Page 12 of Pack Down Bad

“Hmm...” After thinking for a moment, I think I have a solid answer. “Definitely pop music, at least. I’m a Swiftie.”

Percy’s grin widens, and he leans closer to whisper. “Don’t tell them I told you this, but we have Swiftie dance parties sometimes when we tackle deep cleaning days around the house.”

“Really?”

He nods solemnly.

Picturing these three masculine men in the mountainsshaking it offto Taylor Swift makes me snicker under my breath. Somehow, I can definitely picture it, though. Especially from Rhys, who doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously. Knox is a little harder to picture grooving, but I know sometimes the most gruff guys can be cinnamon rolls down deep. Maybe, just maybe, that’s the type of guy Knox is.

There might be hope for Knox and me yet.

“What about your favorite movie?” Percy rests his chin on his hand, admiring me while I search the depths of my available memories–limited as they currently are–for an answer.

“I can’t quite put my finger on it,” I admit, “but I think there’s a series of movies I love. Something with a lot of fantastical action, maybe?” I canalmostpicture the actors, but my brain can’t seem to make a complete memory for me.

“Star Wars? Lord of the Rings? Pirates of the Caribbean?” Percy squints as he tries to come up with more options while I shake my head hopelessly. “Maybe if I describe the plots to you a little...” He launches into a description of one of the movies that doesn’t sound very familiar.

My eyelids are growing heavy. I do my best not to nod off while I listen to Percy, but his voice is so soothing...

“Are you still listening?” Percy asks abruptly, still smiling, so I don’t think he’s too offended.

“Mhm.” I blink myself back awake and try to remember the last thing I heard him say. Even straightening in my chair doesn’t do much to shake off the sleepiness that is continuing to descend over me with a vengeance. “Something about–uh...” A yawn overtakes me, forcing me to trail off.

Percy chuckles. “Alright, that’s enough of that.” He leans forward and plucks the half-eaten cracker from between my fingers. “How about I read to you instead of peppering you with questions?”

My exhaustion-soaked brain takes a moment to process his offer. Has anyone read to me since I was a little girl? Not that I can recall, though that doesn’t carry much weight at the moment.

“I would like that,” I tell him.

As much as I’m enjoying his attention, there’s a stab in my stomach warning me to be cautious here. This might feel like a romantic movie where the heroine is swept off her feet by the pack of her dreams, but I’m sitting here unable to remember the most basic details about myself.

How can we get to know each other as potential mates when I don’t even know who I really am?

He smiles warmly and stands up, leaving me briefly to grab an e-reader from the kitchen counter. When he returns to the table, he offers me his hand and pulls me up out of my seat.

“Let’s sit more comfortably.” He guides me over to the couch and pulls me onto his lap sideways so that my legs are over his and my back rests against the armrest of the couch.

“What about the snacks?” I gesture to the abandoned spread.

“I’ll clean that up after you’ve gone to bed, princess.” He wraps an arm around my waist and squeezes me close. My eyes flutter closed as I lean my shoulder into him, taking comfort in his embrace. Maybe for tonight, I can ignore that warning and focus on how right it feels to be with him like this. He props his other arm up with his e-reader in front of his face, and he uses his thumb to scroll until he seems to find the book he’s looking for. “I started this one this morning,” he explains. “I’m not too far in yet.”

As the two of us settle in for a grown-up bedtime story, Rhys and Knox quiet down as they work side-by-side to put the massive amount of groceries away. Even with three grown men in the house, I have a hard time imagining them needing so much food.

They must really avoid the long drive into town at all costs!

Percy clears his throat and begins reading where he left off.

“She wasn’t expecting to be tackled into a grocery store shelf on a Tuesday afternoon, but life had a way of keeping her on her toes. One second, she was reaching for a jar of pasta sauce at the grocery store. The next, a human missile in the form of a very attractive, very flustered man, crashed into her, sending both of them and about fifteen jars of marinara tumbling to the ground.”

Percy pauses reading when I inhale sharply.

“Everything okay?” he asks, eyes skimming over me to look for any signs of woe.

“I’m not sure.” I rub at the weird ache developing in the center of my chest. “Something about that scene feels familiar. Do you think I’ve read this book before?”

His expression turns worried. “This hasn’t been released yet...”

“Oh.”

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