30. Sabs
THIRTY
Sabs
After applying a deep red lipstick, I smack my lips together, admiring my liner.
I’m ready to start a video call to the girls ahead of my date.
Though I’m wearing my pink bathrobe, I spent over an hour styling my hair and fine-tuning my makeup, going for a soft, vintage glam with smoky silver eyes and loose, voluminous curls.
“Woah.” Delilah lets out a low whistle as soon as she logs in. Her oversized hoodie is practically drowning her—one I suspect belongs to Nash—as she cradles an iced matcha latte, probably courtesy of Tae. “Where are you going?”
Faye signs in next. I can only see half her face as she fumbles with her phone, giving me a great view of a leafy canopy and the greenhouse panes above. Finally, she comes into frame fully, mud dusted along her cheek.
“Sorry, I was just gathering… Hang on! Ren, help get these vines off me!” She returns a second later, slightly breathless with mussed hair. “Sorry, I’m back.”
“You’re at the greenhouse now?” Kady’s square pops up. From what I can see, she’s at the Valen Pack’s apartment, and I can hear Ezra’s voice in the background.
“You’re the last person who can give anyone a lecture about doing extra work on a Saturday night,” I point out.
Kady pouts. “Well, I’m not in the library now. Am I?”
“I won’t be late,” Faye says dismissively. “Ren and I are just gathering some yarrow. Ezra said we could help ourselves. My gram needs some for her tinctures.”
“Tell Faye she can take as much as she likes,” Ezra calls out, his face appearing behind Kady before she swats him away. “So?” She peers at us. “What’s the emergency?”
“I can’t decide on an outfit.” I pan the camera around my nest, where I’ve laid out two of my favorites. “I needed opinions. You know I love getting ready together.”
“Ohhh!” Delilah shifts really close to the screen so she can check out the options.
One is a green sequin dress, and the other is a classic, skimpy black dress. Both are unapologetically fabulous and figure-hugging.
“Are your guys taking you somewhere nice?” Faye asks, batting a branch out of her face as she weaves through the indoor jungle. “Those don’t look like Netflix and chill outfits to me.”
“Orin’s taking me out.” My heart does a little jump at saying his name.
“It was kinda unexpected, but he said he got invited to the opening of an exclusive, new cocktail bar in Forestville. It’s the first night off he’s had in…
” I roll in my lips, searching my memory.
He’s pretty much been working nonstop since I moved in. “Well, forever.”
Nervous excitement curls in my stomach. After my outdoor date with Luca, Orin is the only alpha I’ve yet to spend any real quality time alone with, unless you count our new nightly rituals of eating junk food while watching an episode of Desperate Housewives.
Last night, before he turned in, he stunned me when he announced that he was taking me out on a real date.
“The Velvet Room?” Kady’s eyes sparkle. There’s little that happens around here that she doesn’t know about. “It’s super classy. Not exactly Club Knotty vibes.”
“As long as there’s music and a dance floor, I’m sold.” I turn my camera back to the dresses. “So? Thoughts?”
“The black one,” Kady answers.
“I like the green,” Delilah replies.
Faye’s face is still scrunched in concentration. “It’s too hard to pick. I like them both.”
A laugh bursts from me when Larry’s squashed orange face suddenly fills Kady’s screen, giving us a close-up of his pink nose as he sniffs.
“You’re blocking my view, Larry!” Kady wrangles her cat into a better spot on her lap. Larry peers at us, producing what sounds like a judgmental harrumph.
“Larry doesn’t seem to be a fan of the black.” I laugh. “I was actually thinking the green one. I love the way the sequins catch the light.”
Larry meows in what I imagine is agreement, sealing the deal.
“You’ll look fabulous in whatever you wear,” Faye proclaims. “You’ll blow Orin away.”
“I hope he knows what he’s getting himself into, taking you to a bar.” Delilah puts her hand to her mouth, giggling. “Stay away from the tequila this time, okay?”
I shudder at the memory. “Never again.”
Delilah tilts her head to the side. “How are you feeling about tonight?”
“I’m…” I comb my free hand through my curls to give them more of a Hollywood blowout look. “Nervous. With the other guys, I know exactly where I stand, but Orin’s different. If it wasn’t for our steamy encounter in the laundry room, I wouldn’t be sure he even—”
“Wait, I need to know details!” Delilah squeals. “The laundry room?”
“The guy has fingers straight from the gods, and his dirty talk is next level.” I press my palm to my chest, the memories sending ripples of arousal through me. “But he’s not like other guys I’ve dated before. He’s older. More experienced.”
“You’re not exactly the Virgin Mary,” Kady snickers.
