Chuckling, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and tucked me against his torso. “You weren’t the only one affected. It was hard to let you leave but I want to earn your trust, no matter how long it takes.”
I sighed. “I do have trust issues. But you are nothing like the alphas I was betrothed to.”
“We will never let them get to you. Even if you don’t choose us, we will always have your back.”
We stared at each other for a moment and the air charged between us. My gaze dipped to his lips, so full and inviting.
“I don’t want to push you before you’re ready,” he whispered.
“Maybe I’m ready.”
He moved closer. So close that I could see the details of those lips. His skin. The cleft in his chin.
I wanted to see all of him.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“Right now? I want you to kiss me.”
“Thank the goddess.”
He leaned in and brushed his lips across mine, and a thousand fireworks exploded behind my now-closed eyes. I reached for the front of his shirt to pull him closer.
His phone rang. Our bubble burst.
Fuck me.
“I’m so sorry. It’s Jayden. Again.” He pressed the phone to his ear. “What?” he barked into the phone and then mouthed sorry to me and some people passing.
He listened for a few minutes and then put them on speaker. “You have to ask her. Not me.”
“Ask me what?”
Jayden and Carter decided to speak at the same time.
Elias rolled his eyes. “Jayden, you called, so you ask.”
“We wanted to have dinner with you, Anathea. Elias is hogging you. We can pick up something yummy and meet you at your apartment if that’s okay?”
I chewed my lip. “I suppose that would be okay. What are you picking up?”
Carter spoke up. “Anything you want, darlin’. We eat anything that’s not moving.”
“Chinese?” I asked. “I can pay for my share.”
Jayden chimed in. “Absolutely not on paying, but yes on Chinese. What dishes do you love?”
Elias ended up texting them my favorites. Crispy beef and peppers. Honey chicken. Beef fried rice, and apparently that wasn’t enough because Elias prodded me to order more.
I added egg rolls and pineapple chicken, and only then was he satisfied.
“This was a great date. Thank you,” I said.
Elias took my hand and held it the whole way home. He also made sure he was on the street side as we walked.
I couldn’t help but think they were too good to be true.
Or maybe I would let myself believe that I was worth a pack treating me this way.
