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Con flopped back on the bed, tucking an arm behind his head as he struggled to slow his breathing. My hot, nerdy college professor couldn't seem to stop grinning that dopey grin. "Oh my God," he panted. "You guys are going to kill me. I'm only a human."
I snorted, fighting my own dopey grin as Oisin snuggled in, draping his long limbs over mine in that leach-like way of his. The fae lifted his tousled red head to give Con a wink. "You kept up just fine, human. But don't worry, with the right training and exposure I'm sure we'll get you up to snuff."
Con groaned.
I slapped a hand over Oisin's wicked mouth, ignoring his already half-mast erection pressing against my thigh. "Even I'm tired, you walking cock. Give it a rest."
He laughed against my hand and rolled over to stare at the ceiling, head pillowed on his hands and his quicksilver mind already on to something else. Whether that something was the shifter killings or his own family drama, I had no idea. Whatever it was, he was already in hide-it-behind-snark mode.
I sat up and stretched. "Showers," I said, crawling over Oisin and getting my ass pinched on my journey toward the floor. I was really glad I had this massive bed, given recent events. "Then we need to sleep. You and I," I said, slapping at Oisin's roving hand, "have serious shit to do tomorrow morning."
Oisin heaved a sigh and pretended to be disappointed. "Killjoy."
Our clothes were still somewhere in the living room. I rummaged through my dresser until I found some shorts and a tank to sleep in. Oisin came over to glance in the drawer. "I'd borrow something, but aside from you having terrible taste in clothing, there's nothing in there that isn't built for an amazon queen, is there?
I shooed him away. "You weren't complaining about my hulking body five minutes ago. Piss off, Keebler elf."
Con stood, dragging my sheet around his hips as if we hadn't all just explored every inch of each other. "I'll just...." He tilted his head toward the door and started inching that way.
I slapped Oisin's hand again, when he walked tickling fingers up the base of my spine, ignoring him as I realized that Con looked a bit lost.
"You can have the shower first, if you want," I said, closing the dresser drawer and nearly getting Oisin's fingers as he considered taking a pair of drawstring sweats from my stash of comfy lounge clothes.
"Um...thanks," Con said, changing course for the bathroom, his sheet toga still in place.
I frowned. What was wrong with him? Maybe he just hadn't enjoyed himself as much as I thought. I glared at Oisin. Maybe the fae had offended him.
Twinkling green eyes met mine and he dropped his mischief-making long enough to help me with the figuring people out. "Con?" he said lightly, halting the human in his tracks. "Are you making assumptions in that silly human head of yours?"
Con ran a hand through his thoroughly messed up curls. "I... uh...thought maybe you wanted me to go now?"
Oisin cleared his throat and gave me a meaningful look. It took me a minute. Gods I suck at people.
"Oh! Con, no. This wasn't just a...one-time thing. I mean, unless you want it to be?" Please say no, please say no.
He looked everywhere but me. "I just thought you guys were playing around. Since you're like...together...and I'm a human and all."
I moved toward Con, but Oisin beat me to it. Somehow, he was wearing a pair of my damned pants and I have no clue how he moved that fast. He should look ridiculous, swimming in sweats that were three sizes too big, but as usual, he had the regal bearing of a spoiled prince. He put a hand on Con's shoulder and gave him a—gasp—genuine smile. "I might be a raging asshole, and a fae. But I wouldn't do something so cruel as play with your emotions that way. And Gesa certainly doesn't play those sorts of games."
Con blinked at Oisin, probably trying to figure out how to deal with honest emotion coming from the little snark. "I'm sorry," he said with a nod. "I shouldn't have assumed something like that. But I know you guys are a couple, and I'm just the human third wheel."
I pushed between them to take Con's face in my hands. Unlike Oisin, Con was only a few inches shorter than me. I looked into those pretty, honey-brown eyes. "You are not a third wheel, Con. When you get cleaned up, you're sleeping in here. Where you belong, for as long as you want."
He huffed a laugh. "Yes Sir, Ma'am Sir."
I pressed a kiss to his soft lips. "Seriously. If you can put up with Oisin, I want that 'couple' to be 'threesome.'" I grimaced. "And yes, that sounded kinkier than I actually meant it to sound."
Oisin snorted. I let go of Con's face and stepped back. "But if you can't stand the fae, you and I can always run away together."
Oisin brushed past us headed to the bathroom, for once not giving me any snark. I stared at his back in shock, watching his red hair swish as he walked, spine straight and graceful.
Con followed my eyes and frowned. "We could never run away and leave Oisin all by himself," he said, nudging my arm.
I watched Oisin disappear into the bathroom. "What just happened?"
Con sighed. "He's more fragile than you think," he breathed, softly, so Oisin's fae hearing wouldn't pick it up. "Don't you realize? I don't know what happened to him before he came here, but...he is really afraid of being alone."
Con was so...how did he do that? How did he just look at someone and know? I put my face in my hands. "I can't," I said with a horrified moan. "I can't take care of my own shit. Now you guys expect me to understand feelings?"
Oisin's lilting voice called out over the sound of running water. "Gesa and her pride—if you want your backs washed, get in here or I'm using all the hot water."
I rolled my eyes and shoved Con toward the bathroom. "Go. He's not joking."