“I wasn’t talking about in the bedroom!” I roll my eyes. “He’s more mature. With the others, I get them—you know? But Orin’s serious. He’s focused on work. What can someone like me offer him?”
“Opposites attract,” Kady replies knowingly. “Maybe you can teach him how to loosen up.”
I jump at the opportunity to tease her. “Like the guys did with you?”
“I’m a work in progress,” Kady admits. “But look at Hale and veterinary school. All he needed was a little push in the right direction.”
Faye nods in agreement. “Maybe you’ll be the burst of fun Orin needs? If anyone can bring him out of his shell, you can.”
“That’s definitely in my wheelhouse,” I agree, feeling a little better. I have been enjoying our banter lately. “But what if he wants someone more serious?”
“If he did, then he wouldn’t be getting down and dirty with you in the laundry room. Don’t worry, you’ve got this!” Delilah’s positivity practically radiates through the screen as Jagger pops up behind her, holding a thick stack of what looks like sheet music.
“I’ll come back when you guys are done chatting,” Jagger murmurs to her then waves at us. “Hi everyone.”
“Hi Jagger,” we chorus back.
“Jag and I are working on some new songs together,” she informs us as he disappears.
“I hope we’ll be able to hear some of those songs soon,” Kady tsks. “Tell Jagger I want a TVV exclusive as soon as an album or next single drops.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” Delilah flashes a smile.
“Sabs?” I hear Luca’s voice from outside my nest. “The car is waiting.”
“Shit!” I almost drop my phone. “Gotta go, guys.” Then I call out to Luca, “I’ll be right there.”
“Have fun!” Faye sounds happy, her eyes lighting up when she spots a flower. “Ohhh, a Cherokee rose!”
“Let us know how your date goes,” Delilah says.
“And tell me all about the cocktails,” Kady chimes in. “I’ve heard their martinis are to die for.”
I hang up, managing to squeeze into my green dress and slip on my heels in record time.
“Woah.” Luca’s jaw drops when I open the door. “You look…”
I spin around, the back of my dress still gaping open. “Can you zip me up?”
His fingers are warm against my spine, moving slowly as he draws up the zipper. They linger at the nape of my neck, his lips brushing my skin and sending shivers scurrying down my spine. I’m about to melt when Adler emerges from his bedroom, looking hot as hell.
“Woah, firecracker.” He eyes me hungrily. “Are you sure you really want to go to this bar? We could head straight back to your nest instead.”
“Orin doesn’t like to be kept waiting, remember?” I saunter past, giving my hips an extra swing.
“Fuck,” Adler groans. “You’re killing me. How am I supposed to stay sane, knowing that you’re out there looking like that?”
“You’ll manage just fine,” I quip back. He races after me, leaning in to kiss me, but I dodge it. “No smudging my makeup before I leave.”
Drax hovers at the bottom of the stairs, his Adam‘s apple audibly working when he sees me. “Orin is lucky to have you all to himself tonight.”
“You’ve all had your turn.” I make eye contact with each of them to remind them.
“Well, technically, I haven’t,” Drax points out. “We’ve never been on an actual date before.”
“You mean, the many times we snuck away from my brothers to get ice cream on the beach weren’t real dates?” I love riling him up, but not too much, so I give him a smile. “But fine, we can plan something. Soon. I promise.”
Drax nods, turning to open the front door to reveal a black SUV waiting.
To my surprise, Orin isn’t driving. He leans against the car, tapping his foot.
He’s looking sharp in crisp slacks with a black shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
The first few buttons are undone, revealing his tanned torso and dark chest hair.
He checks his Rolex. “You’re late.”
“Fashionably late.” I stride forward with confidence. “There’s a difference.”
He opens the car door for me but blocks my entrance
“That dress.” His gaze darkens as it skims down my body in a deliciously dirty way, like he’s undressing me with his eyes. “You’re asking for trouble, dynamite.”
“Trouble?”
“Do you know how many alphas are going to have their eyes all over you because you look like that?”
“Let them stare.” I lift a shoulder. “Because I’m taken.”
A smirk tugs on his lips as he moves aside to let me slide into the plush backseat.
The driver grunts in acknowledgement as Orin leans over me to fasten my seat belt.
Usually, I’d make a wise crack about being able to do it myself, but breathing in his scent renders me silent, clenching my thighs together.
Let’s hope my super-slick-absorbent panties can last the evening.
He walks around to the other side then gets comfy in the seat next to me. “The Velvet Room.”
Although we’re in a huge car, the sizzling atmosphere causes the space to seem small, making it hard to breathe because of how good Orin smells. I’m determined to play it cool, but it’s going to be difficult to keep my hands to myself in such an enclosed area.