Mate Run, page 22
I shifted beneath him, making myself more comfortable. Sam settled into the cradle between my legs, his delicious heat pressed to my core.
Though I agreed with Sam’s analysis of the movie, I argued just to needle him. “He sent the cure with the woman and died a hero.”
The man literally growled his frustration, and I suppressed a laugh.
I loved seeing this side of him. As the movie progressed, Sam relaxed and forgot himself enough to argue with the screen whenever the main character did something he disagreed with. At one point he’d even yelled, calling the man an idiot. I’d found the whole thing highly entertaining, watching Sam more than the movie.
“He sent a vial of blood with no research notes to show how he made it and blew up the lab where it was created, destroying himself and all of his work in the process. How does that make him a hero?” Sam asked.
I stroked my fingers through his hair. “I’ll concede they could have handled the ending better. In the book, the scientist returns the mutant woman to her mate and realizes he’s the one they consider to be a monster for experimenting on them.”
Sam leaned into my caress, still frowning. “I don’t know that I like that ending any better.”
Of course not. The poor man already thought of himself as a monster for unleashing the virus upon the human population, no matter his reason for doing so.
“Can we go to bed now? I played your game. Followed your rules. It’s my turn,” Sam said.
The heat in his eyes made my body tingle. We’d showered separately earlier—his idea, not mine. There was nothing left to do but turn off the lights and the electronics and go to bed.
“I think I can be persuaded to call it a night,” I said. “Was there a particular game you wanted to play?”
Merely sitting beside Sam for hours had left my body humming softly with arousal. The same effect his proximity always had on me. Now that I was the sole focus of his attention, that hum had become a roar.
“Nope. I’m not I’m not much into games. I like to keep things simple.” He began to burrow his hand under my t-shirt.
“Really?” I asked. “So what’s the plan?”
The glint in his eyes could only be called wicked. “I’m going to get you naked, fuck you silly, and then collapse into an exhausted sleep with you beside me. When we awake in the morning, I plan to do it again.”
Sam nuzzled my neck with open mouth kisses as his hand cupped my breast.
“Sounds like...a really...good plan,” I replied breathily.
He kissed my mouth and things got hot and heavy between us fast. I clawed at his shirt, wanting skin. Suddenly, Sam jerked back, breathing heavily. “No. Not this time. This time we’re going to take our time. I’m going to kiss every inch of your body, find your hot spots, and finally learn what you taste like. Once I’m done, I plan to do it again.”
He stood and yanked me up with him. Grabbing me by the arm, he towed me toward the bedroom. I stumbled after him, mind still wrapped up in that kiss.
In the room, he quickly stripped me out of my clothes and tossed me onto the bed. Sam was on me before I finished bouncing.
“You’re not naked,” I complained. He’d taken off his shirt but left on his sweatpants.
“Not yet. I need the control. If I get naked, I’ll be in you, and I have plans for your luscious body.”
Then Sam set out to drive me out of my mind. Sex and science. The man took both very seriously. He treated my body like a particularly interesting experiment into which he’d invested money and time for the outcome.
Sam didn’t run the whole show. I got to play, too. My oral sex skills weren’t the greatest but he made me feel like an oral sexpert. Anything I didn’t know, he gladly tutored me.
When he finally entered me, Sam kept his promise. He fucked me long and hard until we both collapsed into a heap of sweaty body parts. I stayed awake long enough for him to drag the blanket over both of us, and then I fell into an exhausted sleep.
⬥⬥⬥⬥⬥
Early the next morning, I stumbled into our quarters, eyes half closed, and headed straight for the kitchen. “Coffee,” I muttered with an edge of desperation.
As expected, Thad was already in the kitchen. Like Sam, he was an early riser. I could get up with the chickens when necessary, but a morning person I wasn’t.
Thad handed me a filled coffee mug. I took a large sip of the scalding coffee, not even wincing when it burnt my mouth.
“Did she sleep?” Thad asked Sam.
