Page 37 of Players and Pages
“Hey, sweets. You look… incredible,” he said, voice dropping to a deeper octave as he took me in. Then a smile took back over. “You painted your toes to match. I love it.”
The fact he noticed blew my mind. They soaked in everything about me when we were together.
“She’s gorgeous,” Griff agreed, reaching out and pulling me in with his free hand, brushing a kiss over my cheek. “We come bearing gifts.”
“I see that,” I said, taking the flowers he was offering and inhaling their sweet scent. Even better, the scents of my alphas were already mixed in, so I knew my house would smell like them, too.
“Hey there, peach,” Cy greeted, pulling me into a soft hug that warmed me from the inside out. His fresh, citrus and herb scent covered me as he gently ran his cheek along mine, scent-marking me. My omega preening happily as she basked in it.
When he released me, I gulped in fresh air to try and clear my head.
“Come in, I’ve got dinner almost ready,” I said as I padded back inside, my alphas in tow. Jackson dropped the boxes on the counter where I’d left space. Griff put the wine in the freezer to chill, and Cy helped me carry out the steaks.
It was natural. Fluid. Not a hint of awkwardness in sight as we all moved around each other.
“Hopefully, you guys can handle spice,” I said as I lifted the lid on my grill. It was one of the biggest purchases I made for my home and was a multi-purpose one. I could grill, smoke, pop on the griddle when I needed it, and the lid was domed and had a secondary window to act as a pizza oven.
“This is nice,” Cy whistled. “We’re going to have to run extra at practice to make up for all the goodness you spoil us with, peach.”
“My dad taught me to grill. It was one of the only times I felt like I belonged with them,” I admitted.
“Were they hard on you?” he asked as he held out the tray so I could transfer the meat to the hot grill.
“No, more… overlooked, I guess? My family was all betas, so I was expected to be, too. They didn’t know what to do with an omega and I swear half the time they thought I was a ticking time bomb, about to hit a heat even though I’d barely come into it. Not to mention, between doctors and school, I knew how to handle all that.”
I felt the others join us as I was talking. It felt nice to let them in a little, tell them why I was so independent.
“They all seemed ecstatic when I left for college, then never checked in, so I simply didn’t go back. They don’t reach out or anything like that and haven’t since I left. Which is fine, I don’t need anyone in my life who thinks I’m less for things I can’t control.”
Jackson moved forward, tucking a loose curl behind my ear. The look in his eyes told me he knew this feeling far too well.
“I know how that is,” he said softly. “We’ve got you now, Dani. I can promise you with my entire being that we’ll never treat you that way.”
“Never dull your shine for people like that, gorgeous. You’re confident, sexy enough to bring us to our knees, and are kind hearted. We’ve only known each other for a short time, but I can already see all of that in you.”
Griff’s words sank into my bones, settling there like armor, ready to protect me when I needed it.
Who knew jocks could be so damn sweet and down to earth?
I may have thirsted after these men, I mean, could you blame a girl? Most of the time they were shirtless, sweaty, and had more moves than I realized any alpha could.
“My family is big and boisterous enough for all of us,” Cy said when the moment felt a bit too serious. “They’re going to absolutely love you. My dad, Allen, especially. He lives for outdoor cooking.”
Cy pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the grill, sending it with a grin on his face.
“My family is small, but they try to watch all the games. Mom got into an accident and doesn’t get out much but they support me how they can,” Griff explained.
“Don’t let him downplay it. We take care of them, Griff especially. He’s their rock,” Jackson said. The pride in his voice as he beamed at his packmate was just another way I knew I’d found the perfect pack.
Just like that they heard one of my biggest vulnerabilities, shared their own, and validated that I was enough. Not just me, that weallwere enough.
"So," I started to change the subject. It was getting a little too deep at the moment. "How do you like your steaks cooked?"
"Medium rare for Griff and I," Cy spoke up and then he pointed to Jackson. "He likes his practically burnt."
"Burnt?" I questioned in horror.
"Unlike these two, I prefer my steak not to be mooing as I chew it," Jackson smiled at me. He wasn't the least bit repentant.
