Page 21 of Finding Embers and Stars (Twin Flames Duet #1)
Chapter twenty-one
I slowly start to wake up and when I go to stretch my arms and legs, my fingers hit something solid. Opening one eye, I see Wyatt laying in front of me with an arm thrown over my waist. I look behind me to see Milo with his hand on my thigh.
Okay then.
I lift my head far enough to look around, searching for my mates and wondering how I ended up in the center of a cuddle pile with my brothers. Maverick and Liam are on the outside of our nest while Sage and Piper are nowhere to be found.
The faint sound of a cupboard door thumping shut is followed by the sizzle of bacon, or at least what I hope is bacon. The Chinese food we had for dinner last night was amazing, but I’m a growing boy with a bear's appetite, and I’m so ready for breakfast.
Sitting up carefully, I manage to stand and step out of the man sandwich without waking my brothers. I try to muffle my chuckles as Milo and Wyatt roll towards each other, filling in the gap that I left in the blankets.
I make a pit stop in the bathroom just down the hall, then make my way towards the kitchen.
As I get closer, I can overhear Sage and Piper talking to each other. I know it’s rude to eavesdrop, but I’m curious what they might say about us when we’re not there to hear them.
“Ohhh, we should have Zeke draw a mermaid spell card. That way we can turn into mermaids. Do you think Shasta would help us with the spell?”
Piper scoffs. “Yeah, that's just what we need, Sage. Let’s turn into mermaids so we can get captured and studied by the government. No thanks. How about an octopus instead?”
Mermaid, octopus, spell cards? I have no idea what they’re talking about, but as soon as I step into the kitchen, they both turn to smile at me.
Like two rays of sunshine breaking through a cloudy day. There is no prettier sight than my mates.
My bear’s agreement with me doesn’t come as much of a shock. He’s wanted nothing more than to smother them with love since Piper first opened the door.
“Good morning, ladies.”
Snickering, Piper walks up to kiss my cheek. Before she can step back, I gently curl my hand around her neck and pull her closer. Heat flares in her eyes and she sways on her feet, leaning into me.
Watching her eyes for any sign of hesitation, I brush my lips across hers. Once, twice, and on the third time her eyes close and she lets a tiny whimper slip out. Dragging my tongue slowly across the seam of her lips, I take advantage of her small gasp of surprise.
Sliding my tongue past her lips to stroke hers, I revel in having my mate in my arms. Wrapping my other arm around her waist, I pull her closer until her body is pressed against my hard shaft.
Groaning, I take a step back. Piper is much too tempting. Dropping one last kiss on the tip of her nose, I brush my lips past her ear to whisper my secret. “Thank you for my first kiss.”
Piper’s eyes widen in shock. Her lips part and it’s a struggle to pay attention to her words when my dick is demanding I move in for another kiss.
“That was my first kiss, too.”
Shocked, I look from her to Sage and then it hits me, I just kissed Piper in front of Sage. Is she mad about that?
Sage’s calm smile helps me get my panic back under control. “No need to worry, Walker. I think it’s perfect that the two of you shared your first kisses.”
She steps up beside us and presses a quick kiss to my cheek before moving back to the stove and flips the bacon.
I don’t know if I’ll ever understand how these two work. I’ve seen plenty, but heard even more stories about how women can be catty with each other. With Sage and Piper, they seem to go out of their way to build each other up. Much like how the guys and I work for the betterment of each other and not to one up anyone.
“Well, since Walker gave Piper his first kiss, it seems only fair that Sage gets mine.” Liam walks in the kitchen, grabs Sage around the waist and lifts her to the kitchen island. Stepping between her knees, he cups her cheek gently. “That is, if you want it.”
“Fuck, yes.” Without hesitating, she leans in and presses her lips to his. Watching them kiss is strangely erotic. I have no interest in Liam, but Sage is my mate and as I watch the way their lips slide over each other’s and their tongues duel, I’m surprisingly intrigued.
“Is it weird that I find that hot?” Piper whispers in my ear.
“If it is, then I’ll be weird with you.”
“What are we being weird about?” Wyatt walks into the kitchen, looking so chipper I want to stab him with a fork.
“That you and Milo were cuddling when I left the room.” I press my lips to Piper’s forehead, more than willing to throw my brothers under the bus to keep her from feeling embarrassed.
“Well, who was I supposed to cuddle with? Sage and Piper left us.” He walks right past Liam and Sage kissing and heads straight to the coffee pot. Helping himself to a cup, he lets out a moan that would be more fitting to a porno than a kitchen. Unless the porno was in the kitchen?
I shake my head, trying to get my scrambled brain off sex, which is much easier said than done when I have every inch of Piper’s luscious body wrapped in my arms.
“Shit.” Piper yanks away from me and grabs the frying pan off the stove. Flipping the slightly overcooked bacon out onto a plate, she turns the burner off. Opening the oven door, she reveals a pan full of pancakes, sausage links, scrambled eggs, and some slightly less crispy bacon.
Maverick stumbles in next with his eyes barely open. Wyatt passes his cup of coffee to our surly wolf, then makes himself another. Mav can be a challenge after coffee, but no one wants to deal with him beforehand.
Milo is the last one to make it to the kitchen and out of all of us, he’s the most put together. In his hand is a tin of tea Wyatt must have grabbed for him when he packed bags for us yesterday.
Somehow Milo doesn’t drink coffee. Maybe it’s a Fae thing, because I don’t understand how he does it. Liam and Sage finally come up for air and start setting the table.
We all find a place to sit as Piper places platters of food down in front of us. She goes back to the counter to grab an oversized coffee mug and when she sets it down at the seat next to mine, my nose twitches.
“That is not coffee.”
She looks at me as if I’ve grown a second head. “Nooo. Why would it be? Coffee is gross.”
Shocked gasps of outrage are overshadowed by Milo’s delighted whoop. “Finally, someone else with good taste.”
He lifts his mug of tea and toasts Piper from his place across the table. The clink of her cup meeting his is enough to break the rest of us out of our stupor and start passing plates. It’s such a little thing, but I think it’s just one more sign that we are meant to be together.
No one wants to be the only one on their path, even if that path is disgusting, wrong, and means you don’t drink coffee.