Page 32 of Never Bet Against A Hockey Player

He seemed surprised. I couldn’t blame him. Most people my age had plenty of experience, but I’d never thought of anyone that way since August left. Plus, when would I go on a date? I worked two jobs and stayed home as much as I could so she wasn’t alone with Gavin. Ever.

“Is that where a lot of the fear is coming from? That you don’t think you’re going to be enough for us because you don’t know how to satisfy us?”

“Yes,” I snapped again, fighting tears harder than before. “Of course, that’s it. At least a chunk of it. How am I ever going to compare? Look at you guys, who have all these puck bunnies and travel the world and have all this experience. Then there’s me, who has never left her fucking hometown? Her one and only almost-boyfriend was kicked out by her mother, and she has more problems than she can fucking count.”

“Firecracker, I think you’re giving deltas, and alphas, way more credit than they deserve.”

“I don’t think I’m giving them too much credit, August. You can’t tell me that I’d be able to satisfy three mates when I’ve never even kissed anyone.”

The asshole almost looked stunned as he soaked in my words. This was the point he should walk away. I’d laid it all out there for him. He knew my secrets and my fears now.

I braced myself, chest tight and omega whining internally. But instead of standing up, a slow smirk spread over his gorgeous face.

“What if I can solve that problem?”

“How could you possibly solve that?” I protested.

He gave me a look, practically demanding that I think about how that could be.

“Are you proposing that we...?”

“Yes and no. We’ll get to that eventually. We can take it slow. Experiment with what you like. It will give you a chance to get to know your body a little bit, maybe get you in tune with your omega side, because I know that you’ve been denying that for years as well.”

“Do you have to be so loud and so right about all of it?” I groaned, hiding my face from him again. He gently tugged them away and looked at me.

“Stop hiding from me. Plus, you should know that your blushing turns me on.” The smirk on his face only turned more wicked. My omega liked it far more than she should.

“You’re a bastard.”

“Yes. But you know I’m right.”

This time, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was like every point I gave him to drive him away, he was finding me a solution.

Maybe that was what I needed more than anything. Someone to look at the heap of problems that I had and reassure me that I was, in fact, enough to fight through them.

When I looked away from him, I realized that Gavin was already gone. Our food was sitting in front of us cooling down because we’d been too involved talking to eat after Lydia had quietly dropped it off.

I let his words bounce around my head as we both ate. Once I started, I scarfed down my food. The constant skipping meals was starting to get to me.

He let me think it all over as we ate. The moment I pushed my plate away he leaned closer, a finger under my chin guiding me to face him. Those green eyes were burning for me now, showing just how badly he wanted this.

Wanted me.

“We can start right now. Come back to my place. I live with Flynn and Evans, but they had something to do today. We’ve got two or three hours before they’ll come home.”

This could be a turning point for me. I could take his offer. Let him help me overcome my reservations and face this pack without fear.

That stupid, naive voice in my head was telling me they might just be able to pull me out of the hole I was stuck in.

My omega was stronger now, pushing me closer to the delta, begging me to give in. He just might be able to cure the crushing loneliness that had been plaguing me for way too long.

I didn’t want to say no anymore.

Maybe I didn’t have to choose between Gavin and having a pack.

August was well aware of the situation. He now knew the stakes. If he thought he could find a way out with Gavin, too, then didn’t I owe it to my brother to try?

Hell, I knew I owed it to myself. It had been far too long since I’d given myself anything.