Page 27 of Sticky for You

I didn’t want to interfere with pride stuff. I knew how hard Crimson worked to keep the Rhubarb calm in Valentine.

You are home, Twirlie. You stay right where you are.

Maximus’s rumbling declaration brought tears to my eyes. I wanted to sing out my happiness now I had the music in my head, but I could feel the worry coming from Maximus in waves.

This stalk is by your side, baby.

I felt my lion melt into a puddle of goo. Not literally of course, because that would be weird. Lions don’t melt.

Weirder than a lion and a rhubarb shifter fucking?

Maximus had a point.

Do you think the lion gods and rhubarb gods also fuck? I asked the question, because someone had to.

We’ll ask them, sweetheart. Once I sort out why my bull is having a meltdown.

“Maximus, get your brain above your dick,” Randy snarled. “We need you. And get dressed. No one needs to keep seeing your dirt covered junk. That’s just ewwww!”

Maximus roared, but it was more exasperation and maybe a touch of embarrassment. Who wanted anyone to point out their dick was dirty?

He hurried through a side door, and I spotted my clothes on a counter. How did they arrive here?

I’ll get changed too. I think you might need me.

Maximus unwrapped the jacket, careful not to spill the dirt, and I shifted into my human form. I stretched and rolled my shoulders.

“Do you feel any better?” Maximus asked, raking his gaze over my soil covered body.

“I do,” I admitted. “I’m going to need to sleep in the dirt tonight, but I can stand now. Look!” I twirled to show him, dirt flying everywhere, and did a little lunge to show off my pert ass when my legs didn’t collapse under me.

Maximus pulled me against him, and we pressed against each other, dirt to dirt, hot lion skin to sexy rhubarb. “If you need your soil at any point, you tell me, okay? No wilting on my watch!”

“Okay.” Did I sound a little breathless? I didn’t care. I’d wilt into his arms any day.

Some dirt rubbed off us while we got dressed, but we didn’t pay it any mind. Maximus was just wearing a pair of sweats. I got the feeling he didn’t do clothes if he could help it. What stalk wouldn’t be happy with that?

Before he led me into the kitchen, he stopped and fixed me with his amber gaze. “Burke is a bull. If he rushes you, get out of the way.”

“Is he dangerous?”

Maximus shrugged, which could mean anything. But he tucked me behind him as we walked into the kitchen. I didn’t want to end up as rhubarb puree, so I hid behind my lion and took my first look at the bull.

This was Burke? The big, scary bull?

I clapped both hands over my mouth.

Great Rhu, Burke was small, like half my size, and cute and brown, and I wanted to scratch behind his fluffy ears.

He currently had Ricky backed against the wall. I wasn’t sure if he wanted to eat Ricky or fuck him.

“Burke!” Maximus bellowed.

The bull turned and shifted into his human form. Ricky took the opportunity to rush over to me, grabbing my arms and yanking me forward.

Maximus growled menacingly.

My inner stalk twirled at his possessiveness, but Ricky didn’t take any notice.