Page 90 of Their Chosen

“Okay. So, pants were easy. I picked out a pair of your leggings that you like, but I couldn't figure out what to do for a shirt.” he mumbled before Arryn headed to the closet and dug around for a minute.

“Here, while he's looking, why don't we get some pants on?” Baer asked me while holding out my leggings.

“Okay.” I smiled at him.

He knelt down and started putting my pants on over my feet, working the waist up to my thighs, my gown still in place. He stood back up and looked at me. “If I help you stand, do you think you can pull up your pants the rest of the way?”

“I don't know. I can try,” I answered honestly. He put his hands under my arms and helped me stand, keeping my back as still as possible, but as soon as I reached an arm down to grasp the waist of the pants, I gasped.

“Looks like that's not going to work,” I joked with him. “You can do it. It's okay.” Not even a day ago, I was ready to go to bed with him. This was not what I had in mind when it came to him seeing my body, but I had never really been that modest. Why start now?

“Okay. If you're sure.” He slowly released me, and as he bent down, I balanced by placing my hands on his shoulders. As he pulled my leggings into place, I couldn't help the rush to my core as his hands grazed my bare thighs, his head bent.

“That's not helping, Rhowyn,” Baer told me as he stood back up to face me. Arousal was evident in his eyes, and when I glanced down, it was also evident in his pants.

“Sorry. I couldn't help it,” I admitted to him, blushing slightly, wishing we could do so much more.

“As soon as you're healed, I intend to fulfill that promise I made you,” he growled out, his gravelly voice making my skin prickle with heat.

“I can't wait,” I told him. “It's just more incentive to heal myself faster.”

He laughed. “If that's what motivates you, then I'll be making a lot more promises in the future.”

I smiled at him, trying not to laugh because of the pain. He helped me sit back down on the edge of the bed just as Arryn came back from my massive closet.

“I found a couple of options. These are fairly light, and I can cut them, so we tie them around the neck and waist with the back still being open,” he said, trying to pretend he hadn't heard what went down between Baer and I just a moment ago, but I could see his arousal as well.

Did he feel our arousal through the bond? I wondered to myself, not sure I wanted to know the answer. “That works for me,” I said, trying to change the subject, especially since I couldn't do much about it now.

Arryn and Baer managed to get my shirt on me before Arryn took the same knife he used to cut the shirt to slice my gown down the middle with no regard. Finally comfortable, my stomach took the opportunity to growl, making itself known.

Lennox came back with food, finding me sitting on the side of the bed in my new changed clothes. “Looks like I missed all the fun,” he teased me, his innuendo evident.

As he set the food in front of me, I smiled at all of them. I thought I would hate this bonding thing, but so far, it had only made me feel more connected than I had ever felt before. These guys were quickly worming themselves into my heart in ways I never would have thought possible.

“Wait,” I said, before I could start eating. “Where's Callum?” I asked, finally realizing he hadn't been here at all since I had woken up.

The guys glanced at each other before looking back at me. The varying emotions had me on edge, and I couldn't decide what to think about them all.

“He left after the bonding,” Arryn told me gently. “He said he needed some space.” I couldn't help the pang of hurt that hit me.

“Did he not want the bonding?” I asked them, fearing he’d been forced into something that no one should have to face unwillingly.

“No!” exclaimed Baer.

“The bonding wouldn't have taken if he didn't want this,” Arryn assured me.

“I think he's just afraid of what this means,” Lennox admitted to us.

“What do you mean?” I asked Lennox, needing clarification.

“It's his story to tell, but let's just say that he's had a lot on his plate these last several years. You're not something he ever expected, and he's not used to dealing with things like this,” He said.

“Okay. If he needs space, then we give him space. I don't want him to feel forced into this. I won't ever make any of you do anything you're not comfortable with,” I vowed to them, needing them to feel my sincerity.

Baer sat down next to me and took my hand. “We know,” he told me, and I believed him. I looked to Arryn and Lennox, who confirmed the sentiment.

I relaxed again, but a niggling doubt about Callum stayed in the back of my mind as I began eating.

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