Page 55 of Stoker's Serenity

“Holy shit,” Gideon said, after taking a drink. “That’s good.”

“Thank you,” I murmured.

“What is this?” Finn asked.

“Pear and ginger white tea.”

“It’s real fuckin’ good. I thought Stoker here was batshit having you make four pitchers like as soon as you got here.”

“Ah, yeah. He knows me pretty well, I guess,” I confessed. “I’m happiest in the greenhouse or the kitchen. I asked him what I could do while you practiced and he asked for tea, and so, tea he shall have.”

“And I surely do appreciate it,” he said, and I smiled down at him. He puckered his lips and I felt my own split into a smile as I bent to smack mine against his.

“Mm.” I chewed and swallowed a piece of pizza. “You guys going to be a while yet?” I asked.

“Probably another hour, why?” Gideon asked. “Want us to hurry our asses up?”

I shook my head. “No, not at all. I just wouldn’t mind getting off my feet and I didn’t know what the plan was.” I looked at Stoker, who didn’t look pleased as he stared at Gideon.

“We don’t have to go anywhere tonight, Orchid. You do you,mi casa es tu casa.”

“Thank you,” I said.

He smiled at me.

“If you’re tired, you don’t have to wait up on my account. You know where the bedroom is. Crawl in, get some sleep. It’s cool.”

“I think I might take you up on that.”

“Long day, long drive, ain’t none of us expect you to keep us entertained,” Rory said with a wink.

“Last time I checked, we were the entertainment,” Finn chimed in.

Gideon snorted. “Not if we don’t practice.”

“Well, don’t let me keep you.” I stood with a wince.

“Want me to tuck you in?” Stoker asked.

“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to keep you.”

“You sure?”

No, I really wanted him to tuck me in, it sounded wonderful, but I was pretty sure Gideon would become murderous if I took him away from practice for any longer than necessary, so I tried to elegantly and graciously decline again.

“No, it’s alright.”

“Okay.” He gripped my hand lightly and gave it a couple of squeezes, and I hoped like hell I hadn’t hurt his feelings. I would die if I hurt him in any way.

“Good night,” I said. “It was very nice to meet you all,” I said, adding hastily, “Again.”

“’Night,” they chorused, and laughed a little. Even Gideon cracked a smile. I wandered through the little one-story rambler to Stoker’s room and shut myself inside. Their playing started up a little bit later and it wasn’t nearly as loud through walls and at the other end of the house. I could likely manage to fall asleep.

I slipped out of my skirt and took my bra off from under my cami. I wasn’t comfortable being completely nude with the other men in the house. It just didn’t feel right.

I set my bag from the bed to the floor in an out-of-the-way corner, switched out the light, and slipped between the crisp cotton sheets with a sigh, closing my eyes.

I couldn’t fall asleep right away. I was terrible at it. Instead, I lay in the close dark of Stoker’s bedroom, breathing him in, the bass thump and alternating hum of the muffled music through the walls lulling me a little bit more. I wished they would wrap it up, and immediately felt guilty for the selfish thought.

---