He takes a step forward, plucking my hand from my lap and dropping smoothly to his knee. While I stare at him in wide-eyed shock, he presses a kiss to the back of my hand and says, “Thank you for the invitation, milady. You’ve finally made all my book club fantasies come true.”
It’s so ridiculous, I’m giggling even before he wags his perfectly arched brows at me. I don’t know where I get the urgefrom, but I lean forward and peck his cheek. “You’re wish is my command, milord.”
It’s only as I pull back that I realize what I’ve done. Not just the giggling and flirting, but the easy affection with Ellis, which is definitely not my reputation in our circle. I quickly look at Leo, but he’s grinning so wide, his eyes are scrunched into green slits. I sigh in relief, until his eyelashes flicker and he asks, “What’s fairy porn?”
“Oops,” Kaysie mutters, shooting me an apologetic shrug. “That sounds like a mom conversation.”
“Okay, it’s probably time to check on that cowboy cobbler,” Tristan says quickly, gripping Leo’s shoulders and steering him towards the door. He shoots me a quick smile before he asks in a cheerful voice, “Did I tell you about the time I worked on a commercial for Pop Tarts?”
“No way!”
There’s a moment of silence after they disappear inside and then Otley lifts his head from the book he’s been perusing. I give a silent groan as I realize it’s Beau’s copy, so probably open to the steamiest scene in the book. “I don’t know about fairy porn,” Otley says slowly, “but based on what I’ve just read, maybe I should’ve used more chili peppers in the queso cups.”
Kaysie snorts, and then Ellis chuckles into his sleeve. It doesn’t take long for Beau to start hooting and then we’re all laughing, and I have to clutch the arm of the chair so I don’t slide off. It’s one of those perfect, ridiculous moments, especially as I watch glee dance across Ellis’ face, Otley’s mouth curved into a wide, smirking grin.
“Oh, if you think this is raunchy,” Sarah says when we finally settle down, “you should try reading a pack heat scene in the love bus. Talk about getting into the mood.”
I give her a quelling look, but Beau has already leaped to his feet. “That’s right! I mean this vibe is gorgeous,” he says,waving a hand at the cozy porch setting, “but you haven’t really experienced the Knotty Falls’ Book Club until you’ve had an in-depth discussion about monster knots in the shaggin’ wagon.”
Kaysie chokes on her generous dollop of caviar, but she can’t hide her grin as Beau strides to the porch steps and heads in the direction of my Airstream. Crap. As Sarah so helpfully reminded everyone, we’ve used it in the past for book club meetings, but I cringe as Beau now pulls the door open and the rest of the party starts to drift after him, wine glasses in hand.
“Shaggin’ wagon?” Ellis murmurs in my ear as I rise reluctantly from my perch. “That sounds like the most intriguing story of the night.”
“Not really…” I mutter, but we follow the others, Otley just a few steps ahead of us. He shoots a look back at me over his shoulder, so I see exactly when the realization hits.
Maybe I didn’t use enough Febreze after all…
“Honey,” Beau calls with a strangled laugh, “I think you need to air this out a little more….”
“Oh, my God,” I mutter, my cheeks so hot I can feel the burn in my ears. “Just shut the door, will you?”
But all my so-called friends have piled inside, and I don’t know how to stop Otley and Ellis from joining them. The Airstream is fondly known as a land yacht, and other than some basic upgrades, it’s a bit of a time capsule from the 1970s. Sunflower curtains cover the windows and although I managed to salvage the original linoleum floors and tambour cabinets, there’s no missing the wear and tear in other areas. But the guys aren’t interested in the décor as they stand in the small living area, their nostrils flaring as they breathe in the warm air. I press my back up against the wall, unable to turn away as they exchange a long, loaded look.
Sarah has settled on the tiny L-shaped couch and is now staring up at the tense scene in fascination. “What’s going on?”
Laura, who’s the only alpha in our book club, casts an apologetic glance in my direction. “Um, I think we should maybe go see if Tristan and Leo need a hand…”
“What?” Beau chirps. He looks from the guys to me and back again, a huge grin splitting his face. “Oh, yeah. This is definitely one of thoseif you can’t take the heat, get into the kitchenmoments.”
I roll my eyes at him, but Kaysie swoops to the rescue, dragging him away while Laura steers a bemused Sarah to the door.
“Lily?” Ellis asks when we’re finally alone. “Why does this trailer smell like your heat?”
I suck in a sharp breath at the blunt question. No matter how much I scrub and sanitize the place, I can never quite get my perfume out of the damn cushions. And of course, Otley and Ellis know exactly how my heat smells, even when it’s in a battered old camper van, with nothing but some monster porn and sex toys to see me through.
“I spend some time here,” I mumble, avoiding their eyes.
“But what about Logan?”
“That’s new…” I gulp down an inadequate breath. “We don’t… He’s never…”
“Never?” Otley’s gaze sears into mine, so intense I feel tears burn behind my eyes. “Who’s been taking care of you, Lily?”
“I’ve been fine.”What else can I say? My first heat wrecked me, and it’s been downhill ever since?Pushing past them, I hit the button on the old fan I keep on the kitchen bench. When I turn to face them, I can’t help folding my arms over my chest. “This is how it is for unmated omegas who can’t afford fancy heat clinics. We make do.”
“This isn’t making do-.” Ellis scowls, but Otley touches his arm, and he bites back whatever crappy thing he was going to say about the trailer.
“You’ve made do,” Otley confirms in a low voice as he moves towards me, only stopping when his breath feathers over my face. He’s standing so close, I can see the new sun streaks in his ash blond hair and the tiny lines around his gray eyes. “But that’s over now. You don’t have to do it on your own anymore, Lily.”
