“Is the solo date all in the plan too? How can you use me as a shield if I’m not on one of the group dates?”
I move to the stairs and climb out of the hot tub. Steam rises from my skin, and I reach for my robe a second too late. Rafe holds it up, gesturing with his head for me to let him help me put it on. His eyes drop down my front as I step into him and turn around, allowing him to guide the fabric over my quickly cooling body.
“The solo date’s part of the plan. What other way can I make it clear to the other omegas that I’ve already chosen someone?”
“Or you could send me home.” I secure the belt and turn to face him. The fear of going home grows in my stomach like a weed I can’t kill.
He drags a finger over my damp cheek before tapping my nose. “You are the perfect little omega, why would I ever do that?”
CHAPTER 15
Rafe
Seeking Lilah out is compulsory.Almost as if I couldn’t control my body as it searched the mansion for her. Now, with her standing in front of me in a robe, soaking wet from the hot tub, attempting to disengage is like trying to talk while holding my breath. Impossible.
I curl my fingers in to stop from touching her again, but I can’t step back. My plan of using her as a shield may backfire because the more I’m around her, the more I want to be around her. Insane? Yes. But I can’t help it.
It isn’t even something I can hide from my pack. Because they see straight through me. And of course they are allowing the connection to grow. It’s why they didn’t stop me from seeking her out now.
Damn. I fell right into their trap.
But that doesn’t mean she needs to know that. She isn’t here for love; she made that clear from the beginning. Or did she? Now I’m starting to wonder if she’s twisting things, manipulating the situation to keep me guessing. We talked about this at the orchard, and I thought I understood her, butmaybe she’s not as straightforward as I believed. Is she lying to me? I don’t know anymore.
Her lips part, and she drops her eyes to the patio. “I’m sure if you found a better shield you would have no need of me.”
I force a chuckle out. I’m an actor; I can fake this. “If there’s one thing you should know about me,Sweetheart, it’s that I follow through. Speaking of follow through…I’m sure Elliott’s around somewhere—” I trail off as her cheeks darken again.
Addictive, that’s what she is. Like a drug. One I may need to survive.
“Or we can save it for our date tomorrow,” I suggest wickedly, loving the way her eyes fly to mine and the way she gasps in shock. It’s just the image I need to make it through the two group dates today. Hell, maybe I’ll find her after the first one and get another hit.
She presses her lips together and shifts on her bare feet, making me aware that she’s wet and standing out on the patio on a cool fall day. “Rafe?—”
“You’re wet. You need to get inside before you catch a cold,” I say before she can reply to my teasing.
Motioning towards the double doors that lead inside to the kitchen, I press my palm flat against her lower back to ensure she heads that way. As if she’s going to resist getting warm or something. It’s a purely alpha move and I know it, yet I don’t care at all.
Once inside, she faces me again. “Did you want to help me get dressed too?” She quirks an eyebrow up as a taunting smile pulls at her lips.
Invading her space again, I drop my head to her ear and whisper, “Don’t tempt me.”
I sense more than feel the shiver that works over her, and I swear I can smell freshly baked cookies as I step back.Glancing around the kitchen, I search for any sign of cookies before narrowing my eyes on her. Is that her perfume? Inhaling deeply, I catch another slight hint of it in the air. It makes me want to throw her over my shoulder and run out of the house declaring she is mine.
Swallowing, I study her for any sort of tell that she knows she’s perfuming for me.
I’m almost ready to close the space between us again to breathe in her scent, when Miles pops his head into the kitchen, taking in the situation quickly before he says, “Rafe, time to go,” I want to growl in frustration.
A dimple appears on her left cheek as that corner of her mouth tilts up in a smirk. “Looks like you’ve got a date to get too. Tell Hailey I said hi.” She curls her fingers in a little sarcastic wave, and I grimace.
“That’s the second date, and don’t remind me.” Backing up two steps, I notice the puddle gathering at her feet and lift my gaze back up to hers. “Go get dry, Lilah.”
Unable to wait for a response without dragging her into my arms and kissing the life out of her—for no reason other than I want to feel her lips on mine—I turn on my heel and follow Miles out of the room.
With the firstdate out of the way and basically pointless if you ask me. I’m ready to get the ghost tour over with.
The omegas, Chad, Abby, Hailey, Tamika, Willow, Marcus, Parker, and Gwen, wait for us near the large passenger van. And I paste on a charming smile as I approach. If I thought it would get easier as we send omegas home, I was wrong. Because Hailey’s still here. And I’m sure production won’t let us send her home tomorrow either. They are intent on torturing me as long as possible.
At least Chad’s on this date. He can be amusing and blunt. It’s refreshing and reminds me a little of Lilah. He was, after all, my first choice of a shield. Although, I do prefer Lilah. She has this spark that lights something up inside me, even if I’m supposed to be acting.
