My hand slides behind her head, cradling it while I continue to kiss her.
She grabs my hair, twisting it in her fist while her lips dance against mine. Everything feels so fucking right it’s almost terrifying.
We kiss until my head is spinning, our scents mingling together, and her slick, her fucking slick, the scent has me nearly crumbling to my knees.
“Is it bad that I want to climb you like a tree right now?” Lulu asks, panting against my lips.
I can’t help but chuckle. “No, because I want you to climb me like a tree.”
Moving just enough to see her stunning smile, we both laugh.
“As much as I think we would both enjoy that, I’d like to get to know you a bit before we take that step.”
I smile softly, nodding. “However long it takes.”
She bites her lip, swollen from our kisses. Leaning down, I suck that lip into my mouth and bite down lightly.
She whimpers, her perfume filling the air.
“Okay, I’m just being cruel,” I groan.
“You think?” she breathes, blinking up at me.
“Let me help you pack.”
“Okay.” She nods.
For the next half hour, we pack everything that’s hers before moving on to Gavin and Brady’s. We talk and laugh. For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel free. Like the walls I had up don’t need to be there anymore.
Every second with Lulu settles the worry inside me. Letting me know that this is going to be okay.
She tells me stories about the things she and Ally used to get into when they were kids. And some of it doesn’t surprise me at all.
“She’s always been this little firecracker, huh?” I ask, putting the last bag next to the door.
“Yeah,” Lulu confirms, climbing into the big king-size bed. “She’s always had this glow about her. She made me want to be better, to live life. She’s the only reason why I didn’t fully get consumed into the life my parents had me in.” She looks down, playing with her fingers. “The cult, I mean. She’s the reason why I didn't fall for their lies.” She looks up at me, and my heart starts to race. I hate seeing the hurt of her past in her pretty blue eyes. I hate the idea of her hurting at all.
“She showed me that the things they were preaching were lies. She opened my eyes, and the more time I spent with her, the more I knew something was really wrong with my life.”
Sensing Lulu needs me, I take off my shoes and strip down to my t-shirt and boxers before climbing into bed. A part of me feels weird because this is the bed she shares with Gavin and Brady. But if we’re joining packs, we’re all about to get a lot closer than just sleeping in the same bed.
“Come here,” I murmur, opening my arms. Alpha pride fills me when she doesn’t hesitate. She snuggles into me, throwing her leg over my waist, burying her face into my neck.
I shiver when she presses her nose closer and inhales deeply. “You smell amazing,” she sighs dreamily.
“And you smell heavenly,” my voice breaks. It’s really hard to behave right now. I’m not used to my body feeling so out of control.
“Liam,” she murmurs.
“Yeah?” I rub my hand up and down her arm.
“I’m really happy right now.” Her voice sounds like she’s about to cry.
“Lulu.” I look down at her, and she looks up at me, tears swimming in her eyes.
“I’ve been through so much in my life, so many horrible things. There were times I thought I was in hell,” she chokes out. My heart sinks, and all I want to do is take away her pain. “It took a long time before I started to feel good about things in my life. I never gave up, but I wanted to so many times. Everyone calls me brave for being able to keep going after what happened to me. But I’m not brave.”
“Yes, you are,” I growl.
