Page 62 of Heat Hesitation

When the only thing left in the air is our mingling sweat, scent, and heavy breathing, Theo shudders and pulls out.

"Hand me a tissue, brother," he nods toward a box on a small table beside the couch. Enzo hands him a few and uses the soft paper to clean up the mess between my legs.

Theo's grinning like a kid in a candy store. "I've always wanted to christen my office."

Enzo throws the tissues away and begins to thoughtfully dress me, attention entirely on the task at hand. I let him because, for such a simple thing, it feels incredible to be cared for.

Maybe I should have done this differently, but I agree with what Theo said this morning. Who cares if we're unconventional? Who cares if we aren't following the ceremonial traditions of a pack?

And with that thought, I grab Enzo's face in my hands because I can't hold it in a second longer. "I love you."

I stare into his dark eyes and all the emotion he hides dances behind his glasses. Our bond goes crazy, and then he leaps forward in a very uncommon display of emotion and kisses me passionately. "I love you," I say again.

When he pulls back, his heavy dark eyes staring into mine, he says, "I love you. More than anything, I love you." His mouth opens like he wants to say more, but he shakes his head and chants those three words, pecking kisses along my cheek and forehead.

Eventually, like newlyweds on display, Theo and I giggle and sneak out of his office. We dodge disapproving looks from Sully, to which Theo shrugs, "He's just jealous."

I'm not entirely sure that's true, but I save my worry about my last pack mate for later. I feel guilty I haven't tried harder with Sully. What he did was wrong, manipulating me like that—even if Mel and I text constantly and she's on cloud fucking nine with all the changes Sully's making—it's hard to be mad about something when so much good came of it. But it's not like he's tried to patch things up with me, either.

We make our way home, and I spend the rest of the afternoon with Greta, whom I've grown to completely adore. From the way the guys talked about her, I expected a grandmotherly type, but despite her age, she's kind of the opposite.

Her jewelry jingles and jangles as she walks, her makeup heavier than some of the girls I work with at Queenie's. Her skin is sun-loved, and one time, when she invited me to get some sun by the pool with her, I was shocked when my bathing suit was more conservative than hers: a leopard print bikini, showing off her lithe, if wrinkled and a little soft in some places, frame.

She also baked cookies and casseroles and talked about trashy romance books in which betas seduced all alpha packs. Greta is awesome.

Needless to say, I was settling in at the Constantine estate and ready for what came next.

We had dinner together like usual, which Enzo worked through, with one foot wrapped protectively around my ankle. Theo and Asher made jokes while Sully watched on, quiet and contemplative. Asher kept shooting me longing looks but didn't do anything about it. He didn't push. Maybe he feels like he can't, watching how close Enzo, Theo, and I are growing.

After dinner, Asher and Sully put on a movie, and I fall asleep in Theo's arms before he carries me to the nest.

Enzo joins us later, and though my initial sleep was heavy, I woke sometime in the middle of the night with both my sleeping mates beside me, but with an urgency beneath my skin. I knew what called to me, and I wondered if he could feel it too. Something was missing. Two somethings, but I could do something about one of them. So I threw on a robe and crawled out of bed.

Chapter 25

Asher

I'm not sure what woke me. Or, in reality, what roused me because I never really fell asleep, instead wavering in a half-conscious state. I haven't slept in days. Weeks. It takes me a second to gain my bearings, but when the scent of lavender floats around me, I shoot up. The scent that haunts me, that I crave, makes me agitated with need. It smells so close, but that doesn't make any sense.

Groaning, I assume I'm having another wet dream. I need to get some water or something, get out of my fucking head. Padding the bed beside me, my hand slaps the empty space until I reach the lamp and flip on the light.

"Am I dreaming?" I groan, rubbing my eyes, confused by the curvaceous figure standing by my door in a thin silk robe.

"I don't know. Maybe. Is this what your dreams are usually like?"

"Yes," I say honestly.

She smiles, coming closer until she's standing beside my bed. It's real. It's her, and she's here, in my room. "Is everything okay, Ophelia?"

She seemed content at dinner. Sated, as she well should be after her and my packmates totally inappropriate, jealousy-inducing activities at work today.

She seems worried now, though. Nervous.

"Come here," I scooch over on the bed. I'm surprised when she pulls back the covers and climbs in. She's only been here a few weeks, and I knew, considering how angry she was when she moved in, that it would take time for her to warm up to me.

But it's been a grueling few weeks. I can smell her desire, and since she doesn't wear scent-blockers when she's at home, I'm inundated with her scent. It's everywhere here; it's intoxicating. But I've given her space and time to explore her bond with Enzo and her relationship with Theo.

She cuddles in next to me, and I groan in satisfaction, wrapping my arm around her while she settles against my chest. "You okay?" I ask again.

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