Page 70 of Grave Situation

She meets my gaze.“If it’s not, I’m having the same delusion. I guess the stone likes to be petted?”A tiny smirk teases her lips.“Maybe you’ve been falling down in your duties, Talon. You should be petting the stone twice a day.”

I send her a mental image of a rude gesture as Coryn straightens. “Thank you,” he says politely.

“Anytime. Consider petting the stone to be one of your duties on this trip.” I rein myself in before I say something I’ll regret. It’s not his fault he’s so… sweet. Though I can’t be the only one who finds it odd that someone so seemingly innocent is apparently a ruthless fighter. “Stone, is there anything else for us to do here?”

~No~

“So we can leave when we’re ready?”

~Yes/No~

I sigh in frustration.

“Let me try,” Jaimin murmurs. He has that little smirk on his face that gives me so many feelings, but I gesture for him to go ahead. “Should we leave tomorrow?”

~Yes~

Dammit. I was hoping to stretch out our stay for a few nights. The sidelong glance Jaimin gives me says he’d guessed as much.

“Tomorrow it is,” I concede. “Coryn, is that enough time for you to prepare?”

He nods. “Yup! I’m used to being sent out on short notice. I could go tonight, if you want.”

“No.” The word tumbles from my mouth. I want at leastonenight in that delightful bedroom—and a chance to eat some more crumpets. “Tomorrow’s fine. Uh, you have your own horse?”

“Of course.”

“You’re probably an expert at this, but you need to pack light,” Tia tells him. “One pack of personal belongings.” She looks at Jaimin. “Do we need another packhorse? With his bag, extra food, and his bedroll?—”

“Oh, I can share Talon’s bedroll,” Coryn says blithely.

“What?” I ask blankly, even as Jaimin snaps, “No!”

Coryn blinks at the tone, and I hide my frown. Is Jaimin interested in Coryn?

“But I don’t mind,” Coryn assures us. “That way I get cuddles.”

I swear, I can hear the stone laughing in my head.

“Cuddles,” I repeat, and he nods.

“I like cuddles, but people don’t always like to give them. That’s okay, though. I don’t mind sex, and it means I get cuddles after.”

Tia’s shock and pity echo through my head with my own.

“I see.” I pause, trying to decide what to say. “I see. Well… uh, I’m…”

Jaimin steps in. “What Talon’s trying to say is that we’re all happy to give you cuddles whenever you want them, no sex needed.”

“Really?” Coryn looks between us, and the naked vulnerability on his face makes me swallow down my instinctive refusal.

“Yes. Uh… of course. I… love cuddles.”

“Me too,” Tia chimes in, opening her arms. Coryn’s grin is instant, and he swoops in to grab her in a big bear hug.

“Cuddles are the best,” he says, his voice slightly muffled.

I meet Jaimin’s gaze. He’s smirking at me, and I swear, that smirk is almost a dare. Bastard. He knows I’m not the cuddling type.

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