Camelia nodded, the information settling something inside of her. "Okay," she said. "So we don't have anywhere to be today?" She giggled a little, feeling so, so light for reasons that she couldn't explain. "I can rest?"
"We can do whatever you want today, sweetheart," James said softly. His eyes flashed, and Camelia blushed a little at the low simmer of heat that she saw in them.
"I'm a little sore," she admitted. "A day to recover would be nice."
Evan nodded, holding her a little tighter for a second before he pulled away, returning to the stove. "Sit down. Food is almost ready."
James didn't release Camelia when Evan walked back to the stove, his gaze softening as he cupped her chin. His thumb stroked along her lower lip, and a vague memory tickled at her brain, one that made her heart thump unevenly.
"You..." she breathed. Her stomach clenched at the memory, his cock stretching her and his voice in her ear as her heat hit. "You said you love me. Didn't you?"
A hint of trepidation lit in James' eyes, and he pressed his lips together as he looked down at her. Camelia could see the war inside of him, clear in the tension of his arms where he still had her pressed close.
Maybe bringing it up so soon hadn't been the right move. You didn't have to be a genius to see that James had commitment issues, maybe Camelia was blowing up everything that they had been building...
"Yes," James said, interrupting Camelia's spiraling thoughts. His voice was soft and hesitant, and Camelia could feel Evan's gaze on the two of them from across the room, burning into her.
"Yes," James said again, even softer. "I did."
Camelia swallowed, sliding her hand up his chest to touch his jaw. Her chest was full, her heart thumping unevenly, and this was definitely not the time to be having this conversation. Not when she was barely back to herself, when she could still smell the sweet, heavy scent of her hormones hanging in the air, when some of the things that she remembered herself saying in the midst of her heat were so humiliating and desperate, and God, shewantedthem...
A smile touched James' lips, and he gently thumbed at her lip again before he released her. "Let's eat some breakfast, sweetheart, and then we can talk, okay?" His eyes glimmered a little with mirth as he winked. "I think that you said some things that you need to explain too, hmm?"
Camelia flushed, and James chuckled as he gently turned her around and pushed her towards the table. Evan was setting out plates, and the warmth in his smile as he pulled Camelia's seat out for her made her heart twist all over again.
Thankfully, they sat closely on either side of her, but neither of them asked her any questions. Not that Camelia knew what she was going to say, when they did ask their questions. Because James was right; they needed to talk. She couldn't ignore the feelings that were lingering deep inside of her anymore. This might have started as an arrangement to protect her and to help her control her hormones and heat cycles but now...
Now it was more. So much more. And it terrified Camelia.
Evan's French toast was a wonderful distraction, but short-lived. James and Evan kept glancing at each other as they ate, and Camelia couldn't stop herself from furrowing her brow as she looked between them. There was something different there, too. What had changed between the two of them during her heat?
"Let me," Evan said softly, taking Camelia's plate when she was finished eating. She hadn't managed everything, but he had piled her plate higher than most people would be able to reasonably manage, so she didn't feel too bad about it.
"Thanks," she said softly. She swallowed, and James linked their fingers together as he pulled her to stand.
"Come on. We'll talk in the living room."
James didn't release Camelia's hand as she perched on the edge of the sofa, and it was suddenly like the first time that she had been over there, all over again. Just like after her first heat, she wanted to squirm and stay and flee and hide all at the same time.
This time, though, it was for entirely different reasons.
Evan was quick in cleaning up, and James' thumb stroked soothing circles on the back of her hand as he entered the living room and sat on Camelia's other side. His hand immediately landed on the top of her thigh, his fingers stroking the sensitive inside soothingly, and Camelia had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from moaning and spreading her legs.
Not what we're here for, right now, Camelia.
For a moment, none of them spoke, and the tension was thick. Evan's eyes were intense and solemn when Camelia peeked up at them, but they weren't angry or upset. Nothing that would indicate that he, or either of them, wanted to end their arrangement.
The thought of that...of not having the two of them anymore...it made a lump rise in Camelia's throat, and sheforced herself to swallow hard, her eyes stinging suddenly with tears. "Thank you," she said quietly. She looked over at James, who was looking down at their joined hands with a concentrated look. "For...taking care of me. I know that it can't have been easy."
Evan chuckled. "You're not a burden to us, baby. Caring for you during your heat isn't an obligation. It's a pleasure." He linked the fingers of her free hand with his, lifting their joined hands to brush his lips against the back of her hand. "But that isn't what you wanted to talk about, is it?"
I mean, a little bit. Camelia swallowed, shaking her head as she looked over at James. He was still avoiding her gaze, though he was clutching onto her hand tighter than before. Camelia gently disengaged her hand from his, reaching up and brushing her fingers through his hair before grasping his chin and gently pulling until he met her gaze. "You love me?" she asked softly.
James let out a shaky sigh, closing his eyes briefly before he fixed her with those intense eyes of his. "I do, sweetheart," he said softly. "I love you so fucking much. You're fucking everything."
Camelia's heart squeezed, and her breathing picked up. Her mind, which had been so terrified of everything that might be said during this conversation, was blank, and only the feeling of both men on either side of her gripping her hands firmly kept her grounded.
"I love you too, baby," Evan said softly, his breath warm against her ear. His thumb stroked against the back of her hand, and Camelia let out a tiny whimper as she turned to meet his intense blue gaze. A soft smile touched his lips, and he gently cupped her cheek with his free hand, stroking his thumb over her skin. "You bring out the best in us. It feels like you were always meant to be here. Right here."
