JM BENAVIDEZ

Zuriel led us out between the water slides and the sports field. We circled around the back of the pool area where there was a large rock wall. Mendrion had extended the rock wall and created some sort of a cavern inside the rock for my date with Zuriel. As we approached the vine covered mouth of the cavern, Lael motioned for me to step up beside Zuriel and he followed a few feet behind us. "This is it." Zuriel said and I nodded. "Ok, well it's nice thanks." I quickly turned to walk away and then stopped and grinned back at Zuriel who stood staring at me with his mouth hanging open. "You're drooling." I snickered and he wiped his mouth. "I was not." 

I laughed and slid my arm through his. "Alright, so show me whatever is in this dark creepy looking cave that is probably going to make me trip and fall and twist my ankle." Zuriel looked down at my hand and then back up into my face. "It's only dark and creepy on the outside." I looked over my shoulder at Lael and rolled my eyes playfully. He shook his head and I smiled at Zuriel. "So are we going in or what?" He took a deep breath and then pulled the vines back so we could enter. "Watch your step, the first ten feet is the darkest. Once the cavern opens up you'll be able to see better." I vaguely made out the sound of water running and I turned my head towards him. "Is that the water from the pool?" He smiled and placed his other hand over my hand that was on his arm. "You'll see." 

As we reached the end of the narrow tube shaped cavern and the room opened up I dropped his arm, covering my mouth with my hand. The room was a large multicolored rock cavern with tiny skylights where brilliant rays of light shone down reflecting off the walls. There were shallow puddles and the bottoms of tiny waterfalls running down several walls as well. And there were lovely patched of hanging moss and tiny trailing flowers. There was even what looked like lotus flowers floating in the little pools. "And to think, you didn't even want to see it." Zuriel's voice was soft beside me and I turned towards him. "Did you come up with this by yourself?" He nodded. "I hand placed everything, down to the flowers." My shoulders slumped and Lael leaned his head towards me as he walked by. "There's that spending time I was talking about yesterday." I closed my eyes and Zuriel plucked a flower from the wall. He held it out to me when I opened my eyes. "I know that you'd never admit it, but I know how you feel about flowers." Lael cast me a knowing glance from across the room and I snorted at him. "Would you keep your two cents to yourself?"

Zuriel tilted his head. "What?" I shook my head and Lael turned his back to me. "You're right." I took the flower from him and he smiled. "I think you'd especially enjoy this over here." He motioned towards the back corner of the cavern where there was a large pool. He sat down and pulled of his shoes. "Roll up your pant legs." I sat down next to him and he looked up at Lael. "You too."  Lael shrugged and we all took off our shoes, rolling up our pants to our knees. Zuriel stood up, smiling and reaching his hand down to me to help me up. I looked at his outstretched hand, wondering if this would have affected me as much yesterday. I hesitated and then looked at his split lip and placed my hand in his. He pulled me to my feet, leading me down to the edge of the shallow pool. "Remember how you used to try and steal mom's rocks as a kid?" Zuriel asked looking into my eyes and I nodded. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, turning me. He lined up his head with mine, so our line of sight matched and then he pointed towards the opposite edge of the pool. "Now you can have your own." 

I couldn't help it. I was so overwhelmed with the amount of effort he had put into the date and how terrible I'd been to him. I covered my face with my hands as I began to cry. Zuriel turned me towards him. "Are you crying? What did I do? I'm sorry Meira. Please don't cry." I heard Lael answer him softly from a few feet away. "Sometimes she cries when she's overwhelmed or really happy." His voice was so loving and accepting that I only cried harder. I was a horrible person. I don't know how or why so many of the guys had chosen me but I had trampled so many of them. And here I was yet again, indecisive and in danger of trampling them again. Zuriel hesitantly wrapped his arms around me, hugging me softly as if he was afraid I'd make good on my threat to blacken his eye. 

