I shut the water off, then reply, “All done.” Reaching past the shower stall I grab a fluffy black towel from the shelf, bringing up to my face first. The door is closed, but that doesn’t mean much around here. I’vebeen walked in on, and walked in on someone, more than I care to say. I make quick work of drying my hair and wrapping the damp cloth around my body.
“Dinner’s ready. Do you want me to wait for you?”Ollie’s voice is muffled through the door.
“Yeah, just a second,” I holler, loud enough sohe’ll hear me. “What are we having?” I slip my legs into a pair of buttery soft black leggings and snag the t-shirt I stole from Dante’s section of the closet, before slipping it over my head and pulling my hair free. “You can come in.”
The door opens in the next second and Ollie leans against the frame, his arms folded over his chest. “Hey, what’s for dinner?” I repeat, thinking he didn’t hear me, or I didn’t hear his response.
“Rosa and Gloria made apasta dish, notreallysure what it’s called.” I watch Ollie in the mirror as I drag the brush through my long hair. He looks relaxed, but I can see the swaths of darkness under his eyes, and the slump of his shoulders.
“You okay?”
A grin immediately lifts his lips, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He shakes away my concern, leaving the doorframe and heading in my direction. “I’m good, how are you?” I track his movements in the mirror as he sets his chin on my shoulder.
Spinning to face him, I search his eyes. “It shouldn’t always be about me Ollie. I worry about you guys too.”
Looking back down at me, he grabs a chunk of my damp hair and examines it. “I know Laura,” his use of my real name shows me he’s taking me seriously, “but I’m fine, better than fine. I promise.” Before I can push him further, he leans in to steal a kiss. His lips are soft, pillowing over mine. Ollie is a tease when he kisses, always pulling away right when I think he’s going to deepen the kiss.
I know he’s distracting me, but I don’t stop him. I lean into him, returning the affection. His palms slide up over my bare arms to cup my shoulders, heat trailing behind his touch. A shiver makes its way up my back, following the wake of the burn.
I sigh, enjoying his warmth and kisses. Hedoesn’t push any further, doesn’t move his hands from my arms. He’s content with just kissing. Knowing he’d never press for more than I was ready to for puts me at ease.I place my hands on his chest, feeling the softness of his t-shirt under my palms, and his tight body beneath.
Ollie has the physique of a swimmer, all long lines of sinewy muscle. He drags in a breath as I run my hands up and over his shoulders, pulling him closer. “Damn you feel good,” he confesses, nipping my bottom lip. I don’t say it out loud, but I feel theexactsame way. Heat flows between us and any moisture on my skin evaporates, but the humidity in the room doubles, making it feel hard to breathe.
Way too soon he pulls away, and his eyes are closed as he places his forehead against mine. Once he catches his breath, he wraps his hands around my back and draws me into his embrace. I tuck my head under his chin, rest my hands low around his back, and hold himjustas tightly.
“Hungry?” Ollie prompts when Ilet go.
I shrug, since food is no longer high on my list. “I could eat.” I give him one final squeeze before stepping back. When I look up at him, there’s a flush to his cheeks and the dark circles under his eyes have lessened. Guilt settles in my stomach. A few kisses and he looks ten times healthier, I need to manage my time between the guys better. I’ve been neglecting him. Probably Milo too.
“Wanna play a game after we eat? We could try that new one. Milo likes that one, right?” I offer, thinking a few hours sitting between them while playing would be good for all of us.
“Sure, lets go before someone comes looking for us.”
* * *
The slamming ofseveral textbooks closing pulls me from my thoughts. It’s Friday, and I only have one more class before I can get out of here for the weekend.
While school isn’t as terrible as it used to be, it still sucks, just for different reasons now. I don’t have to wander the halls like a ghost, but the notoriety of being close with three of the most popular boys at school has its drawbacks.
I think the closeness of our group has the school more confused than anything else. No one knows why I, of all people, was accepted by them so quickly. Itdoesn’t help that Ollie is hanging all over me half the time, and the other half I’meitherstaring at Dante like he hung the moon, or Milo like he’s myownsuperman.
The halls are loud as everyone rushes to their final class of the day. Thanksgiving is next week, so we only have classes on Monday and Tuesday, I think everybody is already in vacation mode.
Making my way to art, I feel a sense of excitement. Spending time with any of the guys alone is a rarity, and knowing I’ll have Dante all to myself for the next hour puts a skip in my step. Not that we’ll really be alone, but at least his parents won’t be there.
It’s been alittle bit of a struggle always having Rosa, William, and Mal around.Don’t get me wrong, I like them, and they’ve accepted me as if I was one of their own. But it’s been a huge change from only ever being with the guys to always having parents around, and it’s not just Ares and Dante’s parents, because Milo andOllie’s families are stopping by all the time too.
Their relationships with their parents are not the typical teenager and parent arrangement. With the males gaining their full abilities and identifiers at sixteen, it’s the equivalent of a norm turning eighteen. You’re considered an adult, ready to move out, start a life of your own.
One bonus about Rosa reclaiming her house was that Miawas able to find the perfect house to rent within a day of their return. Coincidence, not likely.
Setting my backpack on the floor I slide onto my stool, watching the door for Dante’s arrival. I know he’s coming before I see him. Ever since our bonding I have a keen sense of him, I get this tingle under my skin when he’s close.
His eyes meet mine the moment he rounds the door, he doesn’t have to look for me, since he knows right where I am. A blush steals over my cheeks, I still get a little breathless knowinghe’s mine.
Dante’s deep brown hair is a little wild, like he used his hands to push it back all day. It’s gotten a little longer since I first met him, but it suits him.His amber eyes are focused on me and I almostsquirm, all that attention can be overwhelming. I watch as his broad chest lifts while he drags in a deep breath, his eyes closing slowly as he does. His steps never falter as he continues over to me.
His blink is slow when his eyesopen again, and he bites his bottom lip, his straight white teeth a little sharper than what someone wouldconsider normal. I know it’s part of him, part of his tiger, no one else would notice the small difference, but I do.
