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Cullen and Corbin nodded as one. “That way we can take them home.”

Right, there were two adults and a ravenous little one, just waiting. Hell, Cosmo was the size of a house. “Why don’t you make that an even dozen?”

“I can do that.” She smiled and headed off, a bit of a dazed expression on her face.

Yeah. He was going to have to get hamburgers for Hawk and Cosmo and the little one too. They wouldn’t thank him for forgetting them.

Mate, you’re sparkling a little bit.

Oh. Oops. Sorry!He dialed it back, focusing on his appearance.Does the little one like hamburgers?

He does. A lot. But you can always count on chicken nuggets. Some things are eternal. The child loves chicken nuggets, especially when shaped like dinosaurs. But he will take a plain burger as dinosaur chicken nuggets are rare in the wild. We tend to have to buy them domestically.

The cinnamon rolls came, huge and dripping with icing, warm with a dollop of butter on the top. They polished them off about the time that the to-go boxes came.

“I do really appreciate you guys coming down to meet me,” Yarrow said. “I feel better. That land is important to me. It’s good to have good neighbors.”

“We’re exceptional neighbors,” Cullen told Yarrow. “Just ask us, we’ll tell you.”

“Especially since if you need me, I’ll be there too.”

Yarrow’s eyes went wide. “Will you now?”

“Yes. I’m going to be doing some…work.”

“You?” Yarrow’s lips twisted. “You’re going to be doing work? You?”

“Hey!”

He worked.

Sort of.

That did remind Orion that he needed to make a few phone calls.

Now that he knew he was going to stay, he needed to make sure nice man knew how to find him. The hob had been with him since time immemorial, and he’d be damned if he was going to leave his oldest friend behind now.

Cullen offered him the quick lowering of his brow, but didn’t say anything.

He thought Basil would love it—wandering along the houses, learning a new place.

If you have another lover, I’m going to be cross.

Who? Me? No!That was ridiculous.Basil is a hob. He’s one of my dearest friends.

Do you have a cofgod as well?Cullen immediately relaxed.I’m glad. Cosmo and Hawk love their gnomes.

Yes. No reason to be jealous. He’s going to love you. He’s going to think you’re amazing.

And if Basil didn’t? Well, Orion wasn’t going to worry about that. As long as the fellow didn’t pee on Cullen’s sheets, all would be well…

They wandered, and their disguises slipped a little as they laughed at all the things in the toy store, but no one there said a word. He had a feeling the people who ran it were shifters… The bookstore yielded treasures, and they grabbed a huge load of groceries before picking up burgers and such to take back up to the house for lunch.

Orion was so lost. He was deep in love already. Cullen knew how to laugh and play and when to be serious, and he smelled like…

Home.

Orion’s hands itched to touch him, and he was ready to see his purple love in all his splendor.