Page 96 of The Butcher

“Okay…”

I roll my eyes and get braver than I’ve yet to, crawling toward Clay and settling right between his naked thighs. “That’s not what you’re supposed to say when someone compliments you.”

“No?” He grins as I go up on my knees and cup his cheeks. “What does one say, pretty girl?”

“Thank you,” I say just before I press my lips to his, my heart hammering away the entire time.

Clayton kisses exactly like his personality; playful, sweet, passionate, and full of mischief.

Feeling that big, beautiful smile against my lips in between licks and sucks, oh my goodness I could probably get off just by kissing Nash and Clay.

That would be one hell of a way to have my first genuine orgasm.

“Nash,” Clayton grunts in between kisses. “Nash, take your clothes off. Hurry.”

With a smile that matches his, I shake my head then sit back on my feet. “You kissmeand wanthimnaked? Is that how it works with mates?”

Both of them stop whatever they’re doing to stare at me, I can feel Nash’s eyes boring into the back of my head as Clay’s go comically wide.

“Mates?”

I nod slowly then glance back at my alpha. “Yes. That’s what we are, right? Or what we’re officially going to be, anyway, which makes it already true in my opinion.”

Taking a deep breath, I look from one to the other a few times, worried once again that I screwed this up. I hate feeling like this, not knowing how to navigate relationships and love and all of that stuff I missed out on by being at the ranch. I’m not sure how much better I’d be at it if I’d have grown up somewhere like Obsidian Falls, but I’d probably know when it is and isn’t appropriate to refer to your mates as your mates when you technically aren’t bonded yet.

Can I even call them that while Bramley refuses to accept or acknowledge the truth of our situation? Does his resistance change things outside of him and I?

Oh, good god, I finally messed everything up.

The few seconds of total silence doesn’t really help me think otherwise.

When Nash breaks it, it doesn’t change.

“You want to call us that?” he asks as he gently touches my arm. “Your mates?”

Nodding slowly, I opt for sticking with the truth since I’m still full of lies. “That’s what you are, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, why wouldn’t I call you that? Unless I’m not supposed to? I don’t really know how all of this works, especially when you factor in the giant crabass who’s off pouting somewhere.”

Clay snorts and Nash smirks. “You are fucking perfect for us, honey, and we don’t want you calling us anything but yours.”

“So, yes, call us your mates.” I turn to my beta, who has managed to stay erect this entire time. “Your mates, your boy toys, your well hung sex machines. Call us whatever you want, pretty girl, as long as we’re yours.” His smile widens as he cocks his head to the side. “But unofficially, officially, we are your mates, with or without Bramley’s bite.”

“Okay,” I say as my cheeks flame.I still have so much to learn.

“Now that all of that is out of the way.” Clayton rolls to his side, showing off his ass and the adorable dimples above it, then grabs the bag he brought in earlier. “We are getting down to business in one way or another.”

I arch a brow as I finally relax, noting that Nash has taken off his socks, and unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. Trying to ignore that is not an easy task, but when my beta starts pulling things out of the plastic bag, I manage to forget nearly everything that’s ever happened to me.

“We have a variety of items here for your choosing, Indigo Rae.” He sits up and sets three boxes down in front of me. “And just so you know, I told Nash to get naked so you’d feel more comfortable doing the same. These won’t work as well if you’re not.”

I just blink, then do it again.

“You want me to get naked?”

Both of them nod, Nash blushing despite his confidence. “Only if you’re comfortable with it. We aren’t trying to…”

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