"Why are you so nice to me? Don't you see how awful and screwed up I am?" I sobbed against his chest. "Just look at your lip." Zuriel laughed tipping my head up so that I looked at him. "Oh honey look at you." He wiped my cheeks. "There is nothing wrong with you and I deserved a lot more than a busted lip. You should have let him kick my ass. Lael was right. I broke a lot more than just your fingers and I'm so sorry." I snuffled and he brushed my hair back from my face. "I shouldn't have walked out of your room. I should have fought for you then when I had a chance. But I didn't and I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I can't ever make that up to you." He looked around the cavern. "That's what this was all about. It was me trying to show you that I was wrong. That you are worth fighting for. Worth making yourself vulnerable for. I know you see my face first and my heart last and that's my fault too." He laughed. "And yes, maybe I think with my dick a lot more than I should, but you affect me that way too." He wrinkled his brows. "I wish I could take it all back and start over. I never would have hurt you. I'd never make you cry for any reason other than pure joy. I'd never pressure you and I'd never make you feel like you aren't enough." He caressed my cheeks tenderly. "You are and will always be perfect just as you are and that will always be enough."

Although I couldn't see Lael, I knew that he was smiling. Zuriel had pretty much just reworded everything he had ever told me. I looked down at my feet and Zuriel dropped his hands from my cheeks taking a step backwards. "I know it's too late now and I don't expect you to change your mind. I've seen the way you look at Lael and I don't think you've ever looked at me like that. I just wanted the chance to tell you how I felt, since I could never pull my balls out long enough to do it before." I looked up into his face and he smiled. "You should at least collect some rocks while you're here though and I hope that we can be friends. Because my life will feel empty without you in it, even if it's not in the capacity that I want it to be." 
Lael placed his hand on my shoulder and I looked up into his face. "Would you just kiss him already?" Zuriel jerked his head towards Lael and Lael's eyes smiled down into mine. I smiled up at him. "Why don't you kiss him if you're so attached to him?" Lael fisted his hand in the back of my hair looking down at me with more intensity than I'd ever seen from him. "Don't screw with his heart like that. You know exactly how he feels because that's the same look you gave me when I said almost the exact damn thing. Now I know your only hesitation is what I'm going to think so stop fucking around and kiss the damn man." He brought his mouth close to mine, smiling seductively. "And do it like you mean it." He released my hair and stared down at me.

My heart raced at the intensity of his stare and the sexual excitement his rough mannerisms brought out as flashbacks from my dream ran rampant through my head. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I turned my head back towards Zuriel. I was literally one step from him and Lael was pressed up against my back. The thought of being so close between them under such high tension was enough to scramble my brain. I reached out, wrapping my arms around Zuriel's neck and pulling him that one step forward. His eyes met mine and I blinked, trying to force my brain to function. "This is who I am now." I reached one hand back, gripping Lael's hand for comfort while I touched Zuriel's face. "I'm not who I was before and I won't let you control me or make decisions for me." Zuriel nodded softly. "Lael is not an option. He is not open for discussion and if you don't like that then you should walk away right now." Lael squeezed my hand reassuringly as he whispered into my ear. "He's not going anywhere, look at his face." 

I closed my eyes slowly, calming myself and Zuriel took my face in his hands. I opened my eyes and he nodded. "I will take you in any capacity you will let me have you. I understand that I have to earn you..." I pressed my lips to his; cutting off his sentence as he repeated my father's words back to me. Lael dropped my hand and I wrapped it around Zuriel's neck, pulling him closer to me as I kissed him. He hissed and pulled back as I pushed on his cut lip. I smiled down at him. "What was that you said about bedroom talk?" He growled softly. "Don't start, I said I was sorry." I leaned back against Lael, feeling calmer than I ever had in Zuriel's presence. I closed my eyes, pulling Lael's arm across my chest as Zuriel still held my face in his hands. "You're alright." He whispered in my ear, knowing I needed his reassurance.  

Zuriel dropped his hands as I opened my eyes looking at him before I looked up at Lael. "So what do we do now?" Lael looked down into my eyes. "About the situation or in general?" I pressed my lips softly to his and he smiled. "I think you need to ask bruiser here what he wants to do. Because last I checked, I was moving in tonight." I leaned my head back against him. "Are you sure?" He kissed the top of my head knowing that I was talking about Zuriel. "Aren't you?" I lifted my head looking back at Zuriel. "What about you?" Zuriel wrinkled his brows. "What about me?" I reached out grabbing him by the collar and pulling his lips close to mine. "If I'm already going to have to reorganize my closet I'd rather do it all at once. And heaven knows I have enough room in my shower." I smiled against his lips. "We've already tested that three can fit in my bed, so what do you say? Do you want a second chance?" He closed his eyes, nodding softly. "You won't have to ask again." I smiled. "So are you going to kiss me or what?" He laughed. "It depends, are you going to hurt me again?" I grinned, running my tongue over his cut softly. "Definitely." Lael laughed as Zuriel pressed his lips firmly against mine.

