Page 11 of Pack Apollo

"Sure," I tell him, not liking the sadness still surrounding him as he gets up to take his plate to the sink.

He washes it while the rest of us finish eating so that we can do the same. Once done, he heads toward the door, stopping halfway there and looking at us over his shoulder. "Please be nice today. I really like her."

And with that, he walks out, leaving us speechless. I knewhe'd grown somewhat attached to her in the past couple nights they've spent together while he drives her around. We've had conversations about it. I simply hadn't seen, until now, just how much. Resting my elbows on the table with my hands up, I drop my forehead onto them with a sigh.

"Don't worry, brother," Roz reassures me. "It'll work itself out, and we'll survive either way just like we always do."

I grunt a semi agreement to my pack-mate, knowing good and damn well that we will be, but I'm not so sure about Palmer. The best I can do is hope that we haven't made a huge mistake and she won't tear his heart to pieces.

Chapter Five

Billie

I give myself another once over in the mirror for what's likely the twentieth time. Nineteen years and I've never been this nervous for anything. Let's just say that's saying a lot, too, considering all the job interviews I've had. Not to even mention the first time I ever had sex. Unfortunately, he was a virgin as well and a beta, so the whole encounter was extremely awkward.

Gently tugging my sweater down for the millionth time over the top of my jeans, I make sure that my cami underneath doesn't reveal anything. The tiny crochet-like holes in the sweater make the cami visible, but thankfully between the two of them it's decent.

A few minutes before twelve, I throw on some ankle boots and grab my jacket already loaded down with my small wallet, keys, and phone. Making sure I put hands on my keys just to be safe, I lock the door behind me and head outside to wait for Palmer.

My nerves almost get the best of me and force me back inside behind the closed door. Of course, my trip is short, and he's already outside waiting at the curb, so my window of escape is gone as quickly as it arrived.

"Hi," I say as I make it to where he's leaning against his silver car.

"Hi," he repeats back to me with a wide smile. "You look nice."

"Thanks," I tell him, returning it.

I close the distance between us as he moves off the car. I decided to leave my hair down earlier in its natural wavy state, and he reaches out to take a few strands between his fingers. Slowly, he pulls his hand away revealing a lady bug caught between the same fingers.

"Thanks," I say again, running my hand through the same batch of hair as he sets the lady bug free.

"They're said to be good luck you know," he announces with conviction.

"I hope that's true," I reply. "I could really use a little bit of luck right now."

"Why?" he asks, his face dropping into a worried expression.

That's what causes me to give him an honest answer. "I'm nervous about meeting your pack."

He smiles but it doesn't light his face up like it normally does. I really hope that doesn't mean that he's nervous, too, because that can't bode well.

"Just be yourself," he says quietly, leaving the sentence feeling open and incomplete like he wants to add something.

Reaching out again, this time, he runs his thumb down the side of my cheek. Not having been touched in so long, I can't help it when I close my eyes and lean into it. When I open them, it's to find him right in front of me. He glances down at my lips, but doesn't make the first move. I assume he probably never will, because from what I know now, he's a damn gentleman, and I've already told him I'm not looking for anything other than friends. But, I can't stop myself even if I wanted to. Leaning in and going up on my toes just a bit, I press our lips together.

For a few seconds, that's all there is, but then his hand sinks into my hair and comes to a rest at the back of my head, pulling me even closer. Parting my lips is all the invitation he needs. His tongue sweeps in to caress mine, and I breathe out the butterflies in my stomach through a sigh into his mouth. Wrapping an arm around his back, I hug him tight as he kisses the nervousness away.

When he finally pulls away, he presses our foreheads together while we catch our breath. "Better?"

I nod softly, and he smiles, adding, "I've wanted to do that all week."

"I think I might need you to do it again," I remark.

He doesn't disappoint as he does just that, and when we come up for air this time, I can't be sure how much time has passed.

"We better get going, or they might start to wonder if I kidnapped you and am keeping you for myself," he teases.

I laugh and step into his car as he holds the door open for me. He crosses to the other side and hops in next to me. This same car that I've been riding in for a little over a week now feels more natural than my threadbare, lonely dorm room. Honestly, Palmer has made it a point to make the best of the twenty minutes back and forth all weekend. I feel like he knows more about me than anyone I've ever met. Since I didn't have friends or boyfriends in high school and Mom beingsick,I literally had no one to talk to. Then again, he may or may not have had to drag some of the information out of me, because once you get so used to not sharing, anything offered feels like oversharing.

---