He was halfway down the stairs, watching his step.“Yeah.Yes.I’ll do that.But we wanted to go hike today, didn’t we?Fuck, did I really just say that?I didn’t mean it.Just a walk, okay?”
I went down after him.“It’s the best way to break in new hiking boots.”
Back outside the alcove, Marcus looked from his bag to me.“Uh…”
I brushed past him, running a hand over his back.“You get changed, Little Red.I’ll wait for you downstairs.Take your time and…make yourself at home.”
He blushed.Fuck, but our mate had the prettiest eyes.“I’ll just… Well, I’m just putting on clothes, you know?Boring stuff.”
He made me feel fuzzy and warm inside, all flustered like that.“Can I give you a kiss?”
He rolled his eyes.“Fine.”
I leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth.Just a peck.Just a taste.Hopefully the kind he’d soon want more of.
“See you downstairs, Little Red.Better make it before your tea gets cold.”
I winked at him before closing the door behind me.I stood there for a moment, my head dropping.I heaved a sigh before squaring my shoulders again.He hadn’t hated the idea, I was pretty sure about that.It was in his head now, and all I could do was hope it’d take root there.
I went back into Linc’s bedroom to steal some of his clothes.He wanted me dressed for breakfast, after all.I was pretty sure Marcus would’ve been fine with having something to steal glances at over his tea.
24
“Look at you looking all outdoorsy.”
Dom was on his knees in the living room in front of me, hands on his thighs as he looked me over, starting from the hiking shoes he’d just tied with some fancy double knot.
I moved the zipper of my new jacket up and down a few times.“You’re too excited about this.It’s worrying.”
He stood without using his hands at all to get back to his feet.“Nope, I’m the right amount of excited, and you don’t need to worry one bit.Ell, agree with me.”
Ellis was making a packed lunch in the kitchen.He’d prepped a thermos of oolong without having to be asked, and while I didn’t love old tea from a thermos, it would make the outdoor activity more bearable, I was pretty sure.
Ell’s blue eyes twinkled as he zipped up the picnic bag and looked at me.
“You look really good, Marcus.Want a lollipop for enduring Dom’s shoe obsession?”
I grinned.Dom looked scandalized and pointed at Ellis.“Stop that.Our boy already compared me to that shoe fetish serial killer he and Linc are way too knowledgeable about.I’mmaking sure he’s not getting any blisters while breaking in his new shoes, okay?That’s me being responsible and caring.”
I looked at my new shoes, moving my feet in them.“I’m not going to walk for long enough to get blisters.”
Noises on the stairs made me look that way.
Linc had changed and was wearing a jacket over a pair of cargo pants that suited him really nicely.Now that I was really looking, he had that perfect kind of waist-to-shoulder-width ratio.At least, perfect for me.
“Of course you aren’t.If your feet start hurting, we’re going to carry you.”
Dom turned his nose up.“You’re just trying to hog him all over again.Don’t think I don’t notice.You carrying?”
My eyes went wide.“Carrying?As in, a gun?”I raised my arms.“Look, if this is going to turn into some macho fest complete with shooting at empty beer cans or something, I’m staying here.”
Ell rounded the kitchen island, picnic bag in hand, and while Dom was putting an arm around my shoulders, he started cooing and stepped right up on my other side.
Linc looked at me.“No macho fest, and we don’t litter.But remember how there’s possibly a hunter out there?We’re just being careful.I’m not planning to use my weapon unless I have to.”
I frowned, but okay, Dom and Ell having their arms around me was sort of…calming?What was up with that?Ell was too broad and big.The man shouldn’t be calming at all.
“You know how many injuries are caused every year just by guns accidentally going off?”I asked.
