Luckily I had showered the night before, so I grabbed my clothing and tiptoed to the bathroom as quietly as I could. I worked my ass off to keep my mental wall up so Damien wouldn’t hear my scheming. I’d kept my thoughts away from my plans anytime he was around in hopes that I could finally best him. He was too good at reading me. As I brushed my teeth, I wondered what it would be like to know what everyone around me was thinking. The look Hiro and Ryder had given me last night, and the way the guys seemed to carry on their own mental conversations—excluding me on purpose I was sure—made me widely curious about what was going on in their brains. It was a little irksome to be out of the know sometimes.
After I slipped into a pair of black leggings and oversized grey sweater, I put my hair up in a messy bun and raced down the stairs on quiet feet. The house was still dark, dim lighting from the entryway casting a soft, warm glow. Making my way to the kitchen, I started gathering ingredients. Luckily, I had planned ahead and had procured the necessary breakfast items I needed by way of Damien’s grocery list. I had snagged it right after he turned it over to Theo—whose turn it had been to go do the shopping.
As I worked on autopilot, I let my mind wander. The night before had been a blast, and I had been hesitant to go to bed, but I also knew if I had stayed downstairs I’d have ended up initiating something I wasn’t sure I was ready to start. The guys had all stood around the living room watching me climb the stairs, and I’d given them a little wave goodnight. Playing twister had been a great idea, but with our bodies twinning and thrumming around each other, I wasn’t sure how much more I could take before I’d have self-combusted on the spot. Watching Hiro bite Ryder had made me wish I was sandwiched in between them—that they were biting my neck. Having Theo’s body moving so fluidly around mine had given me a serious case of want. Killian, on the other hand, had surprised the fuck out of me with the way he could maneuver his large form. I had expected him to lose right away, but he had proven me wrong. To be fair, I was pretty sure I would have beaten him in the first round if Hiro hadn’t teased me to the edge of distraction. The cheater. I’d get him back for that.
Then there was Damien. The way he watched me had heated my blood, and my Phoenix had happily spent the night sending naughty images of each of the guys through my mind.
Sighing, I double checked the long list of items I was preparing to make this morning. I was terrified of losing my friendships if I let things progress into relationship territory, but I also knew we were already heading in that direction. I also wasn’t sure that I’d actually be able to follow through, not knowing how I would handle intimate touching with the triggers I had. All my attempts in the past had failed miserably. If I couldn’t handle the sexual aspect of a relationship, would that be a dealbreaker for them? I had been asking myself that question all night.
There was no question in my mind that my Phoenix and I liked them. We both felt drawn to them and their creatures. I couldn’t explain it. I knew Rini had told me that our biology helped us to pick out compatible mates, but I wasn’t sure that explained the intense draw I felt toward all of them. A pull I was sure they were feeling as well. I wondered if that connection would help me with my triggers when our relationship grew more intense, just like it seemed to help me now with all the casual touching. Holy shit, I was seriously considering a relationship with five men. I must be mental.
I needed to call Rini, and I wondered if her bears would let her off house arrest long enough to come hang out with me. It seemed that they followed her everywhere she went these days, especially if I was involved. While I understood their concern, it was getting annoying. I craved the day when things would go back to the way things were before the attack.
Mixing up a dozen eggs, I prepared to make a massive amount of cheesy scrambled eggs. Opening the drawer to the left of the stove, I found a spatula. As the pan heated on the stove and I started cooking, I reveled in the feeling of home. Knowing where the majority of things were was nice, and the room I was staying in—while sparse—was starting to feel like mine. The truth was, even though I felt the overprotection was being taken to the extreme and I was feeling cooped up, I enjoyed living here. It was comfortable—much nicer than anything I was used to—and I loved feeling like a part of the family. A family I wanted to make out with. I scoffed at myself as I moved the eggs around the pan, mixing in a blend of cheeses. Yeah… that sounded dirty as fuck. I rolled my eyes at myself.
As soon as the eggs were done, I covered them and stuck them in the microwave to keep them warm while I moved on to making waffles. Luckily, the boys had their own waffle maker, and I pulled out my phone so I could mix up the homemade recipe I had found online. I hoped Theo liked it! I also knew that Ryder would most likely down a ton of sugary, syrup covered waffles, so I made sure to double the recipe. Holy shit could guys eat!
As soon as they were prepped and on the griddle, I set aside all the fruit and protein powder I’d need for Damien’s smoothie. I had to save that for last because I knew the noise was a sure way to wake everyone in the house up. I’d learned that the hard way. Rotating the waffles routinely, I cooked the sausage links and set them aside. The smell made my mouth water. Stretching my hands above my head, I pulled my phone out again and set some music playing—dancing around and singing quietly while I worked. I was holding a large metal bowl in my arms as I whipped together filling for the crepes I planned to make next and dancing around the kitchen like an idiot, when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Pausing, I looked up with wide eyes and took in Hiro’s face. The fox was trying not to laugh, but his eyes were bright with mirth on my behalf. He had his arm crossed over his upper abdomen, the elbow of his other arm resting there while he covered his mouth with a hand.
“You fucker! You should have… like… announced your presence!” I scolded him, animatedly waving the whisk in my hand. Cream cheese filling splattered on the floor, some of it landing on my breastbone.
Moving with precision, Hiro ended up in front of me while he replied to my earlier outrage, “I could have, but what fun would that have been? I was enjoying the show. You’re a good dancer, Nix. I can’t wait to get you on a dancefloor with me.” His eyes were molten as he stepped into my personal space. I stood there like the statue of liberty, holding the damn whisk, while the amazing smell of him surrounded me—woods and earth, and a spice that was distinctly Hiro’s.
“In the meantime…” his eyes didn’t break contact with mine until the very last second as he leaned down and sucked the blob of sweet batter off of my body. I let out a breathy sigh as he flicked his tongue over the sensitive spot where my neck, shoulder, and collarbone all met, the heat of his mouth contrasting with the cool pressure of his tongue ring sliding across my heated skin. Grazing his nose up my neck, he placed little kisses and nips along my skin as he made his way to my jaw bone. “I like this shirt on you. Such easy access,” he whispered and skimmed his fingertips over my shoulder where the sweater had slipped off to one side, bearing my skin to the world. Nuzzling behind my ear, he tongued a spot behind it that I would never have guessed would turn me on. Instead, I felt jolts of pleasure shoot straight to my pussy as I clenched around nothing. The kindling he had started was now a roaring fire, and I wanted nothing more than to abandon all my food prep and throw myself at Hiro.
“Looks like you started without me.” The deep timber of Damien startled me, and I jumped backward, splattering more filling. Glancing around Hiro, I spotted the Gargoyle running a hand through his wet hair as he took in the scene we were creating. Walking into the kitchen he stepped up next to Hiro, and I squirmed under two sets of fathomless eyes.
“What’d I miss?” Standing just slightly taller than the Kitsune, Damien angled his head toward Hiro’s as he spoke.
I narrowed my eyes at Hiro as he chuckled and gave me away. “She was dancing around the kitchen while she prepared breakfast.”