It’s late. He’s with his pack. He probably has plans. He’s probably having wild monkey sex with his mates.
I clutch my phone in my hand, swallowing choc mint ice cream, clutching my pillow like a demented squirrel. What can he do for me? Why burden yet more people with my anxiety and ranting?
Everything is fine. Everything is?—
Everything isn’t fine. I’m calling Sawyer. And he can choose not to answer if he’s busy, right?
He replies on the second ring. “Coco. Are you all right?”
“Yes,” I whisper and then my voice cracks when I ask, “Can we talk for a bit?”
His warm voice curls around a little smile. “Sure we can. Are you comfortable?”
“I have ice cream.”
“Me, too. Tell me everything.”
Smiling, I sink further into my sofa and tell him about my love troubles.
“So this Ryder…” Sawyer audibly swallows his ice cream. “He’s hot, huh?”
“That’s the one you focus on? Why?”
“He’s mysterious! Of course I’m interested.” Swayer laughs maniacally. “I need to interrogate Ronin about him. He barely ever talks about his hot colleagues.”
“Don’t you dare, Sawyer Robert Jeremiah.”
“Those are not my middle names!” he protests.
“Well, I had to invent some, otherwise how would I scold you properly?”
“Damn.” He’s laughing quietly now. “Good point. Anyway, he gave you water and a strange, depressing speech and then… stole a kiss from you?”
“Yeah. In a nutshell.”
“Stole it as in…?”
“We kissed,” I clarify. “It was entirely voluntary.”
“Okay. Had to make sure.”
I smile even though he can’t see it. It’s nice of him to check. “And Zach kissed me like he meant it but then took off.”
“Yeah. That’s a very un-Zach-like thing to do. He likes physicality.”
“Oh?”
“Ah. Uh…” A pause. “It’s no secret that Zach has slept around, right? I haven’t put my foot in my mouth?”
“No,” I say quietly. “You haven’t.”
I’ve heard about Zach’s conquests and lifestyle. And he did tell me he doesn’t feel ready for a pack. Or was it to create his own pack? In any case, this shouldn’t surprise me. He’s a young, handsome, successful alpha. Why wouldn’t he have his pick of conquests?
“But then why did he run from me?” I whisper. “Did he think I’d be such a bad lay?”
“It’s not that,” Sawyer says with a confidence I envy.
“How would you know?”
