Page 87 of Feeling the Heat: Part One
Jackson lets out a little sound of surprise, which melts into a small groan as he wraps an arm around my waist and deepens the kiss. When we pull apart, his cheeks are burnished and his eyes sparkle.
“Fuck, you’re perfect,” he murmurs, his voice a blend of awe and sincerity.
My face heats when he blatantly adjusts himself and gives me a wink. “Be right back. Try not to get into too much trouble while I’m gone, gorgeous.”
It takes me at least a minute to cool down enough to focus on the selection of products in this new section. All manner of skincare, lotions, oils, and bath products in pretty packaging line the shelves. It’s harder to tell what I might like by just looking, but fortunately there are testers for many of the products. I avoid any of the products with heavy fragrances, worried that they’ll give me a migraine if I smell too many in a row, and look at the body oils instead.
There’s one labeled “Magic Heat” which looks intriguing. I frown as I read the label to determine what it does.Perfect for anyone wanting to heat up their bedroom and get an omega experience as good as the real thing.
What does that even mean?
“Camille?”
A hesitant, reedy voice from behind me startles me out of my pondering.
Afamiliarvoice.
I whip around to see the last person I’d expect to findhere—my sister.
“M-Megan! Oh my god, what are you doing here?” I fumble to place the Magic Heat bottle back on the shelf.
Her nose scrunches and she pushes a lock of her wavy red hair, much longer than the last time I saw her, behind her ear. “We’re shopping.”
My stomach sinks like I swallowed a bunch of rocks. “We?” I ask, praying she doesn’t mean who I think she does.
“Get an extra bottle and more of those slick suppositories.” The unpleasant almost-bark sends a shiver down my spine.
I have the absurd urge to shove my cart at Megan and flee, but hold my ground as her odious husband Bryce rounds into the aisle.
He gives me a double-take, clearly as shocked to see me here as I am to see them.
“Camille.” The haughty, yet lecherous way his eyes scrape up and down my body makes me want to gag, but I don’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me upset. “What a pleasant surprise.”
Megan nods, mute now that her husband is here. Like always.
Familiar anger and frustration well inside of me. I want to beg my sister to come with me. If there weren’t a million security cameras in the store, I might say fuck it and clock Bryce over the head with one of the heavy brass lamps in my cart. Anything to get Megan away from him.
But knowing how well the bastard has brainwashed her, she’d run back to him the second she could.
Bryce looks at my pair of carts, eyes narrowing. “What’s all this?”
My heart rises in my throat. There’s no way I’m telling him I’m here because I’m an omega. “I’m shopping with a friend.” I try to keep my tone even, which isn’t too difficult sincethat’s not a lie.
His beady eyes land on the bottles behind me and a snide look of understanding crosses his face. He lets out a chuckle. “You’re such a hypocrite. Trying to make your sister feel terrible for embracing the omega lifestyle and being a good wife to her alpha when you’re doing the same.”
The purpose of the Magic Heat and the items he rattled off click into place. I scowl at him. “That’s not what I’m doing. And she’s only ‘embracing’ it because you force her to.”
I beg my sister to stand up for herself with my eyes, knowing from past experiences she won’t. Megan’s cheeks flush and her jaw tenses, but she stays silent.
Bryce scoffs. “Meg chose this.” He clamps a heavy hand on her shoulder and she winces slightly at the rough way he grabs her. “Didn’t you honey?”
The urge to scream at him that she hates being called Meg, and he’s a disgusting alphahole who doesn’t deserve her, rises. But as I take a step forward, Jackson calls out from behind me.
“I’ve returned bearing treats, my lady! I was thinking, maybe we can make a mini-nest in one of the carts and I can push you around while you snack. Only the finest for my precious omega.”
Jackson’s goofy smile falters when I turn and look at him, eyes wide. “Whoa, hey, is everything okay?” He rushes to my side and gives me a once over, then looks up and startles a bit like he hadn’t noticed the people standing nearby.
Bryce’s mouth curves down in distaste. “Really, Camille? You’re doing this for a beta? If you want to play pretend, at least do it with an alpha.” It’s clear from his tone that he means him.
