Page 114 of Roulette Rodeo
"Oh my god," I breathe. "What is this magic?"
"It's just coffee," Corwin says, but he's smiling. "With pumpkin and spices and?—"
The door crashes open, Duke barreling through like a furry missile. He spots me immediately, tail going into overdrive as he races over to investigate. His paws come up on my knees, and I have to juggle the coffee to keep from spilling as I pet him.
"Hi baby!" I coo, scratching behind his ears. "Did you miss me? Were you a good boy?"
"He caught a rabbit," Shiloh's voice comes from the doorway, and my body reacts instantly to his presence—skin flushing, pulse jumping, that sweet ache between my legs throbbing in recognition. "Brought it right to the door like a prize."
He looks good. Fresh clothes—jeans and a henley that clings to his chest—hair still slightly damp from his own shower. His eyes find mine across the room, and the heat in them makes me squirm on the counter.
"Our little cherry finally wake up?" he asks, moving toward me with that predator's grace that should be terrifying but just makes me want.
"Yes," I say, suddenly breathless. "After fighting for my life to exist because of—" I cough dramatically, "SOMEONE. Cough. RAFE."
Shiloh's lips twitch as he stops in front of me, standing between my dangling legs.
"Is that so?"
"But I'm distracted, so let me eat first," I say, taking another sip of the magical pumpkin latte.
He smirks, and then his hand comes up, thumb brushing across my bottom lip. There's whipped cream there, I realize, and he wipes it away with careful precision. But instead of stopping there, he leans in, replacing his thumb with his mouth.
The kiss is smooth, confident, a clear claim in front of his packmates. His lips are soft but insistent, tongue flicking out to taste the pumpkin and cream and probably the lingering sweetness from the donut. It's not a long kiss, maybe three seconds, but it rewrites the entire room's dynamics.
When he pulls back, I'm blinking in shock, lips still parted.
The other three alphas are staring at him like he just pulled a rabbit from a hat.
"Good morning," he says, voice low and intimate despite the audience.
A smile spreads across my face without permission. "Good morning."
"Sleep well?" His hand is still on my thigh, thumb rubbing absent circles through the dress fabric.
"Like a baby," I admit.
He nods, satisfied.
"Good. I'm gonna go change."
As he walks away, I notice Talon and Corwin exchanging meaningful looks. There's something in their expressions—surprise, speculation, maybe even approval.
But Rafe...
Rafe turns on his heel and storms toward the front door, shoulders rigid with tension.
The door slams behind him hard enough to rattle the windows.
I frown, the happy bubble from the kiss popping instantly.
"Is he actually mad?"
Talon chuckles, though there's something knowing in it.
"He has at least one tantrum a day. That's completely normal."
"That's not normal for one's blood pressure," I counter, genuinely concerned despite our argument. "That much anger can't be healthy."
