Chapter 8 #2
“And then the next time everyone is free, we can swap partners,” Willow grins, the sexual innuendo not missed.
“I’d like that.”
I was a little nervous about trying to get to know two new people in a big group while Atlas is doing the same. This one on one time gives me a better chance to get that time with Willow.
“Getting some one on one time with my tiny dancer? Sign me up,” Atlas growls softly, stepping closer to Jude.
Jude’s pupils dilate, his breath hitching as the two of them get locked in a heated stare.
“Let’s let these two be,” Willow whispers, amusement in her voice.
“Ah man, I was enjoying the show,” I pout.
Willow’s smile has my stomach swooping.
She steps up to Jude and leans in. “Be a good boy.” She nips at his ear making him gasp in a shuddering breath. “You too.” She shoots Atlas a cheeky grin.
“Can’t make any promises, Alpha,” Atlas chuckles. “I know just the perfect kind of trouble we could get into.”
“I bet you do.” Willow shakes her head. “Ready?” she asks me.
“Let me grab my purse and phone,” I tell her, rushing over to my kitchen counter and grabbing the two before joining her again. “Ready. Did you want to drive or walk?”
“How about we walk? I’d love to see your beautiful town.”
“Then let’s go for a walk.”
“I gotta say, I’m impressed.” Willow shoots me an easy smile as she leans back in her chair.
She’s already changed positions five times since we sat down five minutes ago. I find it cute. I don’t have ADHD, but I do find I get restless easily. I like to keep myself moving.
It’s one of the reasons I like working at the club, I’m always moving from table to table, never staying in one spot for long.
“With me, or the town?” I joke.
“Both,” she laughs. “This place is amazing. To think there’s this entire safe haven for omegas hidden in the middle of nowhere.”
“That was the goal. Making this place hard to find helps keep unwanted guests away.”
“What about the ones who need this place?”
“If they know it exists, they will find a way. We have people out there who lend a helping hand.”
“What do you mean?” She cocks her head to the side.
“How do I explain it?” I take a moment to think.
“Okay, so say someone who lives here has a friend, or a family member who lives with someone else, right? If they see an omega who looks like they need to start over, who needs a safe place, they mention Widows Peak. No address, just the mention of the area. If that person really wanted to find us, they would go through the trouble to look.”
“Ahhh,” she nods her head. “I get what you mean.”
“As for people in surrounding towns, the right ones know where we are, and they make sure not to speak too openly to anyone they don’t trust.”
“I kind of wish we knew about this place when we started over.” Willow looks out the window. “It’s perfect for Jude.”
“Who knows,” I test the waters. “If everything goes well, I have lots of room at my place.”
Her attention turns my way again, an easy smile lifting on her lips. “Who knows,” she says as she lifts her coffee to her lips, her eyes holding my gaze.
I let myself get lost in her ocean eyes for just a moment before she shifts again.
“How about we get out of here?”
“Sure. What did you have in mind?”
“How do you feel about painting?” I ask as we stand.
“I love it.” Her eyes light up and I know right away my idea will be perfect.
With our coffees in hand, we walk side by side and talk.
“So, how did you and your friends find this place? Did you just get together and decide to build it?”
“No.” I chew on my lip. “It’s a pretty dark story.”
“I don’t mind dark.” Willow’s fingers bush against mine sending a zap of electricity through me. I glance up at her, finding her watching me with a patient look.
I’m not sure how much to tell her. Gideon is gone and dead, but it’s still a sensitive subject.
“This town was built by me, and my five friends. We didn’t meet in a conventional way.
Some bad people did bad things and we did what we had to do to survive,” I shrug.
“We got out and vowed to never let anyone else control us. We built a place for omegas like us, a place we wish we had the chance to find when we were at the lowest points in our lives.”
“I admire you, Briar,” she says, surprising me.
“All of you. It takes a strong person to go through something traumatic and come out with such a positive outlook on life. To have the determination to do something positive rather than let your demons drag you under. I’d love to hear about your story someday, when you’re ready to tell it. ”
“Okay,” I whisper, turning my attention away from her, not sure how to process this wave of emotion that hits me.
I’m not sure why I want to lean into her touch, to let her hold me while I spill every dirty little secret. There’s this pull I have towards her, this connection right off the bat.
It should freak me out, put me on guard but it doesn’t. I feel safe. Like it’s okay to trust her.
Still, until I know her and Jude a bit better, I’m going to keep my past to myself. I haven't even told Atlas yet. All he knows is I have a dark past and that's why I’m on blockers.
