Page 40 of Tied in Knots
“Better?” Sebastian asks.
I nod, dumbstruck by the care they are giving me.
“Good, we wanted to discuss something with you if you are up for it?”
“Sure, but where’s Derek?”
“He went back to his place early this morning. He said he’d call you later.”
“Oh,” I say, a bit disappointed. I’d hoped he would stick around so I could ask him where he was a couple of days ago when I needed him. “Okay, what did you want to discuss?” I cross my arms over my chest because I’m currently dressed only in my thin white cotton pjs with no bra and my jugs are swinging in the wind.
Not that any of them are gawking at me. They are all staring into my face. Too sweet and very unnatural, so they definitely noticed the girls were unencumbered.
While they make themselves comfortable, I dart towards my nest and pull my duvet up over me, feeling much safer and more secure. Not that any of them were making me uncomfortable. It’s just me and my lemony weirdness.
I watch as they all adjust their seats to face me in the cupboard, trying not to laugh.
“Sorry,” I murmur. “Cold.”
“Wait a minute,” Xander says and disappears.
He returns a few moments later with a balled-up pair of socks. He unfolds them and holds them out, one in each hand with a wicked smile. “Show me your feet.”
I giggle like a fiend and stick my tootsies out from underneath the covers. He drops to his knees and picks up the right one.
“Jesus, they’re like ice,” he comments when he rolls the sock onto my foot and then picks up the other one.
“Hope they’re clean,” Sebastian remarks.
“Lindsey will be pissed if she overhears you,” Xander retorts. “Of course they’re clean. I wouldn’t taint Faith with gross, sweaty socks.”
Giggling, I lower my eyes. “Thank you.”
He rubs his knuckles over the sole of my foot. My toes curl in as it tickles. I hope he decides to stay next to me, which he does, in the same spot he was in last time we were all assembled in here.
Only last time I had food. Where’s the food?
Almost as if on cue, there is a soft knock and a woman enters, Lindsey, I presume, pushing a trolley filled with breakfast foods and a delicious smelling pot of coffee. Harvey gets up to fill me a plate up with bacon bagels, croissants, toast and a variety of other yummy things while Benjamin pours me a mug of coffee.
I accept them readily and dive in while they sit their fine arses back down.
“As you have agreed to stay, we wanted to ask if you’d like to spend some time with us individually over the next couple of days, to get to know us better,” Sebastian says, diving right in.
“Oh. Yes, I’d like that. That’s really sweet of you.” I smile warmly, glad that they aren’t just leaving me to my own devices and are taking some responsibility for getting to know me as well.
“Good,” he says. “How do you want us?”
I look at each of them all eager for first dibs, but there is only one way in which this will be fair. “Alphabetically,” I say with a smirk.
“Yes, I win!” Xander says.
“How do you figure?” Benjamin snarls. “Unless she’s going backwards.”
“I’m ‘A’,” he says, jabbing his finger into his chest, way harder than I’d like. He probably gave himself a bruise.
“You go by ‘X’, so fuck off,” Benjamin snaps, standing up. “Now everyone get out. This ismytime.”
“Uhm,” I say, catching Xander’s eyes. I didn’t mean for this to turn into an argument. I thought it was clear.
