The sandwich is salty, sweet, and delicious. The perfect balance. There’s even different food groups in this bitch. It’s witchcraft.
“Is it that good?” Winter asks, glancing up at me as she sips her smoothie.
“Mmhmm,” I say. “Try it?”
Offering her a bite, I grin as her scent practically glows with happiness as she bites down and chews. I swear if sunshine was a smell, that’s what she’d remind me of right now.
“It is good,” she says with a grin.
The alphas surrounding us sit very still as they watch us, making Winter and I blush. It’s hard to know how to behave around people now. We’re so used to our own company, or being quiet so as not to garner unwanted attention.
“Of course it’s good,” Abbott murmurs, clearing his throat. “I made it. Here, Cass, let me get your favorites.”
It’s sweet how they dote on not only us, but Cassidy as well. I get the feeling they did something they’re trying to gain forgiveness for when it comes to her, but I’m not sure what they could possibly have done.
“I think we should make a point of going out a few times a week,” Shiloh says, taking a bite of some pasta salad. “Cassidy, want to show us your favorite haunts?”
She blushes as she takes a sip of water. “I could be persuaded,” she says teasingly. “That sounds fun.”
“Don’t you all have to work?” Winter asks uneasily.
“I’m the boss,” Abbott says with a shrug. “I can work dates into things. I doubt anyone would care.”
“No one will say a word,” Ansel growls. Instead, I hear that no one would dare.
“Dates?” I ask, still trying to wrap my mind around this.
“Yes, Bellamy,” Shiloh says, laid out on the blanket as he eats. “We did say we were planning to court you. There’s formal paperwork we could fill out, but we’re currently avoiding that in case people are looking for you.”
“I don’t…I mean Winter and I don’t need anything formal,” I say, stumbling over my words.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been on a date,” Winter murmurs under her breath. Smoothie finished, she picks up the dessert on her plate, not realizing that activity had stopped around us.
My stepsister and I are used to having promises broken. Hell, I’ve broken them to her through circumstances outside of my control. I don’t think we thought this pack was completely serious when they said they wanted to court us.
We already live with them, why put in the effort? Yeah, now that I think about it, I’m used to low effort in my life.
Winter and I never went on a date. We spent every living moment together, and still do. Fuck, am I an awful boyfriend?
Winter’s fingers dig into my thigh to pull me from my thoughts, while her other hand brings the chocolate tart to her lips.
“Mmm. This is good,” she murmurs, trying to take the sting out of her earlier words.
“I’m taking credit for that too,” Abbott says.
There’s heat in his eyes that makes me sink my teeth into my bottom lip as he watches Winter, and I’m not sure I’m ready for anything he’s thinking. I’ve never done anything consensual before with a male, but I definitely enjoy the man candy in front of me.
Each of my scent matches is gorgeous. It’s simply overwhelming to think about the mechanics of that, especially when I’m fairly certain my heat suppressants are still working. Maybe? I don’t know the length of time Bret’s cocktail is supposed to last.
Maybe I should figure that out soon.
“We definitely need dates,” Shiloh says under his breath, and I imagine him adding that to a list in his mind.
It makes me smile slightly as Winter offers me a bite of her dessert. Biting down, I smile at her as I chew.
“I can’t believe you had time to bake too,” I mumble. “It’s all so good.”
“I’m glad?—”
