Tarin slid off the end of the bed and padded from the room. He probably needed to clean off a bit.
“We can just hide in here for a few days, right?” she asked. “I can’t imagine facing humans. Won’t people be able to look at my face and know I’ve had sex? It feels like it got tattooed on my forehead.”
Stu chuckled. “It will be hard to hide the fact that we’ve made this official because all of our scowls will turn to grins.”
Kester gave his shoulder a playful shove. “Who was scowling? I think it’s just been you.”
Stu smiled. She loved how nice he looked when he was happy. This was a new side of him, and she liked it. “Maybe, but your brows have all been drawn together with sexual frustration, so that counts too.”
“I need a nap. I didn’t sleep well last night.” She grabbed both men’s arms as Tarin returned to the room. “You’ll stay with me?”
Stu leaned in to kiss her. “We’d slay a dragon for you, babe.”
She giggled. “There are a lot of crazy things out there above ground. Let’s not make it worse by adding dragons.”
Stu dropped onto his back next to her and hauled her onto her side so that she was half-draped over his torso, her head resting against his shoulder, his arm around her, holding her close.
Kester dropped onto his side behind her, an arm snaking around her stomach, his lips on her neck. “Rest, honey.”
She twisted her neck to find Tarin crawling over the top to hover over her. He bent his head to kiss her hip. “I’m going to crash in Stu’s room.”
She shook her head. “No. Please. I want you here.”
Kester scootched closer to her. He reached for Tarin. “Come up behind me.”
“You sure?” Tarin looked hesitant. They were all still naked. Ariel wasn’t certain if his hesitation had to do with getting more intimate with Kester than he was inclined or if he didn’t think there was enough space.
The bed was large. It would be tight, but they could do it occasionally. Now was one of those times she wanted them all with her.
“Swords are gonna cross sometimes.” Kester shrugged. “We can handle it.” He tugged Tarin down next to him.
Ariel started giggling, her body shaking. “What does that mean?”
Stu chuckled next to her. “Use your imagination, babe.” He snuggled her closer, kissing her forehead. “Let’s nap and then we can try that again if you’re up to it.”
Ariel didn’t think it would be possible to actually fall asleep snuggled between three men. Even Tarin had a hand on her hip. But she was out in seconds.
She had no idea how long she slept, but when she woke up, she was sprawled out on her stomach, arms above her head, hugging her pillow.
She was alone in the bed, but she could hear Tarin and Stu talking in low tones in the living room. She smiled as she glanced at the open doorway. There was a sheet pulled partway up her body, really just covering her butt.
She winced as she rolled over, pulling the sheet up to her shoulders. Her body was sore, mostly from holding herself so stiffly several times. She felt invigorated and calmer than she had in months. At least she was no longer a virgin. Nor was Tarin.
God, he’d been amazing. Beyond anything she’d ever imagined, plus the bonus of two other sets of hands to torment her.
She sucked in a breath when the voices rose slightly and lifted onto her elbows to hear better. Stuart was speaking.
“I know you’re still skeptical about what happened five years ago. You have to trust me and let it go if we’re going to live together.”
“I wish you’d told me you hadn’t slept with her back then, Stuart. What was I supposed to think? You knew I was interested in her. You knew everything about me back then. We were close. Best friends. And then you disappeared for weeks. Both of you. And you return to the compound together, and suddenly you’re her only friend, hovering over her all the time. And she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me. What was I supposed to think?” Tarin asked louder.
“I know how it looked, Tarin. I did then, and I still do now. But I didn’t hook up with her. It wasn’t like that, man. Maya had things to work out, and it’s not my place to share her secrets.”
Ariel gasped. Maya? The same Maya who had found Ariel and Layla and brought them into the fold three months ago? Maya was a bad-ass woman who worked her butt off finding women and bringing them to safety. Day and night. She rarely came to the compound, and when she did, she never stayed more than a few days.
Tarin sighed loud enough for Ariel to hear him in the bedroom. She felt bad that she was overhearing this conversation, but it wasn’t as if she knew more than she had earlier today. Except the woman in question who Tarin had been interested in was Maya.
“Listen, man,” Stu continued, “you need to know that I couldn’t have stolen Maya from you under any circumstances because she wasn’t interested in either of us that way. She was your friend. Nothing else. She was also my friend. And she needed a friend, and I was there. That’s it. I know that might hurt, but it’s true.”