Tentacles & Triathlons (Leviathan Fitness, #2)

by Ashley Bennett

It was all starting to make sense now. The way that Reece looked at me, the shy smiles and blushing cheeks, asking me out for coffee. Was it possible Reece was interested in me?

I’d waited centuries for him, and I’d give him as long as he needed to work through his feelings.

So patient:(

It was rare for Fallon to be so vulnerable. Usually, he carried himself with unshakeable confidence. He must have it bad for this girl.

Spoiler for his book

“I’ll see you at home, tentacle daddy!” He chirped with laughter as he disappeared into the hallway.

Lol

With Cyrus, I wasn’t concerned with being the best. I could just be.

“Breathe, darling. You’re doing so well.” Darling. I’d never been called something so sweet.

This was different, though, just like everything with Cyrus was.

“I’m glad you think so. Aftercare is important.”

We stand a caring king!!!

My mate had initiated this between us. He’d wanted this. Wanted me.

“I like you, Cy. And no matter what I keep telling myself or how hard I try to deny it, the thoughts I have about you, the feelings, they won’t go away. Something about you, about this, is different.”

“Come here, my little monster fucker.” I used my tentacle to bring his head forward until his mouth connected with mine.

I’d give him an eternity if he needed it. I was just happy he didn’t immediately regret this.

Reece: What can I say? I’m a pillow princess *princess emoji*

Meeeee

They were tiny, mundane things, but I enjoyed knowing them, knowing him. And I particularly enjoyed the Reece Rollins he kept locked tight under that tough facade.

After sex, he’d snuggle up against me and run his fingers over the fins on my face while he stared into my eyes. He was sensitive. Nuanced. And with each passing day, I could feel myself falling in love with him. Sure, part of that inextricable pull to Reece was the mating bond, but it was also due to who he was as a person.

“What? I missed you,” he mumbled under his breath, pushing back his hood. “I can be sweet sometimes.”

“Yeah, I’m working on a few different pieces. I’ve been quite inspired lately.” Inspired by the beauty of my mate. By you.

Without saying a word, I gripped the steering wheel with my left hand and grabbed Reece’s hand with the other.

“I happen to think you’re quite attractive,” he said and pressed his forehead to mine.

“And with you, Cy, at first I didn’t even give you a fucking chance. I was such a dickhead to you. I didn’t deserve your help or your kindness, but you gave it to me anyway. I started to have this attraction to you, and yeah, at first that scared me too. I told myself we were just fuck buddies or whatever, but it's grown into so much more than that.”

I could be vulnerable around Cyrus in a way that I couldn’t with other people. I didn’t have to hide my thoughts or feelings.

He felt safe.

I’d changed, and Cyrus was the driving force behind that.

It was at that moment I realized this was something different. That what Cyrus and I had was real.

“Mhm, it’s true. Selene was telling me all about it,” Jimenez said with a laugh. “S-Selene?” Fallon gave Javier a sideways glance.

Spoiler: I think Selene might be the girl Fallon will end up with

“Trust me, they’re still around all the time. But Tegan’s friends are my friends. Whatever makes her happy.” The tip of Atlas’s tail wagged ever so slightly.

So cuteee

Cyrus’s bedroom was exactly what I expected. It was masculine and modern, with an exposed brick wall behind the bed, and bright white walls covered with moody oil paintings in varying tones of blue and green. A record player sat on a shelving unit filled to the brim with vinyl; an extensive collection of all the '80s sad boy shit Cyrus loved.

Because of his webbing, we struggled to thread our fingers together, but it never really bothered me. I was just happy to be touching him.

The sliding door flew open and Fallon rushed outside. “Atlas, I need to talk to you about something!” the griffon chirped with his feathers ruffled up around his neck and his tail swishing in agitation.

Spoiler: Tiktok sound, "Wanna tell me what you did, wanna tell me who you did?"

Everyone slipped into their chairs, with Selene sitting as far away from Fallon as possible.

Yeahhhh we know whyyyy