“You. The way you look at me. How you always know when to tease a smile out of me or when to be serious and just hold me. Your steadfast dedication to laughter even when life is bleak. You shine, Keltyr. You shine so brightly that nothing terrible can exist in your presence. I've become addicted to your light. Dependent on it. I don't ever want to be without it.”
With a quick movement I couldn't track, Kel spun about and knocked me onto my back. Grinning, he wriggled between my legs and nestled his erection against my ass. “And I fuck good too, don't I?”
I laughed as I pulled him down into a kiss. In between kisses, I said, “Yes, you do.”
Sure, I was starving, but my stomach could wait. Other hungers needed satisfying first. Because my brilliant lover fucked good.
Chapter Forty-Six
Kel and I met Rath and Xae in the dining hall for breakfast. Then we took Kel to our special beach where we laid out in the sun, swam in the warm water, and ate the lunch we had brought with us. It was a lovely, lazy day—no sex involved, though there was some kissing. We were trying to get comfortable with each other. Because that night would be our first time as a quadruple. Or whatever you call a relationship of four.
We stayed at the beach until the sun set, and it was the most beautiful sunset I'd ever seen. Maybe it was because I was seated between Kel's legs with Rath and Xae to either side of us. But I think that only enhanced it. It didn't change the glorious pink and orange that painted the sky. But then again, maybe it did. The way you viewed something changed it, at least in your mind. And I was viewing things a lot better now that I had Kel.
At last, it was time to return to the citadel.
After fading into the arrival chamber, the four of us went into the dining hall. Xae took the dirty dishes from our lunch to the kitchen while Rath, Kel, and I headed to the buffet. We could have used a shower. We had sand and salt all over us. But we were too hungry for that. So we tracked sand across the floor on our way to the buffet, our cheeks rosy from the soaked up sunshine and joy. At least on my part.
Not that my men were unhappy. Just nervous. All three of them. None of us were sure what would happen with Kel. We hoped he would be brought into our bond, but nothing was certain with my magic. I was the only one who wasn't worried. Kel was mine now. Everything else could be worked out.
We were halfway down the buffet when Xae came out of the kitchen. So he was still filling his plate when Rath, Kel, and I joined Nex and a few other Lords at our usual table.
“Well, look at you,” Nex said. “The Super Sex Team is growing.” He waggled his brows. “In so many ways.”
“You got that right,” Keltyr said. “Tonight, I get inducted fully, as it were.”
“Inducted?” Nex's eyes widened. “Do tell.”
I cleared my throat and lowered my voice to say, “We have to be together, all of us, to complete the bond. At least, that's what we're assuming. We'll find out for certain tonight.”
“All of you?” Nex swirled his finger at us. “Are a couple of you going to pull a switch?”
I frowned, not comprehending at first.
But Keltyr chortled. “Not happening. We're all going to fuck Ember in the same bed. Sort of at the same time. But we're not doing each other.”
“Sort of at the same time?”
“Well, he only has so many holes. I suppose he could give one of us a hand-job—”
“Keltyr!” Rath snapped.
“Oh, come on. It's only Nex. He's like your best friend, isn't he?”
“He is a good friend to all of us,” Xae answered before Rath could, then sat down next to Nex, across from me. “But you are speaking of something private.”
Keltyr went serious. “I get that. But this isn't going to be just us for long. As someone who had to decide whether to pursue Ember or not, I know that I wondered about how it would be. I think the other Lords need to know what they're getting into.”
Finn, one of the Lords at the table with us, leaned toward us and said, “Sorry to eavesdrop, but I agree. I've thought about . . . how shall I put this? Joining your team. But I don't know what to expect. And not just the intimate stuff. Are you four going to live together now? In the same suite?”
“I think we're going to see how we feel,” I said. “After tonight, Keltyr should be a part of our bond. Then he may want to stay with us. In which case, he'll be welcome to. Right?” I looked at Xae and Rath. After they nodded, I turned back to Finn. “But if Kel would rather keep his bedroom, maybe I could spend some nights with him and others with Xae and Rath. We'll figure it out as we go. And it doesn't have to be the same with every man.”
Finn nodded. “It's nice to have options. I don't know if I'd want to share a room with four other men. I like my alone time.”
“It's a suite,” Rath said. “You wouldn't feel cramped.”
A snort came from behind me, and I turned, frowning, to look at whoever had made it.
It was Jath. Of course, it was Jath.
