Jason and Ozzi. Out of uniform and carrying a tray of steaming coffee and boxes of food.
I’d always thought I was a sucker for a man in uniform, but these Alphas in butt hugging jeans were making me drool. Every nerve in my body seemed suddenly alive and thrumming. As much as I wanted to fling myself into a snowbank, I wanted to do the same with them.
Yup, I was truly a madwoman.
“Good morning.” Jason’s smile was the star on the Christmas tree. Bright and warm and beautiful. He set his boxes on the tray table and wheeled it away from the wall. “We come bearing gifts.”
“Hi Lyla.” Ozzi’s soft baritone had me squeezing my thighs. “How did you sleep last night?”
“Wow. Thank you. I slept a little. That smells amazing.” Fuck, they smelled so good. While the aromas of coffee and pastries chased away the antiseptic odor of the hospital, it was their Alpha scents that hit me the hardest. Rich caramel and myrrh threading with lavender and the summer woods. “Good morning. What’s this? I didn’t realize part of a paramedic’s job was taking care of the, uh, witness.”
Clearly fashion was my best form of expression and not words.
“Only for you.” Jason presented the table of deliciousness to me. He gestured first to the three large coffees. “Here we have three kinds because we weren’t certain what you liked. A black coffee, a chocolate espresso, and a gingerbread vanilla latte.”
“The latte, please. I am a sugar addict!” My giggle made me sound like I had taken a puff on someone’s weedy vape. I gratefully took the latte, needing something to do with my hands which itched to touch them. Sipping it, the warmth flowed through me as well as the sugar energy. “Perfect. Thank you. I didn’t get much sleep last night. Just bits here and there.”
“I’m sure the cot didn’t help either.” Jason snagged the chocolate espresso and took a drink. I couldn’t look away as he licked his lips. “We brought you one of our camping cots if you’re going to stay another night. It’s in our truck if you want it. It’s way more comfortable than the clunky things they have here.”
Holy not-so-secret Santa. They thought of everything.
“We also got a bunch of different things to eat as well.” Ozzi opened the first box to show a stack of fluffy pancakes shimmering with syrup and whipped cream with red and green sprinkles on top. “Pancakes here along with sausages and bacon in this other box. Some orange cranberry scones and eggnog muffins. Also, if you’re wanting something light, Greek yogurt and fruit.”
I hadn’t been thinking of food until they’d walked in. While my body was yelling it was hungry for something else, I reached over and took a scone. “This is fantastic. You brought a feast. This is enough food for the whole day.”
“Just a typical breakfast for us.” Jason shrugged and winked as he sipped his coffee.
“For you.” Ozzi gave his friend a smirk. “Some mornings I make spanakopitas, and he’ll devour like three of them.”
“Hey, they’re like breakfast pizzas. So good. I can’t help myself.” Jason popped open the meat box and plucked a piece of bacon out of it, folding the strip into his mouth.
“Those are for Lyla.” Ozzi closed the box as Jason reached for another.
“No, help yourselves. This is too much for me.” I smiled at how they were so much like brothers. They couldn’t look more unrelated, but their closeness reminded me of Mariska and I. Speaking of which…
I checked my phone. No messages except from people asking about Miss Eloise. My shoulders sagged, and I stuffed a big piece of my citrusy scone in my mouth to distract me from the distressed surge of emotions which washed over me.
Then suddenly there was an arm around me. A large muscled arm. Jason.
“Everything’s going to be okay. If you’re sad that I might eat all the breakfast pizza, know that I would always share it with you.” Jason rubbed my shoulder as a soft purr rumbled in his chest. Quiet as it was, it slowly rolled through me and eased the tension inside.
As much as his purr soothed me, I was keenly aware that an Alpha was touching me. Not like a handshake or a brush of an elbow, but a whole arm that pressed the side of me to his side. It was like someone had thrown a switch and zapped every inch of my skin with electricity.
I fought the urge to turn and mash my body against his. I wanted to taste the chocolate on his lips and have his hands grab my ass.
Even as I vibrated with Jason’s closeness, my gaze was on Ozzi across from me. He’d frozen in mid-sip. His eyes went wide as Jason made physical contact.
An Alpha was touching an unclaimed Omega. It was against the rules.
Even if one tried to reason Ozzi was a chaperon, it wouldn’t have counted since he was an Alpha too. An Alpha I wanted to get on my knees for and see what he was packing in those jeans.
My legs trembled, feeling suddenly weak. My heart pounded as my breaths became quick. Something wet my panties and both men audibly inhaled.
The monitors made an odd beep. A dry gasp from the bed shook me free from whatever carnal spell had overcome me.
“Miss Eloise!” I dropped my latte as I rushed to her bedside. Jason’s quick reflexes were the only thing that kept it from falling to the floor. I took her hand in mine and tried not to squeeze it. “Miss Eloise, can you hear me?”
She slowly turned her head and blinked her eyes several times. It was as if she’d aged twenty years since yesterday, and I choked back a sob. But she was awake. Awake!
