1. Sabs #2
He scrubs an inked hand over his face, highlighting his sharp jaw. I swear, his muscles have grown since the last time I saw him.
He buries his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know, Sabs.”
“Pretty please?” I bat my eyelashes and pout. “Since all the Stellas have bonded, I’ve been lonely. At least tonight I can get to hang out with one of my other best friends. I promise it’ll be fun!”
“Dancing isn’t my idea of fun,” he grumbles.
Drax and I have known each other since we were kids.
Our parents are friends, so we grew up together.
Although he wasn’t a natural surfer like my brothers, he was always hanging out on the beach with them, so we became friends.
You wouldn’t know it looking at him now, but he was one of the skinniest guys in school until he hit the gym and grew into this… well, hunky, bulky beast.
“Oh, come on!” I don’t give him a choice, grabbing his arm and dragging him toward where everyone’s dancing. “I’ll show you how it’s done.”
“I’m a terrible dancer,” he grumbles but doesn’t pull away.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you at a party since we came to SVU.” The envious looks from other girls give me an extra pep in my step as I lead Drax into the center of the make-shift dance floor before finally releasing him. “Don’t you normally work security on the weekends?”
“I…” He begins to move awkwardly to the music. He has two left feet, but when you’re hot as hell, it doesn’t matter whether you can dance or not. No one cares about your moves when you have bulging biceps like his. “I have the night off.”
I frown. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” He clears his throat. “Fine.”
I press my lips together, not wanting to push him further, but judging by his corded neck and how he’s gone rigid, something’s definitely wrong.
“Anyway…” I move closer to him. “I’ve missed you.”
He opens his mouth to reply, but before he can say anything, the beat drops. “Oh my god,” I squeal. “I love this part!”
I turn around, my back to him, as I grind against his crotch to the rhythm. He instantly hardens, his semi digging into my shorts. Fuck, his strong body against mine feels so freaking good. Way better than it should when we’re at a beach party surrounded by people.
Despite his gargantuan size, Drax is a beta, something people are often surprised by. Being from a long line of alpha’s, his designation came as a shock to him too.
We’ve hooked up before. Although we’ve only had sex once, we did have a steamy encounter over winter break.
Both of us were wasted on New Year’s Eve, but I can still remember how his inked fingers played me like a freaking instrument, and I’ve been thinking about it when using my new vibrator more than I care to admit.
Drax’s hot breath fans against the side of my face as his huge hands run down my curves. “I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
It would be so much easier if he was an alpha.
While I’m not against having a beta boyfriend, it’s just…
I’ve always wanted to find a pack after seeing the kind of romance that my parents have.
Granted, they’re scent matches, which makes it extra special.
I can’t even imagine experiencing that kind of all-consuming love, but seeing my best friends find their scent matches makes me feel like it could be possible for me too.
Still, I keep coming back to Drax. He’s familiar, comforting.
He’s always been there. Like a favorite blanket I keep returning to, time and time again.
He’s funny, caring, has an awesome family I adore and has an incredible body to boot, but what would happen if I found a pack?
That’s why keeping our relationship strictly in the casual friendzone is for the best, but having fun together isn’t a crime.
“We’re just dancing,” I tell him, rubbing my ass against his growing bulge, grateful that I put on an extra generous amount of scent blocker spray so no alphas can smell how I’m horny as hell.
He groans into my hair, grasping my hips. The rest of the party fades into the background as I spin to wrap my arms around his neck.
“Fuck, Sabs.” His gaze trails longingly down my body. His eyes linger on my cleavage, his tongue moistening his lips. “You feel...”
“Go get it, cap!” Sophie calls out behind me.
When Drax’s eyes snap up to my face, there’s something in his expression I haven’t seen before. Yeah, the usual fiery attraction is there, but there’s something else too. Something that, instead of making me want to climb him like a tree, makes me pause.
“Are you okay?” I ask him.
“I thought you wanted to dance.” He takes me by surprise by spinning me around, then pulling me back into his chest.
“See?” I wiggle my eyebrows. “I knew you’d been holding out on me.”
He grins. A true Drax smile, like he’s really letting go.
I tip my chin up as his head bends to meet me.
This is exactly how it started over the holidays. One kiss that got a little out of hand. If it wasn’t for stupid Beckett—the fun-killer—interrupting us, we probably would have gone all the way. Unfortunately for me, Drax bolted after Beckett’s intrusion, and he’s been ghosting me ever since.
“I really have missed you,” I murmur, his lips so close that mine are practically vibrating, desperate to feel his.
He smells even better than usual. Maybe it’s the cocktails heightening my senses, but… wow. It’s clean and crisp like fresh laundry, coupled with a touch of sea breeze and a hint of something sweet. Maybe peaches? My mouth waters.
He abruptly jerks back. “I can’t do this.” I almost stumble, totally taken aback, as he presses his arms to his sides like iron rods. “Not again.”
“Drax…” I instinctively reach out for him, but he flinches, taking another step away.
Ouch. He might as well have slapped me.
“I just…” His face twists, like he’s in physical pain. “Can’t.”
“Drax—”
Before I finish my sentence, he storms off, gruffly shouldering past some alphas who curse at his retreating figure. As people part to let him pass, I race after him, struggling to keep up due to the damn sand in my sandals.
“Drax!” I break into a jog, hurrying along the edge of the lake where the sand is wet, making it easier to gain speed. “Wait up!”
Away from the crowd, he finally stops and spins. I come to a halt when I reach him, his jaw still clenched tightly and shoulders pushed back, looking like a tightly wound spring that’s about to snap.
“Where are you going?”
“Where does it look like?” Drax is normally soft-spoken, so his snappiness is jarring. “Away from here.”
“I shouldn’t have tried to kiss you. I swear, I’ll keep my hands to myself.” I hold up my pinkie finger. “I swear. Let’s just go back to the party and enjoy ourselves, okay? Forget it ever happened, just like what happened over the break.”
“That’s always your answer to everything, just forgetting it ever happened.” He winces. “You pick me up whenever you want me then drop me.”
“It’s not…” I trail off, not able to bring myself to say it’s not like that because to some extent, I know it is.
He has always been there whenever I’ve needed him.
He’s my friend. Someone I’ve confided in.
Hell, I’ve even cried on his shoulder when my brothers have upset me.
He’s the one who’d stand up to the big kids on the beach in order to get back my volleyball.
He’s someone I feel safe around. Always dependable.
Yet, there have been times where I’ve blown him off. Canceling plans at the last minute. Sweeping all our steamy encounters under the rug. Whenever I felt like he was getting too invested in us being more than friends, I pushed him away, but only because I thought it was best for everyone.
“You know what things are like between us. It’s always been this way.” I shoulder bump him. “Sabs and Drax. Friends forever.”
“We’re not kids anymore. We’re adults, and I can’t keep going through this cycle with you.” Blowing out an exasperated breath, he runs his hand through his short, dark brown hair then fixates on the sand. “Not anymore.”