“We can practice,” I say hastily. I glance around, taking in the slack jaws.
Holy shit. There’s four of them.
I have four mates.
“Tell me.” Oscar reaches for me first. I go to him, curling myself into his warmth. “What are you thinking?”
“Um.” I mumble the words into his chest, and he makes a decent effort at hiding his amusement. Almost.
This is a lot of cock.
His arm rubs my back. “You don’t have to do anything you want to. Not ever. Slow and steady, okay?”
They won’t let me push myself too hard. I let myself relax into him. “Okay.”
Kenny
Istareatthepaperworkin disbelief. “You’redischargingme? You kicking me out, Doc?”
Abrams spreads out his hands. “Everything about your stats are completely and utterly normal. I see no reason to keep pulling you in here every week. I think you’ve spent enough time in medical areas to last a lifetime.”
My smile slips. “But what if—,”
“Then you call, and we’ll take a look.” But he reaches for his pad, scribbles on it with his scrawl that I can never quite work out. “Here you go. One last recommendation.”
It’s almost a relief. The idea of being completely untethered makes me feel a little uncertain. I take the white slip of paper when he hands it out, glancing down.
And back at him. “You know, that might be the corniest thing I’ve ever heard. And I havefourmates. They practically define corny.”
But I’m smiling at the word written out in spiky handwriting.
Live.
“Good advice, you’ll find.” He’s watching me. “I am one of the best at what I do, you know. And you’re well overdue for this particular dose, Kenny.”
My throat tightens as I smile at him. “Guess this is goodbye for now then, Doc.”
Abrams leans forward, his words conspiratorial. “Don’t tell anyone. But I’ve never been so relieved to discharge a patient.”
“I’m trying not to be offended by that.”
“You shouldn’t be,” he says quietly. “Not at all.”
Max
“Cardioisgoodforyou,” I say patiently. “You love the forest.”
She grumbles. “Not twenty miles of it.”
Grinning, I pull my bag off my back. “It was nowherenearthat, and you know it. But fine. I’ll carry you the rest of the way home. Theo is walking up to meet us anyway. He can carry the bags.”
“Good.” She flops down on the ground, spreading out her arms as she breathes in deep, full gulps of fresh air. “Although… I forgot how much I love this place. This is nice.”
Her hair spreads out across the ground, and I drop down next to her, sticking my head on my hand to see her face as I run my fingers through it. “It suits you.”
“Being out here?” One eye half-opens as she surveys me lazily. A soft smile curls her mouth. “Not as much as it suits you.”
I strike a pose. “Yeah? I heard forest chic is the new thing.”
