Page 21 of How Not to Date a Griffin

Nolan stared at him, sapphire eyes dark with arousal and glimmering in confusion. “What is it?”

“So, I’m a griffin. Have you ever been with an Other?”

Nolan shook his head, leaning back against the vanity, a finger still hooked in Reid’s belt loop.

“Okay, well. Others tend to be a bit different. Below the waist.” He formed the words carefully, motioning in that direction with a wave of his hand.

Nolan’s eyes widened, curiosity pooling in the depths. “Is that so?”

Reid nodded, heat rushing to his cheeks the more he met Nolan’s gaze.

“I can tell you’re a little worried,” Nolan began with a slight grin. “And while it’s true I’ve never been with an Other, I don’t care about any of the differences. In fact…” Nolan continued, tugging him closer by his belt loop. Reid’s breath caught. “I’m very interested in these differences.”

“Oh,” Reid said, and swallowed. “Well, that’s… good.”

So much better than good, but honestly, Reid was struggling to find a better word.

“You’re not weirded out?” Reid asked.

Nolan shook his head almost before Reid finished asking the question.

“No. Not by you, not by these,” he said, trailing a hand along Reid’s shoulder, gently fluffing the feathers that grew along the back of his shoulders. His gaze flicked to the mirror over Reid’s shoulder as Nolan brushed his fingers along them.

“Pretty.”

Reid’s breath went weak.

“I’m like, half-and-half,” he explained. “Feathery up top, furry below.”

“Show me?” Nolan asked, leaning forward and pressing their lips together. It was so gentle, so easy, and Reid’s heart actually skipped before doubling pace.

Reid nodded eagerly into the kiss, hands dropping to the button on his pants. He unthreaded the button, shoving them down his hips. Nolan echoed his movements, and they stumbled together in their haste to step out of them, catching themselves against the counter with a laugh.

“You are furry!” Nolan breathed, hand brushing over the front of his thigh, beneath the hem of his boxers. “And you’re still soft,” he observed.

Reid huffed out a breath, the light touch of Nolan’s fingertip ticklish against the soft blond fur.

“I kind of expected paws,” Nolan teased, chuckling as he glanced toward Reid’s totally normal feet. Reid shoved him, a snort slipping out.

“No paws in this form.”

“Can I ask—”

“Yes,” Reid answered, because Nolan wasn’t being judgmental, and he wasn’t weirded out. He didn’t flee at the first sign of Otherness.

“Is each form the same to you? Do you prefer one or the other?”

Reid cocked his head to the side. “It’s kind of like… being naked versus wearing clothes, I guess. Being fully griffin is like being naked. And being totally human, or as human as I get, is more like wearing a comfy pair of pajamas. And when I have my wings out, it’s like only wearing boxers or something.”

Nolan released a sigh. “Good. So you’re comfortable?”

Reid melted a little at that question, released a sigh from the depths of his chest and nodded, swaying toward Nolan, hands falling to the other’s hips and tugging at the waistband of his boxers. “Maybe more so if these were off.”

With a grin, Nolan led him over to the shower, turning the water on before they finished stripping. Utter delight battled with his nerves as the waterfall shower head sprinkled to life.

But it seemed he didn’t have anything to be nervous about anyway, because Nolan tugged him under the spray.

“I’ve always wanted one of these. They look so fancy in movies and shit,” Reid said.