Chapter 11
Juniper
The next time my eyes open, it’s to find the morning rays of sunshine scattered on the floor of the room I’m in. My body is warm but comfortable, relaxed and at ease, even as I feel the body wrapped around my back tug me closer to his hard body.
“We should get out of bed,” Leylan sleepily notes, though he makes no move to actually release me, one of his arms banded under my breasts while the other acts as my pillow. In fact, he cuddles deeper into my back, his warmth settling into my bones, a content sigh slipping from my mouth. I don’t actually remember the last time I felt this relaxed, this at ease.
Well, actually, that would be a lie.
The last time I felt like this would be eight years ago, when I was lying on a picnic blanket surrounded by my guys, looking up at the stars and wishing on every one of them for an escape from the pack that birthed me. The last time was with the guys who’d wipe my tears when I was hurt, who taught me how to ride a bike and then laughed when I fell off straight after, who hugged me when I didn’t want to be hugged because they knew it was exactly what I needed.
“Five more minutes,” I whisper, turning within Leylan’s arms and tucking myself against his chest, head beneath his chin and sighing the moment I’m comfortable .
I smile when Leylan laughs, but he doesn’t fight my request, fitting his leg between mine and pressing the sweetest kiss to my head. I couldn’t say why tears spring to my eyes exactly, but they do, and I fight to ignore them while I soak in Leylan’s warmth and cedarwood and coconut scent that transports me to happier times.
I must fall back to sleep, cocooned in all things Leylan, because the next thing I know, there’s a hand stroking my hair back from my face and a handsome face with deep, ocean eyes and a head of honey-blond hair hovering to the side of the bed.
“There she is,” Creek whispers, tucking my unruly purple hair behind my ears while he offers me the smile that calms everything in my mind, body, and soul.
“Hey,” I croak, voice hoarse from sleep. “What time is it?”
“Early enough that it’s still breakfast time. Evron is baking chocolate-orange muffins, and Geo is trying to make pancakes,” Creek answers, tracing a finger over my cheek. “Figured you’d be hungry.”
I frown. “What do you mean by ‘trying?’”
“He’s burnt the last three batches, and he keeps glaring at Ev every time he tries to help. Said he wanted to make you breakfast,” Creek shrugs with a roll of his eyes, but I catch the flash of amusement in those pretty blue eyes.
“That’s going to end up in an argument,” I murmur, rubbing my eyes before I remember I still have yesterday’s makeup on. I groan, knowing that I likely look like a racoon right now, and I throw my arm over my face to hide myself away from the fresh and handsome looking twin.
“What?” he asks, trying to nudge my arm away. “What’s wrong?”
“Smudged my makeup. Got criminal trash panda eyes,” I tell him, my voice only slightly obstructed by my arm.
Creek laughs, this vibrant sound that I’ve missed beyond all words combined, and I smile softly at him, even from under my arm .
He tugs at it, though I don’t budge, and says, “Juno, I’ve seen you caked in mud, bags under your eyes from staying up too late, and bruised from when you dared Geo to jump into the lake and hit a tree branch on your way down. You’re beautiful, and I’m sure my opinion won’t differ with your smudged makeup.”
Grumbling, I playfully glare at him as I remove my arm from my face, receiving a sunny smile that I want to bottle for rainy days. My fake anger vanishes, moreso when he says, “I could look at you all day, every day, and think you’re the prettiest damn woman on this planet.”
“Stop,” I snort, shoving him before throwing the pile of blankets that surrounds me away and climbing out of the comfortable bed. “It’s too early for flattery and charm. What are you up to, anyway?”
“Just stating facts, beautiful,” Creek counters, standing and holding his hand out for me to take, lifting me off the bed and eyeing my bare legs for a long moment before that gaze draws back to my eyes. “You’re a damned knock-out, Juniper Henley.”
“Baines,” I correct gently, even as a trickle of nausea crawls into my stomach at the Pack name I was birthed with. Creek frowns, so I elaborate. “Juniper Baines. I changed my name after I was taken from the Henley Pack.”
The lack of shock tells me Lowie has already shared my sad little story, and I find myself more relieved than annoyed, glad that I won’t be forced to repeat the tale again. At least they know now, right?
