Chapter Thirteen
Aideen
I bounded down the stairs, excited to see them.
In the kitchen was Blitz, dressed in a long-sleeved T-shirt that was tight on his rigid pecs and biceps.
Gray sweatpants hung low on his hips and as he turned, before seeing me, I was gifted a glance at his ass.
I almost drooled. All three of them were right out of a fitness magazine.
If they had social media, they’d make a killing.
A streak of jealousy shot through me thinking about other women ogling my men.
My men?
I had to rein myself in. We’d had two dates. Two. I was getting ahead of myself again.
“Like what you see, female?” he asked, looking over his shoulder. I would have to get used to the female thing, but I’d heard James call Maria that. To shifters, it was like calling me woman. There wasn’t anything offensive about it to them. Intention was everything with words of endearment.
“Yes.” I waited to get his reaction. “I love pancakes and coffee.”
He chuckled to the point where his shoulders shook. “The struggle is real. I’ll always come second to coffee.”
“That’s not true.”
He unplugged the griddle where he was making a breakfast right off a diner menu.
I froze in place as he stalked over to me and put his hands on the counter, on either side of me.
Up close, Blitz was more handsome than ever.
Perfect caramel skin. His scent overpowered me, putting me in a haze that no amount of champagne could ever compete with.
“What’s not true, Aideen? Don’t you like coffee?
” His voice shot straight through my body and loosened my inhibitions.
I wanted more of him. More of all of them.
The funny thing, not one inch of his skin was touching mine but I felt him all over me.
Weaning into my skin. Drowning all my hesitations.
He closed his eyes. His nostrils flared, and I remembered from my research about shifters—Blitz was scenting me. The way males scented their mates.
“What do I smell like?” I asked.
His eyes searched my face before landing on my lips. Do it, Blitz. Do it. “You smell like the sweetest candy cane. Marshmallows. Sugar cookies. All the things I love about the holidays. My mom was a baker. You smell like home to me.”
I swallowed around the new lump in my throat. “Is that a good thing?”
He nodded, his eyes growing darker by the second. He moved in closer so that our mouths were only an inch apart. Maybe less. “Can I kiss you, Aideen?”
About damned time.
“Please.” Blitz’s warm lips descended on mine.
I let out a moan out of desperation. I wanted more of him.
So much more, but it was too soon to ask.
His hands gripped my waist as he hurled me onto the counter.
My ass hit the cold marble but it did nothing to quell the fire inside me.
I spread my legs so he could get closer.
Turning his head for better access, he moaned.
His hands went to my back where he cradled my body with care, flushing my body against his.
“Well, good morning, you two.” Dash walked into the kitchen and over to the coffeepot. We broke the kiss in a hurry, but Blitz’s eyes never left mine. He winked at me and while I knew our little bubble was burst, I knew that wink was a promise of more.
“Good morning,” I said. Heat filled my face in an instant. Their profiles said they wanted to share a mate, but I felt like I’d been caught red-handed doing something naughty.
“How’d you sleep?” Comet asked, coming over to kiss my temple. Maybe they really didn’t care and weren’t jealous. These men were something else.
“Really well. Too well. I need to get out of your hair soon.”
“Already? You haven’t even eaten or had coffee. It’s a long drive home. You can shower here. I’m sure we can find you something else to wear.”
Comet’s voice had a desperation in it I didn’t know he was capable of. He was always so reserved, almost hiding his emotions.
“I’ll eat breakfast. Don’t worry. It all smells so good. But I have laundry to do and meal prepping. It’s still the day before a work week. If I don’t get those things done, my week will be hell.”
I’d never seen men look so sad. Like I was breaking their hearts with the simple act of going home and living my life. I wasn’t happy about leaving them either but reality called. It always did at the worst of times.
I ate with the boys. They talked about the end of the year planning for their business, but none of them spoke about Christmas or their elusive second job. They were so hush-hush about it and while I really liked them, my brain kicked in, making me hesitate.
They were almost too good to be true.
I left after hugging them. They stayed on their front porch until I was out of view. There was a pit in the center of my stomach that got deeper, the closer I got to home. I had no idea if they would call me or if they wanted to see me again.
The one anchor I had was that Blitz told me I smelled like home.
I got home and the first thing I laid eyes on was my Christmas tree. It was artificial and small, but the glow of the lights as I turned them on instantly comforted me.
For people who loved the season and Christmas, they had no decorations up. Maybe they were the type to take them down the minute the wrapping was shredded from the outside of the gifts? What a shame. I kept mine up until early February, and one year nothing came down until Easter.
I pulled out my phone and sent them a text.
How come you guys don’t have any Christmas decorations?