As Zuriel pulled back slowly I looked into his eyes smiling. "So the million dollar question, which if you answer correctly gives you the ability to move in with us. What is my favorite color?" Zuriel nodded. "Although you wear a lot of black and really detest anything in floral print, your favorite color is green but you are especially partial to both olive and lime, the brighter the better." Lael held up his hand, high fiving Zuriel. "Looks like we're moving in together." I giggled. "Um, should I wait over there?" Lael growled down at me. "Nope, you are never getting alone time again." 

The sudden realization of the truth in his words hit me like a ton of bricks and I instantly panicked. That meant that any and all intimate encounters; i.e. sex; would be with both of them. Lael turned me, looking down into my face and he shook his head. "Breathe Meira, relax." Zuriel wrinkled his brows. "What did I miss?" Lael smiled. "I think the realization that she's about to share her home with two highly virile men just hit her." Zuriel smiled and Lael met my eyes. "Maybe we should have a second bedroom put in anyway." He looked up at Zuriel and then back down at me. "Even if we never use it." I giggled. "Oh it'll get used. When I kick you both out and sleep in my bed alone." Zuriel laughed. "We should make sure we put two beds in it then." Lael winked at me before looking at Zuriel. "What, you don't want to spoon? My hair doesn't taste that bad. I'll use her shampoo and you'll never know the difference." 

I shook my head laughing and then looked at Zuriel. "Hey, is your dad going to be pissed about this?" He shrugged. "If he is I'll just remind him that he told me to fix it." I nodded, wrinkling my brows. "And Aureliana will be alright?" He nodded. "Yeah, we didn't really hit it off. But she seemed pretty taken with Elijah though." I frowned. "Yeah, he was really freaked out that I wanted him to spoon Lael." Zuriel smiled. "I guess you can blame me for putting that idea into your head." I sighed as the list seemed to just keep getting longer. "What about Amadeus?" Zuriel nodded touching my elbow reassuringly. "He's fine; he and Aimi really hit it off. That was a good call." Lael frowned. "Elijah said he thought you and Aureliana was a good call too." Zuriel shook his head. "That's because she bosses me around like nobody's business and he likes watching me squirm." I raised my eyebrows. "And you don't think I won't?" He smiled. "Oh, you most certainly will, but I'm not afraid to stand up to you. I like it when you beat me." He licked his lip for emphasis and I rolled my eyes.

I placed my hand on Zuriel's chest, pushing him backwards a few steps. "So show me these rocks." Zuriel grinned and took my head leading me down into the pond. "There are some stones in the water and others on the shore on the other side." I wrinkled my brows. "So if you arranged all of this, why did you set it up that way?" He smiled up into my eyes. "Because I know how you are. You like the hunt as much as you like the treasure. If I had just given them to you, it wouldn't have held the same meaning." I placed my hands on my hips looking around the pond. "I think you're half right. Why don't each of you pick out a stone for me?" Lael nodded and Zuriel grinned. I shook my head laughing at their expressions. "This isn't a competition; no one gets bragging rights, so behave." 

All three of us took our time wading through the shallow water that came up about mid calf. I had two piles going in each pocket. One pocket was filled with stones I liked and the other was filled with stones I thought they would like. What I didn't tell them was that I was also going to pick out a stone for each of them. Occasionally I would catch them watching me and I would smile up at them, tucking my hair back behind my ear. As I made it to the ridge on the other side of the pond, I sat down on the ledge dangling my feet in the water as I picked at the rocks surrounding me. I picked up a random rock and looked up at Lael who was smiling at me. "Catch." I tossed the rock at him and he snatched it out of the air holding it up proudly. He looked at it and then tossed it back at me. I caught it and dropped it back into the water smiling. Zuriel wrinkled his brows. "What was that about?" Lael shook his head smiling. "She was just letting me know that she was still aware I was here." I giggled; surprised that he had understood exactly what I was doing. 

