Chapter 15
CAELIA
I’m torn between being excited to get home so I can change because I’m wearing yesterday’s panties, and sad that I have to go.
Miles holds my hand as we go down the elevator, and I smile when Santo and Levon join us. Santo glances at my hand linked in Miles’ before coming closer to cup my face.
“Good morning,” I murmur, looking up at him.
“Fuck, you’re pretty,” he mutters, leaning down to kiss me. His lips are firm and soft, teasing me to open for him. My hand fists in his shirt and I marvel at all the firsts we seem to be having.
Santo is an incredible kisser. I feel lightheaded as he lifts his lips, and we’re both breathing hard.
“It’s definitely hot in here,” Levon murmurs.
Miles chuckles, ushering us forward as the doors open.
“Someone offered to give your car a jump before we called roadside assistance,” he says. “Yvonne’s brother runs a local towing service apparently.”
“When did you find that out?” I ask, dazed.
“I called downstairs last night while you were in the bathroom,” he explains.
“Wait, where did you sleep last night?” Levon asks, confused.
“There weren’t any rooms,” Miles explains. “By the time I realized, I’d already shooed you two off to bed.”
“I slept in Miles’ room,” I add, checking to see if that’s going to cause an issue.
“I’m jealous,” Santo pouts as we walk. “Not in any way that’ll cause an issue, but I wish you’d stayed with us instead.”
“Snooze you lose,” Miles teases him.
“He wanted to sleep on the couch,” I mumble.
“God, those things are tiny,” Levon groans. “I feel like I’m going to break it if I sit on it. Tell me Miles actually slept.”
“I had a wonderful pillow,” Miles shrugs.
“Lucky bastard,” Levon mutters as I grin.
My hair is wet and tangled down my back, but it should dry by the time I get home. Poor Dad is driving my Buick, because he insisted I drive his. He told me he trusted the SUV more, and there’s some serious irony there.
“I still have the car keys from last night, so I’ll drive us out to the cafe,” Miles says, walking over to the front desk to talk with her.
“I’m going to have my dad take the SUV in to have it looked at,” I say softly as I watch Miles. “He drives us everywhere instead of taking the bus.”
“Why?” Santo asks.
“He doesn’t want me to be separated from him, and he also doesn’t want me to be on the bus with the players,” I shrug. “I don’t mind it, but I worry about him.”
I keep to myself what he said about his doctor. I need to ask if he has any follow up appointments.
“Her brother is going to meet us at the car,” Miles says, coming back.
Walking out of the hotel, I pull on the sweatshirt I slept in last night.
“I’m bringing you one of my hoodies,” Santo grumbles.
“We both will,” Levon chuckles as we walk toward the back of the parking lot. “This way, you’ll have all of your alphas’ scents with you.”
“Mmm. I really like that idea,” I say.
The car is just as small as I remember, and Santo has no issue sitting me on his lap as he sprawls out in the back seat. He snuggles against me, sighing happily.
“We’re going to get to see you tonight after the game, right?” he asks.
“Yes,” I nod. I could play coy, but that’s not who I am. “How do you guys feel about going out to one of the bars with live music? I don’t have any friends here yet, and I wouldn’t want to go alone.”
“I’d hope not,” Miles rumbles. “I’ll go wherever you want. We’ll be in your city, Caelia.”
“Okay,” I say, relaxing into Santo’s arms. I’ll just dress in something I’ll feel cute in.
A man is waiting in the coffee shop’s lot when we pull in, and we all pile out of the car.
“Alexei,” Miles greets as we come over to him.
“Hello,” he says politely. Looking over at me, he glances at my hand where my key fob is clutched inside it. “We’re going to try to jump your car, yes?”
“Yes, please,” I nod. “I hope it’s nothing too serious.”
“I’d still suggest taking it into a shop when you get home,” he says. “My sister says you’re not from here.”
“New Orleans,” I reply, unlocking the car.
I watch as Alexei hooks up my car, and I sit in the driver seat, turning it on when he nods at me. It starts right up, and I sigh happily.
“Yay! Thank you so much,” I gush.
“What do we owe you?” Miles asks, ignoring my glance. “This really was so much easier than waiting for roadside assistance.”
“Bah, they take forever,” Alexei shrugs. “This is my good deed for the day. There’s no charge.”
“Really?” I ask, hanging out the door of the SUV.
“Of course,” he says firmly. “I don’t trust the battery, miss. Drive straight home if you can, and don’t turn off the car, alright?”
“Yes, sir,” I say, sitting back in the car to check my gas. “I have more than enough gas to get home too.”
“Good,” he says, taking off the jumper cables and shutting the hood. “Be careful driving.”
“Thank you,” Santo, Miles, and Levon chorus.
