My hands fell hesitantly to his shoulders, distracting me enough that I didn’t notice Micah appearing beside me until his hand was tilting my face to his so he could kiss me. “You sure, princess?”
“If you are. I don’t want to force you.”
“Force us?” Everett asked. “Ocean, the only thing you need to tell us is if we’re going to your bedroom or one of ours.”
I swore my heart skipped a beat. “One of yours,” I said. My room still didn’t feel like mine, and having all three of them in my space like that felt more vulnerable than I was ready for. I would get there, but I still needed time.
“Dibs,” Cameron said, rising to his feet and lifting me off mine.
Gasping, I pushed against his shoulders. “Cameron.”
“What?”
“You can’t carry me.”
He growled, those green eyes pinning me with a stare even as he did not stop moving and didn’t put me down. Instead, he scooped his arms further under my legs and braced them against his hips. “I beg to differ. I seem to be carrying you just fine.”
Panic rolled through me. What if he dropped me? I would never live that down and then they would see the truth, and?—
We walked through a door and into a warm, masculine space. He set me down on the bed. Slowly. With intention, showing me that he could carry me if he wanted to.
“Did I scare you?” He asked.
“I don’t want you to hurt yourself carrying me.”
Cameron’s face was inches from mine. That playful energy still danced in his eyes, but this wasn’t a joke. “Do I look hurt to you?”
“No, but?—”
“I can and will throw you over my shoulder, wife. Would you like a demonstration?”
All the breath went out of my chest. “I’m good.”
He smirked. “Later, then.”
A hand touched my shoulder, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Everett was now behind me on the bed. He chuckled softly before pulling me backwards and lying down beside me, a hand around my waist. “You’re nervous, little nymph?”
Nervous was a fucking understatement. And it wasn’t because of them. It was everyone else. Their judgment. My previous experiences. All of it clanged around in my head like a bad dream I couldn’t get away from. “Yes,” I finally said, though that single word wasn’t enough to contain all of it.
Micah skimmed his hands up my legs, cleverly placing himself between them. “I designed this, you know.”
“What?”
He leaned down, mouth brushing the silk over my stomach. “This nightgown you’re wearing. It’s our brand, and I’m the one who designed it. And now I’m thinking I need to design more just for you. The Ocean Collection. Or The Princess Collection. Worldwide bestsellers already.”
“I don’t—” a whine slipped out of me, and I closed my eyes. I hated that I was panicking when this was something I wanted. Something I’d started. But all I saw was their laughter later. Felt the horror of just being a bet. Of just being a fetish.
The softness of almonds surrounded me. Amaretto and almond frosting. “Take a breath for me, wife,” Everett whispered.
I did.
“Again, please.”
I obeyed again. Then I opened my eyes to his blue ones. “There you are.” But he was looking through me. Seeing the struggle I wanted no one to see. He didn’t look away from me. “Cam, run a bath.”
“I don’t need a bath. I just showered.”
The steel in his eyes left no room for argument. So I didn’t look away even as I felt Cameron’s weight leave the bed, and Micah’s hands still grazing my thighs.