Page 18 of Cleat Heat

“Not to us. Don’t be a brat,” Dash demands, but his words are softened as he reaches out to her, caressing her cheek.

“I’m not being a brat!” she snaps, pulling her head back. “Before you got here, I couldn’t come. Barely a touch from Ty, and I was almost there.”

Her eyes narrow on me, and she walks slowly toward me like there’s a magnet pulling us together.

Rushing forward, I meet her halfway but clamp my hands together behind my back to stop myself from touching her.

“More than happy to help you with that little problem, baby girl, but only if you want me to.” I grin at her, pleased when her lips quirk up in an answering smile.

“I do want you to. So much. But I also want to know you,” Vivi whispers so quietly that I almost miss it.

She stares absently at the floor, wiggling her feet on the soft carpet, and my eyes make out her polished blue toes for the first time. She’s so dang cute, and this pull is intense as hell, but she’s right. The first time we ever spoke was yesterday afternoon. Even with the help of biology, it’s still asking a lot to want her to trust us through her heat with almost no connection.

My knees bend, and I sink to the ground in front of her. She’s so damn small that even on my knees, we’re close to being the same height. Reaching out slowly, giving her plenty of time to retreat, I let out a content sigh when my palm cradles her face.

“Well, baby girl, I know you’re a badass with a killer cat, and I can’t wait to learn more. I’m Ty, I play games for a living, love to swim, hate dressing up for events, and I think the sand at the beach is gross. I’m looking forward to spoiling the hell out of you and taking you on adventures,” I tell her, bending forward to rub the tip of my nose against hers. Our breath mingles, and I moan when she gives a lusty gasp before pressing our lips together in the quickest and most meaningful kiss of my life.

“But I love the beach,” she sighs, her voice a little raspy. The sound shoots straight to my cock, which has yet to calm down, and it bobs in her direction, causing her nostrils to flare as my rum punch scent deepens.

“Anything for you, baby girl.” I rub my thumb back and forth across her jaw, and she leans her head heavily against my palm. Her trust is everything, and for the first time since tasting her, my heartbeat slows as warmth flutters through me.

Without leaving my caress, she tilts her head ever so slightly, her eyes finding Fox, who’s staring at her with rapt attention.

“You next,” she commands.

Chapter Thirteen

Vivi

My big happy-go-lucky Alpha is on his knees for me, and the power of this moment has slick running down my thighs once again.

Need for these men surges through me, making me ache for them in a way I’ve never experienced with any other Alpha I’ve ever met. For my sanity, I need to know more, but the connection between us is undeniable.

Damn scent-match.

But they saved me. They stopped Marcel from hurting my kitty.

And holy heck, did Ty’s tongue know just what to do. The thought triggers a cramp low in my abdomen, and my breath gusts out. This heat is going to happen whether I want it to or not.

Ty shares a bit about himself. Who doesn’t like sand? He better get over it because I’m a big beach fan. But at least it’s something, and I grasp the little bit of information like finding water in a desert.

My body hums, drinking in his rum punch scent that both soothes and inflames me. His touch does just enough to calm my haze. The clarity allows my eyes to land on Fox.

“You next,” I demand, wanting any scrap of information I can glean from my dark, intense alpha. His muscles bulge when he puts his hands on his hips, cocking his head to study me carefully. A red tinge appears on his cheeks, and I fall for him right on the spot.

“Uhhhh, well,” he begins, lifting one hand to run it through his hair and give it a bit of a tug. “I’m Fox. Which you know. I have no idea what to say. I like funnel cake, but I think chocolate-frosted cupcakes just became my favorite dessert. I don’t have any particular feelings about suits or sand. My family owns an apple orchard, so I grew up climbing trees to pick the best fruit.”

Fox shrugs, and there are a billion questions on the tip of my tongue. Curiosity fills me, but my skin is getting hotter by the second, and a cold sweat pops up over my skin. Laying my hand against Ty’s, I give it a little squeeze before leaving him to stand in front of his packmate. Grabbing his shirt in my fist, I give a yank, and the big man immediately yields, leaning toward me so I can press a quick kiss on his supple lips. He tastes fresh, soothing, and clean, just like a fresh spring rain.

Moaning, I allow him to wrap his muscular arms around my slight frame, feeling safe and treasured.

Home.

This is absolutely crazy. Spinning in his embrace, my eyes find Dash. His tattooed hand runs over his beard, and my fingers itch to see if it’s soft or rough. How would it feel rubbing on my thighs? My nipples tighten, poking through the barely-there material of my robe, but even the thin silk is starting to feel impossibly abrasive; a clear sign my heat is going to start in earnest at any second.

Raising a brow, I indicate that I want him to fall in line and tell me about himself like my other Alphas, but he just grins wickedly and doesn’t make a single sound. He’s goading me—his stupid man bun’s about to get a tug. The room is completely silent other than Mako licking his paws, completely oblivious to the power struggle between us.

Sweat beads my brow, but I refuse to drop my gaze. Omegas are submissive, and Dash is clearly a very dominant Alpha, but we need to establish right here that I am my own damn person, and he can’t control me.

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