“We decided to wait for you.” Her gaze flicks between us. “You weren’t hurting him, were you?”
I’m not sure which of us she’s worried about, but Declan says, “No,” at the same time I say, “Yes.”
That glare of his could cut through steel.
Emily looks at me questioningly.
“He’s hurting my feelings.” The playful smirk on my face is returned by a stunning smile from her that makes my insides melt.
Swinging my arm over the massive man’s shoulders, I give him a tight squeeze. “But it’s okay. I’m very forgiving. And patient. And good at sharing. I learnedallmy kindergarten lessons very well.”
Declan heaves himself away from me and grabs Emily around the waist, jostling her out of the stairwell with the clear expectation for me to follow. Of course I do, because I wasn’t lying. I want to be where Emily is. Even if I can’t have her the way I want.
14
AVA
This won’t work. Granted, it’s nice and far bigger than I expected. I thought cruise ship rooms would be like tiny hotel rooms, all crammed together—and maybe most are—but this isn’t.
This is a mini apartment. There are two levels. Downstairs there’s a small kitchen and spacious living area, as well as a bathroom and a balcony that overlooks the ocean. The furniture is all buttery leather—a couch and matching loveseat—and there are decorative bowls of seashells beside throw blankets that feel like cashmere.
The second level is the real problem. It’s one big, open bedroom. One freakishly massive bed. The only other thing up here is another bathroom. From the top of the stairs, I can see it through the open door, and I can already tell it’s one of the nicest bathrooms I’ve ever seen. A tub I could practically race laps in with Emily takes up most of the view. That’s an exaggeration, but not by much. And the bed is all velvety smooth pillows perfect for any sex position the mind could envision. The place is a fucking nest!
Towels, rolled and folded into a heart with two swans, decorate the foot of the mattress. I want to pummel their white fluffy heads with my shoe.
My palms sweat as I think about trying to keep my secret in such close quarters with two alphas. Two alphas that smell like… no, not even thinking about it.
The urge to burrow myself under all those blankets in the middle of the bed and hide for the next week nearly has my knees buckling.
The scent of a forest path in the rain hits me from behind as a wet nose nudges the back of my leg. Declan and Gunner. How did he get so close? He wasn’t behind me when I started up the stairs. Have I really been standing here gaping long enough for him to sneak up on me?
His hand comes to the middle of my back, like he’s trying to guide me forward, warm and comforting. No, bad. Very bad. I jolt and dart to the other side of the room.
Emily’s right behind him and gives me a strange look before sitting primly on the end of the bed and tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. She’d look so good in the middle of all those pillows, all cozy with her walls down.
“How’s this gonna work?” Knox says, grabbing my attention. He and Lucas were the last to come upstairs and see the atrocity that is this fucking bedroom. “Did the reservation come with a drink package? I need something frozen and sweet with a fruit skewer in it.”
Lucas rubs the back of his neck and ignores Knox’s beverage inquiry, but I could seriously go for a heavily-poured daiquiri. Or a tranquilizer.
“It is the bonding suite,” Lucas says, reaching down to pet Gunner. “Guess they do not think a newly bonded pack would want separate rooms.”
“Bonding suite?” Emily tilts her head at him. “Were you?—”
“I thought maybe.” He shrugs. “I was too optimistic.”
Emily smiles softly. “I can understand that.”
Clearly trouble in paradise with Lucas’s rugby team pack. But if he’s with us, then obviously he’s not with them anymore.
Declan takes a step closer to me, which I absolutely can’t let happen, so I slip past him and head straight for Emily, climbing onto the bed next to her, tugging my legs under me.
“You and I can take the bed, and the boys can fight over the couches downstairs,” I suggest. “Maybe the staff can send up a cot or something.”
Lucas pouts, but doesn’t say anything. Declan narrows his eyes at the place where my knee hits Emily’s thigh. Her skin feels warm, and heat follows the innocent touch straight up to somewhere not so innocent. Hormones. It’s just hormones.
But I know it’s not. I’ve been attracted to Emily since before I designated as an omega. It’s just worse now. Every light, innocent touch makes me feel all phosphorescent. Still, I can’t bring myself to move away from her.
“The bed’s too big for two little ladies to sleep alone.” Knox smirks at Emily. “What if you get lost in the pillows?” He turns that hungry gaze on me, and I nearly combust on the spot.
