“Eat,” Peter prompted, shooting me a sidelong smile when he saw how scattered I was. I jumped when his hand landed on my thigh, nearly choking on a mouthful of food when it slid upwards.
“Well, until then,” Sen said. “I’ve gotta go…deal with something before going back to work.”
The guys all laughed in a way that made it sound like they knew exactly what that meant, but Sen’s smile was full of heat and good humour when he got to his feet. He grabbed the roll Mick had brought him and nodded to us before filing out.
20
“You did well today, girl,” Maisie said when I returned to the kitchen. “But you’re off for the rest of the day. Ophelia asked if you would check in with her on your way home.”
“But the dinner prep?”
“Will be done by the horde of other kitchen hands. She said you’d protest and to remind you to take small steps.”
There was something motherly about Maisie, even though she looked like she was only a few years older.
“Half your luck!” Sheila said with a grin. “I’d love to be heading home to—”
“Those carrots aren’t peeling themselves.”
“Righto, boss.”
I felt a little deflated when I walked out, but when I did, I saw my mates were waiting for me.
“You knew?” I asked.
“Ophelia asked us to pass the message on when she came by,” Aidan said.
“She came by?” I asked as his arm went around my shoulders and Peter took my hand. They steered me out the door of the mess.
“She did. Like all the matriarchs, she keeps an eye on what’s happening,” he replied.
“They want to know we’re OK,” Peter said when we pulled up at the truck. He dug around in his pockets and drew out a coin. “You calling it?”
“Heads,” Aidan said.
Peter flicked the coin up into the air and then slapped it down onto the back of his hand. He smirked when he saw the results, showing it to Aidan.
“Fuck…” the other man groaned. “Of course I have to drive.”
“What’re you doing?” I said, glancing at the two of them.
“Seeing who gets to sit in the back with you,” Peter said. He opened the door and then pulled me close, his lips slamming down on mine, forcing me to lean against the car. It was either that or collapse into a big pile of goo.
I shouldn’t like this, I thought for the seconds I was capable of conscious thought. But I did. With anyone else, being essentially manhandled would have pushed a bunch of buttons, triggered a screaming cascade of fears, but this was Peter, my mate—mine. I knew it as sure as the blood that surged through my veins that I was safe with him. Which allowed me another luxury.
I could just let go, be little more than putty in his hands, let him unleash all the throbbing, pulsing need inside him on me and allow an answering one to rise. I didn’t care if I was in a car park or outside the mess hall, my hands scored his close-cropped skull and drew him down hard, so his lips bruised mine, so I could feel the imprint of his teeth.
“Well, come on then,” Aidan said crisply, breaking through all this heat. “If we’re gonna do this…”
I blinked, pulling back, reality flooding back unbidden.
“Do what?”
Aidan grinned at that, letting his eyes slide slowly down my body.
“We’re gonna work out a little of that tension before we get to the alpha residence, even if we have to take the scenic route.”
I didn’t get to ask any more questions, as Peter’s hands went around my waist and hoisted me into the backseat like I was a doll, then he slid in beside me.