"Stop being a perv for three seconds. I just want to see what you saw that day."
He stepped away from her. "I'm not going to let you into my mind, girl. You might steal my passwords or something."
"I don't want your passwords."
"Uh-huh." The doubtful expression on his face was actually adorable. "That's what they all say, then the next thing you know they're in your bank accounts, stealing money, and using your Facebook account to sporn others and getting you banned for life. No thanks."
"Sporn?"
"Porn spam. Don't get that innocent look like you don't know what I'm talking about. I know all about you and your Amazon buddies.... I've heard the stories. Seen the news and all that. I'm not letting you near my brain such that it is. Last thing I want to do is forget what Ms. February looks like in all her glory. I went to a lot of trouble to memorize that page and I want to keep it."
Sam wanted to be angry at his ridiculous outburst, but he was too funny about it. "Stop being a baby and give me your hand."
He took another step away from her. "No."
"You're serious?"
"Of course I am. I don't want you in my head. Last time a woman read my thoughts, I got bitch-slapped so hard, my ears are still ringing from it. And as a guard bear, I need my hearing intact. Could be fatal to lose it."
"I'm going to bitch-slap you again if you don't stop being a baby."
He growled like a caged grizzly. Impressive sound. But she'd once worn shoes made out of the hides of tougher animals than him and that had been before she'd had her Dark-Hunter powers to back her skills.
"I'm not intimidated."
"You should be. 'Cause that's the only warning I plan to give." Dev really didn't want to do this. He'd never been one to let anyone see inside him. It was intrusive and rude. "I can't stress enough how much I don't want you in my mind."
"What's in there that you're so afraid of sharing?"
"My dirty underwear."
She scoffed as she tried to touch him. "I don't want that. C'mon, Dev."
He shied away again. "C'mon Dev nothing. My thoughts are my own and I don't see you letting me mind meld you."
She kept trying to touch him, but he was really quick and darted just out of her grasp every time. "That's 'cause I have nothing to show you that's important to you. I just want to see what the Daimon looked like. That's the only thing I'll take. I promise."
"Yeah, right. Can you honestly control your powers that well?"
She blushed.
"Ah, see, I knew it. You're going to go digging in there and I'm going to forget how to do origami or something. Or worse, I'll start peeing in corners and burping at inappropriate times."
"Like you don't do that anyway."
"Are you profiling me because I'm a guy or a bear?" His tone was highly offended. "Lady, you don't know me well enough to make that comment and for the record, I have a lot of unbearish habits. I even drink tea in a crappy pink-flowered cup. Have I said how much my sister annoys me?"
She ignored his tirade as she brought him back on task. "It won't hurt."
"Yeah, and the flashy thing is just an eye test."
What in the world was he talking about now? "The what?"
"Flashy thing? Haven't you ever seen Will Smith in Men in Black?"
"Uh...no."
He sighed. "You're so deprived."