43. Mina
Chapter forty-three
A laugh bursts out of me when I see Dom and Atlas lying on the floor, tangled together. They are the two biggest and most serious men I’ve ever met and they both seem so stunned by what just happened that I can’t help myself. When they turn their heads toward me, a huge grin splits Atlas’s face. He is stunning when he smiles, and it makes my breath hitch. Dom gives me a pleased smile that does something to me I’d rather not discuss, and I suddenly realize that I laughed. I. Just. Laughed!
I didn’t think I was capable of making any noise. Maybe my voice wasn’t completely damaged after all?
“What was that?” Tucker asks. I turn my head to him and shrug. Then I do a double take, not realizing he and Gideon were standing there. Forgetting my plan to stay away, I walk up to him and put my arms around his neck as he bends to hug me back gently. I realize that if I hug them like this, their arms won’t press on my sore arm. Although it really hurts to lift my arm, and his arms are pressing on my sore back, it’s better than the alternative.
I move to Gideon and give him a hug too. He kisses the side of my head as I step back, and I bite my lip when I look at him. Today he’s wearing a light blue dress shirt with dark gray slacks. His sleeves are rolled up showing some impressive forearms. I glance at Tucker and he’s in his signat ure sexy look too, blue jeans, a dark t-shirt and a matching flannel. I turn back to the room before they see the color rising in my cheeks from checking them out.
Atlas and Dom are standing now and I move to Dom first, who is closer, and raise my arms for a hug. He whispers, “good girl,” in my ear, making my core start to heat again. When we pull back, he gives me a kiss on the cheek that feels like it means way more than it should. My face must look like a tomato by now.
I’m gently pulled from his arms and turned towards Atlas. I give him a big smile as I hug him. He says nothing but also presses a kiss to my head, making me feel warm and giddy from all the positive attention.
When I step back, Ben is there. When I put my arms around his neck, he lifts me with his arms under my butt, making me cling to him like a monkey. “Missed you, Princess,” he whispers after kissing the side of my head. I give him a sniff and a kiss on his neck, like I secretly do to all of them. He places me on my feet in the living room, waving his arm toward the coffee table and all the stuff placed there.
“Welcome to study central!”
I look at all the supplies, and it’s clear they’re for me to work on my independent study. I’m not sure when Jasper had time to tell him about that—it was only like fifteen minutes ago.
I pull out my phone.
Me: You did this for me?
He nods and gives me a smile. “I want you to be comfortable here.”
Why? The question bounces around in my head, but I don’t voice it.
Me: Thank you, that means a lot.
“Come on, let’s get you some lunch first,” Ben says, holding out his hand for me to take. I give him a smile as I place my hand in his and feel a flutte r in my belly. What is that? And why do I suddenly feel even more nervous?
As tired as I am, the sight of all the food wakes me up a bit as Ben guides me to a seat between him and Gideon. “I hope you like tacos, Mina, I can make you something else if you don’t,” Ben says with a tentative smile. Glancing at the food, I don’t think I’ve ever had them before, but I’m sure I’ll like them, especially since he made them.
I give him a nod and watch as they all start to assemble their own tacos. Gideon, however, places a taco shell on my plate instead of his own. As he picks up each ingredient, he asks me if I want it, and he builds me a fully loaded taco as I watch in rapt fascination. When I take my first bite, I try not to moan as the delicious flavors hit my tongue. Being mute has a benefit sometimes because moaning about food would just be embarrassing.
When we’re done eating, Gideon takes me back into the living room and I take a seat on the floor by the coffee table as the guys settle around me or in the kitchen.
Ben sits on the couch behind me and leans forward to show me the computer and all the browser tabs he has opened for me, then leaves me to it. Since my phone and briefly, their tablet, is the only technology I’ve used, I don’t know how to navigate a computer. I do manage to read the list of suggested topics, but I’m still not sure what to choose. I grab my phone and text Gideon.
Me: Can you help me, please?
I watch him read my text, then look at me. He smiles when he realizes I need help with my project and comes to sit beside me.
“Of course, Love. Are you having trouble picking a topic?” I nod. “Alright, let’s start by narrowing it down. Which of these do you not want to do?”
I watch as he does something to copy and paste the list onto another screen. I start pointing to topics, and he deletes them. Eventually, we’re down to a list of a dozen ideas.
“Okay, any more to remove?” I point to two more, and he deletes them. “Alright, let me give you some ideas around each of these to see which one speaks to you.”
He proceeds to explain some key points for each topic. When he gets to chemical biology, I stop him with my hand on his.
“You like this topic?” I nod excitedly. “Okay, now tell me what part of it you find interesting.”
I type chemistry on the laptop.
“Ah, chemistry. And why do you like that topic, do you think?”
I think it’s interesting how one thing can react to another, but mix it with something else, and you can have a completely different response.
“So you like learning how things react to one another?” I nod.
“You know humans can be like elements, too. They can have a physical response to one another. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. Have you ever felt that before? A strong physical response to someone?”
I don’t think he blinks once during his entire question. I find myself swallowing the lump in my throat while nodding my head and staring into his beautiful hazel eyes. He smiles at me warmly and puts his hand on the back of my neck, in my hair. My breath hitches.
“And now? Is it stronger?”
I nod again, and he smiles. “Good girl.”
I l ick my lips and notice how quiet the room is, but I can’t pull my eyes from the gorgeous man in front of me.
“Love?” His voice pulls me back. My eyes flick from his face to his lips and back.
“Are you okay, you look a little pale?” Quickly turning my gaze to the computer screen, I nod. How embarrassing. For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me. He’s your guidance counselor!
Thankfully, Gideon starts talking about where to find information on chemical biology and how to start my project. As I spend the next hour working on my independent study, I can’t stop thinking about what he said. How humans can have physical responses to other people. Was he having a strong response to me, like I was having to all of them?