“Because Telok likes me.” Cole tossed the fish in his mouth and chewed as he grinned at her.
“Ouch,” Callie said with a wince.
Lacey glared at Cole. “Asshole.”
No one knew why Telok and Lacey were so at odds with one another. The black and green vrix had been protective of Lacey as they’d trekked through the jungle in their mad dash to escape Zurvashi, but once they’d reached the safety of Kaldarak and put down roots, Telok had withdrawn from her. While he was amicable with the others, he was impatient and surly with Lacey. It was as though he’d built a wall around himself and had given everyone but Lacey a key to the gate.
And Lacey was taking it pretty hard. She tried to hide her hurt with cross words or by laughing it off, but Callie saw through her bluff. Telok’s behavior cut her pretty deep.
As Lacey stewed and worked, Callie gathered a small handful of eldernuts and slipped one past her lips. The taste reminded her of a walnut. It was strange how so much of this world was alien and different, yet such similarities were everywhere.
Cole glanced around. “Where’s Diego?”
Will’s lips stretched into a wide, shy smile as he rubbed the back of his head. “He’s sleeping. We, uh, got in a pretty good morning workout.”
“Just say it!” Cole said with a laugh. “You guys fucked.”
Pressing her lips together, Callie smacked the bare part of his thigh.
Cole flinched and covered the spot she’d hit. “Ow!”
“Leave him alone,” she said.
“I’m just joking. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“You don’t have to be so crass.”
“Yeah,” Lacey chimed in. “Maybe they made love. You know, all romantic like.”
“I’m right here,” Will said.
Cole chuckled. “So which was it then, Will? Rough and sweaty, or slow and sensual with all the pretty words and shit like that?”
“How about,” Diego said as he stepped out of his nearby den, letting the curtain fall behind him, “it’s none of your damn business.”
He made his way toward them, his dark brown eyes on Will. When he sat down next to him, he cupped a hand behind Will’s head and pulled him into a deep kiss. Will’s eyes widened before drifting shut as he kissed his partner back.
“Ow ow!” Lacey hooted as Callie grinned.
Diego broke the kiss, wrapped an arm around Will’s shoulders, keeping the man close, and plucked up a riverberry. He grinned at Cole as he held the riverberry to Will’s lips. “It was both.”
“Damn. I’m jealous,” Callie said.
Lacey propped her elbow on her knee and rested her chin on her hand. “Right?”
“Hey!” Cole flung his arms out wide. “I’m right here.”
“We know,” said both Callie and Lacey at once.
Cole huffed and proceeded to eat.
Diego looked at Will, who smiled and pecked a kiss on Diego’s lips before wrapping an arm around his back.
Seeing this intimacy, this closeness, this…love, made Callie all the more aware of what she was missing. Of course she had the companionship of her friends, but that wasn’t the same.Ahmya and Ivy were doted upon by their vrix mates, and Will and Diego lived happy, carefree lives here without judgement. They were thriving, flourishing.
What Callie wouldn’t have given to have someone to look at her with the same adoration that shone in Diego’s eyes when he looked at Will. To have someone to sweep her off her feet and kiss her hard enough to steal her breath, to have someone to hold her close through the night.
To make love to her.