“Juniper Baines. I really like that. It suits you,” Creek tells me softly, his hand still clutched in mine. He tugs me close, so slow that I’m sure he’s afraid I’ll run again. I won’t, not that he knows as much. After last night with the twins, I don’t think I could leave them behind ever again. The need to flee, to run away, is surprisingly absent. I meant what I said. These men are my happily ever after, and I won’t stand in my own way if it means I get to have them near me, holding my hand, offering me cuddles, and looking down at me like I’m the most important person in the world .
When Creek realizes I’m not going anywhere, he tugs me close enough that his chest brushes mine, the sheer warmth of him bleeding into my own body, and he presses his forehead against mine as he whispers, “I’ve really missed you, Juno Baines. I know I’ve said it already, but I mean it.”
I huff a laugh, a bittersweet sound that sinks my heart and lifts it at the same time, and I quietly confess, “I’ve really missed you, too, Creek Whitlock. More than you’ll ever know.”
His free hand raises to cup my face in a tender touch, those stormy eyes watching me closely, so I smile up at him. A smile I’ve only ever shared with him and the other guys, because only they deserve to see the evidence of how they make me feel. How they’ve always made me feel.
“That smile,” Creek whispers, almost like he’s talking to himself.
Just as I open my mouth to answer him, Creek bends and presses his mouth to mine, silencing every thought I planned to speak out loud. In fact, the moment his lips touch mine, my mind silences entirely, leaving nothing but him and the soft warmth of his mouth pressing against mine, and the ginger and spice scent that fills my every sense.
I sigh against his mouth, my hand tightening around his while the other finds purchase at his waist, fisting his white Henley shirt tightly in my fist.
Like two compatible magnets, our bodies sink into one another, a soft moan slipping from my mouth and into his when I feel every bump and ridge of his muscles pressed against my front. He feels like home, a soothing balm to my battered soul, like one of five things I’ve been missing like lost limbs.
The kiss doesn’t last anywhere near long enough, and I accidentally let slip a small mewl of protest when he pulls back, only to find Creek’s eyes sparkling with delight and satisfaction .
It’s only then that I realize he just kissed me. With a shaking hand, I release his shirt and press the tips of my fingers to my lips, questioning, “What was that for?”
Creek shrugs, the faintest blush pooling in the apples of his cheeks, as he says, “For lost time. For not doing it when I found you. For all the times I’ve wanted to kiss you but held back. For a whole lot more reasons than I want to overwhelm you with first thing in the morning.”
My eyebrows pinch but, in lieu of offering words, I surge up and press my mouth against his. This kiss is firmer, infused with more passion and everything unspoken, and my entire body awakens from the sleepy state it had been in only seconds before. My heart beats in overdrive, my thoughts scattered and confused. I never thought I’d be here, kissing Creek and him kissing me back just as desperately. Never thought I’d find myself in their house after sleeping beside Geo, getting my mind brown by the twins, and now starting my day with kisses I’ve dreamed of all of my life.
When I pull back, we’re both breathless, but Creek has a smile on his face that could rival the intensity of the sun. It’s positively beaming, and a flutter in my belly stirs the butterflies flapping around inside me. Years later and I still get those giddy feelings at his smile.
“What was that for?” he whispers, oh so gently tucking my hair behind my ear.
I shrug. “For everything. For finding me, for being here, being real. For lost time, for not doing it when you found me—"
He kisses me to shut me up, and I laugh against his mouth. A laugh that quickly turns into a soft moan as he pries my lips apart and tangles his tongue with mine. Before I know up from down, Creek is pushing me back onto the bed, carefully leading me to my back without so much as lifting his lips from mine, climbing on top of me with all the stealth of a prowling panther. His movements are fluid and smooth, and I moan again as he rests some of his weight on top of me, an oddly comforting thing despite having his well-defined body lying between my bare legs .
What’s not comforting is the way his sweats rub against another bare part of my body when he shifts to get comfortable on top of me, the hardened evidence that he’s just as affected as I am rubbing against my quickly slickening core. I know I’m perfuming like a leaky faucet, too, because there’s no other scent in the room but mine, the faintest wafts of sea salt and fresh air, and heavier but still faded notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, and coconut. But mine overrides everything in the room, casting us in a fog of sugary-sweet perfume that I haven’t smelt since the first time my designation came in. Since I found out I was a lost and hopeless omega left to fend for herself. And now I’m smelling it twice in as many days.