I could feel Sam watching me with the same silent amusement he’d displayed when he dragged me out of bed before dawn was even a hint in the sky.
“We slept. Not a morning person, is she?” Sam said.
“Not that I’ve seen,” Thad said.
I took another gulp of the bitter brew and, keeping a death grip on the mug, leaned into Thad’s chest and sighed sleepily. He was so big and solid. Thad wrapped an arm around my waist and supported my weight. I let my eyes close as his heat and caffeine from the coffee flooded my system.
“Where’s Jock?” I asked.
“Still sleeping,” Thad said.
“Has Cujo been out?” I murmured, taking another sip.
“He’s out now,” Thad said.
I paused with the cup near my lips and tilted my head back to see his face. “You left him outside by himself?”
“You say that like I left our child outside alone. Cujo is fine. Several clan members are out and about. They’ll keep an eye on him. It’s not like the dog will run off and get lost,” Thad said.
“True,” I admitted.
Previously, I’d been Cujo’s protector as much as he’d been mine. I’d kept an eye on him, afraid a wild animal would get him or one of my neighbors would put a bullet in him. Due to the clan's diligence in keeping the wildlife population under control, I hadn’t seen any dangerous animals. In fact, I felt so safe here that I’d stopped wearing my guns when outside. I still wore the knife my father had given me. Nothing would break that habit.
“You cooking breakfast?” Sam asked, taking a seat at the counter. He looked lazy and sated, courtesy of our early morning lovemaking.
“I cooked yesterday. You cook,” Thad said.
I turned my head to look at Sam. “You know how to cook?”
“Do I look like I’m starving?” Sam asked.
Thad snorted. “He can cook just fine. It’s getting him to eat that’s the problem.”
Good to know. With two men and a growing boy, I wouldn’t have to spend my time slaving in the kitchen. Finishing the last of my coffee, I set the cup on the counter and wrapped both arms around Thad, giving him a squeeze. “I’m hungry. If the clans are already outside, do you think they cooked breakfast? There might be leftovers.”
“No sense begging for food when I can cook. They’ll think we can’t take care of our woman,” Sam grumbled. He stood and rounded the breakfast bar to enter the kitchen.
Thad used his arm around my waist to steer me out of the kitchen. “Let’s have a seat. This space isn’t big enough for the three of us. What did you do last night? Sam didn’t drag you down to the lab to work, did he?”
I smiled with genuine humor as I sat on the stool at the breakfast bar. “We watched a movie.”
“A stupid movie,” Sam muttered. He moved around the kitchen with confidence, showing this wasn’t his first time cooking in this space.
“It was a remake of a classic science-fiction movie I thought was appropriate, considering who Sam is,” I said teasingly.
“Don’t start,” Sam said, pulling ingredients out of the fridge. “I’m trying to wipe the whole thing from my mind.”
I grinned at Thad, whose amusement gleamed in his eyes though he didn’t voice it. He settled next to me and rested a hand on my thigh.
“Speaking of the clans, what do you plan to do with your motorhome? One of the men noticed it and asked about it,” Thad said.
The caffeine filled my veins, and I felt my lethargy lessening. I gazed at Thad in inquiry. “Nothing. You think one of them will take it off our hands? If it had been up to me, I’d have left it behind but Veronica insisted.”
“Any clan would be happy to have it,” Thad assured me.
I bit my lower lip in thought. “I need to check it out first. I don’t mind giving it away, but if it’s been trashed, I’d at least like to warn them.”
Thad tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I hadn’t pulled it back into its customary ponytail. “We can go look after breakfast.”
“Go now,” Sam ordered. “After breakfast, we need to get to the lab. I don’t want to waste any more time than necessary.”
Thad looked at me. “You heard the man. Grab a jacket. It’s cold outside.”
Grumbling under my breath about bossy men, I trudged into the bedroom to prepare for a trip into the great outdoors. These last few days, the weather had been damp and chilly. Not the kind of weather I liked.
