Page 33 of The Twelve Knots of Christmas
They were going to leave that whole part to me? My stomach tightened as I stared at my bottle. Drops of condensation trickled down the sides. I wouldn’t argue I was the best choice to talk to her about work because what we did overlapped, but what could Wisconsin offer her in terms of her specialty that California couldn’t?
My grip hardened on the beer and turned my knuckles white. Fuck, I couldn’t think of anything. California was far ahead of Wisconsin in terms of everything dealing with the environment. Maybe the guys shouldn’t have left this to me.
I could hear what they were saying, trading ideas for dates that involved her getting to see us as her pack, but it wasa drone in the background to my panicked thoughts. They put their trust in me, and I didn’t want to fail them.
I didn’t want to fail myself or, most importantly, Mariska.
Maybe something will come up when I talk to her tomorrow. I had to believe that, especially now that all of us wanted her as our Omega.
My father’s hard voice snarled in my head. He hit me as he told me I wasn’t tough enough, that I would never be enough of an Alpha for any Omega, and that I’d spend my life alone.
I slammed those ghosts down. I wasn’t alone. I had my pack. For them, and for Mariska, I needed to dig deep and be the Alpha she needed me to be, because I couldn’t imagine our pack with any other Omega.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Mariska
All day Monday I was floating on air. I went into work to complete the paperwork for my remaining case studies, and while I worried my heat hit me faster now, no urgent pains plagued me. Could I have been a little drunk and really horny? Maybe since I wasn’t used to being around compatible Alphas, my normal Omega attraction to them was just more powerful than to other hot guys.
It wasn’t like I’d ever done anything like that before. The image of Jasper between my legs, hungrily eating me out, sent sinful tingles through me. Yet no slick nor a feverish loss of control.
I kept my fingers crossed, and it seemed to be true when Lucian took me out to dinner. Lyla searched my closet for the best outfit for me to wear. With it being an extra cold day, she chose a high waist plaid A-line skirt that fell below my knees and a white knit sweater that hugged my chest in a way she swore was flattering.
Yet all Lucian talked about was my work, what I studied, and environmental issues. While I loved to discuss those things, it was a very different night than what I’d experienced with Jasper. We stayed long after our meal and sipped coffee as we chatted until Miss Eloise told us she was feeling tired. Though I assumed our eco-nerd talk bored her!
The next night, Balthazar offered to take all of us in Primrose House out to a casual dinner at a family restaurant with its own arcade. It was a strange choice of place to take three adult women who had no children, but it did turn out to be fun.
As Lucian had focused on me and work the night before, Balthazar chatted with Miss Eloise and Lyla as much as me. They shared with him stories that had him laughing, and he wowed us all with three bulls-eyes in a row in an axe throwing game.
Two normal dates. I didn’t know why that disappointed me. My attraction to them hadn’t lessened, but were they no longer interested in me? Did I need to be more assertive or even plan out a date myself?
At the end of Balthazar’s date, he dropped us all off at Primrose House and walked us to the door. He handed a clothing box to Lyla but grinned at me. “This is what you’re going to wear tomorrow. Jasper, Lucian, and I are taking you to a charity event in the afternoon. It’s one that Silver Tree Farms sponsors, and we do it every year. But,” he gave me a stern yet playful look. “I don’t want you looking in the box until you’re getting dressed tomorrow.”
Ooo-kay. This was the weirdest thing ever. “All right.”
“Oh! I know the one. It will be so much fun.” Miss Eloise chuckled. “Thank you for dinner and the games, Balthazar. Have a good night!”
She disappeared into the house, and Lyla hugged the box as she bounced on her toes. “This is so exciting. Thanks for the fun night. Mari can’t look in the box, but can I?”
“Sure. Just don’t tell her what’s inside.” Balthazar waved at her as she ran into the house and shut the door. From within, Lyla squealed with delight having looked immediately in the box.
I raised my brows. “It’s not lingerie, is it?”
“No.” He stepped closer to me, his scent wrapping around me like a cozy blanket. “But if that’s something you’re willing to wear for me, I can head to a shop right now.”
My face went hot, and even in the shadows of the porch, he probably could see how red I was. A twin to that flush echoed between my legs with a wanton pang. All through our date, he hadn’t flirted. He’d been on his best behavior, and now we went from zero to sixty in a matter of a second. “Sooo… you’re really not going to tell me what’s in the box?”
“Nope.” His grin was wicked, but how naughty could the outfit be if Miss Eloise knew which charity event we were going to? “What did you think of the things I bought from the market? Are they good?”
Shit. I’d stashed away the bags in my closet and hadn’t even looked at them. “I didn’t check yet, but I’ll do that when I go in.”
“You didn’t open them right when you got home?” Balthazar shook his head. Saturday night had not gone well. I’d been in no mood for it. “I was the brat that always woke up extra early on Christmas morning and ran downstairs to tear open my gifts. I could never wait. Please don’t tell me you’re not one of those people that carefully unwrap presents and try to save the pretty paper and ribbons?”
I giggled. That was exactly how I imagined him as a kid, and that was totally me. “And what if I am?”
“Damn.” He tried to look shocked, but he couldn’t hide his smirk. “Well, tomorrow you’ll be getting a lesson on the proper way to open gifts. I’m going to leave you with that thought. Have a good night, Mariska.”
The air thickened and his scent turned muskier. Balthazar stepped closer as if he might suddenly yank me to him, but instead, he lifted his hand and caressed my cheek before brushing a kiss across my forehead. Then with a purr rumbling in his chest, he walked off the porch and headed to his truck.
My breaths came quickly as my heart pounded. I’d been sure he was about to pin me to the wall and have his way with me on the porch next to the stuffed Santa. Or maybe that was what I’d wanted to happen.
