Page 24 of The Flavor of Us

Like… in your HOUSE? THE St. James pack?

YES.

Holy shit. Okay. Deep breath. What’s happening?

They smell really good, Ellie.

Oh no.

Like, REALLY good. Like, I-want-to-crawl-into-Ryder’s-lap-and-hide good. Like-I-want-Ashton-to-look-at-me-from-above-me good.

Tati!

I KNOW.

I chew on my bottom lip, my fingers hesitating over the keyboard before I type out the next message.

El, this feels like… like what I felt with Carleen. But worse. More intense. Like my whole body just KNOWS them.

Ellie doesn’t reply right away, and I can picture her frowning at her phone, her forehead creased in thought as she processes what I just said.

Finally, my phone buzzes again.

Is it the same, though? Like, the same pull you felt with Carleen? The same… connection?

It is. And I can’t handle it. It’s too much. This complicates everything.

Love and biology are ALWAYS complicated. Look at me, Macon, and Savin. It’s messy, but we make it work. You don’t have to have all the answers right now.

But this isn’t just messy, Ellie. This is… terrifying.

I know, Tati. But maybe it doesn’t have to be. Take a breath. Don’t run from it. Just feel it out.

I let out a long, shaky breath, my fingers hovering over the screen.

You’re too wise for someone who just had triplets.

It’s the sleep deprivation. Makes me sound profound.

How are you, by the way?

I’m okay. Macon’s being bossy, though. Limiting my screen time so I’ll “rest.” Whatever that means.

LOL. Macon being bossy? Shocking.

Ellie: I know, right? And Casey texted, asked when I'm coming back. Said it's not the same at Euphoria with the unstoppable duo.

You just popped out three children! Casey is a mess. Alright. I’ll figure this out. Go rest before Macon catches you.

Love you, Tati. You’ve got this.

I smile faintly at the screen before locking my phone and setting it face-down on my lap. Ellie’s right. I don’t need to have all the answers right now. But the weight of their scents, the way my body is reacting—it’s not something I can ignore. Especially when I shift in my chair and the most embarrassing moan slips through my lips. If I could just reach down between my thighs and alleviate the…

I glance back toward the kitchen, only to realize—They’re all staring at me.

Carleen’s leaning over the counter, arms crossed, her sharp brown eyes glittering with mischief. Ryder’s still standing near the counter, his icy blue eyes locked onto me like he’s trying to read my soul.And Ashton…

Oh goddess.

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