Page 13 of Don't Bait Me (Nora Jacobs 3)

“It’s crazy,” Wulf murmurs.

“It’s beautiful,” Cecile adds.

“It’s out of the question,” Rook snaps. “No way in hell are they moving in here.”

Terrance snarls, but Rook meets his glare with a growl. I whip my head around, shocked by Rook’s audacity, and I’m met with a glowing pair of eyes. I don’t care if it’s his wolf I’m talking to right now. I glare at him and snap, “What the hell is your problem?”

Rook folds his arms across his chest and continues to scowl at me. “They’re both in love with you. I don’t want them staying here.”

My eyes grow wide, and I can do nothing but blink at the man. It takes me a minute to find my voice.“Are you kidding me with this?”

Across the room, Ren snickers. I point my finger his direction and hit him with my hardest warning glare. “You shut it, demon spawn. Right now. I am not joking.”

He uses his fingers to zip his lips, but he doesn’t wipe the smirk from his face. I want to scream at him, but that’s just misdirecting my anger, and I know it. I take a deep breath and try to speak calmly. “Look. No offense or anything, Rook, but—”

“Are you guys together?” Rook demands, gesturing between Oliver and me. “Like an actual couple?”

I balk. “No. But what does that matter?”

“You and Parker?”

“No. But, again, why—”

Rook’s face flushes an angry red. “It matters because I want a chance with you, and them living here gives them an unfair advantage.”

My jaw falls open. This is getting ridiculous. “Rook, you need to get your wolf under control. I don’t belong to—”

He cuts me off with a growl of pure frustration. “It’s not just my wolf, Nora.Iwant a chance with you.”

Gritting his teeth, he takes my hand and holds it in his. The gentleness of his touch starkly contrasts the anger he’s trying to control. His thoughts are as frustrated as he is.I need her to understand.“I like you. A lot.Me. Not just my wolf. I want a chance to date you. Will you give me that chance?”

All of the air leaves my lungs. He’s waiting for me to say something, but my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. I pull my hand out of his, not wanting to hear any more of his thoughts.

Wulf lets out a low whistle. “Well, I’ll be damned. I know that’s what I was hoping for since the day I met Nora, but I didn’t think it’d actually happen.”

“Will you?” Rook repeats, ignoring his brother. “Please? At least a date? A real one. Not a training session. Let me take you out on a normal date. Dinner. Maybe a movie. A kiss at the end of the night.”

Something stirs inside me. I’ve always wanted to go out on a normal date. Rook would be good for that. He’s laid back and fun—when his wolf’s not being a brute. He was right when he said we’d be good together. We have a lot in common. And the idea of kissing him…my mouth dries up at the thought. He’s so affectionate, so hands on. I guess it’s a wolf thing. He drives me crazy every time he touches me. I can only imagine how good a kiss with him could be.

“I… Um…”

I want to say yes. I like Rook, and I trust him. I want to experience that date with him. If it were just him, I’d say yes. But it’s more complicated than that. My eyes flick to Parker and then to Oliver. Both men are watching me closely. I think Oliver might even be holding his breath.

“Nora, darling, it’s just a date, not an exclusive relationship,” Cecile says slowly, in a low, soothing voice that is impossible to ignore.

“Maybe you should say yes to all of them,” Ren suggests. “Let them each have a chance with you, and then move forward from there.”

I’m pretty sure it will only get more complicated if I do that, but I don’t voice that fear. Glancing at Parker and Oliver again, then back to Rook, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay.” I can’t believe I’m saying yes to this. “Okay, you can each have one date, but I can’t promise anything more than that.”

Rook lets out a breath. I can tell he’s not thrilled that I’m including Parker and Oliver into the deal, but he nods and manages a smile. “A chance is all I ask.”

I gulp. My heart flutters like crazy, and no doubt the vampire and the wolves can hear it. I’m nervous, but I’m not terrified like I would have been not that long ago. Maybe Rook and Wulf were right when they said I was lying before dinner. Maybe I really am ready to date. At least, these three guys. There’s no way I’d consider going out with anyone else.

“Thank you, Nora,” Parker murmurs. “A chance is all I have ever asked of you as well.”

Oliver nudges my shoulder. “You know I want to go out. But only if it’s what you want, too.”

“It is. I think. We’ll see how it goes, anyway.” I pat his leg and look from him to both Rook and Parker. How in the world am I ever going to choose between the three of them? Since I have no idea, I push the question aside and focus on something easier. “Okay, now that that’s settled, back to the original issue. Parker and Oliver are moving in here, and that’s all there is to it.” Realizing that neither of them ever actually agreed, I add, “If you want to, that is.”

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