Page 39 of Feral
“No, it doesn’t,” said Bishop. “It’s hardly possible for a single male to get a queen out of heat, let alone her first one. Why do you think so many take multiple mates?”
“Another decent point,” said Sterling. “The fact that yours has been suppressed for so long is no doubt intensifying the effects.”
“You’re saying youwanthim to stay?” she asked in disbelief.
“Not at all,” he answered. “But if it’s what you need to get through this, yes.”
Ella considered his words, realizing that if he was willing to put aside his considerable differences with Bishop, it was more serious than she’d thought. And shedidstill have feelings for him. Those hadn’t changed, even if they had become more complicated.
“We’re not humans, Ella,” Bishop said in a tone that reminded her of the kind, patient man he’d been when they met. Or at least, the man she’d thought he was. “Grudges and jealousy have to take a backseat to a queen’s wellbeing. Especially when it comes to the future Empress.”
“What are you saying?” Ella asked.
“I know the way you feel about me has changed,” Bishop said, coming to stand in front of her. Ella stayed where she was this time, admittedly drawn to him. “But the way I feel about you hasn’t. Please. Let us both take care of you, and when we get back to the Academy, if you still don’t want anything to do with me, I’ll accept it.”
There was too much sincerity and pain in his gaze for it to be a lie. She felt her heartstrings tug in a way they hadn’t where he was concerned in a long time. Maybe it was just because this was the first hint of the Bishop she knew that she’d seen since that night.
“Alright,” she said, her voice hoarse with desire she hoped she could just brush off as tiredness. “You can stay.”
The relief on Bishop’s face was unmistakable. He didn’t seem to know what to say, and for that matter, neither did Ella.
“If you’re staying, you might as well sit down,” Sterling said, tossing the cold eggs into the trash before he turned on the stove again.
Bishop reluctantly walked over to the table. Ella took the seat across from them, watching Sterling with an amused glimmer in her eyes.
“Were you making breakfast in bed?”
He cast a deadly smile over his shoulder. “There’s more to tending to a queen in heat than just the obvious.”
Her face grew warm once again and she took a sip of the orange juice on the table in front of her. When she looked up, Bishop was watching her closely.
Ella realized he was probably coming to terms with the fact that there was something more between them than practicality, and she could understand his shock. She’d been far more surprised when Sterling confessed his interest in her. She also knew it wasn’t something the rest of the shifter world was going to accept.
As ridiculous as it was, she couldn’t help but wonder if Sterling was right and there would be contention due to the fact that he wasn’t from a royal family. Then there was the fact that he was her teacher.
She pushed the troubling thoughts out of her mind. She wanted to enjoy this little slice of paradise for as long as it lasted. It wasn’t like those problems were going to go away.
* * *
It turned out Sterling was an excellent cook, as if he wasn’t already perfect enough. Breakfast was tense, but not quite as awkward as Ella had feared.
She stood to put her empty plate in the sink and both males were up before she could move an inch.
“Here,” Sterling said, reaching for the dish.
“Don’t be silly,” Bishop said in a dry tone, snatching the plate before he could. “You cooked.”
The look Sterling was giving him was far more suited to a man who’d just keyed his car rather than one who’d offered to do the dishes. Ella stared at them both in disbelief. She knew toms had a reputation for losing their heads with possessiveness and doting when it came to caring for a female in heat, but she’d imagined they would be exceptions. The fact that they weren’t was at once flattering and amusing.
“I guess I’ll take a shower then,” she said, stretching out her arms as she left the table. When she glanced back over her shoulder, they were both staring at her like cats watching a mouse behind glass. “When you’re done arguing over the dishes, you can join me.”
She turned around, smiling to herself as she walked into the bathroom. It was more like a spa with a huge tinted window overlooking the slopes, and a hot tub more than big enough for three. Ella decided maybe she was more in the mood for a bath, after all.
She leaned over the edge of the tub and turned on the water. The jets roared to life, sending steamy bubbles up to the surface. Sterling’s family certainly knew how to furnish a vacation house.
Ella unbuttoned Sterling’s borrowed shirt and let it pool at her feet before slipping into the water. She hissed air through her teeth, slowly sinking in as her body adjusted to the searing temperature. It actually felt good against the heat of her skin once she got used to it.
She wasn’t alone for long. The water came up to her chest, but that didn’t stop Bishop from standing in the doorway and watching her intently.