Zuriel looked up at me and I smiled. "Hi." He splashed water at me, hitting me with a few drops. "Hi." I snickered and went back to looking at the rocks around me. I picked up a few more, tucking them into my pockets before realizing both of my pockets were full. I grinned across the pond at Zuriel and his white t-shirt. "Zuriel, let me see your shirt." He looked down at his shirt and then up at me grinning. "See?" I shook my head. "No, let me have it." He raised his eyebrows. "What's wrong with your shirt?" I shook my head smiling. "I'm not about to take off my shirt and sit here in my bra while looking at these. Just give me your damn shirt before I blacken your eye." He chuckled and pulled his shirt over his head crossing the pond to me. I watched him with much delight as he held his shirt out to me. "Always trying to get me topless aren't you?" He retorted as I took the shirt. I ran my eyes over him hungrily and smiled. "Can you blame me?" He smiled and pointed at Lael. "Next time use his shirt. I grinned mischievously. "I would have, but his shirt is too dark to see the stones on." Lael chuckled and Zuriel snorted.

I draped his shirt over my lap and emptied the pocket of stones I had picked out for the two of them into his shirt. He looked down at the stones curiously and I shooed him away. "No cheating, find your own stones." When he had walked away I quickly separated the pile into two piles; one for each of them; and then began the task of thinning out the pile. When I had about six stones left, I tucked them back into my pocket and then emptied my other pocket into Zuriel's shirt. Lael paused nearby looking down into my lap. "Those stones are quite different than the other ones." I hummed softly in agreement, ignoring his unspoken question and went about the task of thinning out that pile as well. Many of the stones were similar and I wanted more of a variety. When I had a smattering of gold, red, blue, green and black glittering stones I tucked them safely back into my pocket. I shook out Zuriel's shirt and held it out to him as I waded back over to him. "Thank you, I'm done with it." He took the shirt from me and pulled it back on.

I waded the rest of the way across the pond and sat down on the opposite bank, letting my feet dry as I watched them. Lael took great care before picking up each stone, he'd hold it up to the light, scrutinize it and either drop it back into the water or trade it with one of the few stones he held in his hand. Zuriel would pick up a handful of rocks and poke through them carefully. Most of the time he would just put them all back into the water, but every now and then he would tuck one into his pocket. After awhile he stuffed his hand into his pocket and thinned out the pile he had collected. He'd put the chosen favorites back into his pocket and start all over again with a fresh handful from the pond. 

When I knew that they were fully engrossed in their search, I pulled the six stones I had chosen for them out of my pocket. I looked down at the rocks carefully. One rock in particular kept catching my eye. It was a sparkly metallic golden brown color with opalescent black streaks like a tiger. I thought that the other two I had chosen for Lael were more his favorite colors, but every time I saw that brown one it just called to me. It reminded me of the conversation we had about knowing a man by his actions. I picked up the stone and tucked it into my pocket, tossing the other two stones into the pond. Lael looked up at me and I wrapped my hand around the three remaining stones, smiling at him. He winked at me as if he knew I had been thinking about him and then went back to his search. 

I looked down at the three remaining stones in my hand. Zuriel was a bit harder to choose for. I knew he was partial to blue and black but he was also different on the inside than he was on the outside. I scrutinized the three stones closely and tossed one into the pond. Two left, but which one? I closed my hands around the stones and looked up at Zuriel. I watched him frown at the stones in his hand and then look up at me. He dropped all of the stones into the water and crossed the pond towards me. I looked up at him curiously as he knelt down on either side of my knees, taking my face in his hands. "Hi." I giggled as his brilliant green eyes danced at they met mine. "I missed you." He whispered bringing his lips closer to mine. "I missed you too." His lashes fluttered. "Can I kiss you Meira?" I smiled up at him. "Since when have you had to ask?" He brushed my hair back from my face. "Since I hurt you." I closed my eyes placing my lips to his, chasing away the pain in his eyes. As I pulled back I looked up into his eyes. "You never have to ask." He placed his forehead to mine, closing his eyes as the idea of being mine again overwhelmed him.

Zuriel sighed and sat back on his heels looking down at me. "So what do you have there?" He motioned to my tightly closed fist. I smiled up at him. "Secret." He nodded and stood to his feet. "I see." I winked at him and he turned towards Lael. "How's your search coming?" Lael shook the rocks in his hand. "I think I've just about got it. What about you?" Zuriel nodded, patting his pocket. "I'm right there with you." I looked down at the two stones in my hand and tossed one into the water, slipping the other into my pocket. I had decided on a black stone with green specks like Zuriel's eyes and gold ribbons lacing through it. Both guys turned towards me and I grinned. "I'm just waiting on you two." Lael smiled at me. "Give me a few more minutes and we can head back out for some sunshine." 

