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I groaned. “That’s hardly better, Dave.”
“Tell me about it. It’s going to be a long night.”
Not for me, apparently. I grabbed a cushion, laid down on the couch and crashed.
What felt like five minutes later, I woke up to hot breath on my cheek and a wet tongue licking my ear.
thirty
Icrepttowardthestairs, trying not to make any noise. I’d extricated myself out from under Pala and Dio without waking them fully, shifting their arms and legs around each other instead of me until they’d both settled back down to sleep again. It was cute as hell, watching them snuggle into each other.
I reached over for one of my old cameras sitting on an upturned wooden crate with a timber top I’d made to use as a table. My camera collection included all sizes and styles, from antique to new. I didn’t believe in keeping them locked away, though. I kept them lying around all over the place, so one was always near at hand if I felt the urge to take a picture.
That was how I took a lot of my photos. I rarely staged anything. I preferred to capture a moment naturally. Sometimes I’d just sit quietly around the farm and see what the world brought me.
I hadn’t taken a picture of anything in weeks. Life had been too crazy. So I gave myself a minute to document this quiet moment. Luckily, the camera I grabbed was an old instant style that spat out a photo as soon as you took it. I shuffled around nimbly until I found the perfect angle and snapped a photo, wincing at the sound as the shutter whirred and the photo slid out slowly.
The guys didn’t stir, though, so I took another couple of shots. One of their feet all tangled up together in the blankets, and another of Dio’s hands. One hand was around Pala’s waist and the other was woven through his gorgeous, long, dark hair.
You could see the curve of Pala’s delectable ass on the edge of the shot. It wasn’t quite the magnificent bubble butt Dio sported, but it was high, firm and eminently biteable.
I smiled to myself, marveling at my current reality. I got to grab both luscious asses whenever I wanted. After years of keeping myself at arm’s length from everyone, my world was suddenly full of people all up in my space. I found I didn’t mind a bit.
It had its drawbacks, though. I hadn’t read Sam’s letter yet. I’d wanted to do it alone. While I’m sure Dio and Pala would have given me space if I’d asked, I didn’t want to send them away after the intense mating we’d just shared. I’d needed them close last night, and they’d seemed perfectly willing to stay.
Thinking of Sam’s letter, I turned for the stairs. I wanted to find a quiet space to read it before I rejoined the wider world. I continued my creeping as I made my way down the stairs in the early dawn light.
I peeked over the banister when I heard a muffled noise and spied Bear licking Sam’s ear. I had to put my hand over my mouth to stop my laugh from bursting free. It seemed Bear had finally warmed up to Sam, and it made me wonder what had gone down last night after I left them at the gate.
Sam shifted his head and Bear let loose an enormous yawn, full of doggy breath, right in his face. I quickly snapped a photo.
“Urrgghhh,” Sam mumbled while trying to push Bear’s head away. Bear was hard to shift when he wanted a scratch, though.
Sam popped one eye open, but instead of yelling or growling at Bear like I expected him to, he reached up and scratched him under the chin.
“You’re a good boy, Bear.” I heard him mumble. Satisfied with the scratch and the praise, Bear hopped up onto the couch and promptly curled up on Sam’s feet.
Sam just smiled down at him before he stretched his arms over his head. He was still wearing the same clothes from last night, as if he’d passed out the moment he laid his head down. The blanket I lay over him while he was sleeping last night lay tangled up around his legs.
I couldn’t help but notice how his shirt rose as he stretched and revealed taut pale skin covering tight abs. The view had me momentarily mesmerized. It was such an intimate scene, watching someone wake up. I knew I should look away, but I couldn’t. I also couldn’t resist another photo.
His eyes flicked up at the sound of the camera clicking and he startled when he noticed me, but I just raised my finger to my mouth in a shush motion and nodded at Dave, who was sleeping peacefully on one of the other couches. It was one of my signature moves, deflecting attention away when you were doing something sneaky.
I ducked back out of sight, intending to head out onto the deck alone. Sam startled me when he popped up at the bottom of the stairs. He must have jumped over Bear and the couch to get there so fast, but I hadn’t heard a sound. I raised my eyebrow at him.
He shifted awkwardly on his feet, with his hands tucked in his pockets, like he hadn’t stopped to figure out what he was going to say. His eyes roamed over me, catching on my sneakers. “Where are you sneaking off to?”
I tilted my head back at his words as my fists clenched and I tried not to arc up.Why did he push my buttons so much?
He stepped forward, and held his hands out in peace, before I let loose with a tirade.
“Sorry. That came out all wrong. I was trying for humor, but clearly I suck at it. Let me try again.”
He took a deep breath. “Morning Lexie. I wanted to take a quick walk around the farm this morning. I always loved walking in the early morning air when I was growing up, before Maia and everyone else woke up. If you’re heading out, can I tag along? Maybe you could show me around a little on your way?”
I suddenly felt the stirrings of that same pull from last night. It was like the draw I’ve felt ever since I first laid eyes on each of them, but stronger, more intense and focused. Harder to refuse. It was also much more personal, deeper than the mate draw. It felt like something particular to Sam and anchored in his dominance.
Sam also seemed different somehow, but I couldn’t put my finger on exactly how. Something more than an apology had gone down last night. There was an outer stillness to him that had been missing before. The rage was still there, but it felt banked underneath the surface now.
