Page 219 of Beasts of Mine

Luca's blanket remained part of the nest. The bedding had obviously shifted during three months of use, but nothing of mine had been packed away or pushed into a corner.

I crossed the room and rested my fingertips against Tavian's stone.

“You really left everything.” I told the three men as I looked back and found all of them waiting outside the nest instead of assuming my return automatically gave them permission to enter.

“We said we would.” Luca reminded me as his attention moved briefly toward the shelf and returned to my face.

“You said you were coming back.” Malek added from beside him, his calm answer making my eyes burn more than a dramatic one would've.

“I did move the stone once. There was a bug under it.” Tavian admitted as he raised one finger, looking unnecessarily guilty despite the evidence sitting directly in front of me.

“And?” I prompted Tavian as I narrowed my eyes and glanced toward the stone.

“I put it back exactly where it was. Luca checked.” Tavian assured me as he pointed at the shelf with the seriousness of someone reporting a successful rescue operation.

“He made me check.” Luca confirmed as his mouth curved, clearly remembering the incident. I laughed, but my eyes kept burning because underneath Tavian's ridiculous confession was the fact that they had believed me. Three months had passed without a bond, a guarantee, or even a way for me to contact them directly, and they had left the space I claimed exactly that, mine.

I stepped backward into the nest and sat among the familiar blankets. None of them followed until I reached toward them.

“Come in.” I told Malek, Tavian, and Luca as my other palm ran over bedding I'd thought about on more nights than I could count. They entered immediately. Tavian kissed me before he'd fully settled, Luca moved close on my other side, and Malek lowered himself behind me. Three months of missing them became mouths, hands, familiar scents, and overlapping purrs until I was trying unsuccessfully to touch all three men at once.

Tavian's mouth traveled down my neck while Malek kissed my shoulder. Luca slid one hand beneath my shirt and spread his palm over my waist, and my body responded fast enough that we could've gone straight from reunion to sex without another conversation.

I couldn't let that happen yet.

“Wait.” I told all three men as I put one palm against Tavian's chest and caught Malek's wrist with the other, feeling Luca stop the second the word left my mouth. Nobody argued. Malek loosened his hold, Tavian sat back, and Luca started removing his hand from beneath my shirt until I kept hold of his fingers.

“Something wrong?” Luca asked me as the heat disappeared from his expression and concern replaced it.

“No. I just need to say something before we keep going.” I told Luca as I kept his hand in mine and shifted until I could see all three of them. I'd practiced parts of this conversation while trying to sleep, cleaning equipment, and sitting through long stretches of travel. None of those rehearsed versions sounded like something I actually wanted to say now.

“I loved Patagonia.” I told all three men as I looked between them. “The work was good, I got photographs I'm proud of, and I met people I'd happily work with again. If I had the same choice tomorrow, I'd take the assignment again.”

“Good.” Malek replied immediately as he rested one palm on the blanket beside my leg, his expression making it clear he meant the answer without qualification.

“You should.” Luca told me as his fingers closed around mine, a small amount of tension leaving his shoulders.

“I still hate three months.” Tavian admitted as he rested one forearm over his knee, his mouth flattening even though there was no accusation behind the words.

“I don't want three months to become normal either.” I told Tavian as I reached for his free hand and linked our fingers. “That doesn't mean I'm done taking long jobs. I just have more to consider now than how much equipment fits in my luggage.”

Tavian squeezed my hand.

“We'll figure it out when there's an actual job to figure out.” I told all three men as I looked around the nest. “Short jobs, long jobs, coming back between them, maybe dragging one of you with me occasionally. We don't need a five-year plan tonight.”

“That sounds reasonable.” Luca told me as his thumb rubbed over my knuckles, his usual practical calm returning.

“I should warn you that Tavian will be terrible in an airport.” I added as I glanced toward him, remembering that particular thought often enough during the assignment to deserve saying it aloud.

“I would be excellent in an airport.” Tavian argued as he straightened, immediate offense appearing across his face.

“You would buy six unnecessary snacks, wander away from the gate because something caught your attention, and somehow end up in a conversation with security.” I told Tavian as Malek's purr deepened behind me with obvious amusement.

“I wouldn't wander away.” Tavian replied as he paused to reconsider the claim, his confidence noticeably weakening. “Probably.”

“That last word ruined your argument.” Luca pointed out as he shook his head, a smile appearing around his mouth.

“We'll deal with the airport when someone actually puts him in one.” Malek told Tavian as he rested his hand briefly against my hip, ending the imaginary problem before Tavian could make it worse.