Page 21 of Deceptively Dead

I expect Chase to get upset because, heck if I wouldn’t have handed Nate his own ass with a tone like that if he were trying to ordermearound, but Chase just grimaces and moves to do as he’s told.Huh, guess I’ll have to hand Nate his ass anyway. I just need to wake up a little so I’m not too aggressive in my newly rediscovered badassery…

“The fuck you talkin’ to him like that for?” I slur at him, sounding like a drunken wannabe gangster.So. Sleepy.

Nate rears his head back like I just slapped him and gives me an incredulous look that my tired brain does not appreciate.

“Um, in case you have forgotten, he caused a pretty major panic attack in you not that long ago Trouble. Most people wouldn’t be cuddling up to someone who hurt them so easily.”

“He didn’t hurt me, you wally. Far bloody from it. It was definitely unfortunate but not at all Chase’s fault.” Nate gives me a disbelieving, and confused, look and as he opens his mouth, I quickly cut him off. “Mate, if I was mad at Chase, I’d be mad at him. I don’t need you to defend my honour or whatever when it’s between us. I mean, like if anyone else sends me into a panic attack feel free to… I don’t know… crush them or whatever…” I taper off my tirade, a little unsure where to go from here. I’m so tired I can’t think straight.

“Who, or what, and I say this with as much respect as possible, the fuck is a Wally?” asks Nate after a significant pause. I feel like he might have been struggling to process and landed on the first part.Whatever, I’m sure he gets the gist.His lips are twisted in a way that makes me think he’s trying not to smile so I just shrug and answer his question.

“A Wally. You know, Wally wombat?” blank stares all round.Must just be an Australian insult then.I roll my tired eyes and mutter “An idiot.”

“Ah.” Nate nods his head in understanding as a yawn splits my face again. “Well, we better let you get some more sleep soyou end up a bit more coherent tomorrow. As it is now, I know you’re speaking English, but… are you?” I swat at his arm lazily as he drops me back to the mattress then climbs in after me. I’m already drifting away but when the other side of the bed doesn’t dip under Chase’s weight, I force my eyelids open once more to glare at him.

“You. Sleep.” I manage to grunt, pointing to the space next to me demandingly. Chase’s handsome, beat-up face softens and he gives me a lopsided smile before slipping in next to me and curling his huge arm across my hip. I immediately close my eyes and let sleep take me, but just before unconsciousness steals me completely, I think I hear Nate murmur to Chase.

“I don’t know if I should be impressed or terrified of the hold she has on us already.”

“A little bit of both, I think.” Is Chase’s reply. If they spoke any more, my body is too tired to hear it as I finally succumb to a deep and dreamless sleep.

Chapter Twenty-four

Iwake up in a déjà vu state, my body tangled and spread equally across two hard lumps, just like the day before in the tree hide. Only, there are a couple of differences. Significant differences. Like, the naked chest I am sprawled across definitely belongs to Chase and the smooth, rock hard abs my thigh is currently draped across undoubtedly belong to Hunter. And the bed is a lot softer than the hide floor. But, possibly, the biggest difference to yesterday’s awakening, is the fact that I’mnaked.

Chase’s shirt has ridden up during the night, bunching around my breasts and leaving everything else bare. A fact that neither of the human mattresses I am currently sprawled across are unaware of, if their short breaths and lightly roaming hands are anything to go by.

I only just manage to stifle a gasp as Hunter lazily runs his hand up the back of my leg that’s draped over his torso, stopping just inches from the apex of my thighs, before dragging backdown to do it all over again. Chase’s hand drifts across my shoulder blades absently, his strong hands warm against my bare skin. I debate the merits of pretending to still be asleep.

“We already know you're awake sweetheart.” Hunter rumbles underneath me. The sound of his voice sends a thrill through me and goose bumps shooting up and down my arms.

Down girl, you don’t want a repeat of last night, do you?As soon as the thought enters my head, I can feel my body tense. The guys feel it too and immediately they disentangle our bodies and slip from the bed, leaving me nestled in a sea of blankets while I chastise myself for being a wuss.

