I brush a finger over the curve of his bottom lip. It’s a perfect cupid’s bow, and I feel a shiver of purewantskip down my spine. “Then you’ll give us a chance?”
“It’s all I ever wanted.”
College Kate would probably be gaping in shock, but I’m a different person now, and I sigh with happiness as his hand slides to the back of my neck and those lips touch mine. They’re plush but firm, and he lets me take the lead as we explore eachother slowly. Pleasure prickles over my skin, but it’s soft and undemanding, and neither of us rush to deepen the kiss. I melt into him as he wraps his arm around me and pulls me to his chest. I can hear his heart beating under my ear, and as far as first kisses go, it’s pretty close to perfect.
“So, what now?”
I’m almost hypnotized by the warmth of his chest and the blue glow of the pool lights, but I pull back to look at him. “Corbus and Bram have to go on a trip, so I’d love for you to stay with me and Dash. Just be prepared. He has a whole evening planned out.”
A smirk pulls at his freshly kissed mouth, but I think he’s intrigued by the offer. “Stay here?”
I wave a hand at the pool, the view, the velvety Manhattan sky. “It has to be better than a hotel, right?”
“Yeah. The company didn’t exactly splash the cash on it.”
I poke him in the ribs. “Probably also beats that apartment you had when we first met. Remember? You had to buy a fold out bed because there wasn’t enough room for a bedandyour beloved entertainment unit.”
“Oh, yeah.” He laughs, a bark of happiness that goes straight to my curling toes. “It was so damn tiny, you couldn’t swing a cockroach around without hitting a wall.”
“Ew. Thankfullythosedays are behind us.” I stand and hold out my hand. “Shall we go see what Dash has prepared for us in the entertainment department?”
He gets to his feet with athletic ease, his arm circling my waist as he stares down at me with all his feelings in plain view. “Well, you’re going to be a hard act to follow, Katie, but I’m up for it if you are.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN - KATE
Corbus’ trip is expected to last a week, which will give the three of us plenty of time to overcome any getting-to-know-you nerves. Not that Dash could ever make anyone feel unwelcome, plying Lachlan with delectable snacks while we snuggle together in the media room in front of his favorite romantic comedy. We’ve kicked off our shoes and covered ourselves in fluffy blankets, Dash handfeeding me chocolate-coated strawberries and handfuls of popcorn that taste more like his sweet scent than the caramel coating. It’s been a long time since I was pampered by anyone, and now I havetwoguys waiting on my every whim. And I lap up every moment of it. Which mostly involves holding hands and sharing chocolate-smeared kisses before we fall asleep in the ultra-comfortable media chairs.
“I’ve got rehearsal,” Dash says the next morning as he drops a kiss on my sleepy lips. I rub my eyes, Lachlan making a cute snuffling sound at my side. “Are you going to Sweet Eternity today?”
“Mmm.” I stretch, blinking up at a Dash as he presses a cup of coffee into my hands. “Thanks. Yeah, but just for a few hours. I thought we could meet you for lunch if you’re free.” We talkedloosely about our plans last night, and while we all have busy schedules, Dash is the one who’s most squeezed for time with opening night only a couple of weeks away. “Maybe I could stay for your afternoon rehearsal as well?”
Dash beams at me. “Perfect. Text me when you’re on your way.”
Lachlan props himself up on an elbow on my other side, looking adorably sleep-creased. “Can I come watch you work?”
At first, I think he means Dash, but his brown eyes are fixed firmly on me. “Really? If you want to, but dressmaking isn’t exactly a spectator sport.”
“Hmm. Maybe he could model a few of your castaway swimsuits.” Dash shoots Lachlan a flirty wink. “I’d pay to see that.”
So would I, actually - assuming I wasn’t drowning in debt. Although, what’s stopping me from paying him in trade? I crook a brow at him, my gaze lingering on his perfect proportions. Lachlan hasn’t lost an inch of his quarterback build, and my fingers itch to get busy with him, for a number of reasons. “Have you ever been fitted for a custom jacket?”
“Now you’re just being mean,” Dash fake-pouts, then drops a soft, lingering kiss on my lips. “Whatever you get up to, I want pictures.”
I grab his arm, holding him close so I can breathe in his perfect scent. But I also take the opportunity to cup his cheek and search his eyes. “You’re really okay with this?”
‘This’ could mean a lot of things, but with the movie as a backdrop, I was able to ask Dash what he thought about the scent bonds we’d sprung on him. In true Dash form, he’d declared that it was a case of more the merrier.
“Sweetheart, if you could see inside my head right now, you’d be blushing all damn day.”
The guys laugh as they exchange a slappy hand farewell and I have to resist crawling into Lachlan’s lap and kissing the grin off his face. But there’s no time for that right now, and after a quick shower and breakfast, Hector drops us at Sweet Eternity. I’m planning to spend most of the morning working on a few projects in the back, but first I have to introduce Lachlan to Florence. Luckily, my boss is busy setting up for a private fitting for one of her VIP customers, and she keeps it brief. “Are you interested in modeling?” She looks Lachlan over in his form-fitting jeans and black Henley. “We’re always looking for betas who can fill out a jacket in all the right places.”
Florence is known for her straight-talking, but since this is their first meeting, I hurry to add, “Betas make the best models because they don’t transfer their scents to the clothes.”
A lot of alphas object to fabrics that smell of other alphas, but most betas aren’t big enough to match their proportions. I’m not surprised that Florence wants to hire a guy with Lachlan’s looks and build, and it’s a relief to see that he hasn’t taken offense at the suggestion. “I’m not sure if I’d be any good at it, but if it helps Katie out, I’m your guy.”
Florence gives me an arch look but just waves us off with a small smile. “Well, if any of the customers ask why you have a handsome man back there, we’ll just tell them he’s your muse.”
“Muse, hmm?” Lachlan follows me into the salon where I took Dash’s measurements for his jacket, looking around with appreciative eyes. “This is nice.”
