CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
C ady pouts, looking up Titus. “We’ll be fine, Ty. Pack Sheffield won’t try anything when they know their asses are being watched.” Her lips look extra kissable when she does that, and it adds perfectly to the look she has going on now, with her high ponytail and baby blue lounge set. The sweatpants cuff at the ankles and hit just above her belly button, and the cropped hoodie reveals a sliver of skin that I want to lick.
“Yeah Ty ,” I smirk, wrapping an arm around Cady’s shoulder. “We’ll be fine.”
Titus lets loose a low growl, looking between the two of us. I can feel his apprehension bleeding out of his bond with Cady, so I make my face serious for a minute. “For real, man. We’ll stay in the area and be home by ten.”
He lets loose a breath, gently cupping Tink’s face and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. Then he grips my shoulder, probably a little harder than necessary. “Keep her safe. Please.”
Again, I can feel through the bond that he doesn’t want to let us go, but he will because he’s trusting me. “I will.”
With that, he nods, heading up the stairs to his room where he will undoubtedly worry for the rest of the night. Tink frowns after him but I snag her attention by grabbing her hand. “You ready?”
She grins. “Let’s go.”
We head out of the house and get into my truck, where I have the back packed with blankets and soft pillows in a duffel bag. The drive-thru line to the burger place I want her to try is short, and in an hour we’re pulled up to the beach right as the sun is setting. It’s April, so it isn’t quite warm enough to swim during the day yet, but once we’re bundled in the bed of the truck that’s facing the ocean?
Perfection.
Cady groans around a mouth full of burger and closes her eyes. “Oh my god, this is so good !” Her contentment rings through the bond and I can’t help but smile at how damn cute she is.
“I told you,” I grin, popping a fry in my mouth. “Bodie’s Burgers with extra secret sauce is the key to unlocking the last ten percent of your brain.”
“UGH!” She moans again, holding an onion ring. “Onion rings need their own corner of the food pyramid.”
“They already have it,” I nod seriously. “They’re right inbetween french toast and cheese.”
“Midnight cheese,” she smiles and leans into me. As we eat our food, watching the sun dip below the horizon.
“Sunset Burgers. New band name.”
“Hmm. Is that the key to naming bands?” She looks thoughtful as she takes a drink of her soda. “A time of day and then a food item? Sunrise Pie.”
“Three o’clock Pasta?”
“Twilight Pizza?”
“Dusk…Bagels.” I choke on a laugh and she wrinkles her nose.
“It’s definitely not a perfect formula.”
“Nope. But you’re a perfect formula.” It’s a cheesy line, and doesn’t really make any sense, I know. But she is.
Perfect. And mine.
“I have one more.” She hums, leaning her head against my shoulder.
“Yeah? What’s that?’
“I love you.”
“That’s not a band name—oh.” I stop myself, realizing what she just said, and my heart somehow feels like it’s stopped but is also pounding a million miles an hour at the same time.
“You…love me?” Of course she does. I can feel it in the bond every time she looks at me but there’s always that voice in the back of my mind that questions if I’m reading it right. But to hear her say it.
“I do, sunshine,” she says, twining our hands together as I turn to look at her. “So much.”
I fucking love it when she calls me sunshine. Makes me feel cute as hell.
“Baby girl, I have loved you since you walked up to us at that restaurant, pissed as hell.”
A laugh startles out of her. “Ollie, you didn’t even know me.”
“No, but I knew I wanted to. I could see it in you, even then, Tink. The fire behind that sweet exterior. The determination to stay true to you . Plus, it doesn’t hurt that you climbed me like a tree after—ow!” I laugh as she swats my arm. “But all of this to say, Cady, that I love you. I’ve been in love with you, and I will always be in love with you.”
“You know, you can be a real sweet-talker when you want to be,” she murmurs, leaning in closer to me, her beautiful face aglow from the setting sun.
“Oh, baby girl, you have no idea.” I tilt my head down, meeting her lips in a soft, sweet, sipping kiss. My hand moves up to cup her cheek as she tastes me, running her tongue across my lower lip. Her hand grips at my wrist as my tongue delves into her mouth, licking and sucking at her tongue. She moans into my mouth as her perfume wafts up into the air between us, and I realize we better stop before this either evolves into a public indecency charge or ends with us sending feral alphas nearby into a riot.
