from challenges,” she replied, meeting his gaze squarely. “Especially not from overly confident bears.”

A slow smile spread across his face, revealing a dimple in his right cheek she hadn’t noticed before. “All right then.”

Eira placed two plates before them, each holding a massive slice of cake. “Begin!”

Thora matched Artair bite for bite. The cake was unexpectedly delicious—moist, sweet, with subtle spices complementing the honey’s richness. She typically avoided overly sweet foods, but something about this particular dessert appealed to her sabertooth senses.

One slice turned into two. Bryn cheered them on while Jash kept official count, pulling out his phone to document what he called “a historic cross-species culinary competition.”

“Third slice!” Bryn announced, her eyes dancing with mischief. “Most non-bears tap out right about now.”

Thora ignored the comment, focusing instead on Artair across the table. His gaze hadn’t left hers since the challenge began. What started as simple competition had transformed into something more intimate—a form of communication without words.

Each deliberate bite. Each lick of honey from lips. The way his pupils dilated when she slowly swallowed.

Heat that had nothing to do with the food spread through Thora’s body. Her sabertooth purred beneath her skin, enjoying both the sweet treats and the intense attention from the powerful bear shifter opposite her.

When their fourth slice arrived, Artair’s fingers briefly brushed hers as they both reached for the same slice. A jolt of awareness passed between them, and the tether connecting them brightened momentarily.

“Fifth slice!” Bryn clapped her hands as Eira served them both again. “This is unprecedented. Even Uncle Bjorn never made it past four, and he was notorious in the clan.”

Thora broke eye contact with Artair long enough to notice both Jash and Eira watching them with fascination.

“The compatibility indicators are remarkable,” Jash murmured, pushing his glasses up. “Synchronized consumption patterns, sustained eye contact, complementary breathing rhythms...”

“Are you analyzing us?” Thora asked, pausing with her fork halfway to her mouth.

“Purely scientific interest,” Jash replied, not looking remotely apologetic. “Cross-species magical bonding is rare enough to merit documentation.”

“We’re not bonding,” Thora insisted, though her racing pulse suggested otherwise. “We’re eating cake.”

“With remarkable synchronicity,” Eira observed, her expression knowing. “You both took exactly thirty-seven bites to finish that last slice.”

“You counted?” Artair asked, sounding as disturbed as Thora felt.

“Of course, dear.” Eira sipped her mead. “The patterns tell the story.”

Thora forced herself to look away from Artair, suddenly aware of how intently she’d been staring at him. Her sabertooth protested the loss of connection, a strange restlessness stirring in her chest.

“I think that’s enough cake for me,” she announced, setting down her fork. Her stomach felt pleasantly full, but she needed to break whatever spell had fallen over the table.

“Then it’s a tie,” Bryn declared, looking between them with undisguised glee. “Five slices each. I don’t think we’ve ever had a tie in the honey cake challenge before.”

“Everything about this situation is unprecedented,” Eira said with satisfaction.

After dinner, they moved to a sitting area near the hearth. Thora sank into a comfortable armchair, feeling surprisingly content despite the strange circumstances. The fire crackled pleasantly, casting a warm glow over the rustic space.

Bryn settled on a nearby couch, tucking her feet beneath her. “So, Thora, what’s your plan once this tether business is sorted? Will you stay in Enchanted Falls for a while?”

“Just long enough to catch my bounty,” Thora replied automatically.

“That’s what they all say,” Bryn said with a knowing smile. “Then they discover our coffee shop’s enchanted espresso or fall in love with the moonlight market, and suddenly they’re browsing real estate listings.”

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