Theory opened the balcony door and gestured toward the bathroom, devolving into laughter as he watched me dart in that direction without another word. Once I managed to make my way out of the restroom, I found that Theory had brought everything inside and finished cleaning up after us. He was holding my corset and heels as he patiently waited, leaning against the wall near the restroom. He pushed himself off the wall and was by my side in a matter of seconds. Theory gently held my waist as he guided me down the stairs. While my head had begun to clear some after using the bathroom, I was still glad for his assistance. The last thing I wanted was for him to witness me faceplanting after missing a step.

“Do you want to put your heels back on before we leave the bar?” Theory asked as we reached the bottom floor.

“That’s probably not the best idea. Plus, I prefer being barefoot, and the hallways' carpet is so fluffy. I can hold my stuff, though. Thanks for grabbing everything and cleaning up!” I went to reach for my things, but Theory twisted out of reach.

“Ah, ah, ah. I’ve got it. And you organized everything, so I didn’t have much to do.” Instead of handing over my things, Theory moved them outside of my reach. He had my heel straps and my corset’s ribbon hooked on the fingers of his left hand, allowing him to lift them with ease high above our heads. His handsome face, smirking down at me, felt like a challenge. Liquid courage seemed to bolster my confidence, as I honestly believed I could snatch them from him. After a few attempts at standing on my tiptoes and small hops, I gave up.

“That’s not fair, you’re a freaking giant… Ugh, fine. You can carry them.” I pouted half-heartedly. Theory’s smile only grew, which was both annoying and enchanting. In protest, I rushed out into the hall first. After a few strides, I paused and looked around. I didn’t know where to go; I honestly hadn’t paid too much attention when Theory led us here. Navigating buildings and streets was never my strong suit, even when sober. I was the type to use my phone's map to get anywhere that wasn’t part of my daily routine. The only exception to this was my hometown.

“Lost already, sweetheart?” Theory chuckled from behind me.

“Who said I was lost?” I tossed back at him with false bravado. 

“Me. The way back is that way.” His retort and his amused smirk left me burning with embarrassment. As soon as I’d left the bar, I’d begun walking in the wrong direction down the hallway.

“… Shit,” I mumbled, avoiding eye contact as I turned around.

“You’re blushing.” He leaned in close, his eyes roaming my flushed face.

“Just shut up and lead the way!” I grumbled, covering my face with one hand and lightly turning his smiling face away from mine with the other. This man’s presence both comforted and unsettled me all at once. It felt like I couldn’t avoid making a fool out of myself in front of him. To make matters worse, he was all too aware of every little thing I did. It was like I was a silly little girl who was being closely observed and toyed with by the Cheshire Cat.

I trailed a few steps behind Theory, admiring his physique. It seemed that I was now in my tipsy and frisky stage. My eyes trailed down from his dark curls, his broad, muscular shoulders, his back, firm yet round ass, all the way to his thick thighs. His royal blue suit snuggly hugged his body with each stride he took. He was truly a work of art. My eyes lingered on his thighs and butt as I wondered what activities he participated in to shape them so perfectly. Caught up in an internal debate where I had trouble deciding whether he’d played football or baseball, I had hardly noticed that we had stopped walking.

“Like what you see?” Theory’s voice pulled me from my musings. My eyes snapped up to meet the amused gaze that he’d cast back at me. Yet again, I was trapped in his Cheshire smile.

“You ever play sports?” Flustered, I began to ramble. “Like baseball or football? I was just wondering how you… Your body… How it came to be…”

“Is that so?” He paused for a few excruciating moments, savoring my embarrassment, before continuing, “I dabbled in a few sports up until I graduated high school, namely football, baseball, and a little basketball. The coaches wouldn’t stop pestering me to join because of my height and build. I guess it’s also a shifter thing.”

“Makes sense. Thank you, genetics!” I whistled. The alcohol had loosened my tongue and was inhibiting the amount of shame I felt. At most, I felt a fleeting sense of shame before brushing it off entirely. 

Theory laughed in earnest before asking, “Which room are you in? I’ll walk you there.”

“Um…” I paused, trying my hardest to remember. A guilty grin pulled at my lips. “I actually… Don’t know.”

“Okay… Maybe you can call your parents, and they’ll tell you the floor and room number?” Theory offered while he sported a look that suggested he was wondering how I managed to do anything on my own.

“The thing is… This dress doesn’t have pockets. I didn’t want to carry around a purse, and I didn’t plan to leave the ball without my parents… So…” I trailed off, shrugging my shoulders and lifting my hands palm up. Theory stared at me blankly for a moment before pinching the bridge of his nose and huffing a laugh.

“You never cease to amaze me, sweetheart.” He glanced around the empty foyer leading to the guest rooms before checking the time on his phone. It was almost dawn. “Alright then, you can crash in my room if you want to. I’ll sleep on the couch.” 

“Oooh, a sleepover!” I whispered giddily as I followed him. His curls swayed as he silently shook his head. I knew I should feel ashamed of my lack of preparation and navigation skills, but I was more excited about spending more time with Theory. He guided me up a few sets of steps, supporting me with his free hand, and then down a long hallway lined with doors on each side. He paused before one of them, opening it and holding the door for me.

