We all get undressed and into bed as quietly as we can. Harlan slips in first, positioning himself beside Rosie. For a second, he hesitates—then turns away from her and reaches for Evander instead, circling his waist and tugging him close.
Evander giggles but leans across him anyway, brushing Rosie’s curls off her forehead and pressing a kiss there. Harlan wraps him up like a weighted blanket. Logan slides in next, tucking himself into Evander’s side.
I look over and Wyatt’s already watching me.
He jerks his chin toward the bed in a quiet go-ahead. I toe off my shoes, strip my shirt and pants, leaving just my boxers. My cheeks flush hot. I don’t look at him as I slide under the covers next to Rosie.
She shifts toward me in her sleep, mumbling something, and wraps her hand around my waist.
If I were a better man, I’d move her hand. She doesn’t know she’s doing it. But god, I’m not. I kissed her in front of a whole town tonight. I want to do that every damn day.
And now? I can’t bring myself to stop her from touching me. Intentional or not.
The bed dips beside me. Wyatt.
His skin brushes mine, hot and firm. I glance over and swallow hard.
Shirtless. Pants gone. His abs flex as he shifts closer, the old scar on his thigh catching the moonlight.
He slides his left arm under my pillow. His chest presses into my back as his right arm wraps around both me and Rosie. His hand rests over hers on my stomach.
She sighs, peaceful again.
I amnotpeaceful.
Sleep is impossible. Wyatt rests his forehead against my temple.
“Sleep, Kai,” he murmurs, voice rough like gravel and velvet at once.
But how the hell am I supposed to sleep with the sexy cowboy behind me, the wild-haired goddess in front of me, and a raging hard-on between us?
We’re not even officially courting. There’s no privacy. Rosie needs her rest.
Fuck. Me.
Rose
Whining all around me. Sadness and darkness and despair. Yearning. Horrible, bone-deep yearning that doesn’t feel like it could ever be satisfied. The whining is the worst part. So high-pitched. So needy. Where—
Rosie!
Where is that? Who’s calling me?
Rosie!
It sounds so familiar.
“Rose!”
This last bark has more than one alpha behind it. My eyes snap open. The room is dark, shafts of moonlight slipping through the window and illuminating alphas all around me. For a moment, I panic, scrambling at the sheets, trying to get away.
“Rosie,” a voice cracks.
“Candy,” another voice, close.
“Starlight.” The last one carries an edge of command, dominance rolling over me.
“You’re going to fucking scare her, Harlan,” someone growls. I know that voice, and he’s wrong. The dominance doesn’t frighten me. It calms the mad scramble inside. I realize it was me all along. I was the one omega-whining in my sleep.
