Page 388 of Bride of Choice

Jeh-kal growled, then Rek burst in with, “Rek get!”

A series of loud thuds issued, and a growled out warning from Celuk. “No run!”

“Rek no run!” Rek barked back, yet sounded like that’s exactly what he was doing.

“There’s no hurry,” I pointed out, glancing around for something to cover up with. A small, secretly pleased smile tipped my lips as I noted all of my mating pelts on the bed. Even the fugly burnt up mess that was left of Rek’s mating pelt. Of course that asshole had unearthed it, cleaned it, and from the looks of it even patched it up.

Knowing I couldn’t wear all of them but if I wore one and not the others I risked upsetting one of them, I grabbed Jeh-kal and Rek’s pelts to slip on over my shoulders, and carried Celuk’s out to place in my lap when I sat down.

I felt like crazy, half feral, primitive Yeti bride royalty walking out dripping in sparklies, dressed like a queen, Jeh-kal’s supersized pelt trailing behind me like a cape.

It was even stranger trying to use the bathroom dressed like this. One peek in the mirror and I laughed. I looked ridiculous and gave zero shits about it. Joanie the Glamazon was back and looking fab-u-lous.

Twin purrs rumbled to life the second I entered the room.

Celuk sat in a wide, overstuffed chair, examining one of my books. Jeh-kal was sprawled out along one of the enormous couch-loungers, that’s how I thought of that monstrous piece of furniture fit for a beast his size. They looked quite cozy.

A half-eaten meal sat on the table, the eating utensil for it half way across the other side of the table in its discarder’s haste.

The first thing that hit me was the smell of fresh bread. My mouth fairly watered.

“Rek find!” Rek bellowed, rushing in with his arms full of my slippers and what looked like every single pair of socks I owned.

“Easy,” Celuk rumbled out softly to Rek without taking his eyes off of me. Closing the book he was reading, he placed it on the shelf and stood to make his way over to me.

Jeh-kal sat up and did the same.

Before I knew it I was surrounded by them, Rek in the lead.

“Sit,” Rek insisted, waiting until I complied to dump my socks and slippers at my feet and kneel right there in front of me to start going through them.

“Any pair is fine,” I started to say, but Rek grumbled under his breath, “Need be perfect.”

Allowing him a moment to that insanity, Jeh-kal leaned over him to offer me a forehead nuzzle, a kiss that had Rek grumbling at him it was too long, to which Celuk reached out and tapped Rek once on the shoulder.

Like fucking magic, Rek grunted and got back to his sock sorting.

Jeh-kal straightened to his towering height when he was done, rumbled something at Rek that had him shaking his head, then batting Jeh-kal’s hands away when Jeh-kal reached out to ruffle Rek’s hair.

“Rek not baby,” Rek grumbled.

“No, Rek not baby. Rek prinnedcess,” Celuk teased, right before coming up to my side to take Rek’s spot along the long bench table, and cuddle right up against me. Peppering small kisses along my neck, he rubbed my belly.

“Warm?” he purred.

“Yes, thank you.” Turning, I offered him my lips, smiling as he took them with a soft growl.

“Feet be warm, too… Jo’ bride stops ‘stracting Rek saying silly things,” Rek muttered under his breath as he studied the pile of socks critically.

Celuk broke our kiss so he wasn’t flat out laughing in my face, at Rek.

Holding a hand out, I waited for Rek to take it, urging him to get up off the floor and join me. He looked a lot better today. There was color to his cheeks and they looked more filled out than last night.

Glancing from his bowed head to his half eaten plate of food curiously, I gave a quick sniff and then immediately regretted it.

My hand clapped over my mouth as bile rose. Squeezing my eyes shut tight, focusing on breathing, nice deep, even breaths, the urge to puke slowly dissipated. It wasn’t even like anything was wrong with his food. In fact, it all looked really good. I just happened to get a nose full of cooked eggs and my body said HELL NO.

When I opened my eyes again, the plate had magically disappeared.

---