Page 25 of Can't Be Love

I groaned. Of all my packmates, why did Lily have to befriend Sydney?

Conversation took a turn into lighter territory as she asked me a thousand questions during the flight, everything from my favorite food to the color of my favorite car. It was fun and I felt like I was finally starting to get to know her, the real Lily, instead of the one I’d assumed, imagined, or dreamed about.

Unlike Westin, Collier had plenty of space for our own airfield, so we didn’t have another long, awkward drive, though I suspected it wouldn’t have been quite so awkward or quiet if we had. I drove us straight home after we unloaded. It wasn’t until we were walking in the door and Lily started checking things out that I realized she might prefer to stay at the Alpha house.

“So, this is my home. I don’t need much, and chose it for its views, not its size, especially knowing that I’ll eventually move back into the Alpha house when my turn comes around,” I admitted.

I took her hand and led her away from the bedroom she was heading for and instead toward the back of the house, where off the kitchen lay a sunroom made entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows. The view was stunning, overlooking the river and the mountains on either side.

Her breath hitched at the sight and it warmed me.

“It’s beautiful,” she said in awe. “It doesn’t even look real. I could grab a cup of coffee and get lost in my own world, just sitting here staring at that all day.”

I smiled down at her.

“Unfortunately, I have this long-lost sister that’s been really worried about you, so I think we should head over to the Alpha house and check in.”

“Does she know?” Lily asked.

I shook my head. “I didn’t tell anyone, well, except Sydney.” I hesitated. “And Kyle. I kind of had to tell them, you understand?”

“Thomas, it’s fine. I just wanted to know what I’d be walking into. Dealing with Kelsey and Elise today wasn’t all that bad, but it did make it a little less awkward that they already knew.”

I laughed. “So you want me to tell her?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really want anyone to know unless we know it’s going to work.”

Her short hair was cut at an angle, and it cascaded down into her face. I brushed it back so I could look at her.

“Do you want us to work, Lily?”

She stilled, and I wasn’t sure she was breathing. “I don’t know,” she finally whispered.

It felt like another punch in the gut. I tried to brush it off with a smile. “Come on, slugger. Everyone knows you took off in a hurry, and three days later I did too, both of us without warning. It’s a small pack, they’re already talking, I guarantee it, so let’s just get it over with.”

“You want to announce it to the pack?” she asked.

“Isn’t that what mating couples do?”

“Trial, Thomas, we agreed to a trial. Shouldn’t we wait until the week’s up at least?”

“Fine,” I conceded a little too quickly. “But . . .”

“There’s a ‘but?’”

“There’s always a ‘but,’ Lily. But, if someone asks, I won’t deny it. If you decide to get drunk again and flirt with a guy, I won’t be able to not react to that, and judging by the Cole Anderson situation, it won’t be pretty.”

She giggled. “No drinking. No flirting. No denying. Got it. Anything else?”

“Yeah,” I grinned, pulling her so close to me I could feel her heart beat against my chest. All I had to do was look down and I knew our mouths would align perfectly. “I didn’t say no flirting. I said no flirting with other men.”

“Oh,” she said, breathlessly. “Okay then.”

I begrudgingly let her go. “Anything you’d like to add?”

“Just some questions.”

“Go ahead.”

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