“So you love them?”
“Possibly. The foundation is poured, and the frame is up, but we’re not a house yet.”
“Uh.”Marlie pauses, as if she has no idea what to say.“I don’t watch those home makeover shows as much as you do, but aren’t there a lot of steps after framing the house?”
If I close my eyes, I can almost see us stretched out on my couch together. I didn’t know I needed this so much. “Yeah. The roofing and rough-in and the rest of it are forgiveness and falling in love.”
“Weird analogy just to say that.”
“Bonding is giving them the keys.” I think I can hear her eyes roll, which makes me laugh. “I didn’t realize how much I miss you. I needed this.”
“I miss you, too.”
“What have you been up to?” It’s only been a week since I left home, but I’m still two or three days out getting home, and it feels like so much has happened.
“Oh, nothing much. Nothing out of the ordinary at all. But let’s talk about you! Tell me more about this pack…”
I feel lighterthan ever after my conversation with Marlie, even if it was way too short. I could’ve spent another half hour describing the way Grant’s silvery lavender hair reflects in the light, or how comfortable I was when Ivan held me in his lap in the pack tub.
But I can’t think about that. Not after everything we talked about today. I feel like I’m on the edge of a cliff, a step away from falling.
And it didn’t help that after dinner we all cuddled up on the couch and watched moreUnexplainable and Bizarre. Not that it’s a particularly arousing show, but having my feet in Ivan’s lap while he rubbed them, and Grant holding me against his side, meant I was having trouble paying attention to the show. The heat of their bodies and Ivan’s pumpkin bread and Grant’s orchid scents combined into something unexpected and delicious.
I was grateful for a little space to clear my head when I got the notification from Bradley that Derrick was ready for our call at eleven on the dot.
“How are you today, honey?”
Has Derrick’s voice always had that low purr in it?
“I’m okay. It’s been a long day, but not in a bad way. Well, the pie-eating thing wasn’t great.”
“Pie eating?”
“Didn’t the guys tell you when they called you? We earned the privilege by eating pies with our hands behind our backs.”
“That is ridiculous. Why would the network want you to do that?”
I’m so used to having conversations with him on the phone that I don’t pay attention to my mannerisms. I fall back into our old pattern, folding my legs under me in the chair and chewing on the ends of my hair.
“It’s a long story that ends with Ivan saying if we didn’t stop talking about that, they’d make it our challenge.”
“How does that even come up in conversation?”
“Well…” Do I tell him about our sexually charged conversation? It’s not like I’ve never talked about this stuff with Derrick before, even if we always pretended it didn’t happen afterward. “It started with me telling them my fantasy.” My voice gets quieter as I speak, but it’s nothing compared to the silence coming out of the speaker.
When Derrick finally responds, the purr in his voice is richer, his tone deeper.“The one about how you want to be treated like you’re in heat and free to use?”
I try to silence an aroused whine, but I don’t think I manage. “That’s the one.”
“I bet they loved that. I know I have spent years imagining taking advantage of it.”
Slick gathers between my thighs, and I drop my feet to the floor to squeeze them together. “You have?”
“Oh hell yes. Taking my Omega whenever I want, and punishingyou for being desperate for me? God, the possibilities. I could fuck you all day and never let you come.”
Yeah, how am I supposed to think about anything other than that ever again? My whole body is hot just listening to him.
“Ivan would take care of me.” I don’t know why I bring it up, and I worry Derrick is going to be upset that I brought his packmate into it.
