Page 64 of Refuge (The Wanderers 2)

Chapter 19

Ariel was still trembling from the adrenaline drop. She leaned against the door as it shut behind them and took several deep breaths.

“You’re injured,” Tarin murmured as he started fussing with Kester’s arm and then nudged him to lift his hands so he could pull his shirt over his head.

Stu winced as Tarin pulled back the bandage. “Fucker got you good.”

“It’s fine,” Kester groaned. “Stop fussing over me.” His intense gaze was on Ariel. “You okay?” he murmured, ignoring the other two men as he inched closer to her, now shirtless.

She nodded. “That was rough. I’m glad it’s over. I never want to ride in the trunk of a car with a newborn baby again as long as I live.”

Stu came to her side and set his huge hand on top of her head before smoothing it down to her neck. His brow was furrowed as he pulled her face against his chest and kissed the top of her head. “Let’s get you in the shower.”

“Not sure I can stand up that long. My legs are wobbling.” She leaned back. “Neither of us has slept enough.”

“I guess you had to help the woman give birth?” Tarin asked.

Kester chuckled without an ounce of mirth. “That’s an understatement.” He shuddered. “We are not doing that again anytime soon.” He gave Ariel a pointed look. “Keep getting those shots, honey. My heart was ripping out and I didn’t even know that woman.”

Ariel gave him a warm smile. “Trust me. I’m in no hurry to go through anything like that, but I would also hope I’d be here in the medical wing with clean linens and water and proper equipment.”

Kester rubbed his eyes. “I can’t unsee her face.”

Ariel broke free of Stu and wrapped her arms around Kes. “Picture the look she had when we set that perfect, sweet baby on her chest instead. That’s the part that matters.”

Kes nodded. “Until that moment, I don’t think she had ever considered that she might get to keep the baby. She hadn’t been attached to it at all. And then the dam let loose. It was… There are no words.”

Tarin reached out a hand and took Ariel’s. “I for one need my woman draped over my body in the most life-affirming way. Could we please get some showers going here?”

Ariel let him lead her into the bathroom. She also let him remove her clothes, gently, one piece at a time, pulling her shirt over her head and then moving to her shoes, socks, pants, panties, and finally her bra.

He stood with his hands on her biceps, looking up and down her naked frame for several seconds as if reminding himself she really existed and she was unharmed.

She reached for his cheek. “I’m okay, Tarin,” she whispered.

“I know. I just need to look at you.”

The door to the bathroom was open, and Stu and Kes were both leaning against the frame.

“So gorgeous,” Kes murmured, his gaze wandering up and down her body.

She shivered under his perusal, emotions welling up inside her until she thought she might cry, which was probably caused by lack of sleep.

Tarin finally released her to turn on the water, but he didn’t take his gaze off her as if he were afraid she might disappear if he blinked.

She was surprised that the three of them let her get into the shower alone. They didn’t leave her though. They stood in the doorway and watched every second. It should’ve been unnerving, and maybe it was a little, but mostly she felt their reverence and adoration boring into her as she shampooed her hair and then put conditioner in it and reached for the soap. She ran the bar over every inch of her body slowly, trying to give them a bit of a show.

When she was finished, Tarin handed her a towel. He was the only one of the three who’d had a shower already.

Kester had stripped down and was looking at his stitches in the mirror. “Rush did a good job. I doubt it will even leave much of a scar.”

“Can’t believe you let that fucker get a shot off at you,” Stuart teased as Kes stepped into the shower.

Ariel smirked. “Could have been worse if I hadn’t taken care of things.”

Kester groaned. “Ariel, honey, if you continue to embellish this story, the entire compound will start calling me a pansy.” He didn’t even shut the door to the enclosure as he bathed, his fucking hot body on full display for all of them, his erection jutting out as if it were pleading with the rest of them to do something about it.

Stu smirked, brows raised. “Do tell,” he prodded.

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