“Here we are. The layout might be a little different from yours, so I’ll show you around first.” Theory flipped on the lights and placed my shoes near the door. He gave me a quick tour of the room. The layout was slightly different from mine, and the décor was darker and more masculine. His room also had a sitting area equipped with a couch. Theory offered to let me use the bathroom to get ready for bed first.

“Do you have a t-shirt I can borrow? I don’t think I can sleep in this dress. Pretty please, I promise I’ll give it back!” I sweetly pleaded.

“You don’t need to beg. Come here,” Theory beckoned me into the closet after him and started shifting through his shirts before lifting what I would call an oversized t-shirt. He held it in front of me, tilting his head and nodding his approval. “That should work. You’re so small.”

“Thanks.” I gingerly took the shirt he offered. “I’m definitely not, but it’s nice that you think so. Can you loosen the back of my dress again?”

“What do you mean you’re not? You’re so short, and I lifted you before like it was nothing.” Theory turned me around and undid the ribbon more efficiently this time.

“Are most werebear ladies like muscle mommy Maxine? If so, then it’s no wonder you’d think that way. I’ll go wash up real quick.” I shook my head as I made my way to the bathroom, faintly smiling. I’d always been fairly tall for a girl, and I wasn’t ever considered particularly skinny either. I guessed that, compared to him, most things and people would seem small. 

“Muscle mommy Maxine? How do you come up with this stuff?” Theory’s rumbling laughter drifted after me.

I stripped down, removed my jewelry, twisted my hair into a messy bun, and took a quick shower, taking care to wash off all my makeup. Theory’s body wash smelled good, but it wasn’t the rainy scent I’d grown accustomed to in the past few hours. I wondered whether he used a different body wash on trips, or if what I’d smelled was his cologne. Since I didn’t have a toothbrush, I gargled mouthwash. I opted out of wearing my bra because I couldn’t stand to be restricted when I slept, but I begrudgingly decided to wear my panties from that day, rather than going full commando beneath Theory’s T-shirt. Studying my reflection in the mirror, I twirled. 

As I spun slowly, with my arms raised, the hem of his shirt brushed my upper thighs, showcasing the two thick black tattoo bands encircling my right thigh. It even still covered my ass as well. Satisfied, I studied my hair and face. A few curls framing my face and neck had escaped my messy bun during the shower, getting wet in the process. The wet strands coiled prettily, so I decided to leave them be. I neatly tucked my belongings in a corner before exiting the bathroom.

“It’s all yours. Sorry if it took a while.” I called out, scanning the room to find Theory lounging on the couch. 

He’d taken off his suit jacket, vest, and tie. The cuffs of his sleeves were undone and loosely rolled, while he’d unbuttoned the first few buttons of his dress shirt. The shower had sobered me up quite a bit, but I still couldn’t help but admire his forearms and the bit of exposed chest I could see. He’d been scrolling through his phone with a change of clothes draped over one of his legs. It took him a few moments to look up after I spoke. When he did, he froze.

“What? Do I look that different without makeup?” I joked, crossing the room to where he sat. Theory’s eyes followed my every move, his eyes dancing between my face, hair, legs, his shirt, and back again. He still hadn’t replied by the time I plopped down on the couch next to him. I found my eyes roaming over him as well, but I felt compelled to break the silence. “… You’re staring.”

“So are you.” He countered, his intense gaze flicking to meet mine, and that Cheshire Cat smile blossoming across his face. I swallowed hard, pressing my legs together as a pleasant shiver danced down my spine and left my hair standing on end. A soft gasp escaped me as I involuntarily trembled at the sensation. Still smiling, Theory eagerly observed my reaction before draping his jacket over me. “Here, you look cold. I’ll be out in a bit. Feel free to go ahead and lie down in the bed and warm up if you’d like.”

He collected his things and quickly strode into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. What I’d felt before hadn’t been a chill, but now that he had gone, I did feel a bit cold. I brought my knees to my chest and snuggled beneath his large suit jacket. As I heard the shower spring to life, I buried my face in the royal blue fabric and inhaled deeply. My senses were filled with Theory’s stormy scent. I needed to remember to ask him what product it was because I wanted to bottle up that smell and take it with me everywhere. The stormy scent, combined with the trickling sounds of water from the shower, lulled me to sleep unexpectedly.

…

I stirred as I was lifted into a warm embrace. I barely managed to lift my head to peek up at whoever was carrying me. Making out Theory’s chiseled profile between heavy blinks, a small smile graced my face. I nuzzled into his warm embrace, only to feel him lower me into a cold bed. Still half-asleep, I whined as I felt his warmth moving away after he’d tucked me in.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He whispered, his warm hand stroking my cheek. I nuzzled into his hand before weakly clinging to it. 

“I’m cold… Please stay…” I whimpered breathily.

“Hah, I was right about you being needy. Give me a minute, okay? I need to put my pillow and blanket back on the bed.” Theory gently freed himself from my grasp, softly chuckling to himself as I whined again. I heard the rustling of fabric and the soft flick of the light switch as the space beyond my closed eyelids darkened. The bed creaked under his large frame as he settled next to me, lying on his back. As I shuffled to his side, he lifted his arm and pulled me into him. I rested my head on his clothed chest, draping my arm and leg over his body to monopolize the soothing warmth that radiated from him.