Warm water surrounded me, lapping gently at my tender skin. I leaned my head back with a sigh and realized I was resting against Ben.
“You back with us, gorgeous?” he asked, massaging his hands down my arms.
“Mmm,” I responded, too tired to form words.
Ben shook with laughter and purred, the vibrations soothing me. I shifted so my side was against his chest, wanting to see him better. His dark curls were damp from the bath and when he smiled, it lit up my body. It was almost enough to make me want to initiate something if I hadn’t been so sore. He ran his thumb across my lips, swollen from so many kisses.
“You’re so incredible, precious. So sexy and beautiful and mine,” he murmured.
I snuggled into his chest, trailing my hands down his skin. His body had softened the past couple of months as he’d cut back on his workouts, instead spending his mornings with me and his days in the kitchen doing the things that made him happy. And he was just as damn sexy as before.
“How long was my heat?” I asked. The heat fog hadn’t been scary like I’d thought. Memories of my heat were wrapped in a lust-induced haze, but they were still there.
“Five days.”
“What?” I choked out, pushing myself off his chest. His arms tightened around me, and he tugged me back down so I was flush with his skin again.
“Shh, you’re okay. Theo made me promise to keep you calm. Something about regulating hormones. Or maybe it was something else. I wasn’t paying attention.”
I snorted, but his ridiculousness helped me relax. I’d never heard of a heat lasting over four days—two or three was more common. Angie had warned me mine would probably be on the long side after my years of suppressant use, but I hadn’t been expecting that. It freaked me out that so many days had passed without my awareness, but my alphas had been with me the whole time—protecting, feeding, and pleasuring me. My cheeks flushed as I remembered last night’s bondage scene. I guessed that’s what broke my heat.
I looked around, not seeing my other alphas.
As if he knew I was about to ask, Ben said, “Theo’s getting you some snacks and Cam is passed out in the nest. You completely exhausted us, precious.”
I grinned, feeling a bit proud of that.
“Thanks for being here with me,” I murmured, kissing Ben’s chest. My eyelids felt heavy again.
“Nowhere else I’d want to be,” he responded, brushing his thumb over my bond mark as he held me tight, sending all his love down the bond.
ChapterSeventy-One
Josie
Lil O’s music played quietly in the car. I knew my alphas were trying to appease me, but even my favorite music couldn’t ease my grumpiness. This morning they’d told me they had a present for me, but they refused to tell me what it was, saying it was a surprise.
Cam and Ben had pressed me between them in the backseat. My hormones were still all over the place after my heat, and I needed their touch. We’d only gotten back to town yesterday, and I felt physically sore and emotionally raw. I’d loved every moment of my heat, and my guys were taking such good care of me, but they should know better than to tease me with a gift right now. I was even irritated at Theo for being up front driving instead of sitting back here snuggling with me.
My omega was being greedy, but I’d finally come to terms with the fact that maybe that was okay. I was getting more comfortable with her existence… she was a part of me, a part that I thought I could love. She carried with her a confidence that allowed her to be demanding and needy and whatever else she wanted to be.
“Patience is not my strong suit,” I grumbled.
Theo snorted. “I think we got that message loud and clear when we tried edging you and you threatened to castrate us.”
I sniffed. “Yeah, well, I want what I want.”
Cam grinned, kissing me on the temple. “This will be worth the wait.”
I glanced over at Ben, who was staring out the window, his leg shaking. He was trying to shield his emotions from the bond, but I kept getting little bursts of anxiety. I grasped his hand in mine and squeezed.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
He met my gaze with a forced smile. “Nothing.”
Unease worked its way into my chest. He was hiding something.
Cam wrapped his arm around me, giving me a reassuring squeeze. The only thing stopping me from freaking out at Ben’s anxiety was how calm Theo and Cam were.
