24. Seb
Chapter 24
Seb
O f all the childish, immature stunts Cormac could have pulled, itching powder was a brutal and effective prank.
Honestly, I was pissed I didn’t think of it first.
My dick felt like it was on fire, and I had a fucking away game the day after tomorrow.
Hazel had looked at me with pity as she handed me the bottle of calamine lotion before I hobbled to the shower. There was no way she was going to look at me romantically while I had a raging case of jock itch.
Did I want her to look at me romantically?
More than anything.
Now that I’d let myself think about being with her, it was like the flood gates had opened. All I could think about was what our life could be together.
It looked very similar to how life had been, except with a whole load of fucking. The first night I had stayed at the Kingswood pack house, I had heard the moans coming from Hazel’s room, and fuck was I jealous of the Kingswood Pack.
As I gently washed my poor, abused skin, I resolved that revenge was the best option. Something old school, like saran wrap on the toilet.
Even the cool spray of water stung my skin. Changing into a loose pair of gym shorts, I prayed that the redness would go down soon.
When I came out of the bathroom, Cormac was waiting for me, leaning against the wall, a sheepish grin on his face.
“Are you going to punch me?” he asked with a laugh. His red curls were sticking up at every angle. He wore simple post-hockey clothing—sweats and a T-shirt with the Avalon Knights logo across the chest.
“It’s tempting,” I admitted. “Have you seen social media?”
Cormac burst into laughter. “I didn’t expect that to happen. I am sorry… but have you seen what they’re calling you?”
“Crabby boy?” I chuckled. College students weren’t known for coming up with the most creative names, but it certainly got the point across.
“Yeah… It’s kind of hilarious, but yeah, my bad. Though I have a kick-ass apology.”
“A pony?” I gasped dramatically.
“Well, shit! There goes that plan!” Cormac sighed. “I guess the futon I got for the den will just have to do.”
I cocked an eyebrow. “Futon?”
Cormac jerked his head down the hallway, “Come on, itchy dick.”
With a chuckle, I followed him. I was probably losing my marbles, willingly following the idiot who gave me a raging case of burning crotch.
The den was a relatively small room that contained storage boxes and an old chest of drawers. On the far wall was an overly stuffed two-seater sofa with a pile of bed linens on it.
“It’s a sofa bed. I thought it would be better than sleeping on the floor,” Cormac said.
“Fuck, thank you.” It looked like it was nice quality as well, but I should have expected that because everything in the Kingswood pack house was expensive. Their coffee machine alone cost more than most people made in a month.
Cormac snorted. “You shouldn’t be thanking me after how we’ve made you sleep over the last few nights.”
“I’m a big boy, I can handle it.”
That was only partially a lie; my back had been aching something fierce from sleeping on the floor.
“In that case, I can return the futon?” he asked, looking at me with wide eyes as he pointed at the sofa.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” I said, taking a few steps into the room. Having some space of my own felt like a luxury.
“I’m going to go irritate Hazel. Pizza for dinner—are you in?”
“Sure, nothing with pineapple, please.”
“Another thing we agree on! We’ll be friends in no time. Pineapple and pizza is just…” Cormac shuddered dramatically as he left the room, giggling.
Nothing had ever felt as good as that futon. The second Cormac was out the door, I scrambled to get the linens on the bed. Hazel’s scent clung to the fabric, so she must have had something to do with it.
Lying down, I let out a long, involuntary moan as my spine finally relaxed. As I closed my eyes, I let my entire body go lax.
“Is it comfortable?” Hazel’s voice asked from the doorway.
Cracking an eyelid open, I smiled at her. “This is amazing,” I told her. “These blankets yours?” I asked, lifting up one of the pale blue blankets covered in white clouds.
“Some of them. I had to order more because I keep stealing things from the guys’ rooms, and I need to replace them.” As she spoke, she sat on the edge of my bed, smiling.
“It certainly beats the floor!” I laughed, sitting up and pulling Hazel in for a hug.
“I’m glad you guys are getting along a bit better,” she said, pulling back and smiling at me.
“They’re not the worst.”
Hazel burst into laughter. “You sounded in physical pain when you said that!”
“Old habits die hard. Did you give them the idea for this bed?”
Hazel shook her head. “That was all Cormac. He really did feel guilty about the itching powder. I might have also threatened him that I would lace his bedsheets with the same powder. Not that I would have. He has so many piercings on his dick that itching powder might just do him in.”
“Piercings?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. Oddly enough, Cormac seemed like just the kind of guy I would expect to have metal in his cock.
Hazel bit her lip, nodding. “Jacob’s ladder. There’s like fifteen of them!”
“Ouch! Maybe I should be thankful he just laced my boxers with itching powder, because anyone willing to get that many piercings must have a sadistic streak.”
“They’re amazing.” Hazel blushed as he spoke. Clearly, she had experienced those piercings in an intimate way.
What I would have given to see that.
“Damn, Hazelnut! You’ve been getting brave.” I laughed as she launched a pillow at me.
“It was about time I broadened my horizons!”
“Next thing I know, you’ll be drinking black coffee with no sugar at all!”
“And pigs may just fly!” She laughed.
There were many things I could imagine happening, but Hazel drinking black coffee seemed even less likely than me and her ever being together.
Hazel flopped down on the bed next to me with a sigh. “Well, any caffeine would be appreciated at this point. Phillip has made it his mission to keep me healthy. No energy drinks, no coffee. He’s even policing what kinds of tea I can have!”
“He’s doing it because he cares about you and the little peanut,” I reasoned.
Hazel’s hand drifted to her belly as she stared at the ceiling. “It’s insane to think that, in a few months, I’ll have a baby. A real baby who needs feeding and changing, and all the love. I just can’t picture it.”
“I can picture you with a little mini Hazel,” I admitted.
“You can?” she asked, turning to me with surprise.
“Oh, yeah.” I nodded. “You’ll dress her in all the bright princess clothes, put her hair in bows, and always keep her glued to your side. You’ll basically be the polar opposite of your parents.”
Hazel hummed. “That would be nice. There’s no way in hell I’m going to raise them like I was raised. I don’t care how loaded Roman is. We don’t need a nanny. Even if I have to be sleep deprived and manic to make it work.”
“That’s one of the great things about packs. There’s always someone around to help. You’ll never be completely overwhelmed. I get the impression that these guys will be fairly hands on.”
“That’s true.” Hazel nodded thoughtfully. “I feel like it’s going to be a boy.”
“Nope, I’ll bet on that.”
“You’ll have to do my laundry for a month!”
I snorted. “You have a laundry service,” I reminded her.
“Oh yeah… what should we bet?”
“If I’m wrong, I’ll accompany you to your family’s next Christmas party?”
Hazel sat up with a gasp. “You’d let me go alone to one of those vile things?”
“You know I won’t. We’ll have to just owe each other one.”
“I’ll accept that!”