Page 169 of Knot Baked Out For This
"For the pies," he says innocently.
"Those pies already have whipped cream."
"Extra whipped cream."
"Why do I feel like this is going to end badly?"
"Your instincts are excellent," Luca says, setting up a tripod with military precision. "But we're doing it anyway. Lighting is everything, and right now you're backlit perfectly."
He's got that focused look, the one that means resistance is futile. When Luca decides something needs to be done properly, it gets done properly.
"Positions!" Reverie claps her hands. "Hazel in the middle, Alphas arranged aesthetically!"
"We're not props," Rowan protests.
"Today you are. Extremely attractive props that smell good."
And somehow, I end up sitting on a hay bale with three Alphas arranged around me like some kind of harvest-themed romance novel cover. Rowan behind me, hands on my shoulders. Levi sprawled at my feet like a golden retriever who found the perfect sunny spot. Luca standing to my left, one hand in his pocket, looking brooding and mysterious.
"This is ridiculous," I mutter.
"This is marketing," Reverie corrects, already snapping photos. "Hazel, relax your face. You look constipated."
"I look concerned!"
"Same thing in photos. Think happy thoughts."
"I'm thinking about murder."
"Think happier thoughts."
Levi suddenly springs up, grabs one of the mini pies. "I have an idea!"
"No," we all say simultaneously.
"You haven't heard it yet!"
"We don't need to," Rowan says. "Your ideas always involve?—"
Levi shoves a forkful of pie at my mouth.
"Mmmph!"
"Candid!" Reverie shrieks, camera clicking rapidly. "That's perfect! Feeding your Omega! Classic pack behavior!"
I manage to swallow the bite—and okay, it's delicious, made fresh this morning—but glare at Levi.
"Warning next time!"
"Where's the fun in that?" He grins, and there's whipped cream on his nose because of course there is.
"You have—" I gesture at his face.
"Where?"
"Just—here?—"
I reach up to wipe it off, and suddenly Rowan's caught my wrist, redirecting my hand to his mouth. He licks the whipped cream off my finger, maintaining eye contact the entire time.
