Page 11 of Pack Larsen

Silver snorts humorlessly before sighing deeply and rolling over. Pretty gray eyes peer up at me, an adorable scowl on a beautiful face, and she says, “You absolutely did. You and the other dickwads I’ve stupidly allowed to invade my home.”

“When the hell did that happen?” I ask, genuinely confused now.

“Last night? When I knocked on each of your doors asking if you wanted to join me for pizza? Look, I don’t know what any of your problems are, and I don’t actually care anymore. I offered an olive branch and got slapped with it five times over. So, now I’m repaying the favor. You can leave the bagels and juice before you go,” she answers with a sass that overshadows Juniper’s, a snarky, little smile on her face that I’d love nothing more than to wipe away with my fucking mouth.

Goddamn, this girl.

It takes a minute for her words to finally sink in, and when they do, I’m groaning and dropping my head back with self-directed irritation. Damn it. “I was sleeping.”

“What?” she blurts, voice as confused as her face.

“When we were done carrying shit into the house, I decided to have a shower and I crashed for a couple of hours after. If I didn’t answer, it’s because I was dead to the world. I didn’t ignore you,” I answer earnestly, desperate for her to know I wasn’t being a dick. “I can’t speak for the others, but I was most definitely not ignoring you. I would have eaten pizza with you.”

The promise seems to wash away any animosity the little spitfire woke up with, and my shoulders relax just as an easy smile breaks out over my face. A thrill goes through me like a rush of a wildfire when it dawns on me that Silver sought us out for dinner, knowing she was angry that we didn’t answer her invite. Because that means she wanted to spend time with us. She was making an effort to do so.Fuck, yeah!

“Does that mean I get to stay? Maybe spare me the silent treatment?” I cautiously ask, offering her a pleading smile that seems to melt her a little.

Her body turns slack, and she frowns up at the ceiling as she holds her hand out for the juice. I pass it over just as she asks, “Why? I was under the impression I wasn’t very liked within your little merry band of jerk offs.”

I laugh, both in shock and amusement, because she couldn’t be further from the truth. At least, where I’m concerned, anyway. So, with a simplicity that can’t be mistaken, I inform her, “I like you. Wouldn’t be here with a peace offering otherwise. Damn near risked my life walking in here.”

Silver rolls her eyes, but her lips twitch, and I claim it as a victory.

“So, can I stay?” I push, internally pleading for her to say yes. Fucking hell, I’m already whipped, I can feel it.

“I mean, I guess,” she agrees, shrugging her shoulders. It feels like I’ve won the lottery, and I’d feel a whole lot more ridiculous about it if pure joy wasn’t filling my body from top to bottom. “I don’t know why, but I’m not entirely convinced I’m still not sleeping.”

“You’re awake, trust me,” I snicker, handing over the bagels with a wink that makes her shiver. Damn, I like that reaction. I like that a lot. “Here. Eat those.”

“Thanks,” she mutters, eyeing the bagels before eyeing me with no short amounts of skepticism. “So, why are you invading my nest on this fine morning?”

I shrug, acting nonchalant again, and lean back against the blankets and pillows now that my hands are free. “First, I wanted to thank you for letting us crash here. It means a lot, you know? You didn’t have to let us crash at your place, but I appreciate it all the same. Second, I figured we could get to know each other now that we’re living together.”

“You only figured that because you’re staying here? Not any other moment before then?” she inquires, and I hear a bite of frustration in her voice that shouldn’t amuse me, because she sounds genuinely put off by the notion that I’ve only just decided to make an effort with her.

So, deciding to start this thing with honesty, I declare, “I wanted to, but I figured it was better for Munro and the others if I didn’t. I’m clingy, get attached easily, and have issues giving things up.”

“I’m confused,” she blurts, biting into a bagel and moaning around the mouthful she takes.

Fuck. Me.

Hearing that filthy, little sound so clearly is not helping the situation in my pants, so I grab a pillow and place it over my crotch with no short amount of subtly, leaning over the pillow as I explain, “Ro has his issues, and so do the other guys. Before we moved in, there was a lot going on and I figured it would be better to keep my distance. Now that we’re in close quarters, distance isn’t really an option anymore.”

“So, you want, what? To be friends?” she asks, swiping a thumb over her full lower lip before sucking the digit into her mouth. I think this is my punishment. The gods are punishing me so fucking hard right now, damn it.

Hugging the pillow a little tighter to my throbbing cock, wishing it away like I’ve never wished for anything more and ignoring the way I seem to be perfuming in subtle waves, I try for a loose nod and tell her, “Sure. Friends. For now, anyway.”

“‘For now…’” she repeats, another cute frown marring her features. “What does that even mean?”

Snickering, I answer, “It means that I want to get to know you, and you me. It means I want to spend time with you, do stuff with you, go out and shit. And if it morphs into something more than friendship, then I’m here for it.”

“‘More than friendship…’” she repeats, shaking her head like she’s having a hard time comprehending my words. “Aero, you realize we’ve known each other for months but this is the first actual conversation we’re having, right? And now you’re saying, what, that you want to date me?”

Okay, I see that I’m probably coming on a bit strong, so I quickly do a rewind and reevaluate my strategy. I absolutely want to date her, but she’s right. We’ve barely shared a single decent conversation, and even though I want her, I want to do this shit right. So, with a slight shuffle of my plan with the backup option of kidnapping her until she agrees to be mine, I lean my hand on my fist as I lean my elbow into the pillow and tell her, “I want to get to know you, Silver Gage. How about we start there?”

She eyes me for a long moment, long enough that I’m sure she’s going to reject my proposal, and I almost start to get nervous. A strange feeling, one I’m not used to, but it sends another thrill through me and I can’t help but smile at the pretty girl.

Eventually, she sighs before nodding almost reluctantly. “Fine. But only because you had a good excuse for missing pizza last night. The others are still on my shit list.”

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