Page 33 of Trick or Heat

“Do you like to read?” I ask.

He nods. “Mainly manga and comic books, but… I mean, that’s still reading, right?”

He’s looking at me hesitantly, like he’s afraid of my answer, which makes something in me crumble a bit.

“Of course that’s still reading! Has someone told you it’s not?”

He shrugs. “You know how people can be.”

I nod. “There’s a lot of pretentious people out there, I get it. But you found something you love, and you’re still consuming content and understanding the material. That’s reading and comprehending, which is all that matters.”

His shoulders seem to relax the tiniest bit, and I decide to take that moment to shuffle to his side. We’re so close that I can feel his breath on my skin, the slight push and pull of nervousness brushing over my goosebumps.

“You are something else, Elsie,” he whispers, his beautiful brown eyes meeting mine.

“Oh?” I say, amusement tugging at my lip. “A good something, I hope.”

There’s something soft and dazzling about the way he’s looking at me. His gaze never leaves mine, the contact both a gentle caress and a sultry seduction at the same time.

“An amazing something,” he finally says, and I inhale a sharp breath. The sound causes him to peer down at my parted lips and my heart practically stops from anticipation.

When he closes the distance between us and kisses me, it consumes my every thought. I completely forget where we are, sitting in the middle of the romance section of this very public bookstore. There’s nothing but us and this moment, the one that reminds me why we’re here.

I found my scent matches, my mates, and they are just as perfect as I always imagined they would be.

SIXTEEN

When Brodie called me to ask me on a date, I had no idea that he’d take me to a place like this. Juni’s Butter and Batter is a new dessert shop right outside campus, and it is beautiful.

The building is so cute with its yellow brick and Halloween posters displayed all over the windows. The interior is just as beautiful, the pink and green accentuating the “sweet” nature of the place. It smells of vanilla and freshly baked goods. Little spooky treats are lined up behind the counter: “poisoned” apple strudels, hand-drawn cookies that look like little cartoon spiders and jolly pumpkins, an assortment of cakes with purple and orange coloring. There are even chocolate cupcakes with little white ghosts dancing on top.

My mouth waters.

The owner is likely trying to push out the last of the stock now that it’s November. Luckily for them, I have always had an affinity for Halloween treats.

“I thought you’d like this place.”

I whip my head to Brodie, his gaze already on me. His eyes shine with something akin to admiration.

“How did you know that?”

His lips curve gently. “Elsie said you have a bit of a sweet tooth.” I scrunch my nose as if to hide. Leave it to Elsie to tell these alphas my most omega-like secrets. “Get anything you want.”

So I do. I order a spiced-pumpkin tart, one of the “poison” apple strudels, and a ghost cupcake. Brodie gets the same, but he adds a chai tea as well. The way his lips sound around the name of my scent makes me blush.

We sit at the booth in the corner and enjoy our treats.

“So, soccer. How long have you been doing that?” I ask, feeling a bit vulnerable now that we have space for conversation.

“All my life, really. All three of us met at a soccer program as kids. I’ve never wanted to do anything else.”

“And I presume your lifestyles reflect that,” I comment pointedly. “Jocks live pretty lavishly. Everyone loving them, wanting to be around them…”

Brodie shrugs. “It can get that way, sure, but the guys and I have always enjoyed each other’s company more than anything.”

“You’re telling me that you guys aren’t f-boys? Not even before you met Elsie and me?”

“F-boys?” he asks.