“Yes. Well, in a roundabout way that took a few years to figure it out and find the courage to go it alone.”
He’s fumbling over words now, all nervous. How is he this powerful mix of uncertain and confident?
“How did you meet Devon and Mack?”
He grins at me. “I was at the McShorty’s bar asking where I could find you, and Devon was drinking. Mack was doing some work, I believe. And we all realised we knew you. So, in a way, you’re responsible for bringing us together.”
“I am?”
“Mmm, totally your fault,” Eli murmurs, leaning in.
I look away, my cheeks burning. “If I kiss you now, I won’t go to bed, pretty sure we won’t be sleeping, and whilst I am going to hate myself for saying no, I, uh, think we should wait.”
Eli throws his head back and laughs, and all I can do is stare at him, bewitched. Fireflies dance around us, and the porch swing groans as it shifts in the wind, but nothing is as captivating as him.
“Would that be a bad thing?” he teases.
“I have to get up at stupid o’clock and go on the boat,” I say, sulking.
Eli hums and then stands up, pulling me into his arms. “Then let me hug you and say goodnight with only my best behaviour.”
My heart thumps in my chest, and I lean into him, hiding my smile.
“But I’m stealing you away one night soon.”
“Okay.” I preen on the inside, feeling like I’m blossoming under this alpha’s attention.
“Okay?”
“Yes.”
He laughs, and I almost tell him to steal me now, but I promised Devon.
“I'd better head in.”
“Let me walk you.”
He walks me to my door, leans in, and kisses my cheek and then steps back, hands in his pockets, the perfect alpha.
“Goodnight, Eli.”
“Goodnight, beautiful.”
I put Danger on the bed and watch as he sleepily stumbles to the pillow and crashes out on it.
Then, I do the same, but my dreams are filled with three alphas who ask me to stay.
Chapter 9
Sofia
For me, my strongest memory triggers are scent and sound. So, walking down to the beach and out onto the jetty, hearing the sounds of Devon whistling, doesn’t just bring memories back, it shoves me face first into them. His father used to own a fishing boat. They weren’t well off; the family struggled hard, and Devon was often seen as a bad boy. Not that he really was. I mean, he smoked for a while, drank and got into some fights, but it was nothing serious. Their beta mother had walked out on them when Devon was little. So, it was just him, his two older brothers, and his dad, and it was hard for them.
Devon spent a lot of time at our home.
But sometimes, I’d sneak down, following him and Sebastian as they got ready to go with Devon’s dad for a day of fishing. I’d wanted to go out with them so badly.
The smell of the ocean and the faint scent of petrol. The sound of Devon getting things ready around the boat and birds calling for scraps. All of that brings back those memories and those feelings of yearning. How infatuated I was with this alpha.
