Page 87 of Where There's Smoke
Fitz snorted. “Also, Elliot needed time because he’s a big dummy and was overly concerned about arson.”
“Hey!” Elliot glowered at Fitz, but there was no real heat in it. He turned to face me, and the expression I saw was so honest and open that I almost didn’t recognize him. “The alpha part of me was sure about you pretty much immediately.Ijust needed to be sure. And if we’re laying it all out there, I really knew after the apology, seeing you in the house that day with the washing machine. You belong there. With us.”
I frowned at him, tears bubbling for too many reasons now. “And you’re really sure now? Because of a washing machine? Why?”
Elliot nodded and spoke without hesitating. “Iamsure. Maybe in an ideal world, we could take our time a bit more until you were truly comfortable in your status as an omega. But I know for sure that I would much rather have you here, bonded to us, than be dragged back to New York. I care about you deeply, Melody. We all do. This…thisis where you belong, precious. I’ll stand by that forever.”
His hands reached up to cup my face as he looked me dead in the eye. “I'm going to speak very plainly here. I am in love with you. You are the perfect addition to our pack. You are sweet, kind, and giving, but at the same time, you don’t take any bullshit from any of us. You drive me absolutely crazy some days, but that just makes me love you more.”
I stared at the grumpy alpha in shock. A wave of emotion rocked me. No one had said they loved me before, not like this. Not meaning it with their entire being as they chose me over everyone else.
“You love me?” I asked in a small voice.
“I mean, I wasn’t being exactly subtle.” Elliot chuckled.
“Nah, Fitz is the one who’s not subtle,” Samson said. “He declares how obsessed he is with our Melody every other day.”
“You told me I can’t hire a skywriter, even though it would be a drop in the bucket for me, and the world deserves to know!” Fitz chuckled, lightly punching Samson in the arm. I couldn’t believe my ears, but I was still laughing at how ridiculous they all were.
“How doyoufeel?” Elliot asked, a moment of anxiety flittering across his face.
“I feel the same,” I admitted softly, biting my lip. “I fit—something I could never say before. I love being with you all. I’ve fallen in love with each one of you, skywriter or not.”
“You’re ours.” Fitz beamed as Samon nodded along, all of them holding on to me like I might disappear if they didn’t. My heart warmed, and I smiled, my pulse fluttering for a different reason now. “Please tell me you're aware that I love you deeply, Melody Smoke?”
I bit my lip. “I have an inkling.”
“Ours,” Samson said, kissing the top of my head softly.
“I really like the sound of that,” I admitted.
“Is it whatyouwant?” Samson asked.
“I think so. I mean, I think about leaving, and my insides go all twisty, and I start to panic. When I’m with you guys, I just feel…safe. Content. It’s easy. It’s right. I thought being with a pack would be difficult in some ways because there were so many personalities, but you guys all blend together so well. You blend withmereally well. I like this. I…lovethis. I love you guys.”
“You are the final bit of the puzzle that’s been missing. I assure you.” Elliot smiled.
“So you’re in?” Fitz grinned, his eyes hopeful and excited.
“I am.” I beamed right back at him, snuggling into them.
“Hey, Elliot, how long until we’re off shift?” Fitz asked, already nuzzling into my hair.
Smiling, the pack lead looked at his watch. “Technically, we were off shift twenty minutes ago.”
Before I could say another word, an excited whoop left Fitz, and the breath left my chest as he scooped me up, throwing me over his shoulder and striding back toward the firehouse.
“Let’s get bonding!” he called out, and all I could do was laugh, the chorus of Elliot and Samson doing the same ringing out behind me.
Chapter 42
Samson
Iwas quick to follow along behind Fitz as he carried Melody over his shoulder to Elliot’s bedroom, the one she’d been using since she arrived. A small nest was still set up on the bed, a collection of our shirts, some new and some the same as before, nestled into the comfortable mound of fabric. My mind spun, thinking about the last time all of us had been with her together like this. Just that was enough to get me hard as a damn rock—not to mention the incredible melon scent oozing off Melody nearly as strong as it had when she was in heat.
Damn, I’m not going to make it long at this point. I’m already ready to burst.
Fitz tossed Melody down into the center of the nest, and I hurried toward the head of the bed, trying not to look as eager as I felt. It was still something else, how Melody had wormed into my heart the way she had, and I was really damn ready for her to know just how much I adored her…loved her.
