Bonded

Chapter Forty Two

...

Kavya

...

"Why am I staring at you so?" I cannot help but echo India's question... The way he bats his eyes having stunned me into complete submission as he gazes back at me... Ronin chuckling as he breaks off a fluffed piece of bread in order to shove it into his mouth... His eyes averting themself as he tries not to show his cheeky smile... The way he abandons me to try and explain myself not appreciated by anyone but Jian... Who also finds himself chuckling...

"I... If I may be honest?" I wait for India to slowly nod his head before proceeding onwards with my train of thought, my mouth incapable of forming a lie when it comes to speaking with those I love, "Sometimes I find myself trapped in your beauty, India... I get lost in your eyes and the depth of your hair... The sweet way your cheeks flush brighter than the roses surrounding us... It draws my attention so very completely that I do not notice when I begin to stare... My apologies my Love..."

...

India

...

Kavya's words are so utterly disarming that if I were standing I might find it within myself to faint in order to escape my own speechlessness... The way he never fails to charm me causing my chest to grow warmer as my cheeks flush just in the very same way he mentioned moments ago...

He and Ronin seem to always know just what to say... They always know just what it takes to color my cheeks and fluster my heart... And I suppose that that might be why I am already so taken with them both... The sweet way they seem to lean on each other, even now... Kavya seeking out Ronin's hand as his own answer puts a matching flush the same as mine on his own face... Ronin having no trouble interlocking their fingers and giving his  bonded partner's hand a squeeze that releases so much unexplainable tension from my shoulders that I cannot explain...

"How on earth did you grow to be so sweet?" The words slip out of my mouth before I truly have a chance to catch them... And not for a single moment do I regret them... The way it makes both my suitors smile and blush so precious that I almost feel the need to turn away from them to give them relief from my gaze...

...

Ronin

...

I cannot help but adore the way we all have seemed to relax out here in the rose-scented air that is flowing so freely around us at the moment... The sweet way that India and Kavya have grown cheeky with each other making me smile so hard that I think my face may split in two if my grin grows any wider.

It's so pleasant to witness and sit through that I never want this to end...

The day seems so bright and balmy out here under the sun... The rose bushes offering all of us the perfect amount of sun as we lounge in the center of this garden...

It seems as if the weather has ordered time to halt... Just so that we might enjoy the sunshine a little bit more than we already have... My inner beast ready to chirp and sing over the joy I feel sitting out with the ones I care most about with a basket of good food between us...

I never imagined that I would feel so at ease in the presence of anyone other than Kavya and Kavya alone... But here I am in the presence of India... And even the addition of Jian... And my shoulders do not ache...

My teeth are not clenched or grinding against each other...

My forehead does not feel creased with worry...

And my brows are not furrowed with the effort that it takes to constantly keep my eyes alert for any threat that might show itself...

I feel truly relaxed...

It might be something I eventually have to worry over if it happens when I am on duty or if it affects how I carry out my orders...

But at the moment I can sit back and enjoy things... I can enjoy the sight of the two men I am hoping to be lucky enough to marry, the sweet way that they take turns making each other blush so very beautiful that I find myself melting under more than just the warm sunlight...

My heart feels captured and captivated in the best of ways... And I do not ever want the moments like this to ever end... I want to sit and smile under the sunshine with my two loves as often as we can manage to creep out here amongst the roses...

For this is where I think my soul might truly be happiest.