Mordecai laughs, and I find myself staring at him, transfixed.
“I see how it is. He plays music, and he casts some voodoo god spell on you, and he just lets out one of his rare laughs, and you start getting all excited.”
I swipe at Jarek, but he rolls away laughing.
“I want to live in a place like this,” I say suddenly.
Jarek sits up. “Then I will build you a fine house. These two can sit and look pretty.”
Mordecai and Cadel look at each and shrug, content with their assignment.
“I need grass and wildflowers.”
“All the year long,” Jarek says.
“A porch to sit on and look at them.”
“Of course.”
“A huge bed,” Mordecai adds.
Jarek glares at him. “What do you think I am? A heathen? Of course, we need a huge bed.”
I lay on my back in the grass, looking up at the treetops. They lay down as well, one by one, until our heads are together, Cadel’s arm is resting across my stomach, flaring my arousal to life, but we ignore it.
“I want a cat,” Cadel says.
I grin and turn my head towards him.
“A cat?”
“Yeah, I want a cat,” he whispers. “A family.”
I lift my arms, hugging his arm to me. “A family would be nice,” I say with a pang.
One of my hands slides down to where I will never cradle any children.
“We can adopt a little kid who needs a family if you want,” Jarek says. “After.”
The thought blooms into life, a dream I didn’t think I’d have. I can see us raising a family together, living in a home together.
“I like this dream,” I murmur. “But one slight change?”
“Yes?”
“I want a bonding ceremony.”
They go silent, still. I wonder if they hate it.
“We can organize that,” Mordecai says softly.
“Tonight.”
Jarek sits up, twisting to stare down at me. The others have turned towards me.
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
