Chapter 39
Riley
Reid’s words do something to me. I lean back and stare at him. What? He asks.
I want all that with you.
His eyes soften, and he reaches up to push a hair behind my ear. Good because I’m not giving you up.
In the back of my mind, I hear the front door open again and figure Quint’s coming back.
Then I realize it’s not Quint because I feel my dad before I see him.
I push off Reid, and he places his hands on my hips, lifting me effortlessly to my feet.
I make a mental note to ponder how good that felt later.
Reid stands tall behind me, dropping a hand to my hip.
My dad looks between the two of us. “Congratulations, both of you.”
Zane frowns. “For what?” He sniffs and says flatly, “You bonded.”
I ignore him and face my dad. “Thank you.”
His eyes are intense as they look over me. “Are you okay?”
The game suddenly comes back to me. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine now.” I give him a sheepish smile. “Apparently, you were right.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “Occasionally, I can be.”
I smile at that. “It was the bond making me weak, but we’re good now.”
Reid tightens his grip on my waist and steps closer to me.
I lean against his strong body and try to focus on my dad.
My father looks over my shoulder. “I’m glad you’re bonded; that’s good for both of you.
” He walks over and pulls me into a hug.
“I’m glad you’re okay; don’t ever scare me like that again.
” I step out of his embrace and move to the side.
Reid puts his hand out, but my dad pulls him in for a hug.
“Congratulations, Son. I couldn’t have chosen a better mate for my daughter. ”
I glance up at Reid with a smile and see he’s uncharacteristically quiet. “Thank you, Sir,” he says quietly. I reach over and squeeze his hand. He doesn’t let go, and that makes me smile.
“You both need to rest. We’ll leave you so you—” The front door to the house flies open, crashing into the wall.
“Riley Alyssa Blackwood!”
“Oh boy,” my brother says in a low voice.
My father steps out of the way as my mother blows in. “Hey, Mom, I—” I don’t get out another word before I’m swallowed up in a hug so tight I can’t breathe. “Mom, I can’t breathe,” I manage to say. She loosens her hold on me marginally. Then she pulls back and meets my eyes.
“I heard you passed out. Your father just told me a little bit ago,” she says looking over at him with a dark look.
“I wanted to find out what happened first before I worried you,” he says easily, not at all concerned about my mother’s wrath.
“Well, as you can see, I’m fine,” I start.
She looks between Reid and I. “You bonded.”
Zane throws up his hand. “How come everybody picked up on it but me?”
“I didn’t,” Evie says soothingly, running her hand up and down his bicep.
Nobody points out that she wouldn’t notice because she doesn’t have the nose of a shifter; she wouldn’t be able to smell it.
But those of us with shifter noses can. Reid and I have a combined scent now, letting other wolves know that we’re bonded.
“So, why did you pass out?” my mom asks.
I give her a sheepish look. “The bond. It weakened me too much, I guess, since we hadn't bonded yet. But we bonded, and I’m good to go. So, no one needs to worry about me.”
That’s never going to happen, Reid sends me through our bond.
My father wraps his arm around my mom’s shoulder. “We’re glad you’re okay.”
“Yes, we are,” my mom echoes. “Next time, tell me, huh? Don’t make me hear about it from someone else.”
I nod. “Got it. I will do my best.” A massive yawn overtakes me, and I suddenly feel like my eyelids weigh a thousand pounds.
“No need to walk us out,” my father says. “You two get some rest.” He hugs me again and pats Reid on the shoulder.
Zane looks at us and then follows my parents to the door. “I’ll walk them out; you two get some rest.”
I grab Reid’s hand and pull him with me to his bedroom. Closing the door, I take a deep breath. “Well, that was fun.”
Reid chuckles and pulls me into his arms. “Was it, though? I think we were having much more fun before they all showed up.”
I smile up at him. “We were and we can contin—” Another massive yawn hits, and my eyes water with it.
“Right now, sleep,” he says. He walks over to the bed and pulls the covers down and kicks off his shoes. I watch him, feeling like I’m sort of just floating at this point.
“Are we sleeping in the same bed?”
He looks over at me, halting in the process of taking off his shirt. “Is that okay with you?”
“Yep.” There’s not an ounce of hesitation in my answer.
His eyes meet mine, and I shiver at the heat there. “You’re mine, and I’m yours for life. I think we should be okay sleeping next to each other.”
I pull back the covers and all but fall into the bed, groaning when my head hits the pillow.
I don’t remember ever feeling this tired in my entire life.
Reid climbs into bed next to me and pulls me into his arms. I really wish I was more awake to enjoy it, but the moment I close my eyes, I’m out.
I sleep hard, and the next morning, I can’t even remember what my name is, let alone what day it is.
I stare up at the ceiling and recall the memories of last night.
I think the memories return at the same time the heavy arm draped over my side registers.
I close my eyes and just let this moment wash over me.
I’m not sure I’ve ever slept so well in my entire life.
I must make too much movement, because I hear Reid’s voice.
“Morning.” It’s deep and laden with sleep and pretty much the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard.
I roll towards him, unable to keep the smile off my face. “Morning. Did you sleep well?”
He reaches out and strokes my cheek. “The best I’ve ever slept.”
I sigh. “Me too.” I snuggle deeper into the covers, relishing in his body heat. “Do you think we can just stay in bed today?”
He leans forward and kisses my forehead. “Sure.”
