Page 57 of Crushes and Confections

His hand tightened on mine. “I guess that would depend on what you’d want to do, omega. You didn’t seem opposed when Riley was talking about filling you up in the truck the other night.”

I stumbled over my feet on the sidewalk. Thankfully Vance was quick to right me, pulling me closer to him. I let his body heat sink into me, reaching up on my tiptoes to try and reach his face.

With a low chuckle he bent, giving me a slow seductive kiss that had me melting. But since we were in the middle of a sidewalk, I pulled back, choosing to rub my cheek against his.

“I’m not opposed,” I said, with a small smile on my lips. “Although don’t expect me to pop out an army like Riley’s mom. I think two might be my max.”

Vance cursed under his breath, tucking me against him and pulling his coat around me.

“First, you scent mark me, and then you fill my head with visions of you having our kids,” he said, sounding slightly tortured. “Are you trying to ruin me, Peach?”

“Didn’t I do that when I took your knot the other night, alpha?” I asked, my tone way more innocent than my question.

“Trouble,” he said with a huff. “I still can’t tell if Riley’s sass rubbed off on you or if you’re just as feisty in your heart and only let it out at certain times.”

“A mystery you can solve another day, alpha,” I said. “Well, if we make it through this courting countdown list.”

“List or not, you’re ours,” Vance said seriously. “Unless you tell us to, we’re not going anywhere.”

I knew he meant that, I could feel it in my bones. It was moments like this that made me fall for him more. Vance was usually friendly and inquisitive, his glasses, freckles, and lithe frame giving him a cozy vibe for an alpha. But despite that warmth, when it came to making sure his intentions were clear, he definitely didn’t hold back.

Well, unless you counted when he’d grazed my neck with his teeth.

I wasn’t quite ready for a bite from him and Adrien, but I knew that it wouldn’t take long for me to get there.

Hell, if they kept being so freaking thoughtful and sexy and just damn irresistible, I’d probably sink my teeth into them just like I had Riley. For now, my instincts were appeased that my scent was wrapped around Vance’s.

“The only place we’re going now is the bookstore,” I said, sliding my hand in his once again and pulling him into The Book Hollow.

“What makes you think we’ll find a clue to the second piece here?” he asked.

“Well, we think the second clue is about opening ourselves up to one another right?” I confirmed. “Next be careful, next be quick, open yourself, it’s just a nick.”

“It’s either that or we need to perform some kind of Holiday Hollow seance with a blood rite,” Vance said. “How does the town feel about the occult?”

A laugh spilled from my lips as we slipped through the shelves. “Well, we have a few practitioners but the whole town gets pretty into Halloween, Samhain, and Dia de los Muertos.”

“So basically any holiday or celebration.”

“Now you’re learning,” I said, shooting him a wink. “But honestly, I don’t think we literally need to bleed ourselves dry or anything. That's why I thought it might be a good idea to come here.”

“Good. Anything that involves you getting hurt is automatically out, weird traditions be damned.”

The plan for the scavenger hunt was to take your partner and show them something that meant something to you or find something you enjoyed. We figured along the way, we’d be opening ourselves up like that damn line on the list and maybe one of the store keepers would bless us with another piece of the town’s gift.

So far we’d been to the cafe and received some weird eyes from my employees, before Vance took me to this really cool exhibit that he had loved at the local museum. It was all about mysteries and detectives which totally fit the theme for the evening. I hadn’t had a chance to go home beforehand from all the work craziness, but we’d had fun in the gift shop, trying on different disguises and making each other laugh.

“So why the bookstore?” Vance asked.

“Because I have an order to pick up,” I said, heading to the counter.

One thing I loved about The Book Hollow was that it was so light, bright, and airy. Air plants decorated the walls in-between the birch shelves and lights twinkled along the ceiling. Sheer curtains hung in the windows and low music swirled through the space.

It reminded me of a nest, honestly. Okay, not my nest, but some of the ones other omegas preferred. I’d been using my bedroom as my makeshift nest whenever my heat struck. I told myself I didn’t make a true nest because my cottage was so small, but in truth it was because I didn’t want to make a unique space and not have the scents in it I so desperately craved. But now that Riley and I had found our way and I was becoming part of a pack, maybe all that would change.

Hell, Autumn even had a damn skylight in hers. But everyone had different tastes. Regardless, the bookstore was welcoming.

“Hey guys!” Natalie, the owner, said brightly when she saw us. “I haven’t seen you in awhile, Vance. We got that new shipment in for that urban fantasy series you like. Oh, and Claire! I have your order right here. You’re going to love this one, it was so so good.”

---