“I’m sorry, Princess. I wasn’t intending to torture you like that.” I looked up at him.
“It’s fine, Kait. But, please, can we have a little more time before you push like that again?”
He nodded against my hair and kissed the top of my head. I nestled into to him, as he rubbed my back. I was asleep quickly.
When my alarm went off in the morning, it was quickly silenced. Somehow, Kait was in the middle of the bed, and I was completely on top of him. He had managed to turn off the alarm without moving. I scrambled off, while being careful not to hurt him. My face felt like it was on fire as I gathered my clothes for the day and rushed out the door. As I shut the door, I heard Kait snicker behind me.
I had an early class, so I had to hurry. I put in my contacts, got dressed, then headed for the kitchen to grab something quick on the way out the door. Kait already had peanut butter toast and coffee in a travel cup made for me when I walked into the kitchen. I stared at him for a minute then kissed him on the cheek. It’s funny what that little bit of scruff on his face did to me. I averted my eyes as his gaze heated.
He grabbed my bag, and we walked to the car, which he already had pre-heating as well. I wasn’t in the bathroom that long, I didn’t understand how he had time to make the toast, coffee, and pre-heat the car. He just smiled.
The two classes I had went by quickly. When we got back home, Kait had me practice my powers some more, then I had coursework I had to complete. When Sarah came in with an armful of groceries, I jumped at the chance to get away from it all.
“Sarah! Do you need help with dinner?”
She looked at me and smiled. “I could always use more hands.”
“What are we making tonight?” I was looking forward to some girl time. I had been surrounded by so much testosterone all week, it’s amazing I haven’t turned into a guy. Kait snorted behind me, and I glared playfully at him. He held up his hands, and went to his room, muttering about getting some work done.
Sarah watched us with a funny look on her face. She was human, so the situation with the guys was probably weird to her, too. She shook her head, and said, “Chili, we are going to make chili. I love it when it’s cold outside.”
“Yum, I like chili on a cold day, too.” We worked quietly for a few minutes. She was browning the meat, and I was chopping the garlic, onions and peppers. After a few, I quietly asked, “Sarah, do you know about my bonding the guys?”
She sighed. “Yeah, Travis has told me a little about it.”
“Can I ask, and be honest, what do you think I should do?” I put the vegetables in the pot. She poured in the rest of the ingredients and covered it, simmering it on low.
“I’ve known David and Kait for a long time, and of course Travis, I mean, he’s family. They are all great guys, and I think you would be crazy to walk away from them.” She wiped her hands and turned toward me. “I’m not just saying that, either. Plenty of people never meet their one true love, and you have three waiting for you. If I were in your situation, I would be jumping all over that.”
I gaped at her, stunned by her answer. I thought for sure she would say I needed to choose one. “What?”
“Sweetie, human standards don’t really apply to people from Shadoewynne. It is perfectly normal and acceptable to be in a poly relationship in Shadoewynne, and in many cases, it’s needed. Each mate brings something that your magic or your soul needs that the others don’t. I have dated my fair share of guys, both human and Shadoewynne, and I have learned that humans worry too much about what others think of them. You have to do what’s right for you. Can you honestly see yourself picking one of the guys over the others?”
I shook my head. I had figured out that I needed all of them to feel whole, but what that meant for the rest of my life, I hadn’t figured out yet.
She slung her arm over my shoulder. “My advice, kid, is to let things happen naturally, and stop worrying so much about it. Don’t fight your attraction.” She squeezed slightly, patted me on the back then let go.
I shook my head again. She didn’t know what she was asking. That kind of vulnerability was just not me. It scared me. I had been on my own for so long that I couldn’t see myself relying on others. The chili needed stirred, so I tried to ignore the look she was giving me as I walked over and stirred the pot. I stared into the swirling chili, attempting to stop my thoughts from spinning like the chili. After a minute or so, Sarah came over and took the wooden spoon from me and put the lid back on the pot.
“You asked my opinion, and it won’t upset me if you don’t listen. Just saying. Let’s talk about something else. Umm, so how about the weather?”
I laughed, since her comment reminded me of that first full conversation I had with Travis. “Um, it’s great. I love spring. How did you learn to cook?”
She told me all about her mother teaching her and Travis's mom to cook, and the conversation naturally drifted from the guys, although my mind kept returning there. Each time, I would lose the thread of conversation, Sarah would smile knowingly and gently remind me what we were talking about. I couldn’t understand why my brain kept bringing them into it.
Dinner was finally done, and
