now what Shannon and I had been up to. As their eyes caught on the marks Fillian had left, there was no doubt what Fillian’s lesson had been about either.
“Come on and eat,” I encouraged everyone. “We need to make a plan about Lyle.” I waved everyone in before shutting the door with a decisive click and headed back over to the counter as others began to gather their food. I scooped my plate back up, intent on demolishing what was left. I really did need the nutrients. My skirt was hanging loosely on my hips at this point, and I could do with putting more weight back on top of what I’d lost over the last few weeks.
“Good,” Zev grumbled around a mouthful. “I’m sick of waiting to deal with him.” I was on the fence on that opinion—I wanted him gone, but I wasn’t in a rush to face off with him either.
Fillian adjusted his glasses before looking the others over as they ate. “I told Ms. Miller I am in love with her.” Fillian’s announcement had everyone choking on their food, and I dropped my plate as I tried to breathe around the egg I’d just inhaled.
“Fuck, Ian!” I gasped out.
“Language,” he scolded me with an arched brow. “I’m just making it clear to them that I’m serious about my pursuit of you, yet I do not expect my feelings to be reciprocated nor do I expect you to choose me over any of them. You are still interested in all of us, so you continue to date all of us. My admission does not invalidate that decision. If anyone else announces their feelings for you, the same rules apply.”
Shannon sighed as I stared at Ian in shock. “Love, he’s saying we will never make you choose no matter our own feelings for you. If you fall in love with only one of us and want to end things with the others and just be friends, that will be up to you.”
“That’s not really fair though,” I whispered, dropping my eyes as guilt gnawed at me.
“Why?” Surprisingly, it was Chann who spoke up. “You’re not responsible for our feelings, only your own. If we fall in love with you, it’s our responsibility and our choice to tell you or not. If we want to share our feelings with you, then it’s our burden to bear if you choose not to respond in kind. Sometimes it feels good just to say the words.” He shrugged and smiled at me before shooting a glance at Ian. “Besides, I bet she was shocked, right?” he asked the other man.
Ian laughed, a low rumble of sound that was contagious as grins danced across the others’ faces and caused a blush to stain my cheeks. “She forgot how to breathe,” he informed them with a smug smile.
“Well, you try going from threats to admissions of love and see how you respond,” I grumbled, even feeling my ears heat with a blush.
It was Alarick who piped up next. “It’s clear that you and Shannon spent the morning together as well.”
“Oh my God,” I groaned, turning to hit my head on the cabinet behind me. “Is this some kind of punishment for me standing up to you guys? Or are you simply seeing who can embarrass me the most this morning? Why would you announce that?”
“No, but you’re clearly concerned about it,” he reasoned as the others gawked at him. “You’re terrified of what it means for you as well as for the rest of us. I’m merely removing a stressor for you. Group relationships work when honesty and openness are in play from the beginning. With our sense of smell, a sexual relationship is hard to hide.”
“It doesn’t mean we need to announce it either!” Could my face get any hotter? At this rate, I was going to end up with a tan, no sunshine needed.
Ian cleared his throat, sliding a palm down his vest to smooth it. “We don’t need to talk about anything you’re uncomfortable with if you’d like to keep your relationships individual. But if you’re interested in combining partners at any point, it will eventually come up.”
Okay, now I was both horny and embarrassed as I imagined what it might be like to be taken by more than one of them at once. Shannon laughed lightly as she winked at me. “I’m strictly female, sorry. I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing her kiss any of you, but group sex