Page 7 of Just Right
He gestures to his twin, then to the taller, possibly older man behind him. “Yup. We’re the Brown brothers. Only brown bear shifters in this part of the forest.”
“And you’re in our territory,” adds the same one who called him Finn.
Shit. I am. I’m at the mercy of three freakingbear shifters, and this is one fairytale I know all too well. Except this Goldie isn’t facing off against Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Baby Bear. Oh, no. I have Hot, Hotter, and Hottest, and each one looks at me like I’m about to burn.
“Sorry,” I blurt out, my turn to apologize. “I didn’t mean to be any trouble. I entered the forest just yesterday, and they said I might be able to find shelter, and I did…” I also ate their food and borrowed Finn’s bed, I’m guessing. “But now you’re back, and it’s morning, so if it’s okay, I’ll be on my way.”
One step. That’s all it takes. One step and the largest of the three shifts his bulk so that he’s blocking my only real exit out of here before I can move a single muscle. I could always dive for the window, and I’m keeping that in my back pocket in case I get super desperate, but the way to the stairs? That’s not happening just yet.
I tremble beneath the quilt.
Finn frowns. “Are you okay?”
I’m being stared at by a trio of bear shifters who found me squatting in their cabin… am I okay? What does he think?
“Am I in trouble?” I ask instead. Ah, jeez, I sound like a little girl. I clear my throat, then try again. “I’m sure we can come to an agreement?—”
Finn’s cheeks turn notably red. His twin’s eyes light up.
And I realize just how that sounds.
I open my mouth, then think better of what I was going to say. I mean, I could do worse, right? They’re definitely lookers when they’re human, and as long as they keep their beastly side away from me, I wouldn’t mind sharing a bed with any of these guys during the next three weeks…
Once they realize that I’m not going to hop out of the bed and make a break for it…yet…Finn decides it’s time to make introductions.
“I’m Finn,” he says in case I didn’t catch his name earlier, gesturing to his chest. He waves at the guy who looks just like him. “This is my brother, Colt.”
“Older brother,” smirks Colt.
“Twin,” corrects the dark-haired giant, his face flat. “You were cubs at the same time. It doesn’t matter which one Mama birthed first.”
Colt jerks his thumb at himself, mouthing, “Me,” while I do everything I can not to notice the way the motion has the flaps of his open flannel revealing even more of his muscular chest.
“And the big guy over there is our older brother,” adds Finn. “That’s Rowan. We’re the Brown brothers.”
Brown brothers.
Brownbearbrothers.
“My name is Aurelia,” I squeak out when it becomes obvious they’re waiting for me to offer it. “Aurelia Holloway. But you can call me Goldie.”
I brace myself for the obvious. I just admitted that my nickname is Goldie… they’re three bears… I mean, the jokes write themselves. However, instead of referencing the old fairytale, Finn runs his fingers through his hair.
“Goldie,” he says, testing it out. “Pretty.”
“So’s the girl,” adds his twin.
Right back atcha.
I don’t know how old they are, or if someone who can shift from a bear to a man ages the same way humans do. If they do, I’d say the twins are a year or two younger than me. Rowan, though… he’s a little bit grizzled, this grizzly bear, and I’d say closer to forty.
Hm. I like older guys, too…
I give my head a clearing shake. “Sorry,” I say again. “I probably gave you the way wrong idea, borrowing one of your beds, but I needed somewhere to sleep.” I pause for a moment. “I’m supposed to spend the next three weeks in the forest. I don’t want to impose?—”
“Impose away,” cuts in Colt. “Please.”
Rowan grunts, and the flirtatious look on the one twin’s face falls away.
