Page 10 of Knot Their Reality

Pulling on a long-sleeved black shirt, I find myself staring in the mirror once more. I don't remember the last time I spent so much time looking at myself in the mirror. Is being on Heated making me vain? I certainly hope not.

The top cuts low in the front and hugs my body. When added to the pair of skin-tight dark wash jeans, all of my curves are on display. I've added a pair of heeled boots, thrown my hair into a ponytail, and a set of large hoop earrings in my ears. It's a nice casual look that pairs well with the makeup that Allison applied after I'd finished my breakfast.

Shortly, I'll be joining the first four of my suitors on a group date. Not that I haven't gotten to know them last night and this morning over breakfast. It's like the more they tell me about themselves, the more I want to know. It's insane how much I've managed to learn about them thus far—even Alejandro, after he'd finished throwing a fit over whatever had annoyed him.

While he'd apologized for his behavior, he hadn't explained it. I'm trying my best not to hold it against him, but it's hard. When I'd asked him why he'd acted that way, he hadn't answered so I'd let it drop.

Is it driving me crazy, the not knowing? Yup. But I really do need to let it go. I have so much to do over the next week—so many people to get to know—that I can't get hung up on these little details. Let's just hope it doesn't happen again now that we're onto the group date.

It should be an interesting day as I've decided to do all the things I’ve always wanted to do and never had the time for. I have no idea how any of the men will react to the date, but it's what I want so they're going to have to put up with it for a few hours. We're off to go play paintball as soon as we leave here, and then it'll be on to bowling. Following that, we'll grab lunch at a place on the approved list and then some miniature golf. I have no idea if I'll enjoy any of this or if I'll hate it, but they're all things I should've done before now.

It's a little pathetic how I'm a thirty-four-year-old woman and there are so many things I haven't done. But that's okay. I plan to make up for that over the next two months. Anything I've ever wanted to do from the time I was a child until now has been written down onto a list and I plan to check as many items off the list as I can.

Selfish? Absolutely, but I'd like to use this time to find out what I do and don't like. I know it'll still be a while before I can step back from work, but once I can, I'd like to know what I enjoy. It seems reasonable to me.

A knock on the suite door has me turning away from the mirror. When I throw it open, I find Jace standing there in a pair of snug jeans and a henley under a leather jacket. He looks hot as hell, especially when he licks his lips as his eyes rove up and down my body. "Damn, little omega, I thought you looked good in that dress and then your swimsuit, but I think casual might be my favorite look on you."

"Wait until you see me in a suit," I say with a laugh.

His mouth kicks up at the corner as he nods. "I'm sure that's a sight to see as well."

Glancing behind him, I find the other three suitors standing just behind him. "Oh, good, you're all here. Are you ready to head out on our date?"

"I am unsure if I am ready as no information has been provided about the date," Ezra says, frowning as I step out of my room, making sure to close it firmly behind me.

I squeeze Jace's arm as I squeeze past him to stop in front of Ezra. "Does it bother you not knowing what is planned?"

"Very much so." His voice doesn't give anything away as usual, but the enthusiastic nodding does.

"No surprises for Ezra. I think I can remember that." I shoot him a smile before stepping back so I can see all four of them. "In that case, we will be heading to a paintball arena from here."

I fill them in quickly with the planned events of the day, which have both Jace and Jackson grinning while Ezra just nods, but since he puts up no complaints, I believe he approves. Alejandro, though? He turns up his nose at each thing I have planned until he's standing there sneering. I force a smile and take a deep breath before addressing him.

"Is there something wrong, Alejandro?”

He grits his teeth and shrugs. Oh, hell no. I'm so not doing this again.

"Let's not start this again, Alejandro. You're an adult—not to mention an alpha. If something is bothering you, then you need to say it. I won't force you to communicate, but it's starting to grate on my nerves with the way you're acting. If you don't want to be here, then you can leave."

"Who said I didn't want to be here?" he asks, confusion on his face.

I snort, shaking my head. "Your attitude says you don't want to be here. You spent an entire meal ignoring me, and later, when I asked you about it, you just pretended like you didn't hear me. Now, here we are, getting ready to go out on a group date that I'm very much looking forward to and you're sneering about the whole damn thing. Tell me which part of that makes it seem like you want to be here?"

He frowns, and it annoys me how attractive he is, even when he seems to have the worst possible attitude. I can definitely see why he's a model, but good looks don't make up for a bad personality.

"It's just that these are things I did when I was a teenager, and not really anything I would expect from a date here on Heated." Alejandro shakes his head. "I want to be here, Sophia. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be. I'm not used to people wanting to hear my opinions, I guess?"

Now it's my turn to frown. "There's a lot to unpack in that. We're doing these things because I've never had a chance to do so. I'm sorry if it's something you feel you've outgrown, and you're welcome to stay here if you don't want to come. But that is something I'll take into consideration when I'm looking at who I want to stay and who I want to go home. Second, I don't know what kind of people you've been hanging around, but I do want to hear what you think. I might not agree with you, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be able to share your opinion. Just maybe try not to sound so judgemental when you're sharing it?"

"I..." Alejandro wipes a hand down his face. "Shit, I'm fucking this up so bad. You're very unlike the models, designers, and photographers I work with. I don't think I was at all prepared for this experience. Which sounds dumb, but it is what it is. I will do my best to do as you've asked."

"Good. So you'll be joining us then?" At his nod, I turn to the other three. "Any other issues?"

"Nope," Jace says as he pops the p, making me smile. The man might be fifty, but he certainly doesn't act like it. It's kind of amazing, honestly. I can't remember the last time that I've been around someone who is so open and doesn't take things too seriously. I wonder if he can take anything seriously. Something tells me he can, but that's something I'll have to wait to find out on my own.

"Then let's be on our way." I lead them out the front door and into the awaiting SUV. Jace climbs in first, going straight to the back row and dragging me along with him so I sit in the middle seat. I'm surprised when it's Ezra that rushes to sit on my other side, leaving Alejandro and Jackson to sit in the middle row.

We fall into easy conversation as we head out—even Alejandro joins in. Though he flinches every time Ezra speaks directly to him, which is worrying. But I push that aside, figuring if it becomes an issue, I can address it then. I'm really looking forward to this date, and I don't want anything to get in the way of that—especially not the worry that my suitors aren't getting along.

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