Page 42 of Just Right
Again.
It’s day twenty-two,and I decide to celebrate by getting up early and fixing breakfast for my mates.
No matter what, breakfast is porridge. Usually that’s what they chow down on when it comes to a snack for my big brown bears. Whether that’s because the old fairytale says that the bears live in a cabin and eat porridge and we’re just stuck in the endless cycle or retelling the same story, or because Finn and Colt and Rowan just really fucking like porridge, I’m not sure, but at least it’s easy to get together.
I grab ice from the icebox to cool Colt’s down. For Rowan and his need for heat and spice, I grab one of the shakers in the pantry that Finn pointed out. Dried chiles from who knows where does the trick. As for Finn, I add a few of the flavors I like, knowing that when he tastes it, no matter what he’ll tell me that I got it just right.
It’s easy to get together, but with three different orders, it’s more time-consuming than I expect, especially since my mates have been cooking for me since I basically barged into their lives. It’s a good thing that I snuck out of Rowan’s bed earlier to get this done. With the extra padding I stole from Colt’s pile, Rowan’s hard bed is a lot easier to lie in—even if it’s not as comfortable as Finn’s just yet—but despite falling asleep next to him, I made sure to come down to get breakfast ready before he awoke.
Now, did I know that he might notice me gone and worry? I’d hoped not, but I guess I forgot who I was dealing with for a moment. Because Rowan freaking Brown is not happy at all when he comes stomping down the stairs, storming into the kitchen, a foul mood on his gorgeous face.
He’s grumbling under his breath, hands curled into tight fists at his side. He’s huffing, too, fangs lengthening past his bottom lip as though fighting back his bear. I don’t mind when my mates shift to their beasts; after all, if I mated one part of them, I matedthe other, too, even if I draw the line at letting the animal mount me. But whenever Rowan is on the edge of control? I know that shit’s about to go down.
“Morning, big guy. Don’t worry about getting the porridge ready. I did that—whoa.”
It all happens so quickly. One second, he’s staring at me as if he can’t believe what he sees. Like I’m a ghost or something. Then, moving quicker than a man of his size should be able to—though, duh, Goldie… he’s abear—he’s suddenly right there, tucking me against him, holding me tight as if afraid I’ll disappear if he lets go.
“You’re here.Fuck. I thought you were gone?—”
“Of course I am, Rowan. Couldn’t you tell I was down here?”
He breathes in deep, taking my scent into his lungs. “Goldie,” he rasps before exhaling roughly, his warm breath sending a few stray curls away from my face. “My Goldie… don’t you know that you’re in my heart. In my soul. In my head. In my fucking snout. You’re everywhere, and I pray that it stays that way. But you were gone this morning?—”
I tap his shoulder. He’s squeezing me, not so tightly that it hurts, but it is a pretty tight squeeze. “Yeah. Because I thought I’d get breakfast going. I mean, if I’m staying?—”
“Staying?” He pulls back, his eyes traveling over my face, hope and hesitation warring in his expression. “You’re staying.”
Okay. This time, I tap the bite onmyshoulder. “Well, yeah. I mean, unless you guys get your kicks biting your ‘guests’, then booting them out the door?”
I’m being a smartass. If shifters mate for life, I’m not just the only woman my bears have bitten and marked. I’m also the only woman they’ve ever mated… everfucked… and they never would have willingly watched me go.
But Idecidedto…
That’s why he was so pissy. Because he woke up, saw I was gone, probably checked each of his brother’s beds, saw I wasn’t there, either, and figured I’d left. He would’ve let me go if it was my choice?—
—only I already made my choice when I let each of the Brown brothers fuck me at the same time.
Lifting my hand, I pat Rowan’s cheek. “Don’t listen to me, babe. But think of it this way… if I broke into your house and basically made it so I could stay before I had my way with all of you? What makes you think you can get rid of menow?”
He leans forward, resting his forehead against mine. “I don’t want to. Goldie… I never want you to go. But Blackmoor?—”
“Blackmoor wanted me to fuck you guys,” I say bluntly. Trust me, I won’t forget that mystical fever anytime soon—or how that led to me propositioning Finn first, then going after Colt second, before finally accepting that Rowan is just as important to me as his brothers.
Exactly like they planned.
It took me a while to figure out. Just like in the fairytale, Rowan thought the Finn was just right. Colt might be a little much, and Rowan is definitely hard—both figuratively and definitely literally at the moment—so they decided that Finn would have the first chance, then the middle brother, and finally the biggest one.
Was I manipulated?
Maybe.
Do I care?
When ending up with all three of them was better than ‘right’, when it wasperfect, not even a little.
“It knew you were our mate,” he agrees.
“Exactly. And if I am your mate?—”
