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“Remember what?” I prompted.
Jack came up beside us and threaded his fingers through my left hand as Zayn still held my right. “When we are in our animal forms, we require a lot of physical touch. We crave it. You see it in prides in the wild, sleeping, lounging in groups, grooming, and being affectionate. It’s the same for us.”
“But I’m sorry, my queen, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” Zayn added, starting to pull his hand from mine. I gripped his fingers and pulled him forward, laying my forehead against his and closing my eyes. I heard him breathe in deeply and smiled. He was right, there was a real calming feeling with our bodies touching. Zayn straightened up and shot me a smile that had my stomach flipping, even with Jack’s hand in mine. I guess touch wasn’t just calming.
“Come, we ordered breakfast when we heard you in the shower.” Jack released my hand, and Zayn led me over to the dining area where he pulled out a chair for me. Moments later, a knock sounded on the door of the suite.
“Room service!”
I looked up at him. “How did you...”
Zayn grinned. “I have very good hearing, my queen. I heard them coming out of the elevator.”
Wesley answered the door, and my mouth dropped open in amazement as three men in the hotel’s livery entered, pushing three trolleys laden with covered platters and dishes. He looked over at Zayn.
“How much did you order?”
Zayn shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what she’d like, so I ordered everything on the menu. Besides, I’d imagine we’re all hungry.”
I agreed with him. I was starving. Jack had definitely sated my other needs for now, but my human body was growling for actual food, and whatever was in the dishes smelled amazing. I looked at each of them as Zayn and Wesley sat down across from Jack and me.
“You okay?” Jack queried, helping himself to bread.
“Oh, yes, it looks great. I’m just not sure what everything is.”
Jack looked over at Wesley who had just taken a large bite of the bread. “Wes, you’re the best with food.”
“Oh, um, yes.” He took his glasses off and polished them quickly on his handkerchief. “Yes. Sorry, my queen. Tory. Um, yes, well, the dish over there is called ful—it’s fava beans cooked long and slow with oil and salt, and it’s very delicious and filling. Best with a boiled egg. This one here is called Beid Bel Basturma and is my favourite. It’s beef cooked with cumin, garlic, fenugreek, and paprika. Again, you want to eat that with eggs and the baladi bread over there. Would you like to try something?”
My eyes roamed hungrily over the table, and I picked up my plate. “Actually, yes, Wesley. I would like to try everything!” He smiled and, taking a plate, began to spoon a little of everything onto it.
Reaching for the flatbread, as everyone else had, I took a bite. The warm flavour filled my mouth, and I moaned in delight. “Oh my goodness, this bread is incredible!”
“Agreed!” Jack remarked, reaching for another piece.
I swallowed and looked around the room. “Wes, where’s West? Will he not want breakfast?”
Zayn laughed. “Wes and West, that’s going to get confusing!”
“Yeah, I thought so too,” Jack replied. “Tory won’t know whose name to call out!” I kicked him under the table, but my bare feet barely brushed him, and he laughed.
“Of course she will. We all know it’ll be my name she screams the most,” Zayn commented nonchalantly.
There was a clatter as I dropped my fork, and I could feel the heat rising to my face. “Zayn!”
He grinned at me and blew me a kiss across the table. “Just going off previous lives, my lady, that’s all.”
My face was so hot, I was convinced it was glowing. I took a drink of coffee without replying, hoping it would cover my blushes. I wasn’t a prude, but this whole dynamic was totally new. The idea of Zayn making me scream with pleasure wasn’t exactly an off-putting thought, and I snuck a couple of glances at him as we ate.
Born Egyptian in this lifetime, his skin was darker than mine, and I imagined in the sun it would get darker still. His black hair was closely cropped, as was his beard, and his dark eyes sparkled with mirth and maybe something else. He wore a white Ralph Lauren polo shirt this morning, and I could see the taut muscles of his arms and shoulders underneath it. I knew he’d gone out just after we’d reached the hotel last night, and clearly he popped home, wherever that was, to pick up a change of clothes. As I studied him, he looked over and caught me staring.
He grinned, revealing a row of white teeth. “See something you like, oh fiery one?”
This time I refused to blush and met his smile with a flirtatious one of my own. “Maybe. I mean, there’s room for improvement, but there’s potential.”
Jack and Wesley burst out laughing, and Zayn clapped his hands over his heart and adopted a mock wounded expression. “My queen, tell me what I need to do to meet your approval. Your demands shall be met, as shall your needs.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. “I’ll write you a list,” I replied and took another drink of coffee. Zayn buried his face in his hands in mock despair, and Jack grinned at me.
