Page 134 of Beasts of Mine

His fingers paused. “Yes.” Malek’s palm rested warmly against the back of my head as he looked down at me. “I did.”

The knot gradually softened, and neither of us rushed it. Malek checked the time twice, and I caught him the second time.

“You’re watching the clock.” I told Malek as I turned my wrist enough to see my watch too, following the direction of his glance toward the gear.

“Seven-thirty.” Malek reminded me, his eyes shifting briefly toward the radio resting safely beside the camera bag.

I smiled. “You’re taking Mara’s schedule very seriously now.” I observed, watching him check the time one more time before returning his attention to me.

“You take it seriously.” Malek answered simply, his thumb moving across my shoulder. “So I do.”

I looked toward the creek before he could see how much I liked that answer. By the time his knot had eased enough for us to separate comfortably, we still had plenty of time. Malek moved first, carefully giving me room before he stood. He retrieved my water again, then handed me the cloth and supplies from my bag without assuming I wanted his help cleaning myself up.

I did.

When I finished, I sat on the blanket for another minute before reaching toward the pile of clothing beside the camera bag. My own shirt had mostly dried, although my sports bra was still damp. Malek’s charcoal shirt was sitting over my camera bag.

I picked up his.

“You’re keeping it on.” Malek observed as I pulled the shirt over my head again, his gaze following the fabric until it settled around my hips.

“Yes.” I answered Malek as I gathered my hair out from beneath the collar and smoothed the shirt down. “I told you I was keeping it.” His scent immediately deepened, and I caught the reaction.

“Don’t get weird.” I warned Malek as I reached for my underwear, pointing at him with the hand that wasn’t occupied with getting dressed. Malek only looked at me, then his purr started again.

“That counts as being weird.” I told Malek, fighting my own smile while I pulled my underwear and field pants back on. He didn’t bother defending himself. I shoved my feet into my socks and boots while Malek dressed beside me, his attention continuing to drift toward the charcoal shirt hanging over my hips. There was no pretending the choice was accidental. It smelled like him, and I wanted to keep it.

Later, when I had somewhere private enough to arrange a proper nest instead of sleeping in a station bed surrounded by camera equipment, I already knew where the shirt was going. Yesterday, Luca had explained what offering something for my nest meant to them. Today, I was choosing to keep it. I expected that choice to make me nervous, but instead some quiet Omega part of me settled at the thought.

Before we left the creek, I checked my camera again. Work first. I had the otter, the capuchin, and several strong bird frames—more than enough to give Caroline options, with enough time left to keep photographing on the return route if something presented itself.

By six-thirty, we were moving back toward the station when two toucans landed above the creek.

There she is. One toucan announced from the branch above us, angling its oversized bill in my direction.

With the spotted male. The second toucan added as it leaned forward for a better look at Malek.

I stopped so abruptly that Malek nearly walked into me. “Absolutely none of your business.” I muttered to the toucans as I raised my camera, trying to concentrate on the angle instead of the fact that two birds were apparently reviewing my afternoon.

Smells like his business. The first toucan observed, fluffing its feathers while staring down at us with absolutely no shame.

I nearly lowered the camera.

“Do not encourage them.” I warned Malek when his purr started behind me, heat creeping into my face while I kept the viewfinder pressed firmly to my eye.

“They seem to be doing fine without my help.” Malek replied from just behind my shoulder, the dry amusement in his voice matching the vibration in his chest. I took several photographs while the toucans continued making entirely unnecessary observations above us. Malek waited without reminding me of the time or starting to edge toward the trail when ten minutes disappeared behind my camera. When I finally lowered it and checked the last frame, he simply held out my water bottle.

I took it without argument.

We reached the eastern fork shortly before seven, where Tavian and Luca were already waiting. The second I saw Tavian’s face, I knew they could smell us. There was no hiding it anyway. Malek’s scent covered my neck, hair, skin, and the shirt hanging around me. My own honey-and-jasmine scent remained tangled thoroughly into his, and what we had spent the afternoon doing had added enough to both that two Alphas with shifter senses were never going to miss it.

Tavian inhaled once, his amber eyes widening before his mouth curved.

“I was going to ask whether the day went well.” Tavian rocked back on his heels as his gaze moved from Malek to me, his grin spreading with every second. “I think I have my answer.”

“Tavian.” I warned him as I stopped near the fallen log, narrowing my eyes despite the fact there was very little actual threat behind the warning.

“I am behaving.” Tavian assured me as he pressed one hand dramatically against his chest, his grin suggesting a definition of behaving that had nothing to do with mine. Luca approached more quietly, his green-gold eyes moving over me once, checking rather than staring. His attention paused briefly on my face before dipping toward the way I was standing.