Page 213 of Crucible

Aurelia isn’t able to hide her surprise, and I swear the three of us exhale all at once when she curls her delicate fingers around the mug. “This is fine. Th-thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Thorin drops onto the floor while she sips her tea. He takes her ankle and peels off her sock to massage her bare foot. The paint on her toenails is chipped and nearly gone, but her feet look so soft and pretty even from here.

“Have we been demanding too much of you?” Khalil asks.

Aurelia whips her head his way. “What? No.”

“Will you tell us if we do?”

“Will you listen?” she tosses back.

Khalil struggles with an answer to that one because, let’s be honest, Aurelia needs a firm hand, and we’re not going to suddenly turn into less demanding assholes overnight. “We’ll try,” he promises.

Aurelia hums like she expected that non-answer and sets her tea aside. She pauses when she notices the plate of food, and then she picks it up after a moment of contemplation. “Baby, you made this?”

“Yup.”

Aurelia lifts the fajita and takes a tentative bite before glancing at me in surprise. “Oh, my God…”

“That bad?”

“Are you kidding me? You knew how to cook this whole time?” she yells.

“No.” I snort as she takes another bite. “I wanted to impress you.”

“Well, you succeeded.”

Khalil and Thorin release a collective sigh.

The three of us are content to watch Aurelia eat, and it’s how we pass the time with some mindless chatter in between until the plate is empty. I take it from her and we all stand.

“I think we should make fajitas a regular thing,” she announces as she stretches. “Fajita Fridays?”

I nod while staring at her tits. “Sounds good.”

Aurelia chews on her bottom lip as she peers up at me. “Will you show me how to make it?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Now beat it. I’m going to shower.”

Khalil slaps her ass as he passes, and then the three of us leave Thorin’s bedroom while Aurelia heads into his bathroom. Khalil disappears to get the tools to fix Thorin’s door while Thorin helps me clean up the kitchen. Afterward, we return to the living room with a couple of beers while we watch Khalil curse and struggle to fix the door.

And that’s where we are when we hear Aurelia squeal. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Thorin and I are already on our feet when the bathroom door opens. “Oh, boooooys!”

She dances out of Thorin’s bedroom, past a stunned Khalil, and into the living room. Her skin is wet, and the only thing she’s wearing now is a towel.

“You want to let us in on what’s got you dancing around naked in our living room?”

“See for yourself. You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you anyway.”

She drops the towel.

At first, I don’t see anything out of the usual. Just one fine, curvy piece of ass.

And then I see it.

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