I roll my eyes. “Come on, you two. This is supposed to be a party!” I squeeze Luca’s arm in silent thanks before stepping from his embrace. I’m so grateful to have him in my life; he’s always there when I need him. “Let’s dance.” I take Drax’s hand, who shoots Adler a shit-eating grin at being the chosen one, as I pull him into the throng of dancers close to a fire pit. “If I remember correctly, you owe me one.”
Drax sets his hands on my waist, the two of us swaying together as a slower song comes on.
“You better not run away from me this time.” I pretend to scold him, though the memories of that night still leave a bitter taste on my tongue.
“Run?” He tightens his grip on me then reaches up to stroke the spot where his teeth left a permanent mark on my skin. “I’m never leaving you again.”
“Get a room!” Carmen teases from next to us where she’s dancing with her gorgeous omega, Amora.
“They’re still in the early bonding phase.” Amora tuts. “You remember what that’s like.”
“I still can’t keep my hands off you,” Carmen replies fondly, twirling Amora around and making her giggle.
“Me neither,” Drax murmurs into my hair.
After Drax insists on dancing with me for three full songs, where I grind on him in a way that drives him wild, Adler decides that it’s definitely his turn now. He takes me from Drax, who heads over to the bar with Luca. After giving Adler my full attention for one song, Luca joins us, making me the filling of a yummy alpha dancing sandwich, the rest of the party falling away.
“We’re all thinking of going to Club Knotty next.” Nia’s voice pulls us out of our rhythm. “Are you guys coming?”
“I think we’re gonna have an early night,” Adler answers before I have a chance.
“I bet you are.” Corbin appears behind Nia, wiggling his eyebrows with a knowing smirk. “Have fun.”
After saying our goodbyes, we all traipse along the beach so we can catch a cart home. When we reach the sidewalk, I’m surprised to see Orin waiting.
“Orin?” I blink as he leans against his car, looking sexy as hell, as usual. “What are you doing here? I thought you were working late.”
He opens the car door for me. “I told you I had something special planned, remember?”
“You didn’t tell me that it was happening tonight!” I squeal before noticing that the others hold back. “Aren’t you all coming too?”
Luca beams at me. “This one is all for you.”
“I’ll keep the nest warm for when you get home,” Adler promises.
“Not if I get there first,” Drax quips.
“Get in.” Orin places his palm on my lower back, urging me inside the car. “You don’t want to be late.”
“So you’re not going to tell me where we’re going?” I ask when the car hums to life.
“Nope,” he replies mysteriously. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
Over the last few weeks, we’ve gotten to know each other a lot more. While he’s opened up to me a little about what he’s gone through in the past, Orin still struggles to talk about his own feelings. However, we do understand each other better, and I’ve learned that we share the same fierce sense of loyalty.
Bonding with him has given me an insight into how much he trulycares. How his first priority really is everyone else in the pack, and despite acting like a grump sometimes, he enjoysbeing everyone’s rock. Drax is still acclimating to being an alpha, and Orin monitors his mood. Adler is a loose cannon that he has to keep in check. While Luca is more sensitive, the pack mediator, Orin can be that firm voice of reason when Luca’s kind approach doesn’t work.
“Is this going to be anotherDesperate Housewiveswatch party?” I giggle.
We had a date last week where he took a rare night off, ordered in all my favorite food, then settled in for aDesperate Housewivesmarathon. We had so much fun, despite not being able to watch half as many episodes as we planned because, Well… We got a little distracted.
“Not tonight.”
I search my brain as we turn down the road to Omega Village. “Do you need to speak to Margie?”
Orin doesn’t say anything, pulling to a stop near Margie’s security kiosk.
“Okay, what are we doing here?” I turn to face him. “I don’t understand.”