Zuriel nodded and pulled the rocks from his pocket. He stepped over to a skylight, letting the sun hit the stones in his hand. He picked up each one and turned them in the light. He tossed several into the water and then sighed as he looked down at his hand. He looked over his shoulder at me and then looked back at his hand. He tossed another rock into the water and put what I assume was the remaining one into his pocket. He turned back towards me smiling. "I think I've got it." I giggled and went about putting my shoes back on and un-cuffing my pant legs. I'd periodically look up at Lael and Zuriel smiled down at me as he took a seat beside me. "He's super attentive to detail isn't he?" His voice was soft and gentle as he asked, careful not to sound condescending. 

"He sees everything, even when you think he's not watching." I answered softly as Lael looked up at me. He looked back down at his hands and I tilted my head towards Zuriel. "He's had his eye on me for the past six months or so." Zuriel wrinkled his brows thoughtfully. "Did you know?" I frowned shaking my head. "Nope, I didn't have a clue. He's very good at keeping himself in check and protecting himself at any costs." I raised my brows pointedly and Zuriel nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." I sighed, looking down at my lap. "If you want to screw this up, hurting him is an easy way to do that." I looked up into Zuriel's eyes and he nodded. "I get that. I know my place and I won't forget it." I shook my head, placing my hand on his. "I want you both to be equals Zuriel." The corner of his mouth twitched in a smile. "I guess it's a good thing his shoes aren't too big, because I think I have just as much heart." Lael nodded as he stood over us. "That you do." 

Lael held out his closed fist. "I have the feeling that you don't want these yet. Am I right?" I leaned back on my palms looking up at him and he crouched down beside me so I didn't have to crane my neck to see him. I smiled into his beautiful brown eyes. "Do you know how a male penguin wins the heart of his mate?" Lael's eyes sparkled and he tucked the stone into his pocket. "He scours the whole shore for the perfect pebble and if she takes it to her nest then he has won her heart. Much like Earth men would kneel down and present an engagement ring when they ask the love of their life to marry them." I nodded softly and looked up into his eyes through my lashes. "Exactly." Lael smiled. "I had a feeling it was something like that by the way you kept watching us." I patted my pocket softly. "I picked out stones for each of you as well." Zuriel smiled. "You got cheated, Earth women get diamonds." I met his eyes. "Yes, but they don't get the two of you so it evens out." 

Zuriel wrinkled his brows. "Where are you going to keep them?" I shrugged. "I haven't really thought it through yet." He smiled. "We should see about having them put into some sort of mount so they are wearable." I smiled. "Still trying to stake a claim on me huh?" Zuriel scoffed and I chuckled. "I'm just teasing. I think that's a great idea. I know exactly what I could do for each of yours." Lael wrinkled his brows. "On our date last night was the first time I have ever seen you wear jewelry of any kind." I smiled. "Then it will be interesting to see what you come up with." Zuriel shook his head. "We never wear jewelry either. If she can come up with something we'd wear, I'm sure we can do the same."  Lael nodded. "True, but there are two of us and that means she's going to have two pieces to wear." I smiled standing up and dusting off my backside. "I guess you two should discuss your options and make sure you aren't competing for the same spot then." 

Both guys stood up beside me and Lael's eyes met mine. "But in reality we are." I giggled, casting him a sultry glance. "Are you referring to my heart or my bed?" Lael wrapped his arm around my waist pulling me against him. "They are one in the same Love." I shivered at the lusty tone of his voice. "What have I told you about calling me that?" He brushed his lips against mine. "That it makes you want to take off all of your clothes and throw yourself at me." I giggled, blushing at the truth of his words. "I didn't say that." He grinned against my lips. "You might as well have because that's all I heard." He kissed me, slipping his tongue between my lips. "But then again, you did say something about my hands and..." I pressed my lips against his, silencing him. He laughed as I pulled away, glaring at him. "What? Was I not supposed to say anything in front of the kid?" I raised an eyebrow. "That kid can give you a run for your money." Lael looked over my shoulder at Zuriel and then back down at me. "I have no doubt he can Love. No doubt at all."