CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - Ozias
I pushed myself hard, plowing through the snow, but nothing could chase off the heat searing through my veins from the sight of Lyla with her mouth around my cock.
How she eagerly slid it between her soft lips, teasing the head, and sucking it all the way to the back of her throat. I’d never come so hard in my life.
The journey to the post office went by in a blur. How she touched me, kissed me, like there was no one else in the world.
I dropped off the packages which were already labeled and paid for. I highly doubted they’d get out before Monday, but there was nothing we could do about the weather.
Why did I give in? I couldn’t be the Alpha for her.
My family was so important in my life, I couldn’t let my choice of a mate be the thing that had them turn their backs on me.
But seeing Lyla quivering with her heat pains, the yearning in her voice as she begged me to stay, and how right it felt to hold her, made me want to give up everything to worship at her feet.
The wind whipped me and wailed in my ears as I trudged back to Primrose House. It mirrored the battle within my heart. Yaya said to give in to the madness, but I didn’t think I’d be able to live with myself if I did.
Somewhere to my right, a woman called for Bluebeard. Her cries grew frantic, and there was no way I could ignore her.
When I found her, she was digging frantically into the snow with her bare hands. I ran up and she grabbed my arm. “My Bluebeard! He ran outside and disappeared!”
It turned out Bluebeard was a miniature Chow Chow, and the furball was curled up in the snow living his best life. I shoveled out a small section of the yard for when the dog needed to come out and do his business. Bluebeard’s mom sent me off with some hot tea and tears of thanks.
Two blocks over, I’d found a widower who had tried to shovel his way to the mailbox but fell in his drive and couldn’t get up. I helped him inside and checked him over. He might have a few bruises, but he thankfully hadn’t broken anything.
Jason found me as I was shoveling a path to the mailbox.
It was no surprise that he knew the old man.
Mr. Radovitz had been Jason’s physical education teacher in high school.
When I brought in the mail which had been outside, and he discovered a Christmas card and drawings from his granddaughters, Mr. Radovitz thanked us with hot toddies.
“And you must each take one home with you.” The old man shoved a forty ounce travel mug into my hand and then handed one to Jason’s as we put on our boots in his mudroom.
My eyes went wide. Was this all alcohol? “Thank you, sir, but we couldn’t—”
“Yes, you can. You’ve made my Christmas by bringing me that card.
” Mr. Radovitz stepped back when I held the mug out to him.
“I’ll see my granddaughters in January when the cost of traveling is cheaper, but I still miss my family at Christmas even if I have dinner with the Jones’ next door.
Wilma’s turkey is a little dry. Nothing like my Dolly’s turkey, God rest her soul. She could cook a bird like no other.”
“Dolly was a hoot. She used to coach the girls’ volleyball team and they made it to state finals every year. Then she’d host a party for them and only let us guys in if we did yardwork for her.” Jason laughed along with the old man.
“Dolly was brilliant. She would have given me trouble for trying to shovel with my bad back.” Mr. Radovitz shook his head and sighed. “It was her guiding you to me today, Ozzi. I’m sure of it.”
I wanted to say it was actually Bluebeard’s snow adventure that brought me this way, but the retired teacher was safe and warm, and happy to have us visit. “Whatever brought me got me here just in time. You should really carry your cell phone with you everywhere.”
“Bah. I hate those things.” Mr. Radovitz snorted. “But I get your reasoning.”
“And speaking of angels, we have our own worried angel waiting for us. We should get going before she comes after us herself.” Jason had made no attempt to surrender his travel mug full of booze. He sipped it with a smile.
“Oh?” The old man’s bushy eyebrows rose. “You two young men have yourself a special lady? I saw your mom the other week, Jason, and she didn’t say anything.”
“We just met Lyla this week, but she’s the one. I can feel it in my bones.” Jason nodded and I wanted to strangle him. The last thing we needed was for someone to spread misinformation and then it would be all over town that we were dating Lyla within an hour.
“Lyla. That’s one of Eloise’s girls, isn’t it? The pretty blonde one with all the Christmas stuff?”
“Yup, that’s her. Most beautiful girl in the world.” Jason lifted his drink in a cheers motion and took another sip. I mentally facepalmed.
“She’s a nice girl. You better treat her right, Jason Ward.
You caused a lot of girls trouble in school.
” Mr. Radovitz shook his finger at Jason who just continued to grin.
He then turned to me. “Ozzi, you have my wife’s and my blessings.
You’ll know it’s real when you feel a little crazy.
Sometimes a lot crazy, but true love walks that edge. Just keep your friend here in line.”
Give in to the madness.
That was what the old man was saying now too. But I bet Mr. Radovitz would agree with me about familial duty since his family was so important to him.
We took our leave and headed back to Primrose House. I dragged my empty sled, and while the streetlights were still working, the flashlight Jason carried helped us steer clear of the deep spots of snow.
