Page 38 of Perfectly Naïve
Right. Let’s do this.Without letting myself overthink things further, I unzip my bag and pull out my laptop. Hayes chuckles beside me, but I ignore him, pulling up my slideshow.
“Liv, baby, you don’t have to do some presentation to convince us.” Sawyer walks around the back of the couch and settles on one of the cushions. “Really, I don’t think it’s necessary.”
“It is,” I reply. “We should all be aware of the variables and potential outcomes before engaging in a sexual relationship.”
“Fuck.” Hayes runs a hand over his face.
Anxiety stirs in my chest. It’s now or never. I stand, setting my computer on the coffee table facing them, my back to the front door so I can see the three of them. When the first slide populates on the screen, I suck in a fortifying breath and launch into my prepared remarks.
“As I’m sure Sawyer has told you, I’ve been on scent and heat control my entire adult life because I didn’t want anything to interfere with my education. It’s not that my omega status would automatically exclude me from those pursuits, but the biological urges that characterize my designation can, at times, overwhelm and obscure more analytical goals.”
Even now, with a clear objective in mind and a well-constructed presentation at my fingertips, I’m struggling to ignore my omega instincts. The sheer delicious potency of thealpha scents in this room has slick pooling between my thighs, and my nipples are painfully hard. My brain demands I press on with my objective, while my body urges me to drop to my knees and take a cock in my mouth, arch my back, and demand one of the other alphas fill me with a knot.
It’s equally thrilling and frustrating, and I’m overwhelmed by the conflicting desires.
Hayes inhales deeply, his chest rumbling in response to the pheromones I am no doubt producing.
“While this has made it easier for me to be successful in a scientific and professional capacity, it has left me...deficient in other ways.”
“I highly doubt you’re deficient in anything, beautiful,” Wilder says kindly, his eyes flickering to something behind me.
I push on. “I’m well aware that most omegas my age know how to give blow jobs and take a knot. I’m a twenty-seven-year-old virgin, Wilder. I’d argue that, for an omega, those are deficiencies. Which is why I’d like you all to help me learn the art of sucking a dick and how to take a knot. We can start tonight, if you’d like. I have lube in my purse. Not that I think we’ll need it. Ever since I’ve stopped with the scent control, I produce an alarming amount of slick around each of you.”
There’s a sharp inhalation behind me, then someone starts coughing.
Startled, I spin to find out who entered Sawyer’s house without me knowing. I will be so embarrassed if I said all that in front of Nigel. I don’t know why he would walk into the house without knocking, but who else could it be?
But it’s not Nigel. No, the wide, hazel eyes staring at me like they’ve seen a ghost don’t belong to Nigel, though they are almost as familiar. Their unique hazel hue flecked with gold used to be familiar and comforting. When I was younger, I spent many hours staring into their striated depths while wespun and waltzed across parquet floors, my right hand in his, his left hand lightly supporting my back.
He made the endless hours of instruction feel less like torture and more like stolen moments filled with secrets.
My voice comes out breathless, due to my body’s response to his sudden appearance. At least he looks as stunned as I feel.
“Liam?”
Chapter Fourteen
WILDER
Well, well, well. This is an unexpected development.
“Liam?” she asks again. My pretty omega’s eyes are wide and surprised as she stares at my packmate, who looks equally shocked. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Liam so entirely at a loss for words. God, I want to give him shit right now, but I clamp my lips shut, exchange a look with Hayes, and let this play out.
“Olivia? I... What are you...You’rethe Liv Sawyer’s been talking about?” Liam takes a step toward Liv, who’s just staring at him. I swear I can see the gears turning in that pretty head of hers. This is a situation she probably didn’t account for.
How do they know each other?
“How are you here?” Liv asks, features softening.
“I live here.” He takes another step closer to her, his fingers flexing at his sides.
I give it thirty seconds before he tugs our omega into his arms. Or before she jumps into them.
“You live here? With Sawyer and the guys?” She cocks herhead to the side, attention bouncing between Sawyer and Liam. Sawyer looks as confused as I feel.
“Olivia, what are you doing here?”
Hayes leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, eyes narrowing on our packmate. “I think the better question is, how do you two know each other?”
