“Look, I’m appreciative of everythin’ that you and Alder have done to keep me and my family safe, but if you think for one second that you can snap at me like that, you’ve mistaken who I am,” I say evenly.
His eyes flare, his mouth pressin’ into a thin line, but I face him, lettin’ both the steam and my emotions billow between us.
“We ain’t some bickerin’ couple. You don’t get to fast forward this relationship, whatever this damn thing is between us. If you don’t want me, then just stop with the mixed signals, because I can’t take it,” I say, eyes burnin’. “But if you meant that mate thing, then don’t dothis. Don’t snap at me like that when all I’m tryin’ to do is makeyoufeel better. We sure as hell ain’t goin’ straight to fightin’ and arguin’, without havin’ visited the good things first, like sex, and intimacy, and cuddlin’, and, and…”
I struggle to think of other fun things that couples do, but I come up blank. Damn, I should’ve stewed longer. I come up with the best arguments when I can stew in the shower for an adequate amount of time.
“Whatever. You know what I mean,” I tell him dismissively with a wave of my hand. “Point is, don’t snap at me because you’re tryin’ to stay emotionally and physically distant. Don’t take your anger out on me because you were worried about me. I’mfine, so you can just stop pitchin’ a hissy fit, and I don’t know, maybe appreciate the damn fact that I’m standin’ here naked!” I finish angrily. “And I swear to all that is holy, if you tell me I’m havin’ anitchand tuck me in bed, I will castrate you in your sleep.”
Flint’s eyes narrow slightly, and my chest heaves in aroused anger, because dammit, I can’t help bein’ affected by him, and it pisses me off that he can. But then, in the next breath, I’m up and over his shoulder and he’s carryin’ me drippin’ wet out of the bathroom.
“Really?” I squeal, my hands slappin’ against his bare back. “You went full caveman, just like that, when I’m tryin’ to talk? I’m not even the one who said mate first! You did!Twice. If you didn’t want me to ask about it, you shouldn’t have called me your mate in front of everyone, but you did, so we are gonna talk about it, dammit!” I scold as he carries my naked ass into the room.
For some reason, I picture him puttin’ me in the stocks so he can keep me pinned in place while dodgin’ even more uncomfortable questions while starin’ at my ass. I wonder whether this place would have some stocks just lyin’ around, but it looks medieval enough, so I don’t rule it out.
I’m flipped over Flint’s shoulder, and I squeal in surprise as I bounce on a very comfortable mattress. Guess I called the whole stocks thing wrong.
“What are you doin’?” I ask, sittin’ up on my elbows to glare at Flint where he stands at the foot of the bed. I don’t cover my nakedness, because I want him to look. I want him tobreak. I want to get through the hard walls of this marbled male and get to the center of what we have between us, because I can’t bear to be rejected again.
Breathin’ hard, Flint leans down, fists against the footboard as his face inches closer. Wet and shirtless, water drips from his black hair down the planes of his chest, slippin’ down the crevices of his musculature until finally soakin’ into the waistband of his jeans.
When he makes a low noise in his throat, my eyes flick back up to his face. “What am I doing?” he repeats in a low growl. “I’m making sure we do the fun stuff like sex, and intimacy, and cuddling, and shit,” he announces, and then those strong hands of his go down to the button of his pants.
I gulp, my eyes widenin’ at the implications of what he just said. “Oh. Well...okay then,” I answer breathlessly, but I can’t take my eyes off his hands as he pushes the pants off his hips in one fluid movement.
I’m gettin’ water all over the bed, which I should feel bad about, but all I can focus on is Flint’s naked body as he stands there proudly, cock as stiff as a rod.
Hot damn.
It’s one thing to hear him call me his mate, and it’s another to see the physical evidence that he’s not as unfazed by me as I thought he was. I send a silent thank you to the Heavens and then to Hell, just in case, as Flint prowls onto the bed and crawls up my body.
His cool skin caresses my chest, and his pecs skim my peaked breasts as he closes the distance between us. I try not to hyperventilate as I spread my legs and welcome him between my thighs. He supports his weight on thick, corded arms and stops when his lips are just an inch from mine, his face hoverin’ so close, and yet not close enough.
“Medley,” he says, my name spoken with reverence as hot breath curves over my face, his expression filled with contrition and hunger.
“Yeah?” I squeak.
“I do want you. I’ve never wanted anything more. You are my mate. You’re Alder’s mate. You’reours,” he says, every single word spoken with a tone that has zero room for argument.
My breath hitches in my throat like a horse to a post.
His eyes flick between mine. “I’m sorry that we didn’t make that clear with you from the start, but we didn’t want to scare you off. You were raised human. We didn’t know how to do this, and we didn’t want to rush you. But you were ours as soon as you walked into the bar. We ain’t gonna let you go. Ever,” he tells me, and my chest constricts with the weight of his words, because damn. I’ve been confused and worried, and he just laid it all out as bare as our bodies are.
“You good with that?” he asks me quietly, his now molten gaze reachin’ into my soul and warmin’ me completely.
“Yeah,” I answer simply, but I’m suddenly nervous. I’m unable to deny that the two of them are the pieces I need to make my picture right, but what does this mean? What’s gonna happen?
I’ve never even kissed them. I’ve fantasized about itsomany times, but it’s never happened. And now, I’m just all on board with this whole mate thing like Delta is? Am I right to follow my instincts? Or am I bein’ naive?
I think back to my conversation with Delta, and what she said when I asked about the wholefour hot loversthing and how it happened. She’d said it was natural, that it just felt right, and that she’s never regretted it a day since. And that’s what this feels like. Society and what’s “normal” is makin’ me pause, but not them. Not the naturalness I feel every time I’m with them.
Flint watches me like he can see the debate in my gray eyes—at least, I hope they’re still gray. I didn’t check.
I reach up and cup his cheek, banishin’ the doubt and worry from my expression. “Yes,” I answer again, more sure this time as I run my thumb over his bottom lip. “I don’t know exactly what bein’ a mate means, but I’ve been stuck in a whirlpool as soon as I met you two, and this feels right. I probably should doubt it more, but I don’t want to.”
“You never have to doubt us.”
With his declaration, his mouth descends, lips hard against mine. I lie back and take him with me as he devours any concern or questions I have, replacin’ them with reassurance and conviction andfinallycrossin’ that line.
