Chapter 8 – Bennett
CHAPTER EIGHT
BENNETT
This house wasn’t a home until she moved in.
June being here has brought a different kind of light and joy to the house. Sometimes I wonder how the four of us existed before her. Sure, Seth and I have a sincere love for each other, but oftentimes it felt like we were just roommates with Arin and Theo. Four people, each with separate lives that occasionally crossed paths for dinners or the rare moment we all happened to be home together.
But with her, it’s changed.
She’s only been sleeping here for a little over a week — but already I can see the ways the house feels more cohesive. The truck arrived with the rest of her clothing and her personal items, and I found her and Theo upstairs, sitting in the middle of her bedroom floor, sorting everything. Theo griped at her while he folded everything precisely how he wanted it, telling her how best to organize her own closet. When she caught sight of me in the doorway, she’d rolled her eyes and given me a little smile.
The next day I’d found her in the library, sprawled out on one of our leather couches, half draped over Arin as he held a book in one hand and played with her hair with the other. His soft voice had echoed off the walls, reading aloud to her while resting.
She’s already made a seat out of the surface of Seth’s desk. I’d walked down the hall two nights ago and found her perched on the edge of it, swinging her legs back and forth as he leaned back in his office chair, beaming up at her with bright eyes, laughing loudly.
June bridges the road between us all, connecting us in ways that I didn’t even realize we were missing. She’s the effortless thread keeping us tied together.
And I love her.
I’ve never had to think about my feelings this much. Through the years I’ve never paid attention to them — I’ve been attracted to who I’m attracted to. Seth and I orbit each other, a symbiotic relationship from the start. I also come from a family that doesn’t have the same issues that Theo’s upbringing had. I have two absolutely wonderful alpha mothers and an omega father who love each other more and more every single day that passes. I’ve always been able to do whatever I’ve wanted in life — if that meant college, great, if that meant traveling the world, I could choose that as well.
Falling in love with Seth was as natural as breathing.
June hit me like a train.
June in her well-worn sweater in the elevator, smelling of green tea and honey. June curled in on herself at the Designation Center, so uncertain on what to do. June finally relaxing in the townhouse, letting herself be open to us. June in her nest, rosy skinned and flushed, whispering sweet nothings against my skin while Seth slept next to us in the middle of her heat.
I step around the kitchen counter, washing my hands. There’s an entire meal ready in the fridge for Arin, Theo, and Seth — I didn’t plan on making it, but my brain has been going nonstop since this morning. I don’t mind leaving it for them, it makes me feel good — the providing aspect makes my alpha settle in my chest.
Walking down the hall, I push Arin’s door open and stick my head in his office. “Have you seen June?”
Arin looks up, hair mussed and eyes dark underneath. “Uh…” He squints at me, adjusting his glasses as they slide down the bridge of his nose. “No, but didn’t Seth just take her food?”
I blink at him. “Arin, that was three hours ago.”
He grimaces at me and then looks back down at the paperwork on his desk. “I’ve been combing through this contract. I haven’t — seen her, that is.” He mutters the words as he shuffles the pages. “Check her office, or find Theo — he can’t seem to leave her alone.”
I pull back, quietly shutting the door to leave him be. Shaking my head, I hold in a snort at the fact there’s two of them now. Arin’s inability to pull away from work will be the death of him, and I already know where I’ll likely find our omega.
Passing the foyer and living room, I glance out the back windows briefly to the pool and patio, seeing Theo swimming laps. Seth sits on the side, feet in the water as he yells out random numbers — trying to make Theo lose track of what number he’s on.
I step past Seth’s office to the door that used to be mine. Truthfully, it was wasted on me. I like to keep work separate from home life, the antithesis to Arin’s constant drive to be productive.
Just like someone else I know.
Bracing against the doorframe, I smile softly as I gaze inside.
