“And what about you? What is this celebration? It seems kinda…public.”
For a minute, I remembered him taking my bite inside the car. My mouth burned as I saw the way he bared his neck to me. We hadn’t really had a chance to be together since it’d happened, as Kade came first.
“It’s OK,” he said huskily, his eyes dropping to my lips. “They don’t stay all night. Mum might even be persuaded to take Kade tonight, if he’s up to it.”
“Not yet,” I said, watching him play. “But soon, yeah. I think that’d be worth trying.”
25
The backyard was crammed full of people.
“Congratulations, maaate…”
Yet another person came up and slapped Aidan on the back. He was obviously a popular guy, if the party was anything to go by. A lot were his cousins and extended family apparently, and there were workmates, friends from school…
“Will you guys be going back to work soon?” I asked.
Peter arrived at my elbow with a drink.
“No, not for a bit. The newly mated, well, they get a little leeway, if you catch my drift,” Aidan replied.
“They always want babies,” Peter said, eyes burning into mine as I looked at him. “And anyway, you’ll be going into your heat soon.”
“And then this’ll be…” I surveyed the house, seeing it locked up and empty. Except for us. We’d be spread out on that massive bed in our room, clothing well and truly optional, the boys aching…
“Stop talking about that,” Aidan groaned. “I can’t go and say hello to my Nana with a fricking boner.”
“So how will that work?” I asked regardless. Rick was absolutely a one and done kinda guy. The thought of me panting in our bedroom, desperate for more with none coming was kind of depressing.
“You’ll have no worries there, Flick,” Peter rasped into my ear. “Your scent will keep us coming and coming…”
“And we’ll rope in more guys if needed,” Aidan said.
As if summoned, Sen came in through the side gate, which was apparently a work around to stop me from having to stand at the door and give permission for everyone to enter. He walked through the crowd, weaving his way like some kind of shadow, his eyes pale as smoke against his bronzed skin. Eyes that searched until they zeroed in on me.
I felt kinda squirmy as he made his way over. He moved like a bloody panther, containing a feline grace I could never aspire to. I felt like I was looking at a male model or something, like I should look away out of politeness.
But I didn’t. He came to a stop before us, inclining a head to the guys.
“Fellas,” he said. “Congratulations, Aidan. You’re bloody lucky to have found your mate.”
“Thanks,” he replied. “Hope you’re just as lucky.”
“Me too.”
Those grey eyes came to settle on me and seemed to catch every fidget with a predator’s quiet restraint.
God, don’t think about restraints! Immediately, my mind was flooded with scenarios where we transformed the silence of our house with gasps and sighs, the guys holding me spread-eagled on the bed as they—
“I would give anything to know what you’re thinking,” Sen said in a low growl as he stepped closer. The guys moved in at the same time, sheltering me with their bodies. I tried to take a deep breath, but my lungs caught on the musky male scent that seemed to cover me.
“I—”
“Now, I’d like to thank everyone for coming…”
Our heads whipped around to see Renee, complete with a microphone, had taken a spot in front of the crowd. She smiled when the crowd turned, Aidan’s dads moving through the group to take a spot by her side.
“So, tonight is the one night my mum has to be even more extra…” Aidan muttered. “There better not be a slide show.”