“You like magic, don’t you?” Donnell asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“You’re casting quite a few spells right now. You must’ve done well in school.”

After glancing down, Josh chuckled. “I swear sometimes I’m not even conscious of what I’m doing. But school wasn’t my favorite thing.”

“Any particular reason?”

“Not important. We need to discuss my questions.”

There was a line between Josh’s brows that kept Donnell from pressing the subject. It was too soon to prod him on a topic, and if Josh wanted to work through issues, Donnell was happy to help.

“Okay. Let’s talk. Is this about being a warlock or our matebond?”

“I can’t believe we have an our anything. I like it.”

Enchanted, Donnell smiled at him. “Me too. Now, answer my question.”

“I guess it’s related to the matebond thing. Specifically, to you being a bear.”

“I know we were in a room full of people earlier, but I meant what I said. I’d like to create trust between us, and once it’s there, I have no intention of breaking it. From the time I learned what it was to have a mate, I yearned for one. I’ve had casual sex, and it can be fantastic, but being in a happy matebond is infinitely more enticing to me.”

“Kinda pisses me off that I’m getting a visual of you fucking some stranger,” Josh remarked.

“Then stop thinking about it.”

“Yeah, good idea,” Josh said with a shake of his head. Whether Josh was aware of it or not, his plethora of spheres, rings of shifting colors, and other minor spells reappeared. “I need to know other stuff about bears.”

“Okay. Are you unfamiliar with shifters?”

“I don’t always have my face in a book or anything, but I’ve learned a few tidbits. I haven’t studied bears specifically, though, and I need to get my head on straight. Let’s start with the one that probably would have the biggest impact on the future. Do you hibernate?”

Donnell chuckled. “No, I don’t hibernate.”

“You don’t have to sound so outraged. Wild bears do.”

“Yes, but I also have a human side.”

“Is honey your favorite thing ever?”

“Yes, because life is a cartoon,” Donnell drawled. At Josh’s unamused glare, Donnell grinned. “I like honey.”

“See, I knew it. I was waiting for it to show up on the table today but thought maybe you guys considered it too much of a delicacy to put out for sharing.”

“No, we only put honey on appropriate things.”

“Have you ever gotten freaky with honey?” Josh asked.

“I’ve put it on a grape before.”

“Is that a metaphor for some dude with small balls?”

“I will not sit here and discuss my past experiences with you,” Donnell told him. “That’s not the kind of thing anyone should tell their mate.”

“So, no freaky honey sex.”

“Not yet.”

Josh grinned. “Oh, I’m totally down for honey sex if you want.”

“We’ll save it for a special occasion.”

“Have you ever forgotten you weren’t in bear form while you were near a river and caught a salmon in your teeth?” Josh asked.

“Surprisingly enough, that’s never happened. Let me ask you a thing or two.”

“Sure, but have you ever rubbed your butt on a tree in human or bear form?”

“Not that I recall. Have you peed your pants because you were too lazy to get up and knew you could use magic to make it disappear?” Donnell inquired.

“Let me master my element so I don’t have to get up to take a piss,” Josh groused, but he was laughing. “Allow me to paint you a picture. You’re out and about. Suddenly, you’re hungry. You happen to be walking past a residential situation. Do you go rummage through some trash cans to find a snack?”

“I assume I’m shifted?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. You tell me,” Josh demanded.