Page 424 of Bride of Choice

“Rek no care.” A smirk stole over his face as he dropped down into the hole, narrowly escaping swatting range. “Pepé calls Candy-ass Candy-ass.”

“She’s too scared of Pepé to argue with him,” I pointed out.

“Candy-ass say she ‘fraid Pepé?” Rek asked curiously.

“No.” I blinked down at him, pausing at the hatch. “But does she really need to?”

“Candy-ass not so ‘fraid, she says.” Rek tapped his nose.

Shaking my head quickly, I lifted my hands. “Much as that kinda makes sense, I don’t want to know. I promised myself, unless it’s during a support meeting, getting all up in people’s shit like that, nuh-uh, it’s really none of my business.”

“Pepé not hate Dace much him say, neither,” Buu added.

When I looked to him sharply in surprise, he shrugged his wide shoulders, then copied Rek in tapping the side of his own nose.

“Busybodies, all of you,” I tutted, then laughed.

My laughter died in my throat as Rek helped me down the hatch, my feet hit the ground, and I turned and got an eyeful of our once ruined lovenest.

Buu carefully climbed down the safety ladder Celuk and Rek must have commissioned at some point for the hatch entrance.

“Oh… Rek. It’s perfect,” I blurted.

Rek grinned at the compliment and cuddled into my side. “Make better,” he purred.

“There’s room for all of us,” I breathed.

Buu’s throat worked. One of his hands found mine. I enclosed it in both of mine as it began to tremble. Bringing his hand to my face, I placed a kiss along his knuckles.

“Dace go with hunters, get wormies things Buu have home,” Rek went on, giving us the tour.

“I thought- I was told she took off,” I blurted. I’d thought it weird that she would, but she’s since moved into my old hut and tries to be quite active in the community. She feels like she needs to make amends and she’s taken it to the extreme. It’s had some… unintentionally interesting results.

The bigger my belly has gotten, the more paranoid she’s become that somehow living with us was going to make us enemies that put me and the baby at risk of harm. I knew all of this through Buu, who would confide in me what she told him, and that’s as far as anything he told me that he didn’t wish repeated went.

I felt a bit better knowing that she hadn’t just up and left but was trying to surprise her best friend.

Rek paused as he was showing us the areas they’d carved out, a space for everyone, a bed in the middle of the main room large enough for our colossal family grouping, even a crib next to the bed, and a playpen near the redone kitchen area. All those hot water mini hot tub holes in the ground had grates that locked in to thick bolts covering them. They’d really thought of everything.

“No way make hot room for metal,” Rek rumbled out to Buu, “but Rek take Buu to Joanie weenie bubby Doodie’s. Him let Buu use forge. Rek and Celuk checked with Doogie.”

Buu continued to clear his throat. Oh, those beautiful peepers were getting misty. Nabbing Buu’s lower hand up to drag him in with me, I gave Rek a huge hug.

“Thank you,” I whispered, then nipped his earlobe.

Rek’s purr was so loud Buu pulled back and jokingly shook his hands out. “Buu no know Rek loves Buu that much,” Buu teased easily.

“Bah. Rek no love Buu pretty face that much,” Rek shot back as he reeled me in and wrapped his arms around me tight. “All know, Rek loves Jojomine the most.”

“Then Celuk and Kirch, then Buu and Jeh-kal, then Gopher, Doogie, and Odix,” I quipped saucily.

Buu laughed but Rek huffed out, affronted, “Who say Rek loves dummy head, Goober, and Doodie?”

“He’s not denying it,” I singsonged.

“Like Celuk tease, stand no chance with peekaboobs. Him nice, treat my Joanie good. Not tell Rek Rek can’t love on my Joanie too, him wants cuddles from my Jojo and it him’s turn.”

“You love him because he shares me so well?” I spluttered, incredulous. Was he serious? Though, I mean, in Rek land I supposed that made perfect sense. Buu had zero problem sharing me with my other mates, even if it was his time.

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