Page 81 of Too Tempting

“I haven’t tried yet.”

“Just as nervous as me?” he says, giving me a smirk.

“Maybe so,” I reply.

“At least you didn’t intentionally do it.”

“Neither did you. That conversation wasn’t meant for her. You told me everything that was said. I’m sure if she heard the rest, she wouldn’t be so upset. I know that if she didn’t have this crisis with her brother, she would have stayed home and heard you out. Kelsey is a very compassionate person.”

“I don’t deserve her,” he says.

“I don’t think any of us do, but all we can do is try to be our best.”

He nods his head, and I hand him over my coffee. He takes a sip and sighs. “I want this feeling to go away. This jealousy is eating me up inside.”

I rub his back. “Is it only when you see it? Or do you feel jealous all the time?”

He furrows his brow. “Now that I think about it, it really only happens when I see it. Conceptually, when I’m not watching anyone together, I feel happiness. I’ve wanted a pack and knew that all the pack members wouldn’t be solely dedicated to me. It’s what I want. I care about everyone and want us all to have each other. But when I see it, it’s difficult.”

I tap my chin and hum. “I think I have a solution for that. But for now, I think we just need to get our shit together so that when Kelsey comes home, we’re ready to make things right.”

“What do you propose we do?” he asks and I smile.

“Something that lets her know we care.” I smile at him and lean over to give him a kiss. Emmett walks in the kitchen and gives us a forced smile.

When I look at his ruffled blond hair and the bags under his eyes, I sigh. My precious Emmett is holding everyone together right now. What would I do without him? Definitely ending the silent treatment, I can only imagine he anticipated a breakdown like this and told Kelsey to wait before revealing that Meera is her ex.

He’s shirtless and his back muscles are tight as he makes himself a cup of coffee.

“I talked to Kelsey last night.”

Cameron and I both perk up with this declaration. “I think she wants to wait to speak to you both when she gets home.”

I nod in understanding. Cameron sinks down into the chair.

“Do you think she wants to break up with me in person?” he asks.

The coffee cup clinks as Emmett puts it on the counter, and he grabs Cameron’s hand. “She’s hurt. But she still cares about you deeply. Kelsey has a lot going on right now. I think she just needs some time to sort it all out. She brought up pack therapy.”

I agree with this completely. “I can look up some options.” Emmett smiles at me, noting that he’s not in the dog house anymore.

“She said she already has someone in mind from the center she goes to.”

He releases Cameron’s hand and takes a sip of his coffee. “And Dom?” Cameron asks.

“You haven’t spoken to him?” Emmett exclaims.

“He’s called a few times, but I didn’t want to answer.” Cameron shrugs in shame.

“Cameron, you need to call him back. He’s probably worried about you. On top of the cluster fuck he’s dealing with, with Kelsey’s brother. It’s not fair to him.”

Cameron starts sobbing and Emmett winces as he puts the coffee back down and walks around his side to hug Cameron’s shoulders.

“I didn’t mean to make you upset, Cameron.”

“It’s not you,” he sniffles. “I just feel like I’m fucking up with everyone and I don’t know how to stop this spiral.”

I know that bonding would help, but bonding to just make yourself feel better isn’t the way to do it. It should be a special time made in love, not as a patch to fix your raging hormones.

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