Page 49 of Luna

I shook my head. I nibbled at the toast. “I want to go over to the resort today. I need to finish planning out the fall beds.”

Halos made a face. “Half Moon Nursery is getting a big shipment today.”

“I’ll be okay by myself,” I said, even though I didn’t want to leave his side.

Halos grumbled, turning on Garden Hunters. “I don’t like leaving you. Take Colton and Quinn.”

It was my turn to grumble. “They’ll be bored.”

They’d shown nothing but polite interest in gardening, but me wandering around a field for hours wouldn’t keep Quinn’s mind active or Colton’s interest.

Halos went about setting up my nest around me, adding and taking away pillows, bringing me water as well as cookies.

I waved my hand at him. “Snuggle me if you’re leaving soon.”

Halos protested, “I can stay here. It’s just—”

“No.” I shook my head. “I’m gonna loaf around and then wander around the fields.”

Colton and Quinn arrived, opening the door with bags of take-out burgers and fries for the four of us. My stomach turned, but then I was ravenous. We sat down and demolished the food they’d brought.

“What should we do today?” Quinn perked up. “I’ve earmarked several parks that are a day trip away.”

“I need to set up some planning,” I said, stealing some of Quinn’s fries. I was still a little embarrassed by my inability to not steal food, but it was nice to finally not feel sick to my stomach.

“Half Moon Nursery is getting a huge delivery this afternoon.” Halos made a face.

“We can come along to Cosmic Bonds,” Colton said. “It was relaxing last time. And if Luna needs help lifting anything—”

“I can haul my own bags of mulch,” I said, stealing one of Colton’s chicken nuggets.

“Sure you can,” he winked at me with heat. “But if you let me, I can be a big strong alpha for you.”

Heat flushed my face and I swallowed hard. So far, the touching was casual, platonic. A snuggle pile on the couch. Neither Quinn nor Colton had tried to kiss me. Maybe they didn’t think I was desirable when I was pregnant.

Maybe they liked me well enough as a person, but it really had just been a fling. Nothing they needed to repeat.

Pushing those depressing thoughts aside, I nodded. “You can come, but it will be boring. You’ll be free to wander the resort.”

That decided, I changed into some loose-fitting pants and a tank top, and Colton drove us over to Cosmic Bonds. Halos had given me a long kiss, telling me to take it easy and let the guys show off for me.

The afternoon was beautiful and clear, with enough of a breeze that the sun wasn’t too hot. I said hello to Ember at the front desk, and then ran into Zephyr along the way to the northside meadow. Most of the cabins were on a slope and many had the meadow in their view, so we tried to keep it looking picturesque.

I pulled my sketch pad out and sat on a blanket. Mulch and soil had already been delivered on a pallet and now it was time to lay it all down to get it ready for the flowers to be planted out.

Colton picked up a bag of mulch. “Where is this going?”

I pointed ahead of him. “Right there, around the white ornamental rocks.”

Quinn stood up, but Colton shook his head. “Y’all sit there and make your plans. I’m only good for manual labor.”

“Hardly.” Quinn rolled his eyes. “But sure.”

Quinn went over the landscaping designs with me, while Colton generally acted like an alpha and moved stuff around. I got a great view and part of me wondered if they were interested in something more…physical.

Quinn didn’t know a lot about landscaping, but he was brilliant, and I was able to bounce ideas off him. I fanned myself as Quinn kept pulling water bottles out of his knapsack and made me hydrate.

I asked Quinn about teaching, and we spent the afternoon planning out the flower beds.

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