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I’ve seen people approaching them, heard people welcome her to the pack throughout the evening. Greyson is being very protective and word traveled a while after we got here for people to tone it down and give her some space. She did come over and wish me Happy Birthday after the lineup cleared.
“Hi Stacy. How are you?” I asked.
“Happy Birthday, Erica. I didn’t have time to shop for a gift…”
“That’s okay. Your presence is more than present enough.”
“Well,” she said, “I was going to bake you something. Baking is kind of my thing. But then I figured people in the pack might worry I’d poisoned you, so I… I’m here empty-handed.”
“Parties are for partying. That’s my favorite part,” I assured, waving my hand. “Handmade gifts are my favorite kinds of gifts as they’re from the heart, so maybe I can consider myself in the possession of an IOU for a cupcake or other baked treat made by my new friend Stacy?”
“Definitely,” she said, giving me a beaming smile.
Grey gave me a big hug.
Riley didn’t growl that time. Instead, he kissed my throat and told me with his eyes that he loved me.
***
“Finally, a dance with my foxy little mate,” Riley says, hand grazing my ass as he pulls me close.
The song abruptly changes a few bars in from Crazy Love by Aaron Neville to Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden. And I know it’s probably my sister Jessie that put this on. She often takes control of the music and I’d bet she put it on when she saw us get up. She knows how much I love this song. Though Crazy Love would’ve been nice to dance to, too, and I’m going to ask her to play it later.
“Truly, madly, and deeply. I am so, so in love with you, Riley Savage,” I tell him.
His eyes ooze love as they travel my face.
“We’re so sappy and disgustingly cute, aren’t we?” I laugh.
I can’t believe I have everything I want after being so certain that there was nothing on my horizon other than heartache and a gaping void the size of a giant brown wolf. But here I am. And his family, his pack, they’re incredible.
“You fit right in. Like this is where you belong,” he says, warmth oozing from his pores. He’s read my mind again. “I’m madly and deeply in love with you too, Erica Savage.”
His hand tightens in the length of my hair, and he bends to kiss me again.
It’s a moment of perfection. I’m going to give myself a toothache – it’s that sweet.
We sway and I feel the music, feel my feelings, fully feel this beautiful moment.
Riley feels good, right, real.
I get to have these arms around me. I get to have his lips on me. I get to spend the rest of my life pulling out all the stops to make him happy the way I know he’s going to make me happy. I am so excited about our future.
“Happy birthday, little witch,” he says against my lips as the song ends.
After we’re back to the throne, a few are waiting to say goodnight, including Amie and Mason as well as Ty and Ivy who are calling it a night. Amie apologizes that they’re cutting out early.
“The vibe is tipsy and party-like and it’s after eleven o’clock so it’s not cutting out early when you’re pregnant and you last in this environment until after eleven o’clock,” I assure her.
But I know that they both had difficult nights here in this space in this kind of environment while there was dancing, so I’m wondering if they want to leave early partly because we’re at that part of the night.
She laughs and hugs me goodnight. I get a hug from Ivy, too, and they leave after the three of us make plans to meet for breakfast the day after tomorrow (since we’ll be seeing my family off tomorrow).
Riley gets me another drink and Riley’s cousin Leona along with Joel’s sister Audrey invite me to dance with them. My sisters Jessie and Ronnie join us on the dance floor, and I know Riley’s watching, taking a pull of his beer with a carnal expression, sitting on that throne looking like every little witch’s fantasy come to life.
“Everyone here is so awesome so far,” I tell Leona and Audrey. “I can’t believe how amazing it is. How well everyone seems to get along.”
“Oh, there are beefs here ‘n there,” Audrey leans in to say.
“Yup,” Leona twirls. “Like any small town there are cliques, there are problematic people, busybodies, judgmental people, and bullies.”
“Way to sell it,” I hold both thumbs up.
They both laugh.
“Overall it’s pretty awesome, though. Pack life is the life,” Audrey says.
“Good thing she didn’t meet Sherry Creed when she first came into town. Her opinion of our pack would be so different,” Leona adds.