“Fuck, Juno, you smell divine,” he whispers as he pulls his mouth away from mine, allowing me to catch my breath while I try to fight the desire coiling through my body. Like he can tell what he’s doing to me, goosebumps breaking out over my body, wet heat pooling between my legs, he gives me a seductive smile that heats me from the inside out. I’m sure he can feel the wetness seeping through his sweats, and that seductive smile turns somewhat feral, and I shiver when that desire triples. “So sweet, you know that? Like a chilled pina colada on the beach. Fucking delicious.”
“Creek,” I plead. For what? I don’t actually know. All I know is that there’s an accompanying whine and I can smell my perfume thickening around us.
“Shh,” he hushes softly, dropping another kiss to my mouth, but pulling back much too soon. “It’s okay, beautiful. I know. Let’s go down and talk to the others before this turns into a heat spike, okay? I’ll still be right here if you need me.”
I ignore the pangs of disappointment that coil through my chest like a serpent, knowing he’s right. I don’t want anything more to happen between me and the guys before we’ve all spoken and when I’m not out of my mind with need for them. I feel like I only got a taste of what they could offer from the twins last night, but I need to know what the hell is going on before I let go entirely. All I know right now is that they’re mine, they’ve always been mine, but am I still theirs? Lowie said as much yesterday, but there’s a niggle in the back of my mind that begs for the reassurance I know only they can provide. I need to hear them say it. To tell me they still want me, despite the eight years that span between us.
“Don’t suppose I can borrow some clothes?” I ask quietly, feeling my cheeks blush when I realize how badly of a compromising position we’ve found ourselves in.
Creek is still sprawled on top of me, elbows digging into the bed on either side of my head. The lower half of his body pins me to the bed, still pressing against parts of my body that are all too awake and needy, a steady heat thrumming beneath my skin. There’s nothing to be done about the scent that emanates from me, but having every inch of Creek’s manliness lying on me isn’t helping.
Clearing my throat, I ignore the smile he still wears, and continue, “And if you could get off me sooner rather than later, I’d be grateful. I’m in a whole world of struggles right now, and you lying on me like you are, pressing against my pussy when I’m clearly going through some weird heat thing, isn’t doing me any favors, no matter how much I like it.”
Creek bites his lip, like he’s trying to hide his amusement, and I glare at the jackass without the usual venom it would include if it were anyone else. Then he opens his mouth and prods, “You like me lying on top of you?”
I huff out a heavy breath and decide that honesty is probably better where my guys are concerned. After eight years, there’s no room for lies and bullshit. Before I was shipped off and away from them, there were never any secrets between us. I’m not about to start forming them now. “Creek, you could do anything to my body and I’d beg for more. I’m liking you lying on top of me a little too much, and therein lies the problem if you want me to get out of bed, eat breakfast, and have an actual conversation with you all.”
“Music to my ears, Juniper Baines. Music to my fucking ears,” he laughs, pressing a swift peck to my lips before hauling us both back off the bed. As soon as we’re standing, he points at the adjoining bathroom and says, “Bathroom’s through there if you want a shower or whatever. Spare toothbrushes and other stuff you’ll need in the cupboards under the sink. I’ll get you some clean clothes.”
I nod, biting my lip, suddenly feeling nervous. Not that I should, because it’s Creek. It’s Lowie, Leylan, Evron, and Geo. The five guys in my life that have always had my back, always been there for me, constantly made me feel safe and wanted, and have held my heart between them for as long as I can remember.
Heading to the bathroom to freshen up and attempt to wrangle my body back under my control, I run a hand through my knotted purple hair, only to stop when Creek calls my name. I turn, finding him in the doorway to the guest room, and his smile softens the moment my gaze clashes with his. Then my heart melts into a puddle when he says, “I know we just found you again, and I know things are uncertain and rocky. We don’t know all you’ve been through, and I’m sure things have changed, but I’m glad you’re here, Juno. I want you here, with us, for however long you’re willing to give us, okay? That won’t change, no matter what happens after our chat. You’ve always been the center of our universe, beautiful. So, freshen up, get your thoughts together, and come down when you’re ready.”