“We’re here.” I stop in front of a little shop.
Willow looks it over and then I watch her eyes light up. “Is this a paint your own pottery shop?”
“Yup. But it also has other things you can do, like painting, and you can even craft your own things out of clay.”
“Okay this is amazing.” A warm feeling starts to spread in my chest at the bright beaming smile on Willow’s face, pride at picking the right thing to do filling me.
“Thanks,” I tell Willow as she opens the door for me. She presses her hand to my lower back lightly, guiding me inside. Her touch sends a shiver down my spine and right to my clit.
“I love it already,” Willow says as she steps in after me, her eyes roaming around the place, trying to take it all in. “What should we do first?” she asks me, the excitement in her eyes infectious.
“I’m good with whatever you want to do,” I laugh softly.
“Want to make something?” she asks.
“Let’s do it.”
We go over to the clay station. The worker asks if we want to build something or paint one of the pre-made items.
“Build,” Willow says. “I like to get my hands dirty.”
“Same,” I chuckle. Only, I prefer my hands soaked in blood, not clay.
We get set up at our stations and get started.
“What are you making?” Willow asks me after a few moments.
“I have no idea,” I laugh, and stare at my blob of clay. “What about you?”
“I’m thinking a coffee cup. Something new for my morning coffee.”
I look at what she’s working with and sigh. It already looks way better than what I’m working with.
We talk a little bit as we work. It’s filled with more smiles and laughter than I thought was possible for me.
I’m not the most social person. Outside Atlas, the person I probably see the most is Lexi but she has her own pack now, and a baby on the way. I’ve been seeing her less and less, and while it sucks, I’m excited to spend my free time building my own life.
Something I never thought would happen.
An hour later, we’re both done with our creations.
“Damn girl,” I laugh. “That looks amazing!”
“Thank you.” Willow smiles at her masterpiece with pride. “I’m not sure what kind of design I’m going to do.”
“You have a few days to decide. They will have to cure it first and then we can come back and decorate.”
“Sounds good to me. So, what did you end up making? I got so lost in my own thing I didn’t really pay attention to what you were doing.”
“Probably for the better,” I snicker, feeling like a happy little child right now.
“What's with the mischievous look on your face?” she asks, raising an amused brow.
“I made something for Atlas,” I grin.
“Oh, yeah? What would that be?”
“Ready?” I ask and she laughs, nodding her head. “I made… his dick!”
Moving my hand, I reveal the dick and balls I crafted.
Willow’s lips part. “Fucking hell, Briar, that thing is huge.”
“Right? And, it’s true to size,” I say smugly.
Her eyes widen even more. “You’re joking?”
“Nope,” I giggle.
“Oh, poor Jude’s ass. No wonder he was walking funny for a few days after they first met,” she says with a pitying tone.
I let out a choked sound before bursting out laughing and Willow joins in.
“Don’t worry, it looks scary but the man knows how to use it. You’ll see.”
She gives me a soft smile, like what I just said made her happy.
The idea of Atlas and Willow together doesn’t make me jealous just like Atlas and Jude doesn’t and I’m going to take that as a good sign.
We let the woman take our masterpieces and move over to the paint section.
“I need to warn you, I have no artistic bone in my body. So I’m sorry in advance for whatever I create.”
“Hey, that dick was pretty impressive. His piercing… Does it feel good inside of you? The veins, are they like that on the real thing or did you add them for effect.”
“Oh, it’s real,” I grin. “And the piercing feels incredible.”
She bites her lip. “I can't wait to feel it for myself.”
I giggle as we get started on our paintings.
Because we have this part of the place to ourselves, I hook my phone up to the bluetooth speaker.
Willow smiles, and we both start to sing the song.
I grab two glasses and we help ourselves to some wine that's included in the painting package.
“Thank you.” She takes the glass from me.
“To a wonderful first date.” I hold up my glass.
“To a wonderful first date.”
Dancing my way back over to my canvas, I take a few sips of wine before placing the glass down. I stare at the blank space, wondering what I’m going to do.
“Fuck it,” I murmur. Thankfully the floor is covered in plastic and we’re in the middle of the room so none of the paint should get on the walls.
Squeezing out a little bit of every color onto the paint tray, I grab a brush and get to work.
“What are you doing?” Willow asks as I dance around, flinging the paint brush at the canvas.
“I’m feeling the moment, the music.” I grin over at her. “I’m feeling fun and wild.”