“My what?” I reply, getting another mouthful of soup.
“Your love language.”
Okay, how many times have we said love in this bed while not saying I love you?
“I kinda don’t buy into that,” I tell him and he mocks clutching his pearls. “I mean, yes, it all makes sense, but just choosing one? I like all of them. I suppose words of affirmation would be my highest tier, though.”
“Mine is?—”
“Quality time,” I say, cutting him off and he gives me a smile, dimple and all.
“You’ll tell me if I’m ever too much? If you need space from me ever, I’ll give it to you. I know I can be a lot for some people.”
My brows furrow as I look at Lain. I have to put my soup down so I can turn and face him directly. He’s already got his utensil to his lips, like he wasn’t just talking so poorly about himself.
“Who said that?” I ask.
Lain shrugs. “I’d just get on Fiona’s nerves sometimes, and I just want to make sure that I don’t push you away.”
“You could never push me away. Part of me wants to say fuck Fiona, but then I’m also so grateful things ended with her or else I wouldn’t have found my scent matches. You’re never too much Lain, not ever. I want you just the way you are.”
He gets a little shy, but nods in agreement.
“Then you’ll have me just the way I am.”
My heart stills at that, because how in the hell did I get so lucky to not only find my scent matches but to find men who like me for me?
Part of me wants to say fuck it and bond with Lain right now, but I know I’m still coming down from the high of bonding with Greer. I also want this romantic bonding he has planned.
So, instead we eat the food Callum brought, before lying down and putting on a movie.
“Oh, was everything okay with the tours while you were gone?”
Lain lets out an incredulous sigh. “No, and if I see Rory on the street, I might just punch the bastard. I need to find an assistant so that I can take on more tours and have a back-up plan for your heats.”
My initial reaction is to feel guilty over my heats taking up time, and Greer must sense it, because my phone is buzzing on the bed.
I turn on my side and answer it. “Hello?”
“What’s wrong? Why do you feel like that down the bond?” he asks, and my cheeks heat as Lain looks at me inquisitively.
“Are you going to call me any time I have a negative emotion?” I ask.
“Maybe,” he says and I can tell he’s being completely serious.
I can hear the ruckus of the tavern in the background and it makes me wish I was there. That alone has my mood changing.
“Maisie,” Greer says to bring me back to the issue at hand.
I’ve been so good at hiding my feelings in the past. The grin and bear it policy wasn’t working for me. Greer might not know why I feel a certain way, but he can feel it and there isn’t a reason to lie.
“I was just feeling guilty,” I say, meeting Lain’s eyes, who seems completely thrown off by my confession. “Everyone has to pause their life to help me during my heat. It’s an inconvenience.”
“You’re never an inconvenience, Maisie. Never. It was sudden, and completely unexpected. We’ll make better plans for the next time it happens. There’s nothing to feel guilty about. Can I talk to Lain?”
I hand my phone to Lain, and watch as he nods his head to whatever Greer is saying and never breaks eye contact with me.
“I got everything covered,” Lain says, making a few noises of agreement before handing the phone back to me.
