Chapter 19 #2
Levon steals my hand and that’s when Miles gives a mock growl.
Giggling, I tilt my head up to enjoy the sunlight.
I went with a flowered cottage core skirt and a black long sleeved crop top.
My black combat boots finish off the outfit with fishnet stockings.
Santo’s fingers ghost along my exposed skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake while giving me little smiles.
I get a little more adventurous with my clothing when I’m with them. I also have Miles’ bite that strangers glance at and then immediately look away, and that helps me relax more. It’s like a huge ‘fuck off’ sign is flashing over my head right now.
“Caelia,” Miles says, making me look over my shoulder as we get closer to the square. “You look gorgeous. In case we forgot to tell you.”
“You didn’t,” I grin. They’ve been telling me this since I got dressed. “Thank you.”
“I’ve decided I’m a fan of these little shirts you’re wearing,” Santo murmurs.
“Crop tops?” I laugh, facing forward so I won’t trip.
“Mmhmm,” Santo replies.
Everything is so beautiful here. The energy is incredible, people are fairly nice, and someone offered to take a photo of me with my alphas. It’s our first photo, not that I’ll make a big deal about it, but it’s perfect.
Miles glances at the image and nods. “You should send that one to the group chat. It’s good.”
Levon smirks but doesn’t say anything, and I quietly send the photo on. The three of them tap on their phones and show it to me. It’s now their screensavers.
“That’s amazing,” I grin.
“Let’s go take more pictures,” Levon says. “I like how happy it makes you.”
We spend the entire day exploring, and figure out the street car with a little help from a local. The waterfront is pretty, but the aquarium is one of the best that I’ve ever seen.
Levon, Miles, and Santo gaze around in awe with me, all semblance of “keeping cool” gone.
“Sting rays? Are we serious right now? They’re huge,” Santo murmurs.
It’s like being underwater, and we have a window to their home. It’s incredible.
It’s almost four in the afternoon by the time we leave the aquarium, and I’m starving.
“I can hear your stomach,” Miles tells me. “We need food.”
“I need food and a nap,” I confess. “I feel like an old lady.”
“You didn’t get enough sleep last night,” Levon chuckles. “Do you want dinner or something lighter?”
“I think I saw a place that specializes in crepes,” Santo muses.
“Mmm yes,” I decide excitedly. “I just need something in my stomach so I can fall face first into a bed.”
“That’s quite the description,” Miles teases me.
The crepe restaurant is actually a little hole in the wall that’s delicious, and I devour my food as we walk.
“So good,” I moan.
“As long as your stomach stops moaning like a banshee, I’m happy,” Miles says.
I mock glare at him and he shrugs as he finishes off his crepe. I don’t see him making any complaints.
“How about catching a ride share back to the rental?” Levon asks.
Miles beats Levon by ordering it, while we all roll our eyes goodnaturedly. Santo isn’t as competitive, but the other two definitely are. My eyes feel heavy as I sit between Santo and Levon, and I start to lean against Santo, struggling to stay awake.
“We’re almost there,” he murmurs. “I’ll carry you in if you fall asleep.”
His words make me smile, but I manage to stay mostly awake until we arrive. Our rental is an apartment that overlooks a quiet street steps from the French Quarter. It has a pretty balcony that Levon says he wants to cuddle with me on, but I also suspect that that’ll probably translate to sex.
I suppose I'm not completely against that. It spans the entire second floor with two rooms, and there’s no one renting the bottom floor. Hypothetically, it wouldn’t be a terrible place to have my heat.
I tossed out my last four heat pills before I left the hotel and told the guys I was willing to see how the week goes. If I go into heat, then it happens. I want to have sex with Levon at some point before that. It feels wrong for our first time to happen during my heat.
What if I don’t completely remember it? Yes, these are the things I think about.
“You’re thinking very hard,” Levon says as Miles unlocks the apartment door.
“I was thinking about having sex with you,” I say before clapping my hand over my mouth.
“Tell me more,” he laughs. “What about it were you thinking about?”
The air is cool in the apartment as we walk inside and I drop my hand as I turn to tell him.
“I don’t want our first time to be during my heat,” I explain.
“Ahh, are you cramping? Do you think it may be happening now?” Levon asks. There’s almost excitement in his tone, and I roll my eyes.
“Not this second,” I say, waving my hand in the air to dispel his words.
“He sounds excited about it, doesn’t he?” Miles murmurs.
“I mean I am, but I don’t know where this is coming from,” Levon lectures him.
It’s adorable.
“It was a random thought,” I say, moving into the largest bedroom. It has a pretty canopy over the enormous bed, and there are curtains over the windows to mute the sunlight. It’s perfect for an afternoon nap. “I just wanted to put it out there.”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I lean down to take off my boots, but Levon beats me to it. Kneeling on the hardwood floor, he unzips my boots and pulls them off.
“Do you want a hoodie to sleep in?” Miles asks, grabbing one of his.
“Yes please,” I say, feeling the lack of sleep hit me more.
Santo pulls my shirt over my head, and the three of them help me change.
“Do you want someone to cuddle with?” Levon asks as I scoot my body back and slide under the blankets.
“Yes please,” I yawn, my jaw nearly cracking.
“Go for it, Miles,” Levon says. At my glance, he smirks. “I can share just fine, when I want to.”
Giggling, I watch as Santo and Levon leave, closing the door behind them. Miles strips down to his boxers and gets in next to me, his arms wrapping around me to make me the little spoon.
“I’m glad I’m getting to nap with you. I’ll need it to keep up with you three,” he murmurs, his breath tickling my neck.
I fall asleep with my lips curled up in a smile.