As soon as the bedroom door closed behind me, I heard the murmur of male voices. I forced my feet to keep moving, though curiosity raised its head. The only way a relationship between the three of us would work was by recognizing boundaries and respecting them. Sam and Thad had been friends for a long time. If I wanted my individual relationships with each man to be respected, I had to give their friendship the same courtesy.
I’d put on thicker socks and was tying the laces on the last shoe when Thad entered the bedroom.
“Come here,” he said, closing the door behind him.
I rose and went into his open arms. He leaned down and gave me a long, lingering kiss. “Did you enjoy yourself last night?”
Nodding, I said, “I see why you worry about Sam. Left unattended, the man would work himself into an early grave.”
“If you managed to get him to relax last night, there may be hope for him yet,” Thad said.
I took his hand and led him over to the bed to sit beside me. Bringing my knee up on the mattress between us, I rested my hands on my calf and leaned forward. “After last night, I think I have a better idea of how the three of us can work.”
Thad raised an eyebrow. “Do tell.”
“You and Sam both need your own space. I haven’t seen the quarters upstairs, but I hope it has at least four bedrooms. You, Sam, and Jock can each have your own bedrooms, and there’d be an extra room for a nursery. I’ll alternate sleeping between Sam’s and your beds,” I said.
Thad reached for one of my hands and held it in his. “What about you? Don’t you need a space to call yours?”
Again, I shook my head. “I like sleeping with you. I worried being with Sam would feel uncomfortable, but instead, it was natural, like we’d been doing it for years.”
Thad cupped my cheek with his free hand. “I missed you warming your cold feet on my legs.”
“Don’t blame me. You put off so much heat, you’re like a furnace. You know I get cold at night,” I grumbled. “I missed you, too. I’ll be happy when we’re all living in the same space.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Cara
“Should we wake Jock and take him with us?” I asked as we exited the bedroom.
“Leave the boy. No sense dragging him out into the cold when you’ll only be gone a few minutes,” Sam said from the kitchen.
“Are you sure?” I asked. Jock was asleep, but he might wake up.
“I’m sure you only have a few minutes before breakfast is done. If you’re going, you need to go,” Sam said.
“Jock will be fine. Let’s go,” Thad said, herding me to the door.
Outside of our quarters, I protested. “You said Sam didn’t like kids.”
“I also said he’d make a lousy mate. He’s proving me wrong about that. Let’s see how he does with the boy,” Thad said, motioning me towards the entryway stairs.
We walked down to the foyer. Once there, Thad turned away from the front door and headed toward the rear of the building. Despite the number of people in residence, I didn’t see anyone as we meandered the hallways. Mentally, I shifted gears, now worried about in what condition I’d find my beloved former home. I thought I’d made peace with it, but knowing I’d see it soon proved I’d only been fooling myself.
The door unlocked with a small click as soon as we got within range of the scanner. Thad pushed it open, and we exited through a faded red door. The bitterly cold wind whipped around us, snatching my breath. Tucking my ungloved hands deep into my pockets, I snuggled like a tortoise in its shell in my hoodless puffer jacket, glad I’d put on a winter cap. If fall was this cold, winter was going to be a bear. Thank God, Jock and I wouldn’t have to struggle through it alone.
We went down the short flight of stairs onto the grassy expanse. Once, it might have been a beautiful garden, but now it was full of shrubs, saplings, and overgrown weeds. My fingers itched to set it to rights. “What do you think about building a greenhouse?” I asked.
“Do I have to grow anything?” he asked.
“Not if you don’t want to. I miss my greenhouse. It’s the only thing I regret leaving behind,” I admitted.
“If you want a greenhouse, we’ll get you a greenhouse. Might not be until spring. Winter snows will arrive soon,” Thad said.
“Spring is fine,” I said. Spring would give me time to design it and plan what seedlings I wanted to plant.
“The motorhome is this way.” Thad motioned to the well-trod dirt path that led around the building to a small parking lot.
