“Of course,” Hawthorne said, pulling out my chair. “Can we take you to your car?”
I smiled. “Absolutely.” I was glad they didn’t seem upset. I didn’t want to push them away, but I wasn’t ready to tell them I had a kid just yet. I had gone on one date after having Aria; I told the guy during it, and he all but ran away. Since then, I decided I should give it some time before I said anything.
We walked out together. As we got to the parking lot, Leo grabbed my hand easily, giving it a light squeeze.
“I had a really great time tonight,” I said as we arrived at my car. “I hope we can meet up again.”
“We do as well,” Jasper said. “Maybe we can plan coffee for some time next week?”
“I think I could make that work.” I could take a bit of a long lunch maybe, and then I wouldn’t have to worry about Aria.
Leo pulled me a bit, my hand still in his, until we were face to face. “Can I kiss you goodbye?” he asked.
I gulped, then nodded. He pulled me in close and planted a sweet kiss on my lips. They were soft and plush, and he tasted strangely sweet.
He pulled away, but I felt myself chase him a bit, wanting more. He hummed. “I’m going to need more of that for sure,” he said.
I laughed. “Get out of here,” Jasper said playfully. “It’s my turn.”
Leo stepped to the side, and Jasper was there, in front of me. He was a bit taller than Leo and his blond hair was pushed back perfectly. He had a stronger cologne scent. “See you later?” he asked.
“Definitely.” He leaned in and kissed me. His lips were smaller than Leo’s but more dominant. He had a more clean, minty taste that was different, but just as pleasant.
When he pulled away, he dropped a light kiss to my forehead. He stepped around, leaving Hawthorne gazing at me.
He took a more tentative step forward, running a hand through his dark hair. He seemed a bit more standoffish than the other two, which made me somewhat nervous about how he really felt.
“Sorry I’m not as talkative as the other guys,” Hawthorne said once he was close, “but I did have a great time tonight and would love to see you again.”
It felt like a bit of a weight was lifted from my shoulders. “That’s good to hear.”
He reached a hand up and over my cheek, caressing me gently in a way I didn’t expect. “Get home safe, and text when you get there, okay?”
I snorted. “Okay, mom,” I snarked.
He laughed but seemed serious. Having someone care like that was new for me. Then, he leaned in and kissed me. It sounded strange even to me, but he tasted like the woods—having an almost musky flavor. His beard slightly scratched my chin as he pressed his body into me, warm and inviting.
After what felt like too long and not long enough, he pulled away. “Have a good night, Harper,” he said. “We’ll text to plan something soon.”
Jasper opened my door and helped me in. They all watched as I drove away, and I realized after just one date, I liked these guys way more than I should.
CHAPTER SIX
LEO
Ipacked up some of the cookies I’d made and checked the bag once again, ensuring everything was ready. I took an order from one of the women in the pack who was having a baby shower for a ton of sugar cookies with leaf themes on them. I didn’t take a ton of orders, but I did love doing baby showers.
Though I was very happy how we were, I always imagined us having kids. I could picture little ones running around this big house, learning to turn into wolves, their ears popping out occasionally. I imagined Hawthorne coming home and lifting them all in his big arms, Jasper playing with them outside, probably forcing them to hike. I could imagine Harper’s round belly carrying them while she read to them at night.
Woah…
I shook my head. Though I saw Harper as endgame for all of us, I needed to back up. I didn’t want to scare her away. After our first date, we’d seen her a few more times, once for coffee and another dinner. She seemed to be busy, so it was hard to catch her, but we tried to spend as much time with her as possible.
Though it was obvious her job was demanding, it seemed like there was something going on at home, but she never mentionedit. I’d wanted to ask, but Hawthorne said we should give her time to tell us. He was probably right, but I didn’t want to listen.
My phone pinged. It was Harper, telling us her car had broken down. Jasper quickly responded, seeing if she needed a ride, but she assured us one of her co-workers could grab her. I typed out a quick message.
Leo - Do you have anything for lunch?