“That sounds—” I don’t even get the words out before somebody bangs on our door.
“Come on, Sleepyheads,” Quint’s voice cuts through the door. “Lunch is ready, and then it’s game time. Don’t think you’re getting out of it just because you bonded. Be out here in ten minutes.”
I stare at Reid with wide eyes. “Don’t worry about it,” Reid says. “Nobody listens to Quint.”
The door shudders like somebody ran into it. “I heard that,” Quint calls out, and Reid chuckles. “You don’t have to listen to me, but Slate and Tessa will be here soon. Tessa will not go for anyone sitting out if she doesn’t get to.”
Reid groans. “I guess we have to get up,” I say right before I sit up.
“Wait,” he says before I get too far. He tugs me back towards him. “I didn’t kiss you good morning yet.”
I smile up at him. “Well, in that case...”
It’s a good thirty minutes or so before Reid and I make it out to the kitchen.
Remarkably, we didn’t even spend all that time making out.
We took turns taking showers, and I guess neither of us were really in a hurry to leave our little haven in Reid’s room.
But now that we did, I’m excited to spend the day with everybody.
I can’t remember the last time I was here for a Sunday.
“Riley!” Tessa calls out and then swallows me in a hug. She pulls back, beaming. “Congratulations, Guys!” She glances over at Evie and then back to me. “Riley, on behalf of Evie and myself, I would like to formally congratulate you on dog-wah.”
I lift an eyebrow and look between the two girls. Evie shakes her head, but Tessa is totally invested. “I don’t get it,” I finally say.
“You are now a proud member of dog-wah,” she says. “Dating a hot guy who’s also a wolf. But that’s too much to say, so we just say dog-wah.”
It takes me a moment. “Oh, DAHGWAAW.”
“Exactly,” Tessa says, beaming.
Quint leans over Zane and Slate where they’re sitting at the table. “Aw, guys what are we going to call ourselves?”
“How about—get your hands off me before I break them,” Slate says in a low voice.
Quint holds up his fingers. “G-Y-H...” Slate elbows him, and he backs away, laughing.
I rub my hands together. “What can I do to help with food?”
Evie turns to me. “Oh, we ordered food. It should be here any minute.” She grins at me. “P. F. Chang’s.”
My eyes widen. “Really?”
Evie gives me a wide smile and looks at Zane. “It was his idea since he was sort of a jerk last night.”
Zane scowls and shakes his head, but then he turns to the two of us. “I’m sorry I wasn’t happier last night that you two bonded; it just threw me off. But that’s no excuse,” he says, putting a hand up. “I really am happy for you both.”
I walk over to him and give him a fierce hug. “Thank you, Brother.”
He hugs me back. When I pull back, he turns to Reid. “If you hurt her...”
Reid nods. “I know.”
Then they hug, and I can’t stop my smile.
It feels really good. There’s a part of me that regrets not doing this sooner.
But then I look at the group around me and know that this was just the right time.
After we eat our weight in chicken lettuce wraps, fried rice, and delicious entrees like Mongolian beef and Sesame Chicken, we sit around the table talking and laughing.
I lean against Reid and hold my sides from laughing too hard.
“All right. The food’s had long enough to digest. It’s time to play,” Quint says, standing up and stretching.
“No excuses. You all ate,” he says, pointing to each of us in turn. “So, you all have to play.”
“What sport is it today?” I ask as I start gathering the empty cartons.
“Ooo,” Tessa sits up from where she was reclining against Slate, and we all turn to look at her. “We always have to play your sports. Today, Evie and I are picking something new.”
“We are?” Evie asks. When Tessa cuts her a look, she stiffens. “Right. We are.”
“Yes,” Tessa continues. “Dodgeball.”
Evie faces Tessa and scrunches up her nose. “Dodgeball, really?”
“Yeah, what’s after that?” Quint asks. “Tag?”
Tessa’s eyes light up. “Ooo, yes. Perfect. Dodgeball, then tag.”
Quint squints. “Are we back in kindergarten?”
Slate starts to stand, and Quint immediately backs down. “Dodgeball and then tag. Perfect.”
I laugh and catch Reid’s smirk out of the corner of my eye.
We all pitch in to pick up lunch and then head outside.
I can’t help but laugh when I see there’s already a big circle spray painted on the field and several bright, colorful balls in the middle of the huge circle.
“You were really planning this,” Quint says what we’re all thinking.
“Yes,” Tessa says. “And you can thank Slate for this amazing circle.”
“He’s a man with hidden talents,” Zane says dryly. Slate doesn’t even bother responding.
“All right. Here’s how it works,” Tessa explains.
“Everybody has to stand outside the circle to start. When Slate gives the signal, everybody runs to the middle to get a ball. After the whistle, if you step outside the circle, you’re out.
If you get hit, you’re out. If you catch someone’s ball from the air, they’re out. Everybody got it?”
“What are the teams?” I ask.
“Zane, Evie, and Quint versus the rest of us,” she says. I nod, liking the fact we have an extra player. “All right. Everybody outside the circle.”
“Guys, watch the throws at the girls. Don’t use full force,” Zane says.
Quint grins. “But you didn’t say we couldn’t with each other.”
I stand next to Reid outside the circle and look up at him. He’s already eyeing the balls in the middle, and I can’t help my grin. This is going to be fun. Slate whistles, and then it’s all-out war.