Alexie chuckles and waves as he gets into his truck.
“Okay, I’ll see you later,” I tell them. “Thank you for helping me with the battery.”
“Will you have a chance to get it looked at?” Miles asks.
“I should. I’ll text my dad about it before I leave so he knows to schedule it into his day. We have some Scorpions to beat, after all,” I wink.
“Brat,” Santo chuckles as I shut my door.
Getting comfortable, I plug my phone into the charger since I’ll be using the GPS, and text my dad.
Me
Hey, I’m headed home. I was able to get the battery jumped, but it should be looked at by a professional.
Dad
I managed to get in with Neil at the garage for two in the afternoon. If there’s anything seriously wrong with it, we’ll pick it up later.
My fingers are crossed, and I glance up to find my alphas standing by the SUV still.
“Okay, I’m going,” I murmur under my breath, setting my phone on its dock so I can see it without holding it.
Putting the vehicle into motion, I twist my body so I can look behind me to back up. Shifting into drive, I wave at my alphas as I pull away.
I maneuver through the streets with my mind racing a million miles an hour. A part of me is worried I’m going to screw this up somehow. All I can do is attempt to go with the flow and see where they go.
I’m about twenty minutes from home, when Addie calls me. My lips spread into a wide smile since we’ve only been able to text sporadically.
“Hi!” I greet her.
“That was very enthusiastic,” she chuckles. “Want to tell me why? I need something to distract me.”
My smile dims slightly at the fact that she’s going through something that she needs distracting from, but I nod regardless. If she wants to talk about it, she will.
“I went on a date with my scent matches and Dad’s car battery died. No, I didn’t bring him with me, but he insisted I take his car because it was safer,” I say.
“Ah, back it up. Tell… me… everything!” she squeals.
Chuckling, I do. I refuse to hold back a single detail, and I’m pulling into my driveway as I finish.
“Anyone else would tell you to be careful, but I won’t,” Addie says firmly. “You’re one of the most careful people I know. I want you to have fun, see where this goes, and let those guys spoil you with orgasms. Okay?”
“Yes,” I laugh, getting out of the vehicle. I don’t see my car, which means Dad isn’t home yet. “Listen, I know you just as well, which means that you have something to tell me too. Don’t wait too long, okay?”
“I promise,” she says softly. “I’m just not ready to talk about it yet.”
Closing up the SUV, I head toward the front door.
“I know, but when you are…”
“You’re there,” she finishes. “Are you going to stay out with them tonight? You should bring a bag with you if you are. Wearing yesterday’s clothing isn’t something you should make a habit of.”
“Ugh, you’re right. They haven’t mentioned anything yet. I’ll have to see,” I say, unlocking the door and going inside. “I’m still taking it one day at a time.”
“Nothing wrong with that. I gotta run. Please do everything I wouldn’t do!”
I’m grinning as she hangs up the phone, and I make sure I shut the door firmly and lock up. Running upstairs, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror in the hallway and shake my head.
I definitely have to shower with some conditioner. The hotel shampoo is not going to work for me.
This will at least keep me from over thinking about tonight.
SANTO
“Is it weird if I text her to make sure she got home okay?” I ask Levon nervously.
“Not at all,” he says. “I want her to stay with us tonight.”
We are about to get on the buses, and I nod in agreement as I begin to walk toward mine.
“Hey, I think you’re forgetting something,” he murmurs.
Smirking, I look back and shake my head. “Am I?” I tease him.
“I need a good luck kiss. You can’t throw my game off like this,” he says.
“This is why I won’t fuck you before a game,” I rasp, coming closer. “If you won, you'd be so spoiled.”
“That ship has sailed,” he grins, grabbing me behind the neck and kissing me in a filthy way. It’s all teeth and tongue, and fucking sexy.
“Get in that ritual!” someone yells, making Levon and I laugh.
“Are they serious?” I whisper. There are still things that I can’t quite believe about this team.
“Oh yeah. The last few games, every time we’ve kissed in front of the team, we win,” he says. “I’ll take every bit of luck against the Dragons tonight.”
“I don’t know, Caelia was pretty adamant about who would be winning,” I say. “May the best team win then.”
Leaving him behind as he makes a face at me, I’m still smiling as I find a seat on my bus. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I take a deep breath to settle myself. I pop earbuds into my ears and put on some music to block out everyone else.
I don’t mind the bus, but it’s hard to think sometimes.
Me
Hey, checking in. Did you get in alright, beautiful?
I am really excited to see her. There’s a physical pain in my chest from not seeing her that’s jarring. As a doctor, I really thought it was a heart attack the first time I felt it. No, it’s just my alpha instincts complaining that I’m not bonded to my omega.