Dealers' Choice - Susan Hayes Page 0,71

for you.”

“Once Vic gets here, I’ll have everything I need.”

Having Ward here, in her bed, made it feel real. Their first time together had been a lavish fantasy. The fancy ship, the food, the decadent luxury of their private suite. When she’d left the Faerie Queene, she’d felt a little like a character in a children’s tale, the poor, lower caste female sneaking back to her old life after one enchanted night pretending to be someone else. Not anymore.

When Ward rose to let Victor in, she stayed where she was, surrounded by familiar things, and waited for her males to return. The thought made her smile. Her males. Her parents were going to need a little time to come to terms with that, but if they could meet Vic and Ward, they’d understand how happy she was. Or how happy she could be if this worked out. There were still so many things they needed to talk about, including the fact she would age, and they wouldn’t. They definitely had to talk about that. But maybe not tonight.

Ward walked back in, naked and grinning.

“You didn’t get dressed first? What if someone else had been at the door?” she asked.

Ward folded his arms across his chest. “You expecting anyone else?”

“Well, no,” she admitted. “But someone could have been walking by. That’s a public corridor.”

“And if they had, they’d have learned that you are no longer a single female and your boyfriends are big enough to keep you protected and very well satisfied.”

“So much for charming,” Vic muttered, elbowing his brother aside so he could get to her.

He perched on the edge of her bed but didn’t reach for her. “Hey, blossom. How you feeling?”

“Wonderful. Ward took good care of me. But I’d feel even better if you’d stop hovering and kiss me hello. I won’t break.”

A shadow darkened his amber eyes for a second. “I will never forget seeing you on the ground, all banged up and bleeding. I don’t ever…” He stopped and shook his head.

“I know. Honestly, I’m hoping to avoid getting shot again. I really can’t recommend anything about the experience.”

He smiled and leaned in to brush a tender kiss to her lips. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll try to avoid it if you do.”

“Agreed,” she said.

The mattress dipped as Ward climbed back into bed and did his best to stretch out without taking up too much space, then coaxed her to snuggle in beside him. “Don’t want you to get cold while you’re waiting for Vic to stop talking and join us.”

Vic rolled his eyes. “An asteroid on a collision course has more subtlety than you do, but point taken.” He rose and stripped off his clothes, which she idly noticed were streaked with what looked like paint and metal shavings.

“Put those down the laundry chute if you want to. What were you doing to get them so dirty?”

“Mine are in the bathroom. Want to pop those in to get cleaned, too?” Ward smirked and pointed across the hall. “Since I’m busy keeping Xori warm, and all.”

Vic stalked out, gathered up both their clothes and dropped them into the laundry chute outside the bedroom door. When he came back in, she took a moment to enjoy the view. Golden skin, dark hair, and hands that could deal out damage or comfort with equal skill. He had the predatory grace of a hunter, a body built for war, and a heart filled with courage and compassion. She reached for him, and he was at her side in a second, claiming her mouth with a slow, heated kiss as he settled in beside her.

She turned, so she was on her back, and both males propped their heads up on their hands so they were looking down at her. “This is what I needed. Both of you here with me.”

“Us too,” Ward murmured, taking one of her hands.

“So much.” Vic took her other hand. For a moment, they were both silent, but she sensed they wanted to say something else, so she waited.

“In fact, we’d like it if we could be together like this every night,” Ward said at last.

“Here?” she asked, hoping she sounded calmer than she felt. This was what she wanted. They were what she wanted. Her species bonded for life, and once they recognized they had found their lifemates, things usually moved fast. Humans were different, though. Sometimes they moved quickly, other than it could be years before relationships became permanent. She hadn’t been sure