Willow’s cheeks turn a pretty pink, and she ducks her head. “You think so?”
“Willow, we are not looking to Chad for dating advice. He’s terrible.”
Chad laughs. Ignoring me, he says, “I think so. Make it happen girl. You know you're not the one that will be at the end. That position’s all mine.”
I wish I could say the jealousy that Chad stirs up with his words wasn’t real. But I can’t. I just need to get it through my head that he’s right. Rafe made it clear. He isn’t here for love. It’s obvious from last night that he doesn’t mind a little lust in the equation, but even that might break my heart.
“We have a contract,” Willow says, clearly entertaining the idea.
“Do you know how many places around this house are not on camera?” Chad snorts. “The library’s one.”
I roll my eyes and shake my head when he shoots a look at me. I hadn’t told Willow about that, and I’m not going to tell her now.
“Or the bathroom,” I add.
Chad’s eyes go wide, and Willow nods as if she’s considering it. “Bitch, you didn’t!” Chad grips my arm, completely dismissing the conversation with Willow.
“Of course not,” I say with a forced laugh.
His lips press together into his pouty smile, and a real laugh slips out. “Which one?”
I moisten my lips remembering Rafe’s lips against mine. It’s hard to forget. Hell, any of them are hard to forget. The way they each kiss with their whole self is something I’ve never experienced before.
“It was Elliott, wasn’t it? When you pulled him away?”
My smile dims. Although, his kiss and attention in thoseseven minutes is unforgettable; he has held me at arms length since.
“Sorry to disappoint. I don’t kiss and tell.”
“Right—” Chad says, and I feel him getting ready to say something more, when Miles, Elliott, and Rafe come out onto the patio.
Turner Clark trails behind them, looking very much like the host for theHunger Gameswith the way his hair is styled.
A hush falls over us, and I nibble on my lower lip as I watch them set up for the shot the director wants. The guys line up, and Turner stands next to them. I take the opportunity to openly study each of them.
They are each still as handsome as the night they arrived, but now my heart tightens with a bittersweet ache that feels a lot like the need to let myself love them. Rafe with his golden eyes that see too much, Elliott with his disarming smile that catches me off guard, and Miles with his quiet seriousness and declarations of love.
I want it all. And I want to be able to call them mine. But that’s a fantasy that won’t happen, even with basically throwing myself at them. How naive I had been that day? All it did was complicate things.
Thomas clears his throat as he faces us. “Get a little closer. We need all the omegas in one shot.”
We all shuffle closer to each other, while I attempt to stay as far away from Hailey and Blair as possible. The few run ins I’ve had with them are more than enough. And I hope whatever date the show has thought up for today keeps it that way.
Once we are in place, Turner steps forward, a fake smile on his handsome face. He says, “Welcome to the final eight. Today there will be two dates. Four and four.” He holds up two envelopes then steps forward, handing me one and Chad the other. “Please do the honors.”
We don’t normally read the dates with the alphas here. My stomach erupts in nerves for absolutely no reason as I slide my finger across the envelope, breaking the seal. I pull the invitation from the holder and moisten my lips at the names on my date.
“Ben, Blair, Hailey, and Lilah please join us on a night out on the town at Wisteria. Show us your best moves.” It’s like an out of body experience as I lift my eyes to Rafe’s. He stares back, unblinking, but I know he’s thinking of the night I met him there—and promptly puked all over him.
Hailey laughs. “I guess Lilah should stay away from alcohol. Unless you want to throw up on the other two as well.”
Miles stiffens as if he wants to step between us. Elliott shifts on his feet, and concern deepens the lines around his mouth as he presses his lips together.
“That would still be better than dancing with you,” Rafe says, pinning her with a look. “Can you act like a decent human for once?”
Hurt flashes across her face, and she snaps her mouth shut. Part of me feels bad for her because it’s obvious more is going on below the surface. But it’s not currently my job to figure her out. And she’s being a total bitch to me, just because Rafe has paid me attention. It doesn’t make me want to help her.
“Cut!” Thomas yells, making me jump. It’s crazy how often I forget we are being filmed now. That’s dangerous. “Rafe, you can’t say stuff like that.”
