Chapter 6 #2
My answer comes out in a hushed whisper. “Yes.”
He licks his lips, and my eyes snag on the movement as it steals the air from my lungs, my breathing suddenly heavy just like it was with his bandmate moments ago. Then I look at his hand that’s holding a champagne flute, the clear liquid a taunting secret.
“You’re drinking champagne,” I mutter, low and scratchy, and he chuckles.
“It’s all I have a taste for today.” He brings it to his lips and takes a hearty gulp, nearly swallowing the entire contents of the glass. “I’ve had three, but I can’t seem to satisfy the craving.”
Jamie’s words are teasing, but there’s nothing confident about the vulnerable look on his face. He has an array of freckles dancing over his nose, cute and plentiful as he scrunches it, embarrassed by his attempt at flirting. It has me relaxing a little bit.
“Maybe you should drink a few more,” I joke back. “Really drive the point home.”
“Nah, then someone will have to drive me home.” He laughs as he places the flute on the bar and scoots closer.
The bartender shows up then, placing a bottle of water in front of me.
Jamie places down a twenty before I can react, shaking his head when he sees the look of protest on my face.
“It’s a water. Not even a proper courting gift.
Let me know if you want anything else, and I’ll buy it for you. ”
My stomach warms, and I find myself blushing. “I’m not really a courting gift kind of omega,” I say, because it’s true. I can buy anything I want. I have almost too much money at my disposal, even before we signed our seven-figure deal.
“Okay,” he responds. “I know there’s something you’ll enjoy from us. I’ll just have to figure it out. Unique experiences? Quality time?”
I smirk. “If you can figure it out, sure, but I’m not giving you any hints.”
He leans forward, his lips curving into a flirtatious grin that makes my head reel. “I won’t need hints. I’ll just have to observe you, which won’t be hard considering we’ll be in close contact very soon anyway.”
The reminder is like a rush of cold water, dousing the flame building between us. I flinch, backing away slightly, but then a hand touches my back and halts me.
“Is he bothering you, Jo?” Cleo is there, her face hard as she eyes Jamie.
“It’s nice to see you again,” he tells her, undeterred by the scowl she is giving him. “I hope things are well.”
“They’re fine,” she spits at him, and I feel obligated to put a hand out to reel her back.
“Maybe we should go back to our table,” I tell her, trying to mitigate before things get worse, but then another presence is there. A hulking storm of an alpha, his body covering Jamie’s as he steps in between us.
“Ah, just the asshole I didn’t want to see,” Cleo remarks, glaring up at Cyrus.
He looks between us, his features neutral as he takes in the scene. There’s a slight tensing in his jaw when we catch eyes, and I find myself gulping in response.
Cyrus Darlington is an intimidating alpha. He is gorgeous, every omega’s dream, but he also has the most dominant energy I’ve ever stood in front of. I can’t quite put my finger on what he’s feeling; his face a mask of indifference, and that leaves me shaking in my boots.
“Just like you to skip the formalities and go right into the hard-hitting insults, Cleo,” he shoots back.
My heart begins to beat once more at the tension between them, and my mind suddenly starts to race and catastrophize.
What if they get into a fight right here? What if we have to cancel the tour? What if Cleo gets triggered and relapses?
What if my scent matches decide they don’t want me because of their beef with my best friend?
“I have to go.” I zoom away, unable to stop myself as my body goes into fight or flight, and I always choose flight.
There isn’t a moment to process what just happened until I’m in an empty hallway beside the bathrooms. The peace is suddenly so nice, and I realize I probably should have stayed home.
But my omega knew this would happen. Despite the anxiety that just rose because of the disdain between my scent matches and my best friend, I can’t help replaying the conversation I had with Jamie at the bar. It was easy, nice, and I wish it didn’t have to end.
“Josie Rosewood…”
I close my eyes for a moment, then sigh with surrender before looking up at the alpha I knew I would see: Remi fucking Ainsworth.
They’re everywhere. I can’t escape them, no matter where I turn.
“Omega,” the bassist says, and my heart picks up in speed. His accent is slightly different from the other guys, the vowels curving slightly and his tone much more gravelly, and his eyes are the brightest blue I have ever seen. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you all day.”
I’m panicked, but my body stays in place.
There’s no one else in this corridor leading to the bathrooms. It’s the only place of solace in the entire building, and he found me here.
His scent is strong, sweet, sticky, and syrupy.
My mouth gapes open on a pant, the aroma immediately pulling me under as it grips me completely.
There hasn’t been one second of reprieve when interacting with their scents, and I know the last member—the one who isn’t here tonight—won’t be any different. It looks like each and every member of this band is destined for me.
My omega sends a whine up our throat, and then my body is being pulled into the singular bathroom nearby.
Despite the alarm bells ringing in the back of my head that someone could see, I suddenly couldn’t care less.
My omega and I are on the same page; we both need this, this alpha who has just given us the privacy we need to properly take in the entirety of him.
He is tall, broad. His long hair is twisted into a bun at the back of his head, but I feel the urge to tug it down.
Lace my fingers into the dark locks and hold on.
The lock clicks behind us, and suddenly, I feel unbound, free.
He pulls me closer to him, and despite all the reasons not to, I close the gap between us and slam my lips to his.
I have always thought kissing was abysmal.
I never understood what was so appealing about it, especially with the few bad ones that I’ve had, but this is other-worldly.
Like my other half has found me and we’re trying to morph together in a physical embrace.
His lips dance over mine and his husky, desperate sounds cause my stomach to flip like rocks along a riverbank.
When it deepens, a moan escapes me, and he picks me up without any effort and places me on the sink, causing my skirt to rise over my thighs.
His lips find my neck, and my omega preens at the notion that his teeth are right where they need to be. Instead of biting me, however, he trails kisses over the sensitive column of my throat, making sparks of energy shoot down my spine.
I’ve never been this riled up before. It feels like I could explode from one single touch. The slightest movement over my clit and I’d be done for.
Not to mention, his scent is a mysterious dose of ecstasy. It’s sweet and decadent, with a hint of marshmallow, but there’s also something dark and sultry that I can’t pinpoint. With every inhale, I fall a little bit more under its spell, desperate for more.
His fingers make a trail up my legs and over my thighs, leaving fire in their wake.
They tease along the line of my panties, almost brushing the place I need him most as he pulls them aside, baring me to the cold air.
Goosebumps erupt over me, and he groans as his lips kiss up my neck, aroused by the sudden burst of slick that permeates the air.