other girls here to talk to so it’s great to have you staying.”
I forced a smile, suddenly feeling like an idiot for not knowing about the bonding process. What did that mean—to bond? Were we about to bond the night before when I put the brakes on? Could it be something as simple as having sex? I rested my forehead on my upturned palm, too many questions rolling around in my head. I needed to find Cal.
After a quick wash up and fresh change of clothes, I made my way downstairs, following the scent of bacon and maple syrup to the large dining room off the side of the main hallway. I stood at the door watching with amazement as a dozen incredibly large men shoveled food into their mouths at an alarming speed. Candy was right—these guys ate a ton.
Ken noticed me first, and hastily stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth as he rose from his chair and motioned me in. “Morgan,” he mumbled through the food, “so nice to see you up and about.” All eyes turned toward me and I suddenly felt like the prized pet on display.
I smiled, self-conscious and barely making eye contact with each of the men before trailing my gaze to Cal, who was seated at the end of the table, a forkful of eggs suspended halfway to his mouth. A moment of electrifying heat passed between us as our eyes locked, broken only when Lance slapped him on the back, sending his eggs splattering to his plate.
Okay, so apparently I still wanted him. That little impulse hadn’t disappeared while I’d slept.
“Cal, don’t you think you should offer Morgan a seat?” Lance was smirking as he pulled his chair out and motioned for me to sit. “Here, take mine. It’s my turn to clean up anyway.” He picked up his plate and moved toward the swinging door behind Cal. “I’ll get you some food. Be back in a jiffy.”
I moved slowly, my eyes still locked with Cal’s. He stood awkwardly and motioned to the seat next to him. “There’s a spot here for you.”
I nodded and eased down into the chair. Lance bounded back into the room and laid a plate piled high with food in front of me. “I hope you’re hungry,” he teased.
I smiled up at him, loving the fact that the man’s playfulness erased some of the awkward tension between me and Cal. “If you think I can’t eat this all, you’re mistaken. I can eat any one of you under the table.”
A whooping round of laughter rang through the room and my smile widened.
Lance beamed. “Well then, sugar, eat up…there’s more of that in the kitchen when you’re done.” He winked. “You know, Morgan, I think you’re going to get along just fine around here.”
I nodded, ignoring Cal’s burning gaze as I dug into the food.
“Come on, Cal, are you at least going to introduce us?” an attractive red-haired fellow asked with a wicked grin.
Cal cleared his throat. “Morgan, that’s James.”
I smiled in his direction. “Hi James. Nice to meet you.” Before I even finished my sentence, Cal was rattling off the names of everyone else.
“And that’s Phenton, Darren, Kevin, Peter, Andr…”
“Whoa man, slow up,” one of the unnamed ones laughed. His smile was infectious, his blond curls and spray of freckles making him look cherub-like. “She’s clearly overwhelmed. I think it might be better if we just introduce ourselves to Morgan over the next few days.”
I smiled gratefully. “Thank you. I think I made it up to Peter before my brain started to sizzle.”
“That’s okay.” The cherub rose from his seat and walked over to me, offering his hand. “My name is Andrew. My bonded is the Oracle, Kelly. I’m sure Cal has told you about her.”
I shifted my gaze to Cal, who suddenly became totally engrossed in his plate. I bit my bottom lip as I turned to look back at Andrew. “Not really. I mean, I’ve been asleep.”
A frown passed over Andrew’s face. “Oh, I see. Well, I’m sure he’ll explain everything to you today, won’t you, Cal?”
“Yeah, I’d planned
I forced a smile, suddenly feeling like an idiot for not knowing about the bonding process. What did that mean—to bond? Were we about to bond the night before when I put the brakes on? Could it be something as simple as having sex? I rested my forehead on my upturned palm, too many questions rolling around in my head. I needed to find Cal.
After a quick wash up and fresh change of clothes, I made my way downstairs, following the scent of bacon and maple syrup to the large dining room off the side of the main hallway. I stood at the door watching with amazement as a dozen incredibly large men shoveled food into their mouths at an alarming speed. Candy was right—these guys ate a ton.
Ken noticed me first, and hastily stuffed a piece of toast in his mouth as he rose from his chair and motioned me in. “Morgan,” he mumbled through the food, “so nice to see you up and about.” All eyes turned toward me and I suddenly felt like the prized pet on display.
I smiled, self-conscious and barely making eye contact with each of the men before trailing my gaze to Cal, who was seated at the end of the table, a forkful of eggs suspended halfway to his mouth. A moment of electrifying heat passed between us as our eyes locked, broken only when Lance slapped him on the back, sending his eggs splattering to his plate.
Okay, so apparently I still wanted him. That little impulse hadn’t disappeared while I’d slept.
“Cal, don’t you think you should offer Morgan a seat?” Lance was smirking as he pulled his chair out and motioned for me to sit. “Here, take mine. It’s my turn to clean up anyway.” He picked up his plate and moved toward the swinging door behind Cal. “I’ll get you some food. Be back in a jiffy.”
I moved slowly, my eyes still locked with Cal’s. He stood awkwardly and motioned to the seat next to him. “There’s a spot here for you.”
I nodded and eased down into the chair. Lance bounded back into the room and laid a plate piled high with food in front of me. “I hope you’re hungry,” he teased.
I smiled up at him, loving the fact that the man’s playfulness erased some of the awkward tension between me and Cal. “If you think I can’t eat this all, you’re mistaken. I can eat any one of you under the table.”
A whooping round of laughter rang through the room and my smile widened.
Lance beamed. “Well then, sugar, eat up…there’s more of that in the kitchen when you’re done.” He winked. “You know, Morgan, I think you’re going to get along just fine around here.”
I nodded, ignoring Cal’s burning gaze as I dug into the food.
“Come on, Cal, are you at least going to introduce us?” an attractive red-haired fellow asked with a wicked grin.
Cal cleared his throat. “Morgan, that’s James.”
I smiled in his direction. “Hi James. Nice to meet you.” Before I even finished my sentence, Cal was rattling off the names of everyone else.
“And that’s Phenton, Darren, Kevin, Peter, Andr…”
“Whoa man, slow up,” one of the unnamed ones laughed. His smile was infectious, his blond curls and spray of freckles making him look cherub-like. “She’s clearly overwhelmed. I think it might be better if we just introduce ourselves to Morgan over the next few days.”
I smiled gratefully. “Thank you. I think I made it up to Peter before my brain started to sizzle.”
“That’s okay.” The cherub rose from his seat and walked over to me, offering his hand. “My name is Andrew. My bonded is the Oracle, Kelly. I’m sure Cal has told you about her.”
I shifted my gaze to Cal, who suddenly became totally engrossed in his plate. I bit my bottom lip as I turned to look back at Andrew. “Not really. I mean, I’ve been asleep.”
A frown passed over Andrew’s face. “Oh, I see. Well, I’m sure he’ll explain everything to you today, won’t you, Cal?”
“Yeah, I’d planned
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