hand-carving furniture. She’d even told them how she’d had to quit school but hoped to go back soon.
However, she would find herself drifting, wondering what it would be like if Kyle was kissing her, if Jake were leaning against her… The two men had to think she was a complete idiot with how tongue-tied she got. Ellie shivered, having a hormonal experience just thinking about them. When she’d started fantasizing about living with one or both of them, about the wedding, growing food on their land while she did physics research, and having their babies, she knew it was time to get some space.
That was just too weird; she’d never even thought about kids until them. “Must be some magical pheromone,” she muttered. That was the only explanation for her highly illogical fantasies.
Thus, she hauled rocks instead of washing dishes. If she had to watch blond Kyle’s tanned, tattooed arms working the frying pans, or dark-haired Jake tying his hair back in a ponytail and chopping up vegetables, she might lose her mind. Last time she’d washed pots and pans, just being near them had gotten her wet. Ellie kept blushing, thinking about all the dirty things she wanted both of them to do to her.
She’d never thought about two men taking her together. Every time one of them passed nearby, her insides had clenched in lust as she thought about one of them in front of her, one behind.
If only tall, sweet, sexy men with rock hard muscles were attracted to her like that, but they weren’t. She knew where she was on the social totem pole. She was average, plain. Ellie wasn’t going to make a fool of herself. They were nice to her, but they weren’t interested.
Hours later, her arms were shaking. It was just past dinnertime. She’d planned to skip the social congruence at dinner to catch a few extra hours of daylight, but she just couldn’t lift anything more. Even her pants seemed looser. All those teenage years of starving herself to fit in, and she’d just needed hard work to build muscle. Getting away from fast food had helped; Ellie had never felt this healthy.
Even if her libido had gone crazy.
She began trudging the half mile back to the house. The July humidity had her feeling as though she was swimming through the air, and she was dying for a shower. It was one of the conveniences of the retreat center that she enjoyed. The communal showers in the dormitory cabin still weirded her out a bit, but even that had gotten easier.
Nobody was around the house in the amber light of the setting sun. Often after dinner people went their own ways to work and catch the last of the light or to attend to their own evening activities.
Ellie entered the large catering kitchen, grateful to see it empty. There were days when she just didn’t want to see anyone, not when she was this tired, irritable, and horny. She could just eat a few leftovers, take a shower, and head to her room. The kitchen was still stifling from all the day’s cooking.
Ravenous, Ellie warmed up a plate of steak and vegetables, leaning back against the counter to eat it right there.
Nearly finished, she heard Kyle and Jake coming down the hallway. “We should prep more lunch meat.”
“We can do it tomorrow,” Jake grumbled.
“Only if we get up at the crack—oh hi, Ellie.” They both stopped short at seeing her.
She managed to not choke on the steak. “Hi guys.”
Jake unfroze, donning an apron. “Did you like dinner?”
“Oh. Yes. Your steak is always delicious.” Yeah. She couldn’t even put proper words together when they were around. Her whole lower body clenched with wanting them. Ellie winced at how disgusting she must look, her collar-length hair plastered to her with sweat. She probably smelled.
Jake grinned. “It’s not hard.”
“I’ll miss food like this when I’m back in the city.” Maybe she could escape and take a shower before she said something really stupid. Except she couldn’t quite make herself want to
However, she would find herself drifting, wondering what it would be like if Kyle was kissing her, if Jake were leaning against her… The two men had to think she was a complete idiot with how tongue-tied she got. Ellie shivered, having a hormonal experience just thinking about them. When she’d started fantasizing about living with one or both of them, about the wedding, growing food on their land while she did physics research, and having their babies, she knew it was time to get some space.
That was just too weird; she’d never even thought about kids until them. “Must be some magical pheromone,” she muttered. That was the only explanation for her highly illogical fantasies.
Thus, she hauled rocks instead of washing dishes. If she had to watch blond Kyle’s tanned, tattooed arms working the frying pans, or dark-haired Jake tying his hair back in a ponytail and chopping up vegetables, she might lose her mind. Last time she’d washed pots and pans, just being near them had gotten her wet. Ellie kept blushing, thinking about all the dirty things she wanted both of them to do to her.
She’d never thought about two men taking her together. Every time one of them passed nearby, her insides had clenched in lust as she thought about one of them in front of her, one behind.
If only tall, sweet, sexy men with rock hard muscles were attracted to her like that, but they weren’t. She knew where she was on the social totem pole. She was average, plain. Ellie wasn’t going to make a fool of herself. They were nice to her, but they weren’t interested.
Hours later, her arms were shaking. It was just past dinnertime. She’d planned to skip the social congruence at dinner to catch a few extra hours of daylight, but she just couldn’t lift anything more. Even her pants seemed looser. All those teenage years of starving herself to fit in, and she’d just needed hard work to build muscle. Getting away from fast food had helped; Ellie had never felt this healthy.
Even if her libido had gone crazy.
She began trudging the half mile back to the house. The July humidity had her feeling as though she was swimming through the air, and she was dying for a shower. It was one of the conveniences of the retreat center that she enjoyed. The communal showers in the dormitory cabin still weirded her out a bit, but even that had gotten easier.
Nobody was around the house in the amber light of the setting sun. Often after dinner people went their own ways to work and catch the last of the light or to attend to their own evening activities.
Ellie entered the large catering kitchen, grateful to see it empty. There were days when she just didn’t want to see anyone, not when she was this tired, irritable, and horny. She could just eat a few leftovers, take a shower, and head to her room. The kitchen was still stifling from all the day’s cooking.
Ravenous, Ellie warmed up a plate of steak and vegetables, leaning back against the counter to eat it right there.
Nearly finished, she heard Kyle and Jake coming down the hallway. “We should prep more lunch meat.”
“We can do it tomorrow,” Jake grumbled.
“Only if we get up at the crack—oh hi, Ellie.” They both stopped short at seeing her.
She managed to not choke on the steak. “Hi guys.”
Jake unfroze, donning an apron. “Did you like dinner?”
“Oh. Yes. Your steak is always delicious.” Yeah. She couldn’t even put proper words together when they were around. Her whole lower body clenched with wanting them. Ellie winced at how disgusting she must look, her collar-length hair plastered to her with sweat. She probably smelled.
Jake grinned. “It’s not hard.”
“I’ll miss food like this when I’m back in the city.” Maybe she could escape and take a shower before she said something really stupid. Except she couldn’t quite make herself want to
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