Page 65 of Where There's Smoke
“You know, precious, it is.”
Chapter 31
Melody
“You seem sad now. That wasn’t my goal. What’s wrong?” Elliot asked as I climbed back into his car. We had just finished visiting all my animals, and my heart was hurting in a way I hadn’t expected.
“I’m not,” I insisted, shaking my head, but the effect was somewhat ruined when I burst into tears.
Elliot’s eyes widened with panic before he grabbed me, dragging me across the center console and into his lap, gently running his hand through my hair as we sat in the parked car.
“Talk to me,” he said softly, his voice taking a pleading tone.
“I feel like I’m failing them!” I wailed, shaking my head.
“The animals? No, precious. You’re not at all. What makes you say that?”
“Other people are looking after them when they’remyresponsibility!” I sniffled. Being so unable to help my rescue and surrendered pets carved a hole in my soul.
“Melody,” Elliot said, his voice getting serious. “Would you take in animals from a shelter that burned down if yours was still standing?”
I paused, looking up at him. Elliot seemed very fond of having me in his lap recently, and I wasn’t really complaining. Still, I could see what he was doing.
“Of course I would,” I said, my voice somewhat watery. “But that’s not?—”
“Well, these rescues did the same for you. You’re doing the best you can until your place is rebuilt. You’ve been amazing to all these animals. Beating yourself up isn’t going to help, okay? You can rely on other people’s help every now and then.”
His words made me feel a little better. But I hated that he was so right when it came to what was really upsetting me. I didn’t like getting help from others. I was so used to relying on just myself, what with my family being incredibly unhelpful.
“So says the alpha that I have a feeling is as good at accepting help as I am.”
Elliot rolled his eyes playfully, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Fair. But that just makes me great at understanding what you’re going through.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I squeezed my lips so I wouldn’t smile. I was being called out, and stranger still, I was being looked after by Elliot, of all people.
“You’re being suspiciously nice,” I grumbled.
“I’m not a complete ass, I’ll have you know.”
“Could have fooled me!”
Squeezing my butt slightly, Elliot shot me a look before chuckling. “That is so…accurate. I can’t blame you. But look, I’m trying, okay? Cut me some slack.”
Smiling smugly, I lifted my chin, looking at him from under my lashes. “I believe there was talk of shiny things before I fully forgave you.”
Laughing harder, Elliot yanked me to his mouth, crashing his lips against mine. “All right there, precious. Shiny things. But first, dinner and maybe a bit morealonetime.”
My body warmed, and I grinned, still teasing Elliot because it was actually really fun now that I knew I could get away with it.
“Okay, dinner. Then…” I kissed him this time, keeping it light and flirty. “…we’ll just have to see.”
Elliot hadn’t told me where we were going for dinner, but my stomach was rumbling and I was ready to eat.
We pulled up outside the small mom-and-pop Italian restaurant, and my stomach gurgled loudly in excitement.
Outside, sitting on one of the benches, were Samson and Fitz, both dressed casually in dark jeans and T-shirts. Samson had a flannel shirt thrown over his tee and a backward baseball cap, whereas Fitz was keeping it simple, his blonde curls somewhat subdued.
“Hey, firecracker!” Fitz greeted warmly, pulling me into a hug. I clung to him for a moment, breathing in his scent. There was something about these three alphas that was just so damn cuddly, and I was apparently in anextracuddly mood right now. “You had a good day with the grumpy one, then?”