June sits at the desk, her laptop set up with nothing but a mug and an empty plate next to her as she types away. She’s told Theo multiple times that she doesn’t want a new set up for writing yet — that the old laptop will do — but I have a feeling that Theo’s about to go wild with buying. Arin and I had to rein him in the second we stepped off the plane in Rochester, because otherwise Theo was prepared to do a full scale house renovation before June moved in.
She flicks her hair back, wearing oversized headphones over her ears as she focuses on the screen, slightly hunched over and chewing on her bottom lip. I think she had a call with her agent a couple days ago, but I don’t know the specifics about her deadlines and the rescheduled tour dates yet. I imagine with everything in London her planning time took a hit.
But I’m determined to make sure she never has to worry about anything ever again. If it’s up to me — she’ll be able to live out the rest of her days spending them doing anything she wants.
“June.” I murmur her name, testing to see if she has her headphones on noise cancelling mode. When she doesn’t react, I push away from the door and step over to her, embracing the cloud of perfume that hangs around her like pure temptation.
My fingers glide over the back of her shoulders, brushing her hair from her neck before I bend down to kiss the crown of her head.
She startles, then tips her head up, relaxing back into me as she flashes me a smile and takes her headphones off.
“Hi.” Her hazel eyes brighten as she tilts her chin up.
“Hi.” I glance at the clock on her laptop. “You’ve been at this desk for five hours, darling.”
“I know, I know.” She laughs, licking her lips, her cheeks darkening. “I just got started on something and the words were flowing.”
“Come on.” I bring my other hand up to touch her other shoulder, squeezing my hands. “We have plans tonight, you should go get ready.”
“Oh?” June drops her headphones to the desktop, her mouth opening in a little ‘ o ’ as she glances at the unfinished work on her screen. “We do?”
“We do,” I confirm softly, taking her in. Her nose is adorable — maybe my favorite part of her features — a perfect little button in the center of her face. “You have plenty of time to get ready if you go upstairs now. I wouldn’t spring this on you if I wasn’t sure you did.”
June pushes back from the desk, standing up after shutting the lid to her laptop. She makes a little squeaking noise as she stretches out her back, and I make a mental note to get her a better desk chair if she’s going to insist on sitting in it without moving.
Her warm little hands slide over my shirt, bracing on my chest as she stands on her tip-toes. “Okay.” She bites her lower lip. “Just us tonight?”
My lips twitch. “Yes, just us.”
June gifts me a smile that lights up her entire face.
I’ve had tonight planned since Seth brought her to Rochester.
After calling in a few favors, I hope she enjoys herself, but I’m really fucking nervous.
For the first time in years, I’m cautious that she’ll let me down softly. We’ve had small moments together, mostly before her heat, and I do understand there’s a draw between her and Seth, and her and Arin — even her and Theo have something.
But she could just want to be casual with me. Courting her could go nowhere.
I fidget in the foyer, glancing at the tiling and sucking in a breath as I look back at the stairs again. I steam-pressed my button up, and the cufflinks on my wrists are shaped like little oranges — a gift from Seth ages ago.
Footsteps on the stairs make me straighten, holding my breath as I wait for her to appear.
When she does, my heart stops.
The brown dress elicits memories of London, of the dressing room, and being bombarded by her scent when everything was so new between us.
Her body is elongated as she takes the steps slow, heels clicking as the hem swirls just below her knees. The silken fabric hugs her curves with its bodice before skimming over her full hips into a skirt that makes me want to fist it and crawl under it. At the end of the day — I’m only a man, and I would give up the world to be on my knees for her.
Her hair is pulled back, up in a complicated swirl at the base of her head, softly curled strands hanging around her face as she walks down to the foyer to meet me. My heart only starts beating again when she gives me a hesitant smile.
“I had Theo zip me up this time.”
She takes another step and I catch a whiff of the rainwater scent, but mostly it’s just her — just honey, mixed with tea leaves.
I reach for her instinctively, sliding my hand over her right arm, grasping her hand. “You are stunning.”
