Page 15 of Harbor (The Wanderers 3)

“I’m just going to lay it all out here. I’m thirty-four. I was a med student when everything went to shit. I was working under Dr. Shan, Dario, at the time and went underground with him. We’ve moved a few times over the years, but we’ve been in this location for two years. We do everything we can to help people who are injured, sick, or often pregnant. We don’t work for the government or any other entity. We are independent and believe in free will.”

She nodded again. “Okay. Thank you.”

He squeezed her fingers. “If I’m smothering you and you want me to back off, just say the word. Otherwise, I’d like to spend time with you. If you’ll let me.”

She licked her dry lips. “I appreciate your honesty. My instinct is to tell you to take a hike. I don’t let myself get close to people. My inner circle is small.” Her heart was beating fast, and she squeezed his hand in the same way he’d done hers moments ago. “I’m a loner. I don’t trust easily. I don’t need or want a man or men. But…for some reason, you don’t make me cringe.”

He chuckled. “I’m not sure a woman has ever told me she would consider talking to me because I quote, ‘don’t make her cringe.’”

Maya smiled for the first time in forever. “That’s huge from me.”

“I gather that. So, I’ll take it.”

“Am I interrupting?” Keanu asked as he entered the room with a tray of food.

Maya glanced at the scrambled eggs and toast, her stomach growling as the scent filled the air.

“Our patient was just telling me I don’t make her cringe,” Advic informed Keanu. “I think from her that’s a marriage proposal.”

Maya gasped, her eyes going wide, and then she laughed when she realized he was joking. She tugged her hand free of his and pushed herself to a more seated position so she could eat. Hopefully on her own this time. She didn’t want anyone feeding her again.

Advic piled pillows up behind her.

“If there’s a marriage proposal, I’d like to be included,” Keanu stated as he set the tray on her lap.

Maya glanced at Advic. “You didn’t mention you were part of a group package,” she pointed out. She wasn’t surprised, nor was she annoyed. This entire conversation was all in jest. Wasn’t it?

“Did I leave that out?” Advic asked, not meeting her gaze.

“Let me guess,” Maya said, “one of you lures a woman in, and then you pull a bait and switch and all of you pounce.”

Keanu cringed. “It sounds much worse when you state it like that.”

“But it’s true,” she pointed out as she picked up the fork, praying she would have the strength to feed herself.

“We don’t exactly plan it,” Advic mumbled. He still wasn’t looking at her. In fact, he was busying himself by tucking her blankets in around her sides as if they’d gotten untidy.

She grabbed his arm, surprising herself. “It’s okay. I’m not naïve. I get it. It would be weird if one of you had a monogamous relationship in an underground clinic.”

Keanu stroked her thigh. He probably had no idea his touch sent shivers up her spine. His hand was precariously close to her pussy with every pass. “We don’t exactly lure every patient we see into some sort of trap. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. It’s been over a year since we’ve…shared a woman, and that relationship lasted a week.”

“Was she a patient?” Maya asked softly.

Keanu shook his head. “No. She was a midwife. She came here to pick up some supplies, but she needed to return to her people. She wasn’t looking for anything permanent. Scratching an itch unexpectedly. We all were. None of us were under any illusion it would last, and no one was hurt.”

“Okay.” That was a long-winded explanation. He didn’t owe her that, but she appreciated it.

His hand had stopped moving, but he was gripping her thigh, high enough that he was awakening something in her she’d buried a long time ago.

She must have been staring at his hand because when he followed her gaze and realized where he was touching her, he jerked his palm away from her leg. “Sorry.”

She held her breath, trying to rein in the odd lust that had reared its head after years of dormancy. “It’s been a very long time since anyone has touched me,” she murmured.

Advic reached for her cheek and held it. “You have demons.”

“Yes.”

“No one will pressure you here. I promise. But we’re all attracted to you and open to entertaining whatever you’re interested in.”

“Right now, I’m interested in eggs and toast. Let me think about the rest later.”

He grinned. “Of course.” Luckily, he also released her and backed off.

Both of them left the room. She was grateful because she was starving, and eating was going to be messy and clumsy, and she didn’t want them to watch her eat, and she needed to clear her head and think.

How was it possible she was even entertaining the idea of letting these three men get close to her?

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