Page 40 of Cleat Heat

“I swear if I see him again, he’s a dead man,” Ty grumbles next to me, and I grunt in agreement.

“Maybe we should do it anyway,” I mutter back, nodding my head. My eyes fuck back to the mirror, noticing Vivi now curled into Fox’s shoulder. Her face is drawn with exhaustion, and her shoulders are slumped. My poor little omega. She’s been through so damn much. Her heat, the psychotic fan at the nesting store, and now this.

Regret builds in my gut. It’s my damn job to keep her safe, protected and happy. Clearly, I suck at being pack Alpha.

“I-I-I’m so sorry, everyone,” Vivi whispers, her eyes filling with tears.

“Absolutely not,” Fox barks. He cups her face, twisting to make sure she’s looking at him. “You never apologize for them. Their behavior is their problem.”

“Now, baby girl—I have an issue that needs to be solved,” Ty says, twisting to look at the back seat. “The night is still young… What should we do?”

He waggles his eyebrows at her in an attempt to get a laugh, but she can’t muster more than a watery half-grin. Vivi shrugs, still looking defeated, but answers anyway.

“I don’t need to do anything. Happy to just head home to Mako.”

At that moment, her stomach lets out the largest grumble I’ve ever heard, and the perfect idea pops into my head.

“We’ll do that. Right after we feed you, little omega,” I promise.

“Sand. It just had to be sand,” Ty whines, and I can’t help the evil chuckle that escapes. But Vivi’s giggle is the real win.

Her tinkling laughter at Ty’s expense floats down the beach until it’s swallowed by the crashing waves. The salty brine of sea air lifts my spirits, and although we don’t have a bond yet, I can tell Vivi feels the same. The second her feet sink into the cool sand, my beautiful omega throws her arms out and spins in a slow circle.

“This isn’t about you, dumbass,” Fox says, pulling a tortilla chip from our takeout bag and shoving it into Ty’s mouth. His complaint quickly turns into a moan of pleasure, and I can’t stop my eyes from rolling.

With a snap of my wrist, I shake out one of the many silken blankets we still had in the trunk from the nesting store. It settles softly on the sand, and I toss a few pillows down on top of it. It’s not too bad for an impromptu picnic. Glancing back up, I check on our omega and find myself stunned by her perfection.

The water laps at Vivi’s feet as she stares out at the ocean, the shine of sunset giving her an ethereal glow. Blues, yellows, and pinks paint the sky, dancing off Vivi’s white-blond hair that flows behind her in a thick cloud. My heart stutters in my chest; butterflies dance in my gut as I take in this perfect creature.

How is she really my scent-match?

Fox moves forward, fluffing and placing the soft pillows around until it looks cozy. She’s going to love it. Not to mention the best tacos around. We even grabbed some to-go cups of sangria. Now, it’s time to pamper our girl.

Feeling much better, I wander toward her until I’m standing right where I belong—by her side. The first ripple of the water is shockingly cold, but my toes quickly numb to the sensation. The night is only slightly chilled. Perfect for what I have in mind.

“Want to grab some food before Ty eats it all, little omega?” I ask. She turns to me with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes and steps into my chest. My arms wrap around her, holding her steady as small waves crash against our shins. Vivi gulps a few breaths of my scent, and I do the same—loving the way her cupcake scent calls to me on every level. I hold her tightly against me until she lets go and takes the smallest step back.

“He better not! But let’s go,” she agrees. We turn back toward the blanket, and she gasps. “Dash, it’s perfect.”

Her steps grow faster, and I flounder in the sand, trying to keep up with her much lighter form. The second she gets close enough, Vivi dives into Ty’s arms. The green-haired goof kisses her soundly, laying her out on the plush surface like a feast.

“Hey. None of that,” I grumble, settling in before pulling her away from him and onto my lap. Our little tug-of-war starts a giggle fit, and the sound is so much better than the tears from earlier. I win and settle her onto my lap. “Soft or hard?”

My naughty omega wiggles in my lap, and my cock immediately jumps to attention. “I would say maybe semi-hard.”

With a growl, I nip at her neck, “Tacos, omega. What kind of taco do you want?” She shivers in my embrace, licking her little pink tongue across her plush lower lip.

“Hard,” she says breathlessly, and I grab her one and bring it to her mouth. She crunches down with a moan that makes my dick throb.

Fuck, will I ever get enough of her?

No.

“Keep playing, little flier, and we’ll take you right here,” Fox promises, his eyes filled with lust. “Right here, where anyone could see.” She shivers in my arms, and a lusty burst of cupcake perfume detonates. Interesting.

“Not me,” Ty says. “Can you imagine all the places the sand would get? That is not the kind of friction I’m looking for. I want your cupcake everywhere but at the beach.”

With a laugh, we all dig into the food, crunching and munching until there isn’t a morsel left. As we chat, night falls, dark and thick around us. Stars twinkle in the sky, and the gentle crash of the ocean waves provides the perfect soundtrack. My little omega cuddles into me, finally relaxed and peaceful.

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