Page 55 of Seven is Swell

I haven’t seen Leo in a few days and it’s probably a driving factor in me feeling needy to get him in my arms. There are a lot of factors, and it’s time to just fix them all.

I don’t want to wear anything super skimpy for this because that just doesn’t feel like me. Instead, I reach for a lacy pair of cheeky undies and one of my old sleepshirts I have that's been washed so many times it’s practically threadbare; it hangs off one of my shoulders and barely covers up my ass, leaving my legs on display.

I pull my hair down and use the mirror in the closet to make sure I look okay, then I pick up the jewelry box with the goblin heart because obviously that will be needed in one of the steps as well.

This is how I feel sexiest, so I walk out confident to a whole room of people that have no business looking at me the way they are.

Actually, I guess given the circumstances, they have all the business looking at me the way they are. “I figured we’d need this, too. What do I do with it?”

Chapter Eighteen

August

No one answers Delaney because I’m pretty sure we’re all a bit stunned.

She was supposed to pick out something to inspire desire, and she couldn’t have picked better. I’m glad she chose something relaxed and comfy instead of something flashy, because if she’s ready to start a true mating with Leo, one where he gets to participate in everyday life with the rest of us, then starting it as her authentic self is a pretty damn good way to go.

Delaney holds eye contact with all of us, appearing somehow…shy.

I don’t think she’s ever been the object of so many people at once before, so maybe that’s what’s throwing her off. I don’t get the vibe that she’s nervous about solidifying her bond with any of us,I think it’s more that this is just a big deal. If someone were to tell me they had to have sex with all of their mates in order to complete some epic quest, I’d think they were crazy. Everyone looks ready to pounce on her, so I don’t think there’s any room for her to feel as if we’re being coerced in any way.

“Over here,” I whisper as I lead her to the balcony. It isn't big enough to hold more than two or three people, so I guess there’s going to be a queue.

“This feels awkward,” she admits.

I run my fingers through her hair and sweep it over her shoulder, brushing kisses along the side of her neck to try and get her out of her head. “Just focus on me, baby. It’s just you and me. After it’s just you and me, it’ll be you and someone else. This is more of a run-a-train-on-the-princess than it is an orgy-to-save-the-gargoyle.” Either way, he better appreciate the hell out of this because this is quite the offering.

She spins to look at Leo on his perch, and I get the feeling she’s cataloguing everything about him because hopefully this will be the last time she has to see him in this state.

Ash follows us onto the balcony, having laid the note inside after making sure he knew all of the necessary steps well. “You ready?”

She bites her lip but nods, unable to pull her eyes away from Leo.

Ash places the potatoes in Leo’s line of sight for when he’s able to come back to us, but not too close to us sothat we don’t inadvertently develop our own mashed potato fetish while we’re with our woman. I appreciate this forethought.

“You need to close your eyes and imagine everything you want to share with Leo; all your daydreams and hopes, ideas for the future, everyday moments…anything at all. And just picture thetwo of you in your mind, leaning into the bond you already share. Think about those early moments of meeting him and all the happy ones in between, and when you feel like you have a firm grasp on what you want out of this relationship, you’re going to press a heartfelt kiss to the goblin heart.” How did Ash just make kissing an old, dried-up organ sound sexy?

She looks repulsed. “I’m supposed to put my mouth on a shriveled up organ? That feels like something I’d very much not like to do.”

“There is no biological material left!” Cory reminds her from inside. Everyone is in the living room, having moved the furniture so they could relax while they wait their turn. Also, so they get prime views for the show that's about to kick off.

“This is for you, Leo, you high maintenance stone.” Delaney closes her eyes, and I keep my hands steady on her hips, leaning into her so she can feel my chest rising against her back. None of us make a sound, content to let her focus where she really needs to.

Eventually, she opens the box and lifts the goblin heart to her lips, pressing a kiss to it as Ash keeps talking.

“Good girl. Now you’re going to take that stone and you’re going to climb and you’re going to put it somewhere where it can rest against Leo’s skin on its own. Be careful not to fall.”

She only has to think for a heartbeat before she’s climbing onto the railing and using Leo’s massive stone wings to balance. His hands were frozen in a cupping motion over his heart, as if he anticipated this. She tucks the heart right into his hands and presses her forehead to his before kissing his stone lips and accepting help to get back onto the balcony.

“Now we start?” She asks.

“Now we start,” Ash says as he starts to back off of the balcony.

But she isn’t having that.

Delaney stops him and takes initiative, leaning her back against the railing and allowing one of her hands to rest on Leo’s foot behind her as her other hand wraps around Ash’s neck.

“I acknowledge you as my mate, Ash Wilder. My lion recognizes your strength and the qualities that you bring to this bond, and I’m ready to finish what we started before.”

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