I blanch. Did I really just say that?
Luckily, my statement only causes him to chuckle. “Me, too.” He looks like he wants to shake my hand, but it feels too formal for what we just discovered. “I’m Sam.”
Sam. It’s so simple and perfect.
“Kit. My name is Kit.” I stumble over my words. “I, um, made a charcuterie board.” I point at the plate that looks like a kindergarten project. “Actually, don’t look at that. It’s a long story.”
He laughs again. “I like cheese. Is that blackberry jam?”
My eyes widen. “Yes! Would you like to join me?”
Please say yes. Please say yes. Please?—
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now.”
Butterflies erupt in my stomach. This alpha is…swoony.
Sam points at the ground with a wide smile. “Maybe we should sit now. I obviously interrupted your picnic.”
I blush slightly. “It was a very welcome interruption.” I try to say it with confidence as I scoot over a little bit to make room for him on the blanket. I realize the music on my phone is still playing, so I go to press pause, but he stops me. When his hand touches mine, I hold in a gasp. The contact leaves my skin tingling.
“You don’t have to do that. I love David Bowie.”
I sigh with relief. My scent match is literally perfect.
BONUS PROLOGUE
MAY LAST YEAR
The state of Stacia’s room stops me in my tracks. I let out a chuckle as I peer at the disarray of boxes and their contents spread about. Rory wasn’t kidding when she said Stacia’s organizing skills were a little bit questionable.
“Dear gosh, Stacia,” I mutter to myself, a smile still on my face. There are a few movie cases sprawled out on her comforter, like she was going through them with nostalgia. I pick up the DVD case ofThe Princess Diaries 2and look in the nearby box, arching a brow when I notice that her DVDs and CDs are grouped with her hair supplies. I sigh and continue to pack up as many boxes as I can to help her while she’s outside dealing with her parents.
It’s surreal to think that I’ll be living in this house in the next couple of weeks. It’s much cozier than my dorm room, the soft lights and colors making it the kind of home that I can really thrive in. Not to mention,my own room. Living with my roommate the past year has been fine, but we aren’t the best atcommunicating, so it’s nice to know I’ll finally have my own space where I won’t walk into random hook-ups or little dorm parties. And gosh, she hadlotsof them.
I don’t mind that she’s popular or has a lot of friends. I just really enjoy my solitude. There’s nothing better than a night inside with my favorite comfy blanket, my crochet hooks, and an anime series that I’ve probably already seen at least ten times.
It barely takes any time to finish up the first box, adding in some of Stacia’s comfy sweaters to keep the disorganized items safe. I get started on the next box, and then the next, until I hear movement in the house once more and realize that the situation with her parents must have been handled.
The box I’m carrying isn’t the heaviest one I’ve packed, but it still obstructs my view as I nearly run into Rory in the hallway.
“Holy shit, we were just about to start quick packing her stuff. Did you get a lot done?” Rory asks me, strands of her blue hair falling in her face as she gives me an impressed look.
“Quite a bit, actually. I just went with the chaos and started throwing things in boxes.”
She laughs. “That’s probably for the best. It would have taken her all day. Thank you so much, Opal. This will be us moving your stuff in a few weeks. Isn’t that crazy?”
I nod as much as I can behind the box. “It can’t come fast enough, to be honest.”
Rory gives me a soft look. “I’m glad it’s going to be you.”
I swallow down the emotion that the sentiment stirs within me. There are so many things I could say, but every single one of them would cause tears, and I really don’t want to mess up the eyeliner that I actually put on today. Luckily, she notices and gives my arm a comforting swipe with her hand. “Go give that box to the boys. They need to get started soon, I’m surethey don’t want to pay for the U-Haul longer than they have to.”
I pass through the kitchen, and the sudden scent of freshly baked apples soars through the space. My brow arches when I see that the oven is, in fact, off and the counter is devoid of any baked goods or fruit.
What the hell? Maybe there’s a candle burning somewhere.I take in thescent with more intention, pulling it into my lungs as much as I can. It’s sweet but also sour, and so immense that it feels like I can taste it directly on my tongue.
If it is a candle burning, I need to ask them where they got it because it might be the best thing I’ve ever smelled.
