Page 11 of Tentacles for Christmas

“Maybe,” Cam admitted, their cheeks darkening as their smile widened to show off straight white teeth.

The sudden image of Cam gripping onto me as they bit into the flesh on my neck had me clearing my throat. I didn’t get turned on in public. Ever.

“Right. So. Helping kids,” I cleared my throat again and turned to point out the small crowd of children gathered by the tree. “Want to help decorate?”

“Happy to be of service!”

Cam looped their arm with mine and guided us toward everyone. It was the first time I’d been so close to Cam, no counter between us, and I reveled in the rich, sugary scent that I’d thought was from Perk Café. Was it really Cam who smelled delicious?

Channing followed beside Cam with a shit-eating grin on her face. What was she up to?

Before I could think too hard about her behavior, we were surrounded by children, around age five to sixteen, who wanted help hanging decorations higher. We didn’t let them climb the ladders, so they decorated the lower portion and picked out things for the grown-ups to hang higher.

It struck me that I’d been one of them less than a decade ago. I’d been adopted, but I still knew how it felt to be rudderless in the world, and how important traditions were to a sense of belonging.

Reluctantly, I let go of Cam’s arm so I could steady a ladder. The tree had only been five feet tall when I graduated high school and we decided a permanent tree was better than cutting down a new one each year. Now, it was well over twenty feet tall, and we would start needing scaffolding to decorate it.

Side by side on two ladders, Fowler passed Riley a string of lights to reach the top where we’d place a star. They smiled at each other in a familiar way, like they could read one another’s minds. As mated shifters, they could sense one another’s emotions and had a connection stronger than any I’d seen before.

For the first time in my life, I had a pang of envy.

Could I have a partner to share my innermost thoughts with? I was unlikely to meet another octopus shifter, since they were apparently solitary creatures who abandoned their young, but maybe….

Cam’s tinkling laughter rang out and I looked over to find them playing with the children. A small boy was putting a large gold-painted bell on their heads like a hat.

Seeing Cam with children raised more questions. Did they want a partner? Someone to raise children with?

Did I?

Chapter seven

Cam

SanFranciscowasthekind of place you could hook up with a new guy every day if your standards were low enough. Generally, I looked for someone who was easy to talk to, hot, and down to top. I wasn’t a pillow princess, but people assumed my muscles meant I wanted to be in charge, when I really didn’t. So hookup apps were my preferred method. My old job was time-consuming and stressful, and I had no trouble finding a warm and consensual partner when I needed to get off.

Who knew I’d be adding dad-like instincts to my attractive rankings when I quit and moved to the country?

Being adorable wasn’t on any checklist I had when dating in the city, but watching how Rowen lit up around them had me filing away the image. He was calm and patient with them, where my approach had always been to make them laugh.

Finding out he was adopted was another revelation. It made sense why he was so into helping with this event, and also explained the time I heard Rowen calling his fatherSupermaninstead of Dad. Theydidn’t look anything alike, but I hadn’t wanted to be rude and ask where his mom was.

Still, I wanted to know more about the hot biker who volunteered in his free time. Whatever he was willing to share. I’d ask him out one more time, something lowkey, and see if he brushed me off again.

If Rowen shut me down, I’d move on and consider us casual friends.

After the tree was set up with lights and decorations, I said goodbye to the social worker and children before joining Rowen in packing up the empty boxes. Someone I didn’t know seemed to be the driver, as the little old man was twirling rental keys around his finger.

When we turned to get the last round of boxes, I fell into step beside Rowen and tucked my hands into my pockets. Smirking his way, he returned the smile and I decided to go for it.

“That was fun,” I started, nibbling on my lower lip.

Rowen bent to pick up a bin below the tree, stacking it with another and standing before he responded. “Yeah, I love helping Val and the kids whenever I can.” He paused and waited for me to get the last supplies. “I’m glad you came.”

Well, that was promising. “You are?”

“I am,” Rowen nodded and smiled again. “I was starting to think you magically appeared at Perk each day just to make me coffee.”

Throwing my head back on a startled laugh, I couldn’t help teasing back. “Yes, I’m a coffee fairy. But only for sexy redheads.”