Slowly, my head nods, even as my heart thunders at his words. Hope flares to life inside me, a hope I grip with both hands, and I carry it with me all through my shower, hair drying, and everything else I waste time on before leaving the bathroom.
A black shirt and black sweats lie on the bed ready for me, paired with boxer shorts, white fluffy socks, and a hair tie. I dress quickly, grateful for the clothes that smell like a mixture of Evron and Creek, and tie my hair in a pathetic ponytail, my baby hairs escaping their prison and tickling the back of my neck. The sweats are too big, so I roll them at the ankles and at the waist, my borrowed boxers showing above the folded waistband. The shirt practically hangs on me, too, so I tug the ends up and twist it into a knot just above my navel before I decide that’s as good as it’s going to get .
As soon as I’m decent and have nothing more to prolong this inevitable chat, I head out of the guest room and make my way downstairs. I follow the same path as I did before, stepping down the stairs on light feet, heading toward the kitchen where everyone seems to have congregated.
The moment I step into view, the room goes quiet, and I look over each of the guys as they stare back at me. Creek sends me a sweet little smirk, while Geo smiles softly at me as he mixes pancake batter. Evron winks from where he stands near the oven, gray mitts over his hands as he pulls out a pan of freshly baked muffins that joins in the overwhelming mixture of scents that swarm around me deliciously.
It’s only when my eyes meet Leylan’s soft, sky blues that I blush, his shy smile causing my stomach to somersault with both nerves and desire. That blush and somersaulting only deepens when I catch Lowie’s eyes, my cheeks undoubtedly heating while a sweetness thickens the air.
Great. Now I’m stinking up the place with my arousal, and there isn’t a damned thing I can do to stop it. I can, however, ignore it. Something that’s made a little difficult when Lowie’s nostrils flare and a slow, sexy smile tugs at his lips.
“Fuck, that smells nice,” Evron blurts, shucking his mitts before rounding the island, beelining straight for where I’m still standing statue still just outside of the kitchen.
His arms are around me before I can even comprehend that he’s standing in front of me, the shock of movement having my own arms banding around his shoulders. Ev tucks his face into the crook of my neck, inhaling mere milliseconds before he begins to purr, and the effect is immediate. My body relaxes into him instantly, almost like every cell in my body knows he’s mine and he’s safe, and I sigh deeply before inhaling his oak and hazelnut scent.
“Alright, man. How about we don’t maul her before we have a very important discussion,” Creek snorts, knowing damn well he practically mauled me upstairs .
“Pretty sure I can maul while we have a conversation,” Evron mumbles into my neck, and my lips twitch with a repressed smile that begs to be set free.
“Get your paws off her, bro. She needs to eat,” Geo huffs, the sizzle of batter hitting a hot pan caressing my eardrums, causing my belly to rumble with hunger.
That sound has Evron releasing me with a displeased grumble, and he ushers me into the kitchen. Lowie is off his seat not a moment later, gripping the knot in my shirt and tugging me into a gentle kiss, keeping sure not to wind my body up into the state I found myself in last night. When he pulls back, he whispers, “Morning, Angel.”
My lips twitch with a smile, and I whisper, “Morning.”
Low’s own mouth twitches with a repressed smile, but he leads me to a seat at the island. The moment my ass meets the plastic of the fancy stool, Leylan offers me a sweet smile and asks, “What do you want for breakfast, Juju? We’ve got cereal, toast, muffins, and pancakes when Geo finally figures out how to make them without burning one side.”
I snort, turning to look behind me, catching Geo watching me and not the pancakes I can already smell burning. I wince, and he frowns, before the smell hits him and he curses colorfully and snatches the pan from the electric stove. “Fucking A.”
Biting my lip, I slide off the stool and sidle up next to Geo, gently taking the pan from his hands. “How about I make the pancakes?”
Geo groans. “This was meant to be a treat for you.”
“It’s still a treat,” I tell him softly. “Just not a burnt one. I don’t remember the last time I had pancakes, but I still know how to cook ‘em.”
When silence answers that admission, I wince and realize pretty quickly what it is I’ve done. Because they know how much I love pancakes, always have ever since Lowie and Leylan’s pack brought me in and fed me breakfast for the first time. I wouldn’t have stopped eating them just for nothing, and I just revealed more than I wanted to.