“Just imagine what it’ll be like later tonight,” Aaron purred.
“I don’t want to imagine. I’m gonna think of nuns and dead kittens all night.”
“Don’t worry, darlin’” Brandon said, hands sliding up my ribs. “We’ll keep your mind on the task at hand.”
10
At that, I dove away from the guys and into the main body of the creek. The current was sluggish, so it was safe. The boys followed me, trying to put their plan into action and keep teasing me, but I slipped free of their arms without effort, so things pretty much devolved into the usual pool hijinks
of splashing and dunking. We emerged a little chilled and pruney as the sun was well and truly starting to set.
“Your stuff is in the tent over there,” Aaron said as he stood by me on the riverbank, shielding me from the view of the other guys milling around camp. “Wear something easy to remove.”
My eyes dropped down to his hard cock.
“Brandon’s gone to help with the cooking. We could—”
“Figure I’m the weakest link, did ya?” He moved closer to me, and I could smell the fresh male scent of him. He cupped my chin and then kissed me, slow and sweet. “He’s our mate, and nothing makes him happier than playing these games, so let’s play.”
“He won’t know,” I said, my feet shifting. I could feel him, smell him, and it was weird to not just reach out and take one of my mates. I had become spoiled in a frighteningly short period of time.
“In this camp? Everyone’s gonna know when we take you, Jules. Now off you go. Wear something light, if you have it. I want that damn scent of yours in everyone’s nose, making their mouths water for something else altogether.”
I growled, because of the command in his voice, because of the way those dark hazel eyes flicked from my eyes to my mouth, because I knew I’d do as he said. He grinned when I stepped back, then I turned and dove for my tent.
“Oh, hello.”
Jack and Hawk looked up from their bedroll where they lay nakedly resplendent in each other’s arms and looking smugly drowsy from no doubt an awesome fuck, if the close atmosphere in the tent was anything to go by.
“Hey,” I said as I located my bag, dropping my dirty clothes on one side before starting to pull out clean ones. Something light, something light. I hadn’t exactly brought a summer dress along, since I figured that wouldn’t be needed. I had some thin sleep shorts, but I’d be freezing by the time night fell if I wore them. I shrugged and drew out a long sleeve shirt and jeans. Not what they wanted, but it’d have to do. I shoved the shorts in my back pocket, which got some raised eyebrows.
“Someone’s sleeping out tonight,” Jack said in a singsong voice. “You gonna climb Mount Aaron in honour of your mating? If you wanna broaden your horizons first, we’re happy to help.” Hawk rolled away from Jack, got to his knees, and shuffled over, that big beautiful body drawing my eyes down, down… “Chuckles here wants to—”
I knew what he wanted. I could see it as clear as day, and I wanted it too.
“Shut up, Jack,” Hawk snapped, shooting the words over his shoulder.
“But you—”
“If you ever want me to do that thing with my tongue again, you will shut the fuck up. You’re my mate now, you need to start listening to me.” Jack fell back on the bedroll, arms crossed, but that ever-present smirk was still there. “Jules, we talked, and I just wanted to say…”
I watched Hawk struggle to get the words out as Jack lay there, fairly twitching with the need to interfere, so I reached out and placed a hand on the man’s forearm. I didn’t know if being pack gave us the same bond as my mates had with me, or if he could feel anything down it, but I tried to send warm reassurance to him.
Hawk looked up, his shoulders squaring, a big breath hissing out between his lips. “I want some time, just me and you, Jules. I wanna see where this could go. I need to know if there could be more between us.”
“Looking for another mate so soon?” I joked, but I saw that was a mistake as soon as the words were out.
I thought it a gentle one, but the way his face closed down said otherwise. So I crawled over and wrapped my arms around him, waiting for him to do the same. I felt the faint quiver in his limbs when he finally reciprocated. For a minute, I rested my head on his shoulder, smelled the scent of campfires and pine forests, and just felt him. It was subtle, but I could feel it, the rapidly shifting snarl inside him as he processed what was happening.
Hawk and I were very similar, I realised, in that we both often went into a secret internal emotion spiral when triggered by our pack members. People struggled to understand those intense reactions, assuming it meant some sort of impairment, but it wasn’t. You had to be bloody strong to be hit hard by emotional stimuli and keep on putting yourself out there. I tipped my head up, his lips crushed down on mine, and it all fell away.
When we pulled apart, I just stared into his eyes. That shy smile was back on his face, and I was glad.
“I’m happy you asked, Hawk. I’ll always want you and want to spend time with you. Whether you want it with the two of you,” I saw Jack’s eyes light up at that, “or just you. Any combination, I’m there. I can’t tonight though. I’ve made a commitment to Brandon and Aaron, and I’ll need to work around that, but otherwise, yes. Tell me when and where you want me.”
“All the time…” Hawk rumbled, kissing me again. I again questioned the wisdom of Kelly’s workplace advice when I came here. Being Tirian obviously came with a raging sex drive. How did they get anything done? “So, tomorrow sometime?”
“You got it. Now, I think we’ve got dinner on soon, so clothes, or I’ll be doing some stuff by the campfire that may or may not raise the soldiers’ morale.”