Page 48 of Mates: Posy

"You—Youset this room up? Forme?"

"Yeah. I wasn’t sure about some things, but I went with what I thought you might like. I’m still on the fence about the hardwood floor, but it’s what was here. I polished it, but it seems too dark. I wanted you to feel surrounded by sunlight."

"Wyatt."

My voice wobbled and I blinked to hold the tears back. I’d cried enough today.

"Dang it! I knew I should have gone with that plush eggshell carpeting, but the installers couldn’t get here today. I'm handy with a lot of things, but laying carpet ain't one of them."

"I don’t want to change the floor," I told him. "I’m happy, not upset. It makes my heart feel so full that you put time and effort into doing this."

"Well,of course, Posy. I’m always going to put time and effort into taking care of you."

I tugged on his shoulders.

"Come down here," I whispered when he didn’t understand what I wanted.

"Oh."

He brought his face down to my level, and I kissed his cheek. A huge smile broke across his lips.

"I love you," he said and kissedmycheek.

My face heated up, and he chuckled softly.

"Come on, baby. My brothers are anxious to see you."

He took my hand in his and led me through the French doors to a garden utopia. On the left side of the balcony was a white chair with lavender cushions, a small table with a pink cloth, hanging wicker baskets, a lilac-colored glass lantern, a wicker plant stand, and a shimmery sheer curtain blocking off one end of the balcony. A large periwinkle basket held a few gardening tools and everywhere there were flowers: petunias, roses, tall grasses, ranunculus, and pansies.

On the right side was a comfy-looking white wicker chair with a floral cushion and a small white bench with a concrete angel sleeping on it. Pots and wicker planters were filled with more flowers, including lavender, thyme, and impatiens. A purple clematis climbed up a white wooden trellis in one corner, and a gorgeous pink rose topiary stood guard in the other corner. There was even a cute metal watering can embossed with a dragonfly and a sweet little basket filled with gardening magazines.

I covered my nose and mouth with my hands and stood there, shocked beyond words. I was barely aware of Ash and Cole joining me.

"I did the left side and Ash did the right." Cole cracked his knuckles one at a time.

"What do you think?" Ash scrubbed his hand through his dark curls. "We can change anything you don’t like."

I shook my head, my throat too tight to speak.

"It was Wyatt’s idea, but we picked everything out and put it together while he was painting your room," Cole said. "We know you love pansies, and we tried to guess what other flowers you might like."

"The curtain has fairy lights in it, and I strung a bunch from the ceiling, too. They’re all on a timer to come on when it gets dark," Ash added.

"Oh, I can’t wait to see that tonight!" I squealed, finally lowering my hands.

"So, it’s okay, then? You like it?" Cole bit his bottom lip.

"Like it? Iloveit!" I opened my arms, then hesitated. "Is it okay to hug you?"

His fern-green eyes softened and seemed sad, and I worried about what he was thinking.

"Honey, you don’t even need to ask. Hug me anytime, anywhere."

I snuggled into him and twined my hands around his back. My head reached slightly above his stomach, reinforcing how small I was compared to these giant mates of mine.

"Why did you look sad when I asked to hug you?" I murmured.

"You shouldn’t feel like you need to ask. You’re our mate. I hate what your father made you believe."

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