Chapter 29 #3
"I'm glad you are," I said, running my hand along his forearm until I could link my fingers with his, gripping them tightly. "I want you to be able to trust me with the hard stuff. And I want to be here for you when you need someone."
It was true, maybe a little bit too much, even.
"That means you can't just disappear after the contract,” Joon said, squeezing my hand. “You’d have to stay with me."
The softness in his eyes made it hard to look at him head-on.
This was the hard part. I was getting attached.
Not just to Joon, to all of them. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to leave at the end of this.
In just a matter of days they'd each become important to me in their own way, and Joon was right, I was falling into line easily with the pack.
But it wasn't like anyone was begging me to stay.
And what was I supposed to say? I know it’s been like a week, but I think I’m falling for you? That I’m supposed to be a member of your pack?
Surely, if I insisted on staying, they’d call this whole thing off. Especially if I was meant to let go of a whole baby after this.
No, it was better that I kept my feelings to myself, did the job I was supposed to do, and got out.
And yet…
"I will," I promised. At the very least, we could be friends. It wouldn't be what I wanted, but to stay in Joon’s life, in whatever way worked for him, felt like enough.
At least that's what I told myself.
He pulled out his other earbud now, reaching across me to put them both into their case. “Now you tell me something.”
“What?”
“I just told you like, my biggest secret ever. Now you have to tell me one. Obviously.” Joon said with a grin, letting his arm fall over my body in a cuddle.
It was the kind of deal that’d be made by kids on the playground, sealed with pinky promises and a spit-filled handshake, but the sincerity in his eyes told me that he was serious.
I kind of loved it.
“Um…”
Suddenly, I found myself grasping at straws, trying to figure out what I should say. I’d never been someone who kept a load of secrets; one of the unfortunate side-effects of being both a crybaby and a loudmouth.
But…
“Eva, come on?” Joon insisted, pulling out the puppy dog pout. “Please?”
“Okay, fine! I’ll tell you one, but you have to promise not to laugh.”
He nodded, pulling his arm back to put his hand over his heart. “Swear.”
I tugged his arm back into place, taking a deep breath. “Well… you already know that Indi and I have worked together for a while, but before that, they were obviously way more popular than me.”
Joon furrowed his brow, waiting for me to continue.
“Okay, so I see them at this con, and like, even back then, I thought they were…” I trailed off, trying to find the right words.
“Sexy as fuck? Too charming to be alive?” the omega offered helpfully.
I laughed. “Yeah, something like that. Anyway, I was too nervous to talk to them, so I basically avoided them all weekend. I was basically nobody, and there for a brand, while Indi had their own booth, meet and greets and everything.”
“Blah, blah, blah…” Joon teased with a laugh. “Get to the juicy bit, how did you embarrass yourself in front of our non-man?”
I flushed, my stomach fluttered excitedly at the way they casually claimed Indigo for both of us.
“Fine! Oh my god, you’re so impatient! There were a few girls at my table who were talking about them, and like how they were going to try and get their number…”
“What did you do?” Joon asked, clearly hanging on my every word. “Spill a drink on her on purpose? Put gum in her hair?”
I laughed. “Do you want to hear the story or not?”
Joon mimed zipping his lips shut, cuddling tighter into me with that puppy dog pout again.
I covered my face with my hands, trying to stop another bout of giggles. “No, nothing like all that… I told the girls that I’d heard Indigo was like… really bad in bed.”
Between my fingers, I could just make out that Joon was making that face he did when he was holding back a laugh. “You did what?”
“I know!” I groaned. “It was so dumb. I just felt so… I don’t know, jealous, I guess? And said the first thing that came to mind!”
That did it.
Joon cackled. “I can’t believe you said that.”
I bumped his shoulder, putting on a pretend pout. “You promised not to laugh.”
He caught my hand, using it to pull me on top of him with a smirk.
“I can’t help it,” he said, wrapping his arms around me. “It was funny. And kind of a lame secret, all things considered.”
“It’s all I have,” I complained. “If I think of a better one, I’ll tell you.”
“Deal.”
“Can I… Say something that’s totally not my business for a second?”
“Shoot,” Joon said, a little distracted as their hands passed down my back to grab my ass.
“I know it bothers you, how, um… distant? You are with the pack.”
“Of course it does, just because I don’t want a bond doesn’t mean I don’t want to be included.”
“I think you need to put in some effort if you want to get to know them,” I said, talking fast as the omega opened his mouth to argue. “You spend a lot of time pushing them away and testing boundaries, maybe spend some time pulling them in instead?”
“Eva…”
“Just try it, okay?” I asked, turning Joon’s secret weapon, the puppy dog pout, against him. “Please?”
“Okay, okay! It’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard…” He caught my chin, pulling me in for a slow kiss. “You’re pretty smart, you know.”
I stole another quick peck against his lips. “I’m not too bad. Just… Baby steps. It doesn’t need to be anything major. A bit of effort and time spent together.”
Joon kissed me again, and again, his cock hardening under me as lazy touches became more purposeful. “Time and effort…” he murmured, chuckling softly as I pressed hard against him. “I think I have the perfect idea.”