Page 128 of This Pack of Ours

“Really?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Mhmm. You can ask ‘em,” he said smugly.

“Nothing to do with the fact I was your first heat?”

“Nope,” he said. “I think that was just like, fate. But we come and see you and you’re so like, cool and mature. And you seem prickly but then you totally melted when we were with you, and you told me yourreal namewhile you were gazing into my eyes.”

“Pretty sure that it was Vander I was looking at.”

“Whatever. Point is, I was 100% in. Oh, and Jhin told me to say?—”

He pulled a little strip of paper out of his pocket and squinted at it.

“Right.” His voice lowered as he imitated Jhin. “‘Ezra. Make sure she knows that you are not just interested in her because you are aroused by the idea of her and Kit together.’” He glanced at me. “Look, I’m not gonna lie. I’ve been dreaming of both of you sucking my dick together since you talked about it that one day, but seriously, Juniper?—”

His eyes met mine, and he actually stopped walking, taking both my hands.

“I think I’d be heartbroken if you left us. And you make me want to be all responsible and shit. Make you proud. Like, I want to make you the best grilled cheese sandwich ever, but like, the grilled cheese sandwich is actually our life.”

“I don’t know if that makes sense,” I said, and he waved his hand.

“Don’t think about it too hard. I didn’t. Point is, I’m yours, Juni, 100%. And I’m Kit’s, too, 100%, duh. But also yours.”

He flashed me his stunning smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

“So?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows. “Better speech than Adrian’s?”

“I’mnotrating your speeches.” I snorted.

We wandered through the deep sea section, and at the end, he proudly took me to theExperience the Deepportion. I followed him down the narrow corridor, and then into one of the small, dark rooms that were underneath a giant tank. The floor was covered with cushions, so you could lie back and watch the various creatures glow and light up in the dark. I wondered what it would take to sneak in here at night with a few more pillows and blankets. Maybe the pack. Or just their scents.

Following his lead, I laid down on the cushioned floor to stare up at the beautiful sight overhead.

“We got this all to ourselves for ten minutes,” he said, snuggling into my side.

I was surprised when he actually just rested his head on my shoulder and gazed up at the dark water with me. His arm was around my neck, and he gave a happy little sigh as we lay there.

Eventually, though, his hand meandered down until his knuckle was brushing over my nipple, continuing until my breathing was shallow and heat was steadily pooling in my core. He kept doing that, sending shivers through me, the arousal building and building until I was panting.

This was so dangerous, this close to my heat, but I didn’t care, it felt too good. His lips brushed my neck, and then he was on top of me, his leg lodged firmly between my thighs and his hand slipping under my dress to palm my breast as our lips crashed together.

I heard him groan in his throat, and I was furiously grinding against his leg because it felt so fucking good and I needed more, needed him—I climaxed as he pinched my nipples between his fingers, sucking on his lower lip and riding it out.

The light flicked back on and he tugged my dress back down with a cheeky grin. I could only smile back, because I’d never doubted Ez. He was an open book—and not a dictionary, but a comic book with bright colors and very few words.

“My goodness, Miss Anders, how scandalous,” he whispered, nipping my ear. I smacked his shoulder. He tugged me up and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I took a breath, but the feelings started to fade, no cramping gripping my abdomen. I was really tempting fate though.

“Idefinitelywin,” he said, smugly.

“Not a competition,” I reminded him as we left the room.

“But if it was, I’d win.”

I hesitated as I saw Vander slouched against the wall.

“V, dude, you’re gonna have a hard time topping that,” Ez said, winking at me. My face heated. I was never going to live this down.

Vander rolled his eyes, but his stony expression was only half-hearted.

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