Chapter 6
Hunter isn’t the only one who needs this. I need to dance, drink, and flirt. Not that I’ll take it further than flirting—no matter what I let Hunter think—but there’s nothing like a little positive attention to get you out of a bad mood.
“You can’t wear that.” I wave a hand at the tweed jacket Hunter pulls on. It doesn’t get more dean of anthropology than a tweed jacket with elbow patches. Sure, he is who he is, but as his wingman, I can’t let him sabotage his chances before he even leaves the apartment.
“People like this look. It’s sophisticated.” He tugs on the lapels, and my heart does a little flip.
“It’s boring.” I quip back to mask any emotion I might be feeling.
God, I wish he’d just pack up already. Then he’d be off the table. Unavailable. I’d let this fantasy of being with him go. Hunter doesn’t think of me that way. He made that clear after the one time we hooked up.
Hunter may not be mine in the way I want, but he’ll always be a part of me. I just need to make him a less available part, so my dick gets the memo he’s not ours.
“Let’s go.” I circle behind him and push him toward the door. “You can wear what you want, but I’m picking where we go.”
Hunter grabs his keys off the entryway table and slips on his perfectly polished shoes, while I step into my sand-crusted sandals. All of his shoes are lined up in a neat row.
“Last one to the bottom buys the first round!” I holler, already pulling open the door and charging down the narrow flight of stairs. Hunter lives on the top floor of the doctoral student housing building. It’s a cute, four-story little brownstone at the edge of campus.
“I’m the dean of anthropology. I can’t play tag like a damn teenager!”
“Old man!” I taunt him from the bottom of the next floor down.
His growl echoes in the stairwell, followed by crashing footsteps. My grin turns maniacal as I bound down two steps at a time, laughing.
“It’s against the rules to run,” Hunter yells. His panting makes it clear he’s running, too, and getting closer. But I’ve still got a lead. I swing around the bend in the stairs. One flight to go.
“Phoenix!”
Fuck, I love getting him all riled up. With a laugh, I look over my shoulder to see him just a few steps away. Then I’m ramming into something—someone—who cries out as we both fall.
“Shit! Sor—” I cut off when I see her.
“Madison!” Hunter yells, grabbing me by the shoulder and pulling me off the woman I crashed into.
Madison. The way he says it tells me everything I need to know.
I’d bet good money this is who he was thinking of in the shower.
Not me. Of course, it wasn’t me. I knew it wasn’t me.
But… maybe I’d still hoped. I always hope.
“Are you alright?” He kneels beside her and helps her sit up. I stare at them, fully taking her in for the first time.
Her dirty blonde locks are touseled from our run-in, her cheeks red, giving her a freshly fucked appearance.
Beyond that, though, she’s simply beautiful.
Not a stitch of makeup on and still the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen.
Soft, seaglass green eyes with a hazel rim around the pupil meet mine, and I’m lost.
There’s a bag of Thai food from Charming Elephant on Main Street, just a short walk away, at her feet. It’s Hunter’s favorite, and the delicious scent makes my stomach rumble.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She rubs her neck. The movement draws attention to the red, inflamed skin there. A fresh bond bite.
Hunter growls, low and vicious. “Who the hell did this to you?”
Madison backs away, eyes wide, gaze swinging from Hunter to me like she’s looking for help.
But a second later, all emotion is gone from Hunter’s face. He stands, straightening his jacket, and holds out his hand to help me up. I want to bat it away and tell him to help Madison up first, but I take it.
As soon as I’m on my feet, I approach the omega on the floor.
I don’t know for sure she’s an omega. She’s doused herself in enough scent neutralizers to make my nose itch from the chemical residue.
Students are required to take meds to keep their scents hidden while on campus, but I know a lot of them stop the meds over long weekends like this one to give their bodies a break.
I always did. My guess is she’s done the same, and just used the spray-on stuff for a quick run out of her apartment.
It won’t last long, but it’s effective enough.
“Allow me to apologize for my friend’s bad behavior.” I offer her my hand. “I’m Phoenix.”
Her soft skin is warm to the touch as my fingers wrap around hers and I help her up. She lets go immediately, stepping away, still eying Hunter with a look of defiance that I’m certain he’ll be jerking off to later. He’s always loved a little brattiness.
“I didn’t know you were dating someone.” Hunter’s lips narrow into a straight line, his gaze staying pointedly on her face, though it’s clear to me he wants to look at the fresh bond mark on her neck.
“I wasn’t.” She tugs at the oversize sweater she’s wearing, then the hem of her jean shorts, so tiny they’re almost hidden under the sweater.
“I thought you were on suppressants.” The slightest growl works its way back into Hunter’s voice.
“I am. I don’t know what happened. One second I was searching the cliffs, and then… it was so fast. Evie says scent matches can—” She cuts off her flustered rambling and shakes her head. “Nope. No.” She puts her hands on her hips. “This is none of your business, Dr. Anderson.”
The two of them stare at each other with an intensity that can only mean one thing. Maybe we don’t have to go out for me to play wingman. I’m about to make a cheeky comment when my gaze falls to her bond mark. Scent match. That’s hard to compete with.
She breaks their heated showdown, stooping to pick up the bags she dropped. “I’ll see you in class on Monday.”
With that, she spins on her heels and enters the apartment behind her. The door closes before I can get even a peek inside.
“Well, my friend.” I clap Hunter on the back. “I think what you need more than a night out is a very stiff drink.”
“Or ten,” he says without an ounce of humor.
“Or ten,” I agree, still staring at the door where the sweet woman disappeared.