This parking lot was better maintained than the main one out front, but portions of asphalt still had small bushes and large weeds growing in the cracks. It made the ground extremely uneven, forcing me to step carefully. From here, I could see the garden and several outbuildings that most likely held a variety of gardening tools. Clan members moved around with purpose: hoeing, digging trenches, and preparing the ground for the spring planting. One of the men spotted us and called out to Thad, motioning him over.
Thad cursed. “What now?”
I buried my smile in my jacket. It amused me how grumpy both Thad and Sam were. Neither man was sociable, which suited my introverted nature just fine. “You won’t know until you go see.”
“The motorhome is right there. Wait for me. This won’t take long.” Thad pointed to a section of the parking lot where the motorhome sat in all its glory, making the surrounding vehicles look like shabby relics in comparison. No wonder the clans had inquired about it.
I started toward it, the lure of my former home more powerful than the instructions I’d been given to wait. I circled the vehicle, inspecting the exterior. Other than a few dings and scratches caused by the drive here, the vehicle appeared the same as when I left it.
When I reached my starting point, I glanced over where Thad stood, still in deep conversation. My foot tapped as I fidgeted. I glanced at my watch. We’d left Sam almost ten minutes ago. If Thad took any longer, I’d have to wait until after Sam and I finished in the lab. Then it would be time for dinner. After dinner, it would be dark, and I still hadn’t seen the upstairs space.
I cast another glance in Thad’s direction and moved closer to the motorhome’s door. As expected, someone had taken bolt cutters to the extra locks my father had installed. The remaining lock, the one installed by the manufacturer, had a keypad and the code was Jock’s birthday, a date I’d never forget.
I eased a little closer, inspecting the lock. It didn’t look as though it had been breached. Maybe I’d worried for nothing and the home hadn’t been trashed, my belongings stripped and scavenged. Hope that everything was just as I’d left it removed my last bit of hesitation.
Punching in the familiar code, I waited for the light to turn green before slowly opening the door. It didn’t smell musty from disuse. Of course, I hadn’t been gone from it long. It might feel like an eternity, especially considering all that had happened since I’d left, but it hadn’t even been a month. In addition, the delivery drivers would have aired it out.
Due to the overcast sky, the interior was shadowy. I felt for the wall switch and turned on the light. Nothing appeared out of order. Another glance at Thad showed he wasn’t any closer to ending his conversation. I wasn’t waiting any longer.
Swiftly climbing the steps, I entered the motorhome. I knew immediately that someone had been living inside. Whoever the squatter had been, they’d taken care of the place. None of the amenities had been stripped, but they wouldn’t have been if the person was using them. Leaving the door cracked for Thad to enter, I stepped further inside and began to investigate.
When I decided to run, it was difficult to choose what to take and what to leave behind. When you didn’t have much, everything felt essential. I’d focused on our immediate needs and promised myself everything else could be replaced at a later date.
One perusal of the living area revealed the trunk where my father had kept his belongings was missing. The loss saddened me, though I truly didn’t begrudge someone who needed it to have his things. Fortunately, in addition to the majority of his weapons, I’d taken a few reminders of him with me, just in case. Things like his hunting jacket, his favorite shirts, and a few hats. I’d even allowed Jock to pick a few of his belongings as keepsakes.
I opened the kitchen cabinets. All of the cookware was intact. Next, I checked the fridge and freezer. The freezer was still fully stocked with meat. I’d have Thad ask the guys to take it inside. I didn’t mind giving up the motorhome, but the clans–
“You left without saying goodbye,” a deep voice said from behind me.
My past and present collided as I violently startled. Slamming the freezer shut, I spun around, fists raised, ready to fight. “Shit, Bruno. What the hell are you doing here? How did you find me?”
I pressed a hand over my pounding heart and struggled to regain my composure. The sound of Bruno’s voice brought back all of the anxiety and desperation with which I’d fled our encampment. The difference was this time I wasn’t alone. I had Thad, Sam, and a whole garden of infected clan members within yelling distance. The reminder calmed me as nothing else could.
