Page 54 of My Undead Love Life

“It’s respectable,” I told him. “You cared for people who couldn’t thank you. That says more about you than a job title ever could.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “You’re the first person who’s ever said that.”

“It’s true.”

Neither of us moved for a moment. I noticed how close we were and how his gaze had dropped briefly toward my lips before returning to my eyes.

A confusing warmth fluttered low in my stomach, before guilt followed immediately.

Keith had only been gone a month. I shouldn’t have noticed how pretty Luck’s eyes were, the strength of his body beneath his coat, or the way his breath caught when I stepped closer. I shouldn’t have noticed any man.

Before either of us could speak, the security gate rattled.

“There you two are.” Mad approached us. His golden eyes moved between us, lingering on the small amount of space separating Luck and me. “Luck was supposed to grab you sooner because we managed to heat up some canned chicken noodle soup.”

“It took longer than expected to get to the bookstore.” Luck’s stomach growled loudly.

I took a quick step back. “Thanks for cooking tonight.”

“It was all Oxi.” He gestured for us to follow him until we came up on four open cans of steaming soup sitting in a square on the floor.

Oxi waited in front of his with his back straight and his hands resting on his knees, looking far too proper for a man about to eat survival soup directly from a can.

“You took your time,” he told Luck.

“Spencer assaulted a book, and then we had a meaningful conversation,” Luck replied.

“I didn’t assault it.” I rolled my eyes.

“You threw it across the store.”

“It deserved it.”

Oxi’s lips twitched. “Sit down before we have to heat it up again.”

I sat cross-legged in front of the can to Oxi’s right. Mad and Luck joined us, and the four of us ate in near silence.

Steam warmed my face as I lifted the can to my lips. It warmed my fingers through my gloves. The soup was salty and thin, but the heat made it taste so much better.

When we finished, Oxi gathered the cans and dropped them into a trash bag. They clinked together loudly in the quiet store.

“Body-check time,” he said as he tied the bag closed. “Then, we’ll get some sleep.”

He turned and stripped naked without hesitation. Mad and Luck followed his lead, peeling away their coats, sweaters, jeans, and shirts.

Usually, I turned around, but this time, I didn’t bother to. The problem with that was that I couldn’t even pretend not to look.

They were all built differently.

Oxi was lean and defined, and he moved with controlled movements that made even undressing look deliberate. Mad was broader, and his muscular body was covered with scars. Luck was strong from years of physical work; and his shoulders and arms were more solid than his playful personality made them seem.

The flutter in my stomach I’d quelled earlier returned.

I dragged my shirt over my head before I could change my mind and stepped out of the rest of my clothes until I stood bared to them the way they were to me.

The mall’s bitter air swept across my skin. Goosebumps rose over my arms and legs, and my nipples tightened from the sudden cold.

Luck and Oxi both sucked in startled breaths.