3. Lila #2
“Take care of her, big guy, or I’ll shove my heel down your throat…” Wendy warns Harrison, pointing her pretty manicured finger in his face. She’s barely over five feet, but she’s fierce. Rather than lashing out like I expect, Harrison tips his head at Wendy.
This seems to be enough to appease her, and I watch as she spins away, grabs a nearby alpha, and pulls him in to dance. She’s so confident, and I can’t help but envy that.
“She’s a lot, but I love her,” I say, focusing back on Harrison. There's a tension between us, and I don’t like it, but I don’t know what’s upsetting him.
“Is what she said true? Your alpha let you come here alone tonight?” Harrison asks with a rumble, and I shrug. Placing his big hand on my waist, he pulls me closer as he waits for me to respond.
It’s instinctual when I let my hands slide up his arm to the breadth of his chest.
“He’s not my alpha anymore. I asked him to come with me tonight, and he picked video games over me,” I tell him honestly, feeling extra pathetic.
Harrison scoffs, shaking his head. I reach up and grip his shoulders tightly, needing to know what he’s thinking.
“What?” I demand. He meets my eyes, leaning in.
“If you were mine, I’d never let you out of my sight. Never let another alpha think he could take you from me,” Harrison growls, placing his other hand on my waist and pulling my body against his. “No omega deserves that, but fuck, is he blind? You look so good in this fucking dress.”
My hands trail down his arms and back up, until I wrap them around his neck, forcing him to lean forward so I can reach him. Jesus, he smells so good. I want to lick him.
“He saw the dress. Didn’t seem to care. I bought it for him…” I admit, making Harrison’s grip on my hips tighten as he growls again. The intensity in his gaze darkens, making me flustered.
“No. Say you bought it for me. That you knew I’d like how fucking incredible your legs would look when you slid this material up your thighs. I’ll be your alpha tonight, Lila. Show you how an omega deserves to be treated,” he practically snarls, sending shivers across my skin.
I pull him even closer, murmuring against his skin at the base of his throat as I do what he asks.
“I knew you’d see the dress and want me sitting on your face as I rode your tongue…
” A rush of adrenaline crashes through my system just speaking the words.
His scent responds with a powerful burst of desire that makes my knees weak. Thankfully, Harrison is holding me up.
“My pack is going to wish they were here with me, and not on some date with our ex,” Harrison grumbles as his hands drop from my waist. I’m disappointed until he grips my ass, squeezing before returning to a more respectable area.
“You never would have made it out of the house in this dress if you were mine. I would still be fucking you knot deep.”
Are there pheromones in the air vents here or something? Fuck me.
“Jeez,” I murmur, making the alpha let out a satisfied rumble.
“You’re so responsive. I like the way you tremble in my arms when I tell you how badly I want you, Little Omega.”
“I’m not too uptight? You don’t think I need to relax?” I ask, the old insecurities creeping back in. Things Larry has said to me since we met. Since the first time we had sex.
“Not at all, beautiful. But so what if you are uptight? The things I can do with my tongue would help you relax, melt that tension into a puddle of slick need.” His mischievous smirk makes me giggle as he winks playfully. Damn, this man is dangerous.
“I want to have fun. Not just tonight.” I snort when Harrison wiggles his eyebrows at me, but I shake my head.
“No, not like that! I mean, maybe, but not just like that. I’ve been so bored, so numb.
I fell into autopilot, and it wasn’t until tonight that I felt how bad it was.
” Tears threaten to fall, a pulsing sting behind my eyes, but I shove the feeling down.
“Hey, it’s okay. I got you.” The worry on his face transforms the cocky smirk into something softer as he runs his hand soothingly up and down my back.
“Sorry. Tonight, I was finally able to see the truth. I didn’t realize how numb I had become to everything, how much mediocrity I was accepting because it was easier than asking for more.
Than asking for what I really needed.” I shake my head as determination sets in.
“Never again,” I decide. “I will never let someone else convince me I’m not worthy of being happy. ”
“Good.” Harrison nods. “Now, let me help make this birthday a memorable one, Pretty Little Omega.”
I feel ready to make this change for myself and a happier life, but I just ended things with my ex two hours ago. I’m not sure how far I’m willing to take things with Harrison tonight. All I know is that I want to have fun with this amazing alpha.
“I don’t want to lead you on, Harrison.” I worry my lip, expecting him to respond with anger or annoyance. “I’m not looking for something serious,” I admit.
“Can I keep flirting with you?” he asks, and I’m so surprised by the question that lacks even a hint of annoyance that I stand mutely for a little too long. His sweet smile makes me think he knows this and is waiting patiently for my answer.
“Yes, please.”
“Then we’re good here, Sweet Omega. No expectations, just fun,” he says, just before lifting me off my feet and twirling me around, making me gasp and giggle. “First dancing, then cake.” He winks, and I melt like a stick of butter in the Nevada heat.
And then Harrison shows me that it's not hard to show up for someone if that's what you want to do. That sharing a special day with them isn't, and shouldn't be, a chore.
“The bar is about to close. We need to do your cake!” Wendy hollers over the music after a solid two hours of dancing.
“I know the owner. They won’t kick us out before you’re done,” Harrison says as we make our way to a back booth. “I’ll go talk to him and flag down one of the servers to bring your cake out.”
“Ohhh.” Wendy wiggles her brows at me as Harrison walks away from us, and I can’t keep my eyes off of him.
