Page 43 of Mated By Twilight

“After all, there are two of us. We’re both looking after you. That means, we have more than enough time and resources to take care of ourselves, our home, and you without being overburdened.”

“What do I do then?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you two take care of me and the home, well, our room I guess, what do I do?”

“Ah.” Sollit leaned over, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “You take care of us in turn, of course. You have twice as many mates to be concerned with. Double the burden. So, of course, you should have less work in the house. Or room, as it were.”

“What burden?” She snickered. “You two do everything for me. I don’t even pick up my own food tray.”

Pride burned in his chest. “And you never will if we’re around.”

“You know, I was raised to take care ofyou,” she smiled, eyes dancing with mirth. “It’s a wife’s job to be subservient to her husband. I should be the one making your tray and bringing you food and feeding you from my plate.”

Sollit made a face, the very idea making him recoil. “Why don’t you just cut my cock off if you’re going to emasculate me that much?”

She giggled, drawing him back in. “It’s how it’s done where I’m from. Women are supposed to take care of their men.”

Sollit frowned. “Is that something you need, Leah? Because I don’t know if I can let you do everything for me. What I want for you is just to love me. A female cares for her mates by giving them a place of warmth and safety and security. And she cares for the younglings as well.”

“Do you want kids?”

The question was barked quickly, almost desperately, as she looked up at him with wide eyes. He paused, blinking down at her. It was hard to read her expression. What answer she might be looking for. But he could only give her the truth.

“We do,” he said, cocking his head as he watched her expression. “Tillos and I would dearly love younglings from you, Leah. If it’s something you want.”

A wide smile stretched across her face, relaxing the worry that knotted up his chest. “Yes. I want that. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. My own home and my own family. The other women at the shelter, they used to try telling me that there was more to life than that. And I know that, but I still want it. A home and a happy husband and my babies all around me.”

Sollit smiled, putting his hands on her hips, stepping in close to her. “We can certainly do that for you,aevea.”

She gave him a curious look.

“What? You don’t like that?”

“It means, center, right?” She started cautiously. “Why center? Why is that the pet name?”

“Because you are our center,” he smiled, leaning down, his nose brushing against hers as his lips hovered just out of reach. Savoring this moment just before the kiss. The anticipation. The trembling expectation. “Our home planet, Yeluka Akuley, has an older name.Hae-eve-eah. It literally means ‘in the middle’. Because our planet has two moons that circle the planet on opposite sides. The two gods, orbiting the goddess. Keeping her at their center. And that is whyaeveais a term of endearment. Because you, Leah, are our goddess. Our center. Our everything.”

She let out a short breath. One of awe. One of wonder.

He smiled, closing the last distance between them. Kissing her softly. Sweetly. Showing her without words what it was like to be loved by an avanava male. The tenderness with which he would treat her. The soft and heated way he would nurture her. He opened his mouth against hers, licking along the seam of her lips. Requesting permission to enter.

Which he was granted as Leah leaned up on her toes. Holding onto his shoulders. Trying to pull herself up to make herself even with him. He found it adorable. She was so unspeakably precious. And the wet heat of her tongue sliding along his as he tasted her made him groan.

Leah made a sound too. A soft one of surprise as she tasted him in turn. He couldn’t help the smug satisfaction at knowing she enjoyed his flavor. It was proof of what would come when they finally mated her. The beginning of the changes they would bring her.

Approval, desire, satisfaction burned through him. Not all of them his own. He recognized his brother’s emotions surgingforth as he approached them from behind. Had it really already been a half a mark? It seemed to be no time at all.

Sollit wanted to keep kissing her. To keep feeding her. But that wasn’t the deal. And there would be plenty of time for that later.

He broke the kiss, chuckling when Leah whimpered, trying to pull him back. And though it was tempting to give her what she wanted, Tillos was waiting for his turn.

“I must go,aevea,” he said, brushing his knuckles over her cheek. “But I leave you in Tillos’ capable hands.”

“Where are you going?” She whined plaintively, even as she reached out a hand, without looking, for Tillos to take. Like she wanted them both. Like sheneededthem both.

“I have to go prepare my surprise next,” he said, regretfully stepping back. Giving room for Tillos to come up to her side, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her close. Leah smiled up at Tillos, not resisting his embrace, before looking at Sollit again.

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