Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 112244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 561(@200wpm)___ 449(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112244 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 561(@200wpm)___ 449(@250wpm)___ 374(@300wpm)
I squawked in protest, and Carter rolled his eyes. “Fine, if the troll is half as great as the orc thinks he is, the troll won’t be thinking that. I guarantee it.”
I blew out a breath. “Yeah, but…”
“But nothing. So maybe you don’t believe him right away when he says you’re amazing. Maybe he hasn’t earned that from you yet. That’s fine. Give him the chance to prove it to you. To keep showing up for you. To keep accepting you, insecurities and all. To keep reassuring you. To help you be the best version of yourself. You deserve that. Hell, you deserve a lot more than that.”
I swallowed hard as Carter’s words rocked me to the core. I knew Carter loved me always, but there were times when it hit me how very lucky I was to have him.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “I just… I really needed to hear that.”
“Good. Now, stop freezing your ass off and go find your orc… troll… whichever one’s not you. Okay? Doctor’s orders.”
“Yeah,” I said softly. “I might just do that.”
But when Carter slipped away, I stared down at the Horn in my hand for a long moment, gathering my courage.
“Hey,” Hux said from the darkness behind me. “I was looking for you.”
I jumped so high I nearly fumbled my Horn and turned my head to glare at him. “Jesus! You nearly gave me a heart attack!”
Hux’s lips twitched before he stepped toward me, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face in my shoulder. “Mmm. My bad. Startling people is so rude, isn’t it? Can you believe that sometimes, certain people startle other people on purpose?”
I snorted and relaxed back against him. “Pfft. You secretly love it. So, ah… Rodrigo’s okay?”
“Yep.” Hux leaned up so he could hook his chin on my shoulder. “He’s chomping a couple of those organic strawberries Mrs. Carmody got him hooked on. Gonna be a rude awakening when he goes home and remembers he’s but a poor little bun who has to make do with limp carrots and pellets.”
My heart began skittering around wildly. I didn’t want Hux to leave. I wanted him to spend the night in my bed. With me. I wanted Rodrigo to be at home here, sorta-kinda-permanently, so that he’d never be a lonely bunny again.
And if Carter was right, I needed to ask Hux for what I wanted.
“Hux…” I began. I licked my dry lips.
Through the window, I saw Carter loop his arms around Riggs’s neck and smile up at him. The two of them hadn’t stopped touching since Riggs entered the house, and soon, one of them would lead the other up to their bed, without either of them having to question it. My chest tightened with envy.
“So, I was thinking…” I started again.
“Where’s Hux?” Champ asked, loud enough to hear clearly. “Did he go home already? He didn’t say goodbye to Yolanda or Elvo.”
Hux stiffened behind me.
“Maybe? I think he was checking on his rabbit,” Riggs offered.
“And where’d Kev disappear to? I wanted to thank him before we left.”
Carter darted a glance toward the window. Though he couldn’t possibly see us through the darkness, I got the feeling he knew exactly where I was… and who I was with. Carter was smart like that.
“Oh, probably in his lair,” he said casually. “Plotting world domination. Like he does.”
Riggs’s voice grew wary. “You don’t think Hux is harassing him, do you?”
“What? Of course not,” Carter laughed. “Kev wouldn’t let him.”
“It’s just… they don’t seem to like each other very much. I told Hux to leave Kev alone, but I don’t think he listened.”
Carter pushed his lips together and mooned up at his husband like he was fighting a smile. So was I… especially after Hux grumbled low in his throat. “Interfering assholes.”
It was really sweet that Riggs was being protective… even though he didn’t need to be.
“They’ve worked together just fine on the missions,” Champ said easily. “They’re getting the job done. Let it go, Riggsy.”
“Champ’s right. Kev can take care of himself, babe. He could drop Hux where he stands if he wanted to. Let the two of them sort it out,” Carter advised.
Riggs looked torn for a second, like maybe he wanted to take a quick detour downstairs, but Carter caught his arm.
“Come upstairs with me instead,” Carter urged. “I swear I saw a stampeding capybara up there earlier, and I’m feeling very… unsafe.”
Riggs’s head swiveled toward Carter with almost comical swiftness, and he raised his eyebrows. “Is that so? Are you saying you need your body… guarded?” he demanded with a leer. “Hot damn. Later, people. Duty calls,” he said over his shoulder before moving Carter bodily out of the kitchen.
“We’ll see ourselves out!” Quinn called after them. “Just in case you were worried about it! Don’t miss us too much, guys! We’ll lock up! We—ahhh!” An audible crack split the air, and Quinn jumped and spun. “Percival Champion, did you just smack my ass?”