When I slowly sit up, tugging my borrowed shirt back into place, Hunter and Chase exchange a loaded glance across the bed. I give them both a wary look as they turn back to me with a smile.

“Well, meet you downstairs for breakfast Angel.” Is all Chase says in a far too chipper voice, before he and Hunter hustle themselves out of the room.

That was weird.I think, feeling my eyebrows dip in confusion at their retreating frames.

I try to shrug the oddity away as I dress quickly in an oversized blue shirt that stretches over the bandage on my shoulder and some men’s sleep shorts that I find in one of the dresser drawers in the room. The shorts fall to my knees and are a hideous shade of bright orange. I love them. Dark, drab colors are all I have been able to wear for so long, because running and hiding from anything becomes much harder when wearing bright orange. Wearing a colour so bold, it just makes me realise how safe I feel. How comfortable and secure the guys have made me.

I practically skip down to the dining room we used last night for my very first post-apocalyptic family dinner. The pop of color from my shorts keeps catching my gaze as I move and all my worry from last night clears away like a fog.

The guys are gathered at the table with breakfast spread out before them. My seat is waiting empty in the middle of them all and no one has begun eating yet. I cast my gaze hungrily over the food laid out, fresh apples and blueberries, strips of fried meat, powdery scrambled eggs that I suspect came from a packet, perfectly browned pancakes and more of the flat bread and spreads, including honey of all things. Once I am done ogling the food, I take a moment to ogle the men. Nate wears nothing but a pair of sweat pants, dangling low on his narrow hips, his mouth-watering abdominal muscles on clear display as he leans back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head as he smirks at my no doubt dumbstruck expression. After a few more moments of letting my eyes flit over every inch of him, I rip my gaze away, only to meet Hunter’s dark, knowing gaze.

He gives me a wicked grin that has my mind turning to mush and I drop my eyes to his black clad chest. His shirt is tight and showcases each and every one if his sculpted muscles.Honestly, he might as well be shirtless.I watch shamelessly as he flexes his arms, ever so slightly, letting me know he sees me looking. I don’t even care, I watch the shift and ripple of his arms as though they hold the cure to zombification.

“Come on, Angel.” Chase chuckles, “The food is getting cold. Though I’m pretty sure that’s the only thing that’s cold in here.” I don’t laugh at his joke, just wander forward in a mild daze. When he gets up to pull my chair out, I nearly can’t take it. He’s dressed in a white shirt the twin of Hunter’s, tightly sculpted to his body, and he’s paired it with a pair of soft blue jeans.He looks like every stereotypical add for a hot farmer that ever existed. All he needs is a big hat to turn him into the front cover of a cowboy romance.My brain stutters to a halt and it takes a long time for my gaze to reach his face again. When I do, I find both his eyebrows raised in amusement as he patiently holds my chair for me.

These men are going to kill me. I just know it.

Once I finally gain my seat the guys start heaping portions onto their plates and mine. I expect them to talk over the meal, or perhaps tell me whatever it is Chase and Hunter had a silent conversation about earlier, but instead, a comforting silence settles over us as we steadily make our way through the pile of food, none of us willing to waste anything.

Once we have finished, I stand and begin collecting the dirty plates. Nate eyes me from across the table his blue eyes flashing.

“Sit, Trouble. Leave the plates, they can wait.” He commands. I bristle at his authoritarian tone and stay standing for a few beats as I keep eye contact with him, wanting him to know that while I may sit, it’s only because I want to. Eventually, I sink back onto my chair and he gives me an amused smile, the spark in his eyes darkening to heat as he murmurs “Good girl.” So low I’m not sure he said it at all. I flush all the same. Not sure if the heat in my cheeks is from his audacity or the fact that I kind of liked that whole interaction.It felt like a preview… And I liked it.

“Angie,” Hunter’s voice pulls my attention away from the smirking, shirtless doctor, “about what happened last night, what you said…” and now he has all of my attention as I slide forward on my chair and straighten out my shoulders, preparing for a swift exit should I need it. “After you fell asleep and we had a chance to calm down… we just want to let you know, we think you are amazing.”Oh. That’s… not where I thought this was going.Chase takes over from Hunter as I stare at him with a confused expression.

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