Chapter 12 Clover
Clover
The best way to get over a man was to get under a new one.
That phrase had been replaying in my head since the party.
Ordinarily, the concept would work, but I had been acquiring a growing list of men I shouldn’t even have to get over.
I’d only told Meadow about Car Cutie so I couldn’t lament about Hunter to her.
I hadn’t even been with Logan or the redheaded hottie, but they were stuck in my head, anyway.
Meadow had dated so infrequently in school that it had mostly been her consoling me over someone. Our relationship balanced out in other ways.
I rolled over with a sigh, staring at my popcorn stucco ceiling. Waking from an afternoon nap and leaving a dream of all four hotties tag-teaming me only made my reality that much more pathetic.
Maybe I was feeling a little more lost than I was willing to admit.
My life had been so structured for so long, and I was cast adrift.
Filling physical holes had its purpose, but filling emotional ones wasn’t quite so simple.
Objectively, I knew going out on the town wasn’t going to help, but subjectively, I wanted to.
It was pretty hard to be upset when you were dancing the night away.
I wandered over to the main house and found Meadow in the nursery with Forest having a titty snack. “There’s my two favorite people.”
Meadow beamed at me and patted the space next to her. “How are you feeling today? You’ve been off this week.”
I stretched and sprawled out next to her. “Been overdoing it at Pilates. I should probably cool it a bit.”
“I don’t know how you survive those classes. I got tired just looking at them when we toured the studio.”
“They’re certainly humbling.” I laughed and wriggled into the blankets.
They smelled like Meadow’s lilac and white rose scent, plus sweet cream, since she usually fed Forest here.
“Every time I think I’m super strong, I go to one of those classes and fully anticipate my own death by the time we get to the end of it. ”
“Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you’re not strong,” Meadow pointed out.
She said the words to me, but she was busy looking at Forest with the softest expression.
I was pretty sure I couldn’t love that baby more, even if I’d birthed him myself.
In fact, I would probably be altogether unbearable if I had my own spawn, though it would be spectacularly cute to be able to raise kids alongside Meadow.
That wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon and would require some serious life changes, so I put it out of my mind.
I was firmly dedicated to being the cool auntie.
Parenthood was weird. My dads had formed a pack and had me through a surrogate.
They had always been the most loving and involved parents, and I was grateful for the life they’d given me, but I had always struggled to see myself in that same position.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I was in Meadow’s shoes.
A lot of the horror stories I had heard about parenting were related to some of the partners just not giving a shit.
Having devoted alphas with a lot of money made the whole situation less terrifying.
Meadow didn’t have to get on her hands and knees to scrub bathrooms when they had a cleaning service coming weekly, and she didn’t get overwhelmed by baby laundry covered in spit-up when they had a laundry service every week or one of her alphas took care of it.
She got to actually enjoy herself with her baby, and that was what I wanted when I eventually got around to having my own.
“What’s going on in your head?” Meadow asked softly.
“Nothing important.”
“Liar.” The word was stated without any malice, a strong undercurrent of love bolstering the syllables. “Tell me. I know I’ve been preoccupied, but we’re still besties.”
“I’m having some very unhelpful yo-yo thoughts about my life. Trying to figure it all out, you know?”
Meadow nodded thoughtfully. “Lots of choices ahead of you. Preferably ones that keep you close by, but I know you like to spread your wings. I hope you know I support and love you.”
“I definitely do. I think I might go out for a while, maybe hit up some shopping, and there’s a new club that opened up I’d like to try.”
“Don’t break too many hearts.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Retail therapy helped a bit, but not as much as I was hoping.
Making a quick pitstop back at the house, I changed into sensible flats instead of heels, knowing I would have to stand in line at the club.
I left my car there and took the car service the pack employed.
The line was already a couple of dozen people long when I arrived, but I had my phone to entertain me while we were stuck outside.
When I was finally granted entrance to the coveted space, I went straight to the bar to get a water and a vodka shot. I had no intention of drinking beyond a couple of shots, and I was more thirsty than anything else.
I tossed back the shot and followed it up with the whole glass of water before melting onto the dance floor amid the throngs of people.
A young guy who looked like he had barely graduated high school approached me, and I had to fight the urge to ask if his mommy knew where he was when he asked me to dance.
“No, thank you. But I appreciate you checking instead of trying to grind on me.”
He didn’t look happy about the rejection, but he took it with more grace than I expected.
I let myself get lost in the music, hoping that if I moved my body enough, my mind would let go of the things I couldn’t have.
Well, maybe couldn’t have was a stretch when it came to some of the men occupying my thoughts.
Hunter was the only one truly off-limits.
The rest, I wasn’t allowing myself to have.
I’d never let a man dictate my choices, and I wasn’t about to get all lovesick over one and let that be the reason I stayed in LA.
That had to be because it was best for me, and I refused any alternative.
Moving my body helped my stress drain away.
Sometimes that movement was a workout, sometimes rolling around with a lover, but tonight it was dancing.
I’d never been particularly self-conscious about how I looked while flailing around in front of people, but that was in part due to my dads and my friends always hyping me up.
