He looked up from Maya’s peaceful face to find his brother watching him.
Kendall asked, “You okay?”
With his head resting in his palm, Richard nodded as he lifted the blanket higher over her shoulder. He held his breath as she turned on her side in her sleep and cuddled close to his chest. She tucked her hand under her chin and schooched closer until her head was under his jaw and she was touching him from nose to toes.
Richard finally let his breath out slowly and met Kendall’s eyes again. Kendall grinned and said, “Don’t look so shocked, Richard. She feels safe with you, with all of us.”
Damn, she felt good against him. He didn’t know what to say.
Chapter Eight
Maya woke during the night, relieved that the pounding in her head had subsided. She felt very warm, and as she came wider awake, she realized this was because she was caged in by big, male bodies. The wound on her hand still throbbed, but felt better than it had earlier.
She lay there, listening to them breathe, smiling in the dark as she tried to guess who was where. Kendall was in the same spot he’d slept in the night before. She looked up, waiting for her eyes to adjust, and inhaled slowly.
Boone held her tightly against his lean, muscled chest, judging by the sexy, faintly spicy scent that filled her nostrils. His chest was bare, and she had to stop herself from stroking him. His hand rested on her hip. Actually, it did more than rest there. His hand positively gripped her. Even in his sleep Boone’s touch had a possessive quality to it. Was this real, or was she dreaming?
She heard someone shift in the room and realized it was Richard, sitting in the rocker in the corner. He must’ve put her to bed earlier. He came close and placed his hand on her thigh.
“You okay?”
She smiled up at him and whispered, “Yeah. I wondered where you were.”
“I’m right here, honey. You go back to sleep.”
He patted her then went back to the chair. She drifted off thinking how incredibly kind he was. She wondered if he’d gotten any rest at all.
* * * *
Later that morning, Maya awoke to an indescribably languid sensation. Hands everywhere, touching her, caressing her. Smiling sleepily, she stretched with her eyes still closed. A faint mewing sound escaped from her lips and she heard a male groan.
A pair of callused hands held her ankle and caressed up and down her calf inside of her pant leg. Another hand traveled up and down the length of her spine, from her tailbone to the nape of her neck, stroking into her hair before making its journey south again. Another warm, masculine hand stroked up and down her inner arm and back and forth across her collarbone.
She blinked the sleep from her eyes and smiled at the three men who surrounded her on the bed.
“Good morning, babydoll,” Kendall murmured as he continued stroking her inner arm, his chin resting in his hand as he lay facing her. His eyes twinkled playfully, and there was a sexy smile on his lips.
Her eyelids slid closed in sensual pleasure as full lips pressed against the juncture of her throat and shoulder, and Boone whispered in her ear, “Morning, Maya.”
“Good morning,” she whispered, sighing in pleasure at their touch.
Richard sat at the end of the bed, her foot held gently in his hand. She made eye contact with him and felt his gaze on her as though it were a physical caress. He looked tired.
“Did you sleep at all last night?” she asked as she beckoned him.
He nodded slightly as Kendall and Boone both rose simultaneously from the bed. They were already showered and dressed.
“I dozed a bit. How do you feel?”
She lifted her hand and could tell the swelling had gone down but the discoloration remained. “The bite aches like a deep bruise. The headache and nausea seem to have passed though.” Richard sat on the edge of the bed and caressed her cheekbone as she said, “You rocked me to sleep.”
Richard smiled faintly. “You had me worried.” He looked as though he might’ve said more but left it at that. “We’ve made breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“A little, I think.” She took a deep breath and smiled at them. “Thank you for waking me so sweetly.”
As he helped her from the bed, Kendall said, “We wanted you to eat with us if you felt up to it. You can always return to bed afterward if you want. We’ve got to get to work, but Grace said she would check on you at lunchtime.”
Maya felt a little let down. She’d been hoping to spend more time with Kendall and do a little more exploring on the JWB during her time there.
The doctor had told her she might have some lingering ill effects from the antivenin and to rest. Forced rest was unwelcome news, but maybe it was for the best.