Her arms are looped lazily around his neck, and even though her eyes are heavy-lidded, she’s definitely awake.
“Hunter,” she murmurs, “I can walk.”
He doesn’t break stride. Doesn’t even blink. “I know.”
She huffs. “You always do this.”
“Because I want to.”
I grin and lean back against the pillows, stretching my arms behind my head. “Peaches, you should just accept it. He’s going to carry you every chance he gets. Trip over a sock, he’ll have you in a fireman’s hold before you hit the floor.”
Willow shifts her head enough to shoot me a look. It’s half fond, half I will throw something at you.
“Can’t tell if I’m lucky or losing control of my limbs permanently.”
“You’re not losing control,” I say, eyes raking over her slowly as Hunter lowers her into the nest. “You’re being spoiled. We just happen to enjoy doing it.”
She sinks into the blankets, still warm and damp, the towel sliding just enough to expose the top of one shoulder, Hunter’s mark showing faintly where skin meets soft cotton.
And fuck, if that doesn’t do something to me.
I pull the edge of the towel back into place, not because I want to cover her, but because I want to be the one to unwrap her again later.
Graham shifts behind me, brushing past to grab a fresh blanket as Hunter settles beside her, every part of him tuned to her comfort.
Willow lets out a small breath, her fingers curling in the blanket. “You all treat me as if I’m made of glass.”
“Nah,” I say, brushing her damp hair off her cheek. “Glass shatters. You just melt.”
Her lips twitch.
The scent of rosewater, omega, and us teases my senses—a blend that’s slowly filling every corner of her nest. I love it. I can’t wait for the whole house to be infused with Willow.
She doesn’t speak for a long moment. Just lies there, nestled between all three of us, eyes open but distant. Her body’s here, but her thoughts are drifting somewhere else.
I don’t like that. Not when she just gave us so much. I shift closer and nudge her foot under the blanket with mine.
“Hey,” I say softly.
She blinks and looks at me.
“Where’d you go just now?”
Her gaze flicks to the ceiling, then back to me. “Nowhere. Just…tired.”
“Tired’s fair,” I say. “But you’re lying.”
That earns me a look.
I drop the teasing for a beat.
“You gave us a lot today,” I murmur. “Your trust by coming here. That whole bath thing with Hunter that I’m trying really hard not to be jealous of.”
That gets the ghost of a smile out of her. She tucks her chin, attempting to hide it.
I reach over and brush my thumb gently beneath her eye. “You don’t have to say anything, Willow. But if something is bothering you, let it sit here with us, yeah? Don’t carry it alone.”
Her throat works around whatever she isn’t saying.
