I lean in until my lips brush the shell of her ear. “I tend to pick things that are shiny,” I whisper, hands resting on her waist.
She squeaks, then exhales, but doesn’t move away.
“They’re all shiny,” she stage-whispers back.
“Evander’s like a magpie that way,” Logan says, strolling up behind us. “Anything shiny and he has to make it his.”
Our eyes meet, and I almost sigh in relief. His gaze holds no jealousy, only heat. It's familiar and steady. He sees my interest in Rose, and I see his. There’s something thrilling in that understanding.
Logan plucks a silver snowflake hairclip with bells hanging from the end and turns to Rose. “May I?”
She swallows but nods. He gathers a handful of curls, twisting them loosely before sliding the clip into place. It sparkles against her hair like frost on a candle flame.
"That looks beautiful, Jingles," he says as the bells jingle in her hair.
Her chest rises and falls, each breath unsteady. He’s inches from her front. I’m pressed to her back. The air between us hums with tension, so thick it could catch fire. I bite my lip to keep from groaning. Logan’s eyes flick to mine. He knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“I’d definitely choose this,” he says, gesturing to the clip. “You look too beautiful to pass up.”
A blush stains her cheeks, and she looks away. My fingers twitch with the urge to bring her chin back toward us.
“I think I’m going with this,” she says quickly, picking up a multicolored star that shimmers iridescent in the light.
“Find something you like, Starlight?” Harlan’s deep voice rumbles behind us.
Rose ducks her head, smiling small. The air shifts, his presence filling every inch of space. He’s close enough that I can scent the oak and pine of him.Grounded and powerful. He runs a finger over the snowflake in her hair, and her lashes flutter. She bites her lip, and the air gets hotter still.
Harlan glances at Logan, something silent and dangerous passing between them. Then he clears his throat. “Looks like things are getting started at the tree. Wanna head over?”
"Yes," She replies and starts to reach for the clip, but Harlan catches her hand instead. “Logan will get it on our card.”
She protests, but he just leads her away.
And suddenly, there’s a Candy-shaped hole between me and Logan.
He steps forward, closing it.
“What do you think?” I ask, meeting his pale blue eyes.
They’re full of the same want that’s crawling under my skin.
“I think I’ve never wanted anything between us before,” he murmurs, “and now I can’t imagine anything else.”
His arm slides around my waist. His other hand grips my jaw. The kiss that follows is molten. It's hot and deep, his tongue sweeping into my mouth like he owns it. By the time he pulls back, I’m shaking with need.
If it weren’t for the crowd, I’d drag him somewhere dark and private and press him to a wall.
Logan pays the vendor, and we step out arm in arm. Ahead, Rose walks beside Harlan, their heads close, Kai trailing behind. Wyatt lingers farther back, watching Kai with an expression that could break hearts.
I shake my head, sighing dramatically. “Are those two ever going to get it together?”
Maybe, with a little help from our new omega.
Rose
Full dark has settled over Main Street. The Christmas lights strung across storefronts and old-fashioned lampposts cast a warm, merry glow on vendors and patrons alike. Somewhere up the street, the smell of roasting chestnuts drifts from a food stall. The winter air is crisp, biting at any bare skin—but it only makes bundling up against someone all the more tempting.
Harlan walks beside me, one heavy arm slung over my shoulders like it belongs there. His body radiates heat, and every time our sides brush, I melt a little more into him. To my surprise, he doesn’t seem to mind. Doesn’t shift away. Doesn’t act like I’m asking for too much.
