“Not necessarily. I mean, you know how much I love sex.”
“Mm, I have some idea.” Smoke curled from his grinning mouth.
“But with Shadow, I think I’d enjoy taking it slow. I could work with him to build up his confidence, and really take the time to learn what he likes. What we both like.”
“Okay, but it’s not like either of you are virgins. Why not just fuck and learn about each other that way?”
I gave him a pointed look. “We did that already and look what happened.”
“I know, but it’s different now. We’re all aware of what’s between you two.” Reaper flicked some ash away and returned the cigarette to his mouth. “Do you love him?”
My heart crashed against my sternum at the question, my insides heating up in response. Did I?
“I care about him, a lot,” was the answer that left my mouth. “But I think it’s too soon to tell if it’s like…what you and I have.”
“Is it really?” Reaper challenged. “You’ve known him as long as any of us.”
“Sure, but my interactions with him haven’t been the same as with all of you. I’m still getting to know him beyond the whole ‘silent killing machine’ thing.”
“Fair enough.” Reaper released a sigh with an exhale of smoke. “Just keep us in the loop before you make it official, sugar.”
“I will,” I said with a squeeze of his hand. “I promise I will.”
We turned another corner, rounding the block heading back to the B&B. The sun was just starting to come up and Jandro would likely be awake, getting coffee started or feeding the chickens.
The four of us, Hades and Freyja included, walked back in to find both of my other husbands awake and hovering over the coffee pot and breakfast pastries.
“Where’d you go, baby girl?” Gunner was still shirtless, hair up in a messy man-bun, pajama pants low on his slender hips as he pulled me in for a kiss. “I woke up to this dude spooning me instead of you.”
“He loved it,” Jandro cut in without missing a beat. “He was so impressed by my cuddling skills, he said we should run away together.”
“A likely story,” I murmured, kissing under Gunner’s chin, then sliding over to get my love from Jandro. “We just went for a walk. But it’s true, your cuddles are wonderful.”
“Fuck yeah they are.” Jandro’s arms were protective and heavy around my back. “I don’t see why these guys can’t appreciate it. The Sons cuddle up all the time.”
“Because they also fuck each other up the ass,” Reaper grumbled, helping himself to the coffee pot.
A door creaked open and my stomach began doing somersault motions. Freyja took off immediately toward the sound with soft, chirping meows. Shadow’s footsteps were light, lighter than the murmuring of “Hello, kitten,” as he greeted her.
My guys thankfully didn’t openly stare, but turned away and busied themselves in conversation, either real or contrived, as I approached the large man holding my cat.
“Good morning, Shadow,” I whispered, excited nerves wavering in my voice.
His smile was shy, his gaze downward on the ball of fur in his arms. “Good morning, Mari.”
I stepped closer, hoping to convey privacy and a bit of distance from the others as I kept my voice low. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, I did.” He lowered Freyja gently to the floor then returned upright, eyes now on me. “Did you?”
“I did, thank you.” I leaned into him with a smile, my shoulder brushing his chest.
His gaze flickered over me in a thorough reading of my body language. He knew what I wanted, what I gave him permission to do last night. Now it was a question of whether or not he felt comfortable doing it in front of my guys.
My whole upper body burst into flutters when Shadow’s hand came to my waist, a steadying, affectionate touch. He leaned down swiftly, neither rushed or slow, and placed a warm, brief kiss on my lips.
I smiled against his mouth, savoring what I could of him before he straightened up. The guys didn’t need a full-on PDA to know how things had shifted between us. Longer kisses would be better enjoyed in private anyway.
My hand touched his on my waist, fingers lacing through his. “Are you having breakfast with us?”
“Um.” His eyes lifted to meet those of my guys, who now no longer pretended to focus on anything else. “Sure, if that’s all right.”
“Mornin’, big guy.” Jandro scooted back and stood from the chair he was in. “Take my seat. I’m gonna collect some eggs.”
“Thanks.” Shadow moved toward the chair with more hesitation than he did when he kissed me. His eyes darted everywhere, looking for signs of how to behave.
Next to him, Reaper leaned over the maps and documents on the table with a mug of steaming coffee in hand. “Mornin’,” he grunted, as though it were any other day. “Shadow, you want to come with me on a tour of the new development with the governor today?”
“Ah, sure.” He found an empty mug and began pouring coffee into it. “I mean, yes, Reaper.”
“It’s a request, not an order." Reaper leaned back in his chair, setting his coffee mug on his knee. “You don’t have to if you have something more pressing, but Vance seems keen on showing us this new area he’s developing. And I think he’s curious about the injured hero of Four Corners.”
Shadow bristled at being called a hero, and I couldn’t help from running a hand along his upper back, where Blakeworth’s arrows came too close to killing him, and down his arm as I took a seat next to him.
“I’ll go. I don’t have anything else going on.” His fingers clasped mine briefly before letting go.
“What are your plans today, sugar?” Reaper lifted his mug to his lips as his gaze settled on me.
“I was thinking of checking out the hospital.” I reached for a pastry from the basket in the center of the table. “See if the head doctor has time to give me a tour, or if I can lend my services in any way.”
“On that note,” Gunner leaned back in his chair next to me, placing one of his feet in my lap, “how do you feel about driving there?”
“Drive?” I nearly choked on my Danish. “You mean, your bike?”
“Not mine, but one of the little dirt bikes.” He snatched an apple from the basket and tossed it in the air with a grin. “It’s about time you learn, baby girl. I’ll have Jandro check them over and get you the most reliable one.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat nervously. “You’ll be there with me?”
“Course I will.” He poked his toes into my side. “I’ll be in your bitch seat. A little roll reversal, how about that?”
Reaper snorted. “Of all of us most likely to be in a bitch seat.”
“You’re just sour you didn’t get her ass first.” Gunner took a loud bite out of his apple, pointedly ignoring my glare. Holy shit, could he not drop details of our sex life out on the breakfast table? In front of Shadow, no less? We just started making out, he did not need to know who had my ass first.
“It’s too fucking early for this,” I groaned, shoving Gunner’s foot out of my lap. “I’m getting a shower first.”