Page 111 of Ashley & the A-Listers

River chuckled and stood up from his lean on the counter, grabbing his bag from the floor. “A miracle.”

Dylan opened the door, checked the hallway, and motioned for them all to exit so he could set the alarm and secure the locks.

“He takes his job seriously,” Cameron was murmuring to Ashley.

Dylan shrugged, not taking offense to it. Hedidtake his job seriously, because when one didn’t… no, he didn’t need to rehash that memory again.

The building Cam lived in was a private building, with a gate and elevator codes for maximum protection. No one was getting in who wasn’t invited, which did make his job a little easier. Dylan knew better than to get complacent and lazy, so he always went first, making sure there were no reporters or paparazzi that had tracked the movie star down.

So far, not a single one had bothered them. Whoever was on Cam’s social media team was working wonders, keeping the press off his tracks.

Ashley was parked in one of the guest spots, so they all walked her to her car first. “See you there,” she said, with another glance in Dylan’s direction, before slipping inside.

Dylan dreaded the moment she left, if only because it meant Cam was going to pounce.

And the omega was nothing but predictable when it came to Ashley.

“So?” Cam asked as soon as they shut the door to the SUV.

“So what?” Dylan played dumb as he started the vehicle and waited for them both to buckle up before backing out of the space.

Cam was, surprisingly, sitting shotgun, with River in the back looking endlessly entertained.

“What happened?” Cam asked, the question practically exploding out of him. “You guys were barely making eye contact last week and now you’re—“ He groaned.

“Now you’re spilling out of your room after a daring night of passion,” River filled in dramatically.

Dylan rolled his eyes. “It’s not like we planned it or anything. It just… happened.”

“Yes, and that’s what we’re nosy about,” Cameron informed him.

Dylan didn’t know how to explain it. Neither of them had wanted to part after the hike. It had felt… wrong to drive away and leave Ashley all alone in that big house with so many memories. After such a momentous day, that kiss…

It had felt too similar to abandoning her all over again, and he’d made a promise he intended to keep.

Then the evening had passed as they ate and curled up in the living room.

It felt… right.

“I tried to carry her to the guest room last night. She didn’t want to go,” Dylan said, and shrugged, as if his heart hadn’t been beating out of his chest when her sleepy little voice had told him where to take her.

Cam’s arms were crossed in the front seat, and Dylan recognized a pouting omega when he saw one.

Dylan’s very first instinct was territorial.

That washisAshley. His mate. His partner. He didn’t want to share her, because he’d waited so long for her after convincing himself that he’d never have her. That she was the one who got away—meaning he was the one who’d walked away and ruined any chance.

The bite on his shoulder tingled, as if to remind him of his new reality.

Neither Cam nor River had commented on the slight scent change, but then again… Cam was on suppressants, which dulled his own scent and his sense of smell, and River, as a beta, didn’t have a very strong sense of smell when it came to pheromones anyway.

For now, it was just their little secret.

Dylan wondered how long it would stay that way.

24. RATIONAL

CAMERON

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