Page 110 of Sunshine

Where was my pack?

Oh, right. I’d told them to stay away. I grumbled at my own contrary impulses and resumed scrubbing the kitchen floor. I’d put rubber pads on my knees and had my favorite scrub brush that made the most satisfyingscritch scritchsound.

When the door opened unexpectedly, I reared back, automatically lifting the brush to pitching position, ready tothrow it at the intruder. Logan’s and Luca’s bond had gone back to the reassuring steady hum that meant they were focused on work, so I knew it wasn’t them.

It was Sunshine, looked adorably rumpled, in flared jeans and a dressy blouse, with her hair up in a simple ponytail. She had two big bags of what smelled like Thai food in her arms.

I perked up. “You brought food.”

“I did.” She took the bags to the kitchen table. After setting out plates and silverware, she unpacked the food. The whole time, she didn’t even bat an eye at what I was doing, even though I had to look unhinged in my rattiest t-shirt, old shorts, and rubber knee pads. I’d casually put the scrubbing brush back down, so at least I didn’t look like I had totally lost my grip on reality.

“I’m on a cleaning spree,” I warned. I got up and washed my hands, because I was starving. I’d been too focused on cleaning to think about eating.

“I can stay and help.” Sunshine beamed like I’d offered her an afternoon of lazing about on the couch.

As she straightened up and smiled at me, my gaze dropped to her breasts, and the nice things the blouse was doing for them. Perhaps she’d be interested in an afternoon getting sweaty for better reasons.

But the house, my instincts scream-whispered at me.We have to clean all the things. I lifted my eyes back up to hers and gave a wry smile.

“I’m grumpy. And demanding. And I’ll probably tell you that you’re not scrubbing hard enough.”

Sunshine nodded like this made perfect sense, then focused on a container of Pad Thai. She always got all the toppings on the side, because Luca was allergic to peanuts but loved Thai food.

My heart thumped, and I closed the distance between us, pulling her into a fierce hug as I took in her scent, all fresh linen and sky.

I needed her. As much as I needed Luca and Logan. But I had to be so very careful with her, and not push. She needed time and space to heal, and to build trust that the alphas and I wouldn’t hurt her.

But, oh, I was not a patient person.

“That’s fine.” She twirled a plastic fork in the container then lifted them up to my lips. I took a bite. The soft chewy noodles and creamy, brown sauce filled my senses and I was suddenly ravenous. I pulled her to sit beside me in the bench seat.

“You say that now,” I said through a mouthful of basil roll.

Sunshine nodded again, filling both of our plates. “I know what an omega going into heat is like. Ember is worse. She would have rearranged the house at least twice by now. Stella and Luna go on manic cleaning sprees before their heats. I’m a good little worker bee. I do what I’m told.”

Heat flared through me, and I nipped at her shoulder. “I bet you are.” Then I stopped myself. “Wait no.” I scooted away. “We can’t have sex yet. The house needs to be scrubbed.”

I stood up to get back to the kitchen, but Sunshine grabbed my arm. “Food first. And while you eat, you can tell me how you want things done and in what order.”

Music to my ears.

My beta listened carefully as I walked her through my cleaning schedule, and she made sure to ask questions about the steps that would keep me happy. It was a damned useful thing that her sisters and cousin were omegas, if it meant that the way I was right now wasn’t freaking her out.

While we finished up our meal, Sunshine showed me some really cool cleaning hack videos that made me way too happy, and then we got to work. She changed into some of my old shortsand t-shirt, and I direct her to the living room where she dusted, polished, and wiped down.

“Loud music?” Sunshine pointed at the music player. “Ember makes these epic playlists. She has one for cleaning that makes it feel like fun.”

The idea of Sunshine, me, a scrub brush, and loud music made me feel good. Usually I cleaned in grumpy silence, uncomfortable in my own skin. “You know what? Yes.”

We danced while cleaning the entire house. My funky mood lifted, and I settled into the pure satisfaction of cleaning the hell out of the house.

We might have only been dating a month, but I was already head over heels for her. I had to be patient, or I would push her away. But my instincts were pushingme, and it was all I could do not to beg Logan and Luca to give her a bondmark each.

Then she would be mine forever.

I would never take her choice away like that, but my instincts didn’t agree with my logic.

She was mine.

---