“You probably shouldn’t have told him that we were dating Lyla.” I spoke loudly over the thunder of the wind.
“Why not? It’s just Mr. Radovitz.” Jason still had a flush on his cheeks from the drink.
“He’s probably talking to one of his friends right now, and that friend will tell someone else and it will spread like wildfire through the town.
” As we turned the corner, a little rush went through me at seeing Primrose House lit up at the end of the block looking like something inside a shaken snowglobe.
“So?” Jason shrugged.
“So, it isn’t true. We’re just helping Lyla out with her heat. Nothing has been declared. We haven’t even taken her on a proper date.” That alone would horrify my family. Yaya would smack me on the back of the head for it.
“You know,” Jason swaggered around a snow drift. “When you didn’t show up at the house in a reasonable amount of time, Lyla went into full panic mode. She was ready to come out herself to find you.”
She was concerned about me? I wanted to brush that off as Lyla just being a decent human being, but something hooked into me and twisted.
“At Big Sisters, you didn’t hesitate when she crooked her finger at you.” Jason continued.
I held up a hand and shook it at him. “There was plenty of hesitation. It was her heat making her desperate. I didn’t want to take advantage of her, and I shouldn’t have let that happen.”
“What the fuck ever!” Jason laughed and shook his head. “She’s into you, Oz. Lyla isn’t the type to just suck anyone’s dick. She’s our scent match. It’s happening fast, yeah, but that’s because it was meant to be. I see it. She sees it. It’s only you fighting the inevitable.”
“It’s not inevitable.” I took a gulp from the tumbler so I didn’t say anything else. There was probably enough alcohol in the mug so I didn’t think about much at all.
The snow crunched under our feet as we approached Primrose House. Already the porch and drive were getting covered by drifts again. Multi-colored lights twinkled along the roof and reflected on the icicles between them.
The door flung open as we neared the porch. Lyla launched herself off of it and into my arms. She wrapped herself around me as I nearly dropped my mug.
“Oh my God! I thought you were lost and turned into a popsicle and a yeti had kidnapped you! I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” Lyla clung to me, burying her face against my neck.
My heart thumped hard as I held her and carefully made my way up the stairs to the front door. Jason looked at me with a raised brow and his I-told-you-so expression. He held the door for us, smiling that smarmy smile the whole time.
“It’s okay, Lyla. I just got sidetracked by Bluebeard and Mr. Radovitz.
” I rubbed her back as we went inside. I expected her to let go once we were in the front foyer, but she only squeezed me tighter.
My emotions were a mess as if someone had shook a present to try to guess what it was and let loose everything inside.
“Yup. Oz can’t go anywhere without rescuing someone.” Jason closed the door and kicked off his boots. He held up his mug. “But he’s not rescuing me from this hot toddy.”
I rolled my eyes and tried to gently urge Lyla to let go of me while not wanting her to at the same time.
She kept her arms locked around my shoulders but put her feet down. “Bluebeard is Mrs. Locke’s dog. He loves the snow. I bet he was having the time of his life.” She smiled as I nodded, but then her lips pursed with concern. “What about Mr. Radovitz? He lives alone…”
“He’s fine. He had a little fall, and I checked him over and then shoveled a path for him to get down his drive.
Jason found me just as I finished, and Mr. Radovitz rewarded us with enough alcohol to get all of Santa’s reindeer drunk.
” I indicated the travel mug, vaguely aware that I was still holding it.
Every one of my senses were focused on Lyla and how incredible her body felt against mine.
Her enchanting fruity scent made me want to convince her just how okay I really was.
With her under me, locked together with my knot, screaming my name.
“I’m so glad he’s okay. Thank you.” Lyla hugged me with more tenderness this time. “You’re a hero. Both you and Jason. My heroes.”
I was just doing my job. Those words were on the tip of my tongue. But I liked it she saw me as a hero, and she looked at me with those beautiful big blue eyes. There had never been another woman who’d captivated me the way Lyla had. She was magic given human form.
“We should get in and make sure you’re doing all right. How have you been feeling since you got back?” Even as I said it, I didn’t move apart from her. My feet refused to heed my command.
“No. I’m taking care of you now.” Lyla stepped back, and I immediately felt her absence from my arms. “Get out of those wet clothes. I set aside some dry ones beside the washer and dryer. Then come eat some mac and cheese and warm yourself up. I made cookies too.”
Jason’s laughter boomed from the direction of the kitchen. Lyla grinned and slipped away from me, hurrying through the house.
Someone wanted to take care of me. My throat felt thick as my chest tightened. It was always me looking out for the world. Jason had my back, but we were a team. Even my family drilled into me that as the eldest son, it was my responsibility to look after everyone.
Lyla wanted to take care of me. Me.
The madness took a firmer hold on my heart.