“Both, baby boy. There were both, and there were some pastries left for you in the kitchen for later, but for now…” He’s got the hem of his shirt in his hands when Luca pops his head around the door.
“What is happening right now? Jaybird, you told me not fifteen minutes ago that I could not come in here and sex my baby up. You said, ‘Luca, the new PR manager is waiting for us, and we do not have time.’That’s what you said! Now look at you. I am very disappointed.” Luca is so freaking cute in his black pleated miniskirt and pale mauve sweater. His tiny belly button is on display, and Nix would bet he was naked underneath. Tsuki follows him in and jumps up onto the white chair in the corner of Nix’s room—her long legs and feet dangling off already.
Nix wonders when they’ll remember to check Luca for panties and if it’ll be before they leave in the car or at the office.
“Luca! These are supposed to be on your ass. Where are you hiding?” They can hear Leo in the hall, and just before he enters the room, Luca runsto the other side of the bed.
“Hide me!” he whispers, as Jamie laughs and Nix holds up the green blanket. There’s not enough time to crouch down or crawl into the nest, and instead of it covering him while he’s horizontal, Luca is still standing, looking like a velour Christmas tree.
He commits, though, and stands perfectly still.
Jamie and Nix aren’t so lucky because they burst out laughing.
“I can see you, you know.” Leo gets to his knees and pretends to look under the bed. It’s enough to make even Luca laugh when he says, “I thought I saw his pretty feet under here. Oh, where, oh where can my beloved Luca be?”
He climbs to his feet and silently creeps around the bed. When he’s close enough, he grabs Luca around the waist and tickles him.
“Stop, stop! Oh, my Goddess. Can’t breathe.” Luca whips off the green blanket, his hair standing straight on end with the help of static and the dryness of the house when the heat is on.
It’s hilarious, and he might pee with how hard he’s laughing.
Jamie shuffles his socked feet over Nix’s bedside carpet and around to where his mates are standing near the windows. With a single touch, there’s a crackle and a pop as he shocks both Leo and Luca simultaneously. He leaps over the bed and runs away, shouting, “Love you, Nixie! See you laterrrrrrrr.”
His two shocked mates look at each other and, in the same instant, start wrestling—one trying to put gray panties on a butt, the other trying to evade and distract.
Leo finally gets Luca on his back on the bed (Nix doesn’t mind that he’s in the nest; Luca is always allowed in Nix’s nest).
“Nix, can you help me? We can’t go meet new people with his sweet, juicy butt hanging out. He will cause a riot, and Jamie is in a good mood. I’d like to keep it that way.”
Nix thinks anyone seeing Luca’s juicy butt—who isn’t living in this house—is a bad idea. He takes Luca’s wiggling hands, holds them to the bed, and bends over to give him a wetSpidermankiss. All tongue and drool. Bythe time he pulls away, Luca is wearing his very nice-but-modest panties, and all three of them are sweating.
“Thank you, Nixie. A kiss for your hardworking mate, please.”
Leo leans forward and, leaving a dazed Luca lying there, Nix throws his arms around Leo’s neck and kisses him, too.
He gets a mouthful of minty toothpaste and a bit of pineapple.
Guess that also answers the question about whether there really were Leo-buns.
There were.
“Jamie told you we were going to the PR firm? We’ll be back for dinner.” Leo hauls Luca to his feet and runs his fingers through his mate’s fluffy, out-of-control hair.
“Thanks. Let me do yours, too. You wouldn’t want to look anything less than your best for Margot Duponte. How long has it been since you’ve seen her?”
Nix can tell Luca is teasing, but the mention of the alpha Leo dated in middle school makes his wolf feel like biting someone—with his big teeth.
There’s a loud growl, and the world flashes blue for a second, leaving both of Nix’s mates wide-eyed.
“Whoa, Nix. He’s joking. Right? Tell him you’re just joking, Luca.”
“Baby. Iamjoking. Leo only loves us. He’s super gay, baby. He’s not interested in her spicy taco at all.”
Nix only growls louder at the mention of the middle school crush and her lady-parts.
“For fuck’s sake, Luca. Okay. Here…um… scent me. That’ll help, right? You can make me smell like you, and then everyone will know I’m yours. See?”
That’s a great idea, and it sets Nix’s growling to a low rumble. In the next breath, he has Leo’s shirt collar in his hand, pulling his mate’s nose into the curve of his neck. It’s pure territorial instinct—pumping out enormous waves of musky, sweet vanilla.