“I had a class with him in college,” I admit when her questioning look won’t leave me alone. “He remembers me, and he’s been flirting all night.”
“So you’re saying you can go home with him tonight, and I don’t have to worry about your safety?”
“What? No! No, I’m not going home with him.” I shake my head, but can’t contain my giggles when Wendy pouts at me. “Larry and I broke up four hours ago,” I argue.
“And? So what.” My bestie shrugs, taking a sip of the water bottle that one of the servers delivered a moment ago. “He was a piece of crap, and you deserve better. Also, you deserve several b-day orgasms.”
“Won’t that just make Harrison think I’m desperate? I don’t want to seem clingy.”
“No, fuck that! You should be yourself, however that looks. Otherwise, you’ll end up in another relationship with someone who dislikes who you naturally are, and you’ll spend months suppressing your instincts. Be you from day one. Clingy and all.”
“Good point,” I grumble. I get stuck in my head for the next few minutes, until I see Harrison walking over. He’s carrying the cake Wendy got for me, with two servers on either side of him carrying sparklers.
“Happy birthday to you!” They all start singing when I notice them. Wendy bumps my shoulder, not even trying to conceal her words.
“See, that's what an interested alpha looks like!”
Harrison smirks, winking, and I know he heard her. I blow out the candles as he places the cake in front of me. I don’t have a wish this year. I just want to be happy again. That seems too trivial, so I just lock eyes with the alpha before me and smile.
“Can I give you ladies a ride home?” Harrison asks after I’ve finished my heaping slice of cake.
“I’ve got a ride.” Wendy flashes her phone screen. “But Lila could use the lift! Happy Birthday!” She leans in, whispering in my ear. “You can come back to my place tonight. Just thought I’d give you some alone time with the sexy alpha.”
Before I can form a protest, the sneaky omega is kissing my cheek, climbing out of the booth, and skittering toward the exit. The lights came on in here ten minutes ago, so it’s bright as hell, and I’m ready to get out as well.
“I guess I’d appreciate a ride,” I chuckle as I make my way out of the booth. Harrison stops me, pulling me in close, and I watch him as he lifts his thumb and wipes the corner of my lip.
“Frosting,” he rumbles, before sucking it between his lips, and I’m enthralled as he savors the flavor.
“Oh,” is all I can manage to whisper.
“Want to tell me your address, Sweet Omega?” he finally asks, watching me with a knowing smirk.
“Um,” I frown, not sure where to have him take me. Certainly not back to my apartment. I really should go to Wendy’s.
“My house?” he teases gently, wiggling his brows playfully.
“Okay,” I nod impulsively. His eyes go wide like he wasn’t expecting me to agree. I wasn’t fully expecting it either, so that makes two of us. I’m about to say never mind, but Harrison must sense this because he presses his index finger to my lips.
“No pressure, right? We go at your pace, Omega. If you want sweet kisses and teddy bear cuddles, I’m your guy.
But if you want screaming orgasms and a thick knot, I would love to volunteer myself for that position as well.
” Harrison’s breathing has picked up, and his scent is overpowering in a way I find magnificent.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “Can you help me?” I feel so embarrassed, and silly asking him to help me… I’m not sure if I am asking for the orgasms promised or for the alpha to help me decide what I need.
“How about this?” Harrison finally says after an excruciating pause. “If I do something you like, but you want more, say more? If not, I’ll behave.”
“Okay,” I agree.
“I should probably call my packmates.”
“Alright,” I blush, because packs are a whole other dynamic. They’re a package deal. My nerves rush through my veins in an unpleasant heat. What’s he going to tell them? That he’s got an omega he wants to fuck? Hell, I don’t know.
He watches me for a moment before mumbling a quiet, ‘Fuck it.’ With one arm wrapped around me, he pulls his phone out of his pocket with the other.
“River, are you still at dinner?” he asks, and an irrational flash of jealousy floods my system.
Oh, that's going to scare him away for sure. His packmates are on a date…with another omega. “Great, keep that harpy away from the house. When you get home, I’ll be in my room. You remember Lila Dove from Freshman Psych? Yeah, her…” River? Wait, I remember that name.
He was best friends with Harrison. They always sat together. He was cute. Not athletic like Harrison, but book smart as hell. Black-rimmed glasses and bright cerulean eyes that he hid behind a curtain of black hair.
He’s tall and slender. Not a wall of muscle like Harrison, or at least he wasn’t in college. Haven’t seen him in years, either, though.
“Ha, no fucking chance. If you want to shoot your shot, you’ll have to wait until she’s available. Tonight, her schedule is fully booked. Just wanted to give you a heads-up, ‘cause you’ll definitely scent her when you walk in.”
Harrison pulls me closer to his side as he hangs up.
“How many packmates do you have?” I ask, ignoring everything else he just said. I thought he’d take the call privately, but for some reason, I like that he didn’t.
“Two, River and Westley.” Westley, I don’t remember, so he’s a mystery to me. “Here,” Harrison says, stopping us once we’re outside the club, holding his phone up. “A picture for them. Make 'em jealous.” I smile sweetly, posing with my hand against his chest as we look up at the camera.
I look a little nervous, but there's a light in my blue eyes that's been missing for months.
Harrison brought that out of me in just hours together. Could this be what I’ve been missing? This connection? But what if Larry was never the problem? What if I’m the broken one?