“Because it was fucking scary, baby,” he admits. “You just dropped like a rock. Then you felt like shit for hours. What if you're sick, and your magic made it worse?”
Shit.I’m being selfish.He’s right; we need answers even if it means going back to the compound.
“We don't want to leave your safety up to chance,” I toss in before she can argue.
Sheena glances up at Gideon, her cheeks bright red. “What would you tell your parents about... us?”
It’s a smart but loaded question, hurdling this conversation straight into define-the-relationship territory with no warning. Sheena seems like she wants to disappear into the couch, whileGideon... Gods, Gideon looks like he just attended his coronation as king of the fucking world.
“I would tell my parents that you're ours,” he blurts. “Mine and Cal’s.”
His declaration is met with complete silence. In fact, the only thing I can hear is the roaring in my own head. I’m not sure who is more surprised—Sheena or me. We both stare at him like a zoo animal that’s escaped its enclosure, then look everywhere except at each other.
“I want to tell them about the mate stuff too, but I get it if you're not ready for all that,” Gideon says.
I can’t believe he’s still including me. He and I have talked about sharing her, but not on this level. And telling our parents would be a huge step. After being with Gideon, I have no idea if Sheena is even still interested in me. The knot is back in my gut, but this time it’s twice as large.Damn his big mouth.
“What's wrong?” Gideon demands, looking back and forth between the two of us. When we don’t respond quickly enough for him, he fills the silence himself. “You're both horny for each other.”
Sheena shoots him a scandalized look, but his stubborn streak has been activated. There’s no stopping him now. “Why are you both acting shy and shit? Callum charged down the mountain after you in the middle of a rainstorm. He wants you, Sheena.”
“Gods, I can speak for myself?—”
“It was a light rain?—”
Sheena and I talk over the top of each other, then cut off abruptly. Tension ripples between us in waves. Gideon drums his fingers on his knee, looking unnecessarily pleased with himself.
“You know, everyone says I'm bad with words, but you two are the ones that can’t even admit you want each other.”
He stares me down. Sheena is clearly at a loss, her mouth opening and closing like a malfunctioning garage door. Meeting Gideon’s eyes, I widen my own and look pointedly between the two of them. He has the audacity to laugh.
“You think because Sheena and I took things to the next level and talked about being mates that you're out now? It wasn’t a race, dude.” He looks at me like I'm some kind of idiot. It’s infuriating enough to get me past the awkwardness.
“Obviously,” I snap. “But I don't want to insert myself into your mystical universe bond and get in the way.” I toss my hands up, annoyed that he's pushing this, and also feeling incredibly vulnerable that Sheena still hasn’t said anything.
Gideon levels me with a flat-eyed stare.
“First, you couldn’t get in the way. Second, I don't think Sheena would mind youinsertingyourself.” He bumps her with his shoulder to punctuate the innuendo, but she just squirms further into the couch.
“You're making her uncomfortable,” I scold him, but Gideon just waves me off.
“Callum, do you want to be with Sheena?”
I have no way to dodge, not with her staring straight at me now. The vivid green of her eyes pins me in place.
“Fuck, of course I do,” I shout, glaring at my former best friend.
Now that he’s gotten the reaction he was looking for, Gideon ignores me, turning his focus on Sheena.
“Baby, do you want to be with Callum?”
The silence stretches so far I can feel the air thin around us. I die a million painful deaths waiting for Sheena to speak. Abruptly, she throws Gideon’s arm off her shoulder and stands to face us.
“Yes, dammit, I want you both,” Sheena admits, blushing bright red. “Now that we've settled that in the most awkward way possible, can we eat the lasagna? I'm starving.”
She shuffles into the kitchen without waiting for a response, grumbling under her breath about Gideon's lack of tact.
I heave in some much needed oxygen, throwing my head back in relief while Gideon chuckles. Sheena may be embarrassed, but now I’m incredibly grateful my friend kept pushing. When we stand to follow her, I grab his arm to stop him and clear my throat. “Thanks... for saving room for me,” I sputter and look at my feet. “You’ve never had to, but you always have.”
