Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,273

go, and I turned around, adjusting my shirt. He was wearing pajama pants, hung low on his hips, and his light blond hair was wet as if he'd just showered.

"I saw Cyler and Maverick, then spent the evening with Maverick," I rushed out, hoping they wouldn’t make me explain much further. Cyler once told me that the only way this would work was if we didn't keep secrets from one another. I knew that by diving into the deep end of my physical relationship with Maverick, I would have to be open to letting the others know.

My eyes flashed to Patrick who was grinning at my disheveled appearance. "Did you and Maverick have a nice little reunion?" he teased. Huxley looked up at the ceiling then glared at his twin. Patrick strolled towards me, and once we were toe to toe, he gripped the collar of Maverick’s shirt and pulled me towards him, launching a kiss upon my lips with a groan.

I melted. I was nothing but loose limbs and racing heartbeats. Patrick was delicious. I savored every touch until he pulled away abruptly. My mouth dropped open in surprise as I stared at Patrick. He bit his bottom lip and leaned in close for one additional peck upon my lips. "Look so good," he said. "I hope he treasured you."

It was unlike Patrick to be so intense. But I liked that side of him. I looked behind him at Jacob, Kemper, and a broody Huxley. "I'm now more determined than ever." My voice wasn't shaky. There was nothing tentative about my thoughts and my desires to save Cyler and Maverick. Seeing them once again fueled my need to bring them home.

Kemper looked like he was itching to ask me questions, so I wasn't surprised when he said, "Did Maverick say anything about what Cavil has him doing? I know he's looking for the cure still. Did he say how close he was?"

I blushed, unsure of how to tell Kemper that there wasn't much talking that happened between Maverick and me. Our reunion was purely physical. We connected on an emotional level long before we were separated.

"By her expression, I’m guessing they didn’t do much talking," a monotone mindspeak said for Jacob. He gave me an impish smile before the voice then said, "That lucky bastard! I get this nasty scar and lose my ability to speak; he gets the girl and the glory."

Jacob didn't even try to get the mindspeak out of his ear. I was laughing at his thoughts but also felt bad. I squeezed Patrick's hands and walked up to Jacob, feeling brazen. "Don't you know?" I asked. I trailed my nail down Jacob's forearm and watched as goosebumps pebbled up on his skin. "You all get the girl." Standing as tall as I could, I placed a chaste kiss on Jacob's lips, but when I tried to pull away, he cupped my cheek and kept me firmly against him.

"God, she feels so good," the mindspeak said. The monotone voice should have jarred me out of the sensation of our kiss, but it nearly spurred me forward. I wanted to know what he thought. "If she doesn't stop kissing me, I'm going to have a very embarrassing situation."

I laughed and took a step back, taking a moment to stare at Jacob’s chest as it heaved. Licking my lips, I forced myself to calm down and remember once more that there was something important we’d learned tonight.

“I do have some bad news,” I said with a shaky exhale. “I saw Cavil.” Each of my guys tensed and stared at me with frowns. “He didn’t recognize me,” I quickly added, “but I’m expected there the rest of the week. Cavil isn’t staying through the end of the month; he’s leaving in three days. I guess the party will be the night before he leaves.”

Kemper let out a curse and said, “I’ll be right back. I’m going to let Louis know.”

“So we only have three days?” Patrick said. I nodded with a frown.

“Fuck,” Huxley growled out. And as if on cue, he then said, “I don’t like this.”

I immediately felt the room grow heavy with concern for what was to come. Tomorrow, we’d have to figure out what we were doing, but tonight? Tonight, I needed peace and comfort. "Stay with me?" I asked.

"Of course," Kemper said while reentering the room with a half smile. I could sense that he too was worried about the new timeline.

"I want to be