They hold me until I’m worn out, wrung out, and no longer feel like I’ll burst at the seams.
I doze afterward in the heat of their bodies.
Chapter 29
Hestia
The smell of food tickles my nose, sneaking in under the sweet scents of my mates.
It rouses me enough that I sit up in Magnus’s lap, rubbing my eyes and looking around for the source.
“How do you feel?” Orion asks, cupping my face.
“I’m fine,” I say, voice scratchy and my throat sore.
I clear my throat, and Henri is already handing me a glass of water. I gulp it down, some of it spilling on my chest.
I sigh and stretch my legs out toward the fire, which now has a cast-iron cauldron hanging over it.
“What are we eating?” I ask.
“It’s beef stew. I used our dried meat and some canned vegetables from the pantry. The meat should be soft enough if we let it boil a little longer,” Henri says. “It won’t be as good as our usual dinners, but it should be decent and filling.”
“I’m sure it’ll be great,” I say, already salivating.
“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Orion asks again.
I smile and nod, and he rubs the top of my head.
My freakout about Cato rejecting me seems so far away, like it happened to someone else. I’m totally fine now. Amazing even.
“You don’t need to keep watching over me. You can go shower if you want,” I say.
After a little more prodding, they finally accept that I’m all better, and Charm and Orion leave to clean up.
As they go, I catch sight of Cato leaning against the wall. His hair is damp, and he’s wearing different pants, so he must have bathed while I was out.
He’s sitting as far away as possible, but watches me through half-lidded eyes.
If Cato wants to avoid me, that’s his prerogative. Maybe he realized his teasing was getting too real so he backed off.
That works for me. We shouldn’t cross that line while they’re my bosses.
I’ve found my resolve again. I’ll stay focused on the job until it’s safe to confess my feelings.
I settle back against Magnus, using him as a recliner while I watch Henri stir the stew.
My stomach growls as Henri scoops me a second bowl.
I waited (impatiently) to ensure there was enough left after my giant teammates got their portions before going for seconds. Henri gave me a large bowlful to start with, but it went fast.
Thankfully there’s still plenty left in the cauldron. The canned carrots and potatoes turned out delicious, especially if you avoid wondering how old they are.
The only thing missing is fresh, crusty bread, but obviously I’m not going to complain about that.
I eat through my second serving just as fast, but this one fills me up.
I flop against Magnus after I scrape the bowl clean, letting it dangle from my hand. Henri quickly takes it and sets it aside.
