“You would kill me over food?”
“Not all food.” I felt Maddox smile against my neck. “Just over a muffin.”
Damn if my heart didn’t soar. The two of them were ridiculously adorable when they bantered like this.
I pushed my face against Maddox’s collarbone and reached for Briar, positioning his arm over my stomach. “I’d say there are more muffins in the bakery, so why fight over one? But I’m selfish, I guess. I want to be the only one for both of you.”
“You are,” Briar said.
Maddox didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. He kissed my temple and let his lips linger on my skin before skimming them to my hairline.
Before meeting Lupin and being transported to another world, I’d spent my time escaping into books because it was more fulfilling than the world around me. My romance had been limited to the heartthrob characters I’d read about in those books because they were sure as hell better than the real men I’d met and, very briefly, dated before realizing just how shitty they were.
The two men in my bed had changed my perspective on romance. They’d turned me into a lovesick puppy who one-hundred percent believed in true love and fairy-tale endings.
And our story was just beginning.
***
“Kuya smells cake!” Kuya bounded into the kitchen, his reddish-brown ears standing tall and his long tail flicking in excitement. His purple crop top showed his toned, tanned belly, and he was barefoot as usual. He hated shoes.
I had sent word to the castle, inviting him and the prince over for dinner.
“Hey!” I greeted him. Kuya was like a beam of sunlight after a stormy day. His energetic personality was refreshing. It was hard not to be happy when he visited. “I just put the cake in the oven. It’ll be ready soon.”
“Cake needs to be ready now.” Kuya hopped up into one of the bar-style chairs at the counter and frowned at the oven, as if that would force it to bake faster.
The kingdom of Bremloc exuded medieval vibes with some of the décor, architecture, and way of life, but there were modern conveniences too. Or something close to them. Magic was such a prevalent part of everyday life and used to power things in the same way electricity would.
Ovens and other kitchen equipment functioned just like the ones from my old world. As I flipped the tiny switch that turned on a light for me to see through the oven’s glass door and check on the baking cake, I could’ve sworn I was back in the café I’d worked in prior to coming here.
“Evan’s head is in the clouds,” Kuya said, appearing beside me. He peered through the glass door too, and his rainbow eyes widened. “Strawberry?”
“Yep.” I smiled. “I know it’s your favorite.”
“You made this specially for Kuya?”
I nodded. “If it’s okay, I’d like to name it after you too when I put it on the menu. Kuya Berry Delight. It’ll have sliced strawberries on top with a strawberry buttercream frosting.”
The kaleidoscope of colors in his eyes swirled as he flashed a toothy grin. “The perfect name for a perfect cake.”
“Did Prince Sawyer come with you?”
He shook his head. “He’s busy with paperwork. Has to sign documents and…” His ears drooped a bit, “choose another bridal candidate to meet with.”
My heart went out to Kuya and Sawyer. The prince needed to find a bride, as was the way of royalty, because arranged marriages helped strengthen alliances with foreign kingdoms and fortified peace and prosperity with other nations. But anyone with eyes could see that the two of them belonged together. Whether they had ever acted on their feelings, I wasn’t sure, but their depth of emotion was palpable.
Their heartache was too.
“How much longer does he have until he has to make a decision?”
“Not long,” Kuya answered. “King Eidolon says if he hasn’t picked one by the time the leaves start changing, he’ll choose one for him.” He stared at the cake in the oven, but the faraway look in his eyes told me his mind was elsewhere. “Kuya doesn’t want Prince Sawyer to marry anyone. He doesn’t have a choice though. Come winter, he’ll more than likely be betrothed to a beautiful woman who can give him what Kuya can’t.”
The ache in my chest deepened. “Do you want to help me finish cooking?” I asked, hoping to distract him from his sadness.
His ears perked up. “What does Evan want Kuya to do?”
“Have you chopped vegetables before?”
