Page 61 of Feeling the Heat: Part Two
We kiss and kiss and kiss, bodies pressed together as we pour our relief and hesitant hopes into each other. When our mouths part, we’re both breathless and wide-eyed.
I speak first, a smile spreading across my lips as I look into River’s stunned expression. “Not too bad for a first lesson, huh?”
He laughs and squeezes my hip. “You’re a quick learner, but we might need to practice more.” His voice lowers. “A lot more if you’re willing.”
Desire sizzles through me. “I’m willing.”
25
When I toldCamille I’d be her bodyguard, I was only partially kidding. Now that someone followed her, it’s hard for me to leave her side. I can’t even blame it on alpha protective instincts. I just can’t stop thinking about what could’ve happened if she hadn’t gotten away from the alpha stalking her. Nightmare scenarios play on repeat whenever my mind wanders.
Which is why I’ve spent the night at her house four times in the past week. Ambrose stayed the other three, equally concerned but not as outwardly unchill about the whole thing as I’ve been. River is struggling too. To make up for not spending the night, he’s walked her home from work every day. We all want to ask Cami to come stay at our house, but don’t want to push her to accept more from us than she already has.
While I’m worried for her safety, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy she’s spending time with us in person again. I’ve missed being around her so damn much. And no, not becauseof the sex.
Although…I’ve missed that too. Still miss it, since I’ve slept on her couch each time I’ve stayed over. There’s no way I’m using this situation to take advantage of Camille. She wasn’t ready to be intimate before the stalker, so I keep my kisses as chaste as I can. I keep my hands from wandering across her plush body too much when we hug.
It’s hard. Literally. I’ve had to hide my permaboner with a lot of pillows.
When Camille answers the door tonight, her cheeks are flushed and there’s a shine in her eyes like she went for a run or had a good fuck. She tugs me in for a hug, and I see over her shoulder that she’s not alone.
River is sitting on her couch, looking equally flushed.
I give him a look that says, “Did I interrupt something?” and he shakes his head with a small smile, carding a hand through his hair. I don’t know if I believe him, given the boner pillow in his lap and the fizzle of arousal I get when I open myself up to his end of the bond.
“What have you two been up to?” I ask, waggling my eyebrows and grinning at Camille as she pulls back.
Her blush deepens. “River offered to help me work on resisting alpha barks some more.”
“She’s getting pretty good at it,” my packmate says, standing and holding his hands conspicuously in front of his crotch.
My smile broadens. “That’s amazing, Cami! Can I see a demonstration?”
Her expression flickers, and I mentally kick myself for saying the wrong thing. “Uh, sure.”
I squeeze her shoulder and shake my head. “You’re allowed to say no, gorgeous. I can be a dumbass and not think before I speak sometimes.”
“I know it’s hard to resist his charms, but he’s right.” Rivermoves over to her side and smirks at me. “Especially about the being a dumbass part.”
“Hey!” I scowl at him, playing up my indignance when Camille laughs.
“He’s not,” she says, shaking her head at River, then going up on her toes to kiss my cheek. “You’re not.”
Warmth spreads across my body from where her lips touch my stubbled cheek. It makes me want to pull her into my arms and carry her to her nest and spend the rest of the night there, holding her. River could come too. We wouldn’t have to do anything sexual. Or we could. If she wanted.
Shit, I’m getting hard. Down boy.
“I should go,” River says, looking between me and Camille with a glimmer of sadness and longing in his eyes. It makes me want to hug him, too, and I decide to go for it because we’re turning a new leaf with our pack, and he needs reinforcement that we care and want him to stick around.
His eyes widen, and he takes a half step back as I open my arms to him. I roll my eyes at him, trying to downplay the stab of rejection. “Since when do you not want me to hug you, dude?”
River’s face floods with color. “Sorry, I don’t want to feel your massive hardon pressing against me.” Embarrassment surges from his end of the bond.
So much for trying to make him feel supported. I let out a loud laugh, and make a show of adjusting myself. “Whoops, my bad. But thanks for calling it massive. That means a lot coming from a guy whose mate has a horse cock.”
Camille shakes her head at our nonsense, a small line forming between her brows as she surveys us. River scoffs at me and turns to her, stepping closer but waiting for her to decide what kind of goodbye she wants to give.
His eyes widen again when she pulls him down for a kiss. Iknow I shouldn’t stare at them, but damn, they look good together. Their lips part slowly, and River murmurs a soft “thank you,” which has our omega’s perfume rising.
