Read Embrace (The Gryphon Series) for Free Online

out and insanely uncomfortable, I muttered a quick “um, sorry” that the lovebirds didn’t seem to hear or notice.  I fumbled with the door in my retreat.  Just before I pulled it shut behind me, Gabe shifted his weight and the girl brought her leg up.  He grazed his hand along her trim, feather covered thigh. 
    M y eyes snapped open so wide it’s a wonder they didn’t fall right out of my skull. “What are you doing ?!”  I shrieked and flung the door open so hard it bounced off the wall behind it.
    In an instant they were both off the bed.  They simultaneously shushed me as they pulled me into the room and shut the door.  As if my being cool and calm was even remotely a possibility.  Alaina could take on various bird-like forms.  Right then she was wearing what I considered to be her feathered scuba suit.  Bronze and gold feathers covered everything except her hands and head.  Her feathers and waist-length auburn hair were both disheveled from their little tryst.  Gabe struggled to pull his shirt back on, a fact that made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. 
    “ Cee, this isn’t what it looks like.”  He tried to explain, as he accidentally stuck his head through the armhole of his t-shirt.
    “I should hope not!  ‘Cause it looked like you were trying to swallow our Spirit Guide’s face!  And that’s gross, icky, and unclean!”  Chills ran up and down my spine. I tried to physically shake them off.  “Uck!  How could this happen?  Why would this happen?  Gabe, she’s three hundred years old!  And not even human!  I know this is a small town, but come on !”
    He won the battle with his shirt and yanked it down over his six-pack abs.  “Ya gotta admit, she sure doesn’t look three hundred.” He gave her a sly grin and a wink.  She giggled and blushed.  I worried my brain was going to implode.
    “Stop that! Stop that! Stop that!”  I slapped at him to punctuate each of those requests.  Sure, Alaina was beautiful.  If you liked girls with milky white skin, curves in all the right places and feathers.
    Footfalls pounded up the staircase.  A still half-asleep Grams crashed into the room wielding a baseball bat.  “Whas’ happenin’? Whas’ goin’ on?” 
    Gabe threw his hands in the air.  “Way to go, Cee.  You woke up Grams.”
    No way he g ot to play the part of the aggrieved party, not with the shenanigans he was up to. I put my hands on hips and stared him down.  “ I woke up Grams?  Only because of the twisted nocturnal activities you were partaking in!  Maybe we should tell her what you were up to, Gabe .”
    He gave me a smug half-grin, his eyes daring me.  “Go ahead.  Tell her.”
    If he thought I was bluffing he had another thing coming.  Our eyes stayed locked like gun fighters waiting to see whose hand would go for their holstered pistol first.  Tonight, that first shot would be mine.  “Grams, I just walked in on Gabe and Alaina in a full out grope-fest.”
    “Gabe Allen Garrett!” Grams snipped, her lips pressed together in a disapproving line.  “I told you two before that I don’t want you doing that kind of stuff under my roof.  This is my home.  You will respect my rules, boy.”
    My jaw h ung slack.  Pure glee filled my brother’s face.  Slowly, I turned my head in the direction of my usually much-adored grandmother.  “You knew about this?” I croaked.
    “Of course , dear.”  Grams lifted one bony shoulder.  “Grams doesn’t miss much.”
    “And you’re okay with it?”
    She looked stunned that I would suggest otherwise.  “Well, yeah.  Gabe’s a good boy, Alaina ’s a good girl, and they’re in love.”
    “ They’re in…” My head swiveled back to the couple.  Alaina’s slender arm was around Gabe’s waist.  Her other hand rested casually on his broad chest.  Both of his overly-muscular arms were wrapped protectively around her.  “But she’s a…!  And he’s a…!  And it’s… ucky !”