Chapter 38
Hunter
NOW
Joey, Kylian, and Locke excused themselves after dessert with murmurs about being occupied for the rest of the night. As if we didn’t know they were running off to have a sex marathon in Kylian’s small room on the third floor affectionately dubbed the Nest.
Kendrick left soon after their departure.
He hasn’t seen his little sisters since Christmas, so he plans to spend the night with them at his dad’s house.
He has a training session in the morning anyway, so he has to be on campus early.
From the sounds of it, he has a real shot at being drafted.
He’s working harder than ever to prepare for the scouting combine.
Decker excused himself last. He plans to sleep in Joey’s room, that way no one in our group has to deal with moving belongings tonight.
That’s all well and good, though I’d be thrilled if a few of my men would relocate after all.
Once Decker has disappeared up the stairs, I rise from my seat, stretch my arms overhead, and yawn.
“What’s on your mind, Mahina?”
Sione’s always been able to read me. Whether it’s my mood, energy level, or attitude, he’s perceptive as hell, and he’s expertly tuned in to me still, even after being apart for so long.
Looking at each of my men one at a time, I just come out with it.
“Can we all sleep together tonight? In Decker’s room?”
Spence smirks and raises both eyebrows. “You want to have a four and/or five way in your best friend’s marital bed, Firecracker?”
“I’m in if we can go somewhere besides Decker’s room,” Levi pipes up before I can explain.
Wrapping my arms around my torso, I shrink in on myself. Maybe it was a silly idea.
“I’m anxious about tomorrow,” I murmur. “Saying we’re going to face this is one thing. Having to see Magnolia in person feels like a whole other level of scary.”
Because that’s the plan. Tomorrow, we’ll head to the Ferguson household, all five of us, and we’ll face Magnolia and Dr. Ferguson head-on.
Spence shoves back his seat and strides over to me. “I feel like a right arse.” He strokes his knuckles over my cheek. When the cool metal of his rings brushes against my skin, I shiver.
“As you should,” Greedy scolds from where he’s tipped back on two legs, arms up behind his head.
Levi’s sitting straight, face lit up. “I’m still in.”
I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“I think it’s a good idea, Tem,” Greedy agrees.
Chin tipped up, I search Spence’s expression.
Thoughtful eyes assess me as he continues to stroke my face affectionately. “I shouldn’t have said what I did. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Pressing up on tiptoes, I kiss his lips and cover his hand with mine. “Will you join us?”
Spence removes my hand from his, bringing my fingers to his lips and kissing the tips. I stroke his cheek the way he just stroked mine, loving the way his short, bristling stubble feels under my palm.
“I have a few meetings scheduled tonight. I won’t be done until about four, but I’ll join you as soon as I’m able.”
I kiss him again, more reverently this time. I’m so damn grateful to him for so willingly upending his entire life to stay here with me. I feel honored and truly treasured because of the sacrifices he’s making to be by my side.
“Are you okay with this plan, Si?”
“Of course, Mahina.” Sione yawns. “Although I’d like to go to bed sooner rather than later. The time change is still not registering for me, and I could use a good night’s sleep.”
When we exit the dining room, we find Mrs. Lansbury in the kitchen, hand-washing a serving dish. Interestingly, Gerald is also stationed near the sink, drying towel in hand.
Greedy nudges me in the side, jutting his chin toward the pair. When I meet his gaze, he waggles his brows. I have to cover my mouth to keep from laughing. He’s such a hopeless romantic.
“Do you need any help?” I ask the older couple.
Mrs. Lansbury drops the dish into the sink with a clatter and sucks in a startled breath. “No, no. Not at all. We’re—I mean, I’m fine here, dears. Just going to finish up, then set the coffee and kettle for the morning.”
“I’ll be up a while longer, but I plan to be in the study,” Spence tells them.
We all say our good-nights, then head down the hall that leads to the primary wing.
Greedy turns and walks backward, his voice a mock-whisper. “So if Mrs. Lansbury gets with your butler, does that mean you and Decker will be related?”
With ridiculously fast reflexes, Spence playfully knocks Greedy upside the head.
“Boys.” I admonish them before Greedy can retaliate and they start wrestling right here in the hallway. I refuse to disturb anyone in the house with their rowdy antics. Thank goodness the Nest is completely soundproof.
Levi catches my drift and slyly comes between them to prevent any potential escalation.
“His name is Gerald,” Spence corrects, rolling up his shirtsleeves as he struts ahead of us now, head high.
“Which you already know. And he’s my valet.
Which you also know. What he gets up to on his own time is of no mind to me.