We separate, gasping in breaths of air, and she swallows roughly, looking into my eyes. “I love you, Ollie.”
“I love you too, Cady.”
***
“Oh my god,” Tink whispers to me as we creep up to the loft at nine fifty-nine sharp. “Is Titus playing Call of Duty?”
“Nah,” I whisper back as we inch closer to Archie and Titus, who are both on the couch facing the TV with controllers in their hands. “He’ll only play Halo. He’s obsessed with the energy sword.” Mattie is laying on the adjacent couch, his eyes flicking between the TV screen and his phone.
“Did you kids have fun?” Archie teases, not looking away from the TV as he shoots at Titus’ character. “We felt a burst of happiness from both of you about an hour ago.”
“God fucking dammit, Arch! Stop spawn camping!” Titus growls, standing up as if that will increase his playing skill. He only lets Archie talk him into playing video games when he’s stressed out. Our outing must have done a bigger number on him than I had thought.
“We did,” Cady smiles brightly next to me, bouncing on her heels, but not elaborating on what that burst of happiness was.
“Hey guys, what's going on?” Simon yawns, coming out of his room. He had tried to stay up after his twenty four shift at the hospital but no doubt conked out shortly after Tink and I left for our date.
“Oh, you know, just kicking Titus’ ass at Halo.” Archie grins, glancing at Simon.
“Ollie, get in here,” Titus grumbles. “We’ll play teams and the winner gets to sleep in angel’s bed tonight.” He shoots her a wink that makes her blush.
“Then I get Simon!” Archie cheers, and both Titus and I groan.
“Wait, I never agreed to be on Titus’ team! I want Simon!” I pout, settling on the floor in front of Ty and Arch.
“Too bad, asshole. You got me.” Titus laughs, handing me a controller.
Simon sighs and settles next to me, clearly accepting his fate. Out of the corner of my eye I see Cady crawling on top of Mattie to lay down on top of him, chest to chest. His hands immediately drop his phone and wrap around her, and she snuggles her head under his chin.
Well, shit, how did I get sucked into Halo instead of that ?
I don’t have time to think about it though, because the game is starting and now I’m determined to win. Fuck the blue team.
Simon, as always, destroys all of us with his sniper rifle, but at least he doesn’t camp at the spawn point like some people.
You know what? Fuck this. Tink and I shared a declaration of love tonight and I deserve a spot in that damn nest. I look over to see Mattie has mysteriously disappeared with our omega. That sneaky Italian.
“Mother fucker!” I jump up and drop my controller, running to the nest and dive next to Mattie and Cady where they’re snuggling in bed.
“Ollie!” Cady shrieks in surprise as she laughs, and I throw my arm and leg over her, not caring if I’m half on top of Mattie too.
Sharing is caring, dammit.
“Did you win?” She asks, a joyous smile on her face as she looks at me.
“I sure did, Tink,” I grin, leaning down and kissing her. “Just not at Halo. I love you.”
“I love you too, sunshine.”
I don’t miss the small smile Mattie gives us, or the little approving nod.
“That’s against the rules, Ollie!” Archie shouts, barging into the room, followed by Simon and Titus.
“Woah, woah, hold on there boys,” Tink sits up in bed and holds her hands out in a placating gesture. “I’m in charge of who gets to sleep in my nest and the winner of the video game will have no bearing on that. Are we clear?”
Titus, Simon, and Arch all mutter their acceptance, and Tink continues, “Now, all are welcome. Okay? Let’s have a pack cuddle.”
Everyone gets settled, Simon on my other side and Arch next to Mattie. Titus, the smart bastard, crawls up between her legs and uses her stomach as a pillow, which earns him head scratches.
“Ty, surely you know you set yourself up for failure with that bet, right?” She asks quietly, a small smile playing at her lips.
Titus sighs, his eyes closed as he soaks up her attention. “I know, angel. I know.”