If anyone ever tried to make me feel bad about myself, they usually got cussed out, and that hadn’t changed in the years since I’d grown up.
A prickle rolled up my spine. I scanned the crowd, but the source didn’t reveal itself. The next song began, and I threw myself into the beat, letting it sink into my bones and shove away my worries.
Hands laid over my hips, and before I could spin to tell off whoever it was, warm sandalwood hit my nose. “Hey, mama.” Logan’s breath ghosted over my ear, and I shuddered as I leaned into him on instinct.
I didn’t know what he was doing here, but for the moment, I didn’t care.
Hooking my arm behind his neck, I kept him right where he was as I continued following the music with his body heat against me.
My brain filled with thoughts of him pulling me into a secluded hallway and fucking me silly.
I had already dreamed of it, but even being this close to him was proving the reality to be much better. Nothing was stopping us this time.
His groan as I ground my ass against him sent goose bumps down my arms. “I take it this means you’re happy to see me?”
Why was thinking so hard? Every thought was like trying to wade through molasses, so instead of speaking, I tugged him down to where his lips could meet my throat.
We weren’t out of place with all of the other writhing couples on the dance floor, but I felt every single pair of eyes that turned to us when I let out a breathy moan.
I didn’t mind being on display for the most part, though I preferred it to be slightly more private if that sort of sound was being coaxed out of me.
Summoning all of my brain cells, I grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him off the dance floor, all the way to the hallway leading to the bathrooms. Half the space was already occupied by other couples. A frustrated growl fell past my lips.
“Hold on there, mama. What’s happening right now?”
Need clenched hard in my core and I turned plaintive eyes to him.
Realization dawned on him as my peony scent erupted beyond what the de-scenter I’d sprayed on could control.
“I’m not fucking you in front of all of these people, but I’m more than happy to take you home.”
Slick dripped like lava between my thighs. “Let’s go.”
Was it reckless?
Yes.
Was I going to do it anyway?
Also yes.
Logan swept closer, threading his fingers into my hair and dipping down to devour my mouth. The lava flow turned into a torrential rain, and my panties became a lost cause. I hopped up, and his hands dropped from my hair to my hips, easily cradling my weight.
He marched right out of the club with me in his arms and over to the limited parking where he propped me on the hood of his car, or at least, I assumed it was his. RIP to the actual owner if it wasn’t, because I was getting slick all over this baby.
Logan snared my hips and dragged me closer, kissing me again until I was a squirming mess. “I’ve been thinking about this since our walk,” he confessed, his voice rough with desire.
“Me too.” Normally I would’ve kept that information to myself—no sense in giving him an ego this early—but I also liked the idea of him being equally desperate for me.
The car unlocked, and he scooped me up, swinging the door open to deposit me in the passenger seat.
Before I could blink, he was belting me in, closing the door, and sprinting around to the driver’s side.
The whole vehicle smelled like him. I was tempted to hike my dress and take the edge off on the way.
“My place or yours?” Logan asked as he buckled himself in.
I had zero intention of Meadow or any of her pack laying eyes upon this encounter. “Yours.”
With a nod, he revved the car to life and clapped his hand down on my thigh.
Oh.
Oh no.
I was done for.
Desire shot through me so strongly, it was almost painful. All that corded muscle, combined with the tattoos and silver rings, was too much for me to handle.
My knees parted of their own volition as I stared at the way his fingers dug into the softness of my thigh, like he was inviting me to spread them and let him claim ownership.
Trying to control my breathing was a losing battle. Every inhalation was taking his sandalwood scent into my lungs, and my pussy was begging for attention.
When we hit a red light, I laid my hand over his and pulled it exactly where I wanted it. Logan rewarded my audacity. He tucked the fabric aside and slipped a finger inside me with a whispered curse.
I didn’t give a fuck if it was pathetic; when that light turned green, I desperately grabbed on to his wrist so he couldn’t move, and I rode that sucker like I was a rodeo star and his hand was a bucking bronco.
At the next red light, he gifted me a second finger, and I yanked on the lever for my seat so I could sprawl back. This was a new level of needy for me, but he didn’t seem put off by it at all. A good thing, too, because if this man didn’t take me apart soon, I was going to lose it.
I was also going to ruin his front seat if I couldn’t get my hips under control. His fingers felt so fucking good. How was I supposed to stop?
Logan made the decision for me, retracting his hand at the next light. His smirk at my pitiful whimper was entirely too hot. “As incredibly sexy as this is, I want the first time you come to be because I make you.”
“Get a move on, then.” I pouted, already reaching to take over where he’d left off.
Logan snared my fingers with his. “Hold on, gorgeous. We’re almost there, and I’ll give you everything you could want and more.”
“That’s a pretty tall order, ‘cause I want a lot.”
He grinned, drawing my hand over so he could kiss it while we zipped down the road. “Trust me, I can handle it.”
I whined, my pussy clenching on nothing. “Drive faster.”
“Patience.”
“Oh, my tattooed hottie, that is not remotely one of my virtues. You’re going to have a feral omega on your hands by the time we get there.”
His hand went back to my thigh, gripping firmly with a smug smile on his face. “Don’t worry, I know exactly how to tame you.”