"Nothing changed," Kieran said, deflecting. "You were exhausted too, and—" He couldn't finish the thought before Leia stepped forward, pressing a finger firmly against his lips to silence him.
"Be quiet," she murmured. "You always complain that I divide my attention between my other two mates and leave you behind. Now that I am actively choosing to stay right here, you're trying to push me out the door."
Kieran stared down at her, the tension draining from his shoulders at her blunt honesty. The resistance melted away entirely as he leaned forward, letting his forehead slide down until his chin rested heavily on her shoulder.
"Then I won't ask you to leave," Kieran conceded, his voice muffled against her skin. "My ruts are never usually like this, this intense, this erratic. But it's different this time. I think it's because it's my first time experiencing it with my mate nearby."