June flushes, red flooding her cheeks as she glances at the door. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
“In a minute.” I step closer, careful of her makeup as I cup her jaw and lean in, my voice softening. “I said I’d court you before your heat, and I’m sorry it took me this long to take you out properly. Arin got his moment, Seth has had his time, and I’m sure Theo will keep fighting for all your attention — but I want to make sure you know I’m serious, June.”
Her eyes brighten, crinkling as she stares up at me. “You don’t have to court me, Bennett. I mean…” Her lips part as she glances over my face. “I live here now, it’s not like I’m going anywhere.”
I catch her eye, raising my brow. “I know that. But I’d like for us to have something of our own. Do you understand?”
Her expression softens as she nods, and my chest suddenly feels tight. “Then we better leave before we pick up a stray.” June’s lips twitch.
I whisk her out of the door, rewarded with her laugh as I tug her toward my car. It’s far easier to have a driver when we’re in London — but it’s extravagant and fun to have my own car at home. I open the passenger door of my 1965 Ford convertible for her, the dark green of it reminds me of the house, of Seth, of her .
Her eyes widen as she gets in. I hop in after her, turning the car around in the drive, the top down and the loose strands of her hair flying everywhere.
“I feel like there’s so much I don’t even know about you!”
A grin overtakes my face. “We have time to learn.”
In under thirty minutes we’re in downtown Rochester, pulling into the back lot of the restaurant. June’s eyes glance from me to the building as I grab her hand and help her out.
“Dinner?”
“Oh no.” I pull her with me to the door to the kitchen, trying to suppress the giddy feeling in my chest. It took some finagling, but the entire restaurant is ours for the evening.
The moment I open the door, Ashley turns sharply from the prep counter, her eyes bright and her smile wide. Her pin-straight black hair is pulled back into a sleek bun, angular eyes taking in June before they land on me.
“You’re here!”
She steps over, the faint smell of thyme coming with her as she embraces me first, then tilts her head down to look at June. “I’m Ashley.” I have to give her credit, the other alpha doesn’t reach for June — and I’d guess it’s because I can’t seem to let her hand out of my death grip.
“Did he even tell you where you were coming tonight?”
“No, he didn’t.” June shoots me a wry smile.
Ashley jumps right into it, grabbing June by the arm. I have to pry my fingers off her to let her go as Ashley leads her to the prep table, rambling away.
“Mr. Romantic wanted me to teach you how to make fresh pasta.” She grins. “So that’s what we’ll be doing this evening. But first, you have to tell me which sauce you want.” She waves her hand over a plethora of ingredients. “We can do white sauce, or I can teach you how to do a crushed tomato red sauce.”
June stands in front of the table, her mouth dropping open as she looks back at me. “I shouldn’t have worn this dress. We’re cooking ?”
Sliding my hands into my trouser pockets, I tilt my head at her. “Ash has aprons. Pick your sauce, June.”
Ashley bounces for a moment, and I’m thrown back to childhood when she’d drag me around the yard while my mothers assumed we were having a nice playdate — it often involved Ashley getting into trouble and me figuring out how to get us both out of it.
June stares from me to the tomatoes, then laughs loudly. “Fuck it. Let’s learn the red, it sounds delicious.”
“Love it.” Ashley throws open the industrial fridge, pulling more ingredients out and spinning around the kitchen with an air of familiarity — which is no surprise, considering the entire restaurant is like her child.
June shyly creeps back over to me, sliding her fingers into mine, speaking under her breath. “She’s an alpha?”
“Oh yeah,” I mutter back, watching Ashley turn into a tornado. “We grew up together. My mothers know her family. It was a stroke of luck that she decided to set up a restaurant here in Rochester instead of New York City.”
“It’s quiet.” Ashley shoots us a sly grin, all teeth as she smiles. “ And my girlfriend is a music teacher at a private school here. Bennett just likes to leave that little fact out that I’m a massive softie who’d follow her anywhere.” She drops flour and eggs onto the prep table, rolling up the sleeves up on her chef’s jacket. “You both ready to work for your dinner?”
June grins, her eyes lighting up as she grabs an apron off a hook on the wall, tying it around herself. “I’m ready.”