” Then, with a smirk over his shoulder, he adds, “Why do you think I warned them I’d be up a while?
Wouldn’t want to catch them snogging in the pantry now, would we? ”
Levi’s eyes double in size. Greedy barks out a laugh. Sione just shakes his head, meeting my gaze with a curious tilt of his head.
Without another word, Spence makes a ninety-degree turn into the study.
The rest of us take our time winding down before bed.
Sione stretches, which is standard for him.
Though I’m surprised when Levi and then Greedy join him and follow his lead.
Sione strays from his usual flow, the ritual I know by heart, and instead shows the guys a few seated stretches focused on the upper thighs.
When they’re finished, we all take turns using the bathroom. Greedy walks in on me brushing my teeth and sidles up beside me to do the same.
We stand shoulder to shoulder, scrubbing away.
I giggle every time I meet his gaze in the mirror.
It feels so normal, so domestic, going through a bedtime routine with him by my side.
This was exactly what I needed tonight. A few hours of calm in order to shut out the world and all of tomorrow’s problems. They’ll keep.
Tonight, I just want to snuggle my guys and be thankful that we’re together.
Levi’s already in bed when Greedy and I emerge from the bathroom.
Sione passes us, giving me arm a light squeeze. “I’m going to shower, but you don’t need to keep the light on if you’re ready to sleep.”
As he lets go, I grasp his hand, then let my fingertips brush along his palm and fingers as the distance breaks us apart.
At the foot of the bed, I inspect the room and my guys. “Do we have a plan here?” I ask, worrying my bottom lip.
“Just get in, Daisy.” Levi’s eyes are closed against the overhead light. “Don’t overthink it.” But then, on the next breath, he adds, “G, save the spot beside her for Sione.”
And that’s how I find myself in a dim room, on one side of a Levi sandwich, snuggled against his chest as Greedy takes his other side.
I burrow closer to my guy, then link hands with Greedy and let them rest on Levi’s bare chest.
“Taking me right back to that night at the Moon Mist,” Levi teases.
Squinting, I search his face. “The what?”
“The Moon Mist Motel. This awful place we stayed the night before we found you.”
“Oh. Wait. Let me guess!” I giggle. “Was there only one bed?”
“How’d you know?”
“It’s a classic romance trope, Duke. And one of my personal faves,” I add, snuggling closer.
He sighs. “We tried a million places.”
“Three,” Greedy deadpans.
“Then, when we finally stumbled upon the Moon Mist Motel, they had one room left—the Mystical Misty Suite.”
The bed shakes beneath us as Greedy chuckles. “It was the Mystical Master Suite.”
Levi fake-shudders. “I must have repressed the name. Although I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to scrub that room from my mind completely.”
Intrigued, I peek up at my boyfriend. “So what happened at the Moon Mist?”
“Everything,” Levi declares at the same time that Greedy says, “Nothing.”
“G!” Levi scoffs. “You wound me.”
Greedy snorts at his dramatics. “Wound you? Seriously, dude? Is Sione already rubbing off on you?”
With a snicker, Levi settles back against the pillow again and lazily traces his fingertips over both our hands. “I guess we have very different interpretations of the experience.”
An uncomfortable silence settles over us. Greedy must feel it, too, because eventually he sighs, turns onto his side to face me, and props his head on one hand.
“Levi helped me out that night. He… comforted me, when I couldn’t sleep.”
“Comforted how?” I ask salaciously, desperate for more details.
“Not like that, dirty girl.”
“Yeah. That didn’t happen until the next day in the showers,” Levi taunts.
A thrill shoots through me, followed by a tingle of anticipation that takes root deep in my belly.
“The pantry wasn’t a one-time thing, was it?
” I hedge. Because as hot and fun as our little tryst in the dark was yesterday, I’m anxious for more.
To experiment. To play. To figure out how we fit and just how intense it can be when it’s the three of us together.
“No, Tem. That wasn’t a one-time thing. At least not for me.” Greedy’s tone is low, reassuring.
“Me neither,” Levi says. “You craving a Hunter sandwich, Daisy?” His fingers trace up my arm, catching my chin and tipping it toward his mouth for a kiss.
“Or a Greedy sandwich. Or a Levi sandwich,” I mewl, straining forward, desperate for more of his kisses. “Who goes where doesn’t matter to me.”
Greedy angles closer. “Does it matter to you, Leev?”
Levi swallows audibly, but he’s silent for a moment. Finally, he meets Greedy’s gaze. “I want to feel you everywhere.”
A cocksure grin erupts on Greedy’s face. Levi meets it with a timid smile of his own.