Filed to story: The Alpha’s Pen Pal Book
I wasn’t usually one for PDA, but for whatever reason, even the knowledge that his friends and brother were right behind us, watching us, didn’t bother me at all. I could sense their amusement at our banter and my blatant flirting and teasing.
I kept tracing along his collarbone, my eyelids lowering and my lashes fluttering at him. A barely held-back groan escaped him, and he closed his eyes, his hand on me tightening and pulling me closer.
“Well?” I whispered, my lips like butterflies on the skin of his neck.
“Fine,” he grumbled, but I could hear the laugh in his voice.
I smiled and kissed his collarbone, then pulled back and held my hands out.
He shook his head and lowered the bag from above his head, his other arm loosening its hold on me to give me space to open the gift. His hand came to rest on my lower back, his little finger drawing small circles and grazing the top of my ass every so often.
I swallowed and took the gift from him, pushing away the distracting thoughts his wandering digit was giving me. Easier said than done, but I tried at least.
I opened the gift with care, not wanting to break or ruin whatever may be inside the bag. It wasn’t very heavy, but there was no way to know for sure if it would be something breakable or not.
I held the tissue paper out, glancing behind me at the other three men, all watching Wesley and me with like we were the most entertaining television show in the world. Nolan was quick on the uptake and grabbed the tissue paper from me so I could reach into the bag and pull out—
“A wolf in a tutu?” I chuckled, looking at the small stuffed gray wolf wearing a purple tutu.
It was soft and fluffy and squishy and perfectly huggable. And completely ridiculous in its little purple costume, complete with ballerina tiara.
Nolan took the bag from me and I looked from the wolf stuffy to Wesley in confusion.
“Why a wolf?” I asked.
He started to reply when I remembered something from one of his letters. I laughed. “Oh! Because you said wolves were your favorite animal when we were kids!”
“Something like that,” he replied with his own laugh. “The tutu—“
“Was my idea!” Reid bragged, interrupting Wesley.
“—is made from leftover fabric from your costume,” Wesley finished. “Maya made it,” he added. “I can’t sew for shit. I tried, but the fabric is so soft and delicate and flimsy, and my hands are so big, and I couldn’t get the thread into that ridiculously tiny hole in the top of the needle, and—“
He frowned at himself and stopped his rambling by pursing his lips. It was funny to see he hadn’t grown out of that nervous habit, although when we were kids, I’d only ever seen him do it in our letters. Seeing him do it verbally as an adult was endearing and entertaining, especially when he got annoyed at himself for it.
“I love it,” I said, grinning up at him.
“You do?” he asked, looking relieved, and I nodded. “Good. I was worried you would think it was cheesy or dumb or—“
“Wesley,” I said, covering his mouth with my finger to get him to stop his rambling before he could even start. “It’s perfect.” He smiled against my finger, and then I grabbed his hand. “Come with me.”
“To do what?” Wes asked as he followed me through the crowd, his hand squeezing mine.
“I want to put it in my dressing room,” I told him as I pulled the stage door open. “For good luck.”
We worked our way around the few dancers still backstage, towards the stairs to the dressing rooms, and then wound our way to the top.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to be back here?” Wesley asked, glancing around.
“Peter let you come backstage the other day,” I reminded him.
“Yes, but that was… different.”
“I didn’t realize you were such a stickler for rules,” I teased.
“I’m more worried about you getting in trouble or risking your position.”
“Trust me, after that performance, I think her position is well in hand,” Ramón said as he exited his dressing room. “Ah, you must be Miss Haven’s new paramour, the reason for her recent exquisite dancing,” he teased as he held out his hand for Wesley to shake.
I felt the blood pooling in my cheeks, turning my pale cheeks pink. “He’s not my param—“
“Wesley,” Wesley said, gripping Ramón’s hand. “Haven’s boyf—“
“Friend,” I interrupted, my cheeks heating even more. “He’s my friend,” I repeated.
Wesley shot me a look and squeezed my hand.
“Oh, so you have another male, someone else you’re bringing with you to the gala tonight?” Ramón teased, his brown eyes glinting. “Juggling two men! Wow, I didn’t think you had it in you. I learn something new about you every day!”
“I’m not bringing anyone to the gala,” I mumbled, and I saw Wesley raise his brow out of the corner of my eye.
“Not according to the seating chart they sent us a bit ago,” Ramón replied, pulling his phone out of his pocket and opening up an email. “See?”
I grabbed it from his hand and glanced at the list of tables, and, sure enough, at the same table as Ramón and Imogen was “Haven Wainwright and Guest.”
I looked up from the phone at Ramón’s smug little face and handed it back to him without a word.
“I’ll see you both there.” He winked as he pocketed the phone.
“Two boyfriends, huh?” Wesley asked, a smile in his voice.
“Yes,” I told him. “I have to keep my options open, you know. Can’t put all of my eggs in one basket,” I said as I stepped into my dressing room. “Isn’t that right, Barry?” I added, looking at the wolf stuffy before I set it on the makeup counter.
New Book: Veiled Desires of the Alpha King Novel
Dayson was the alpha of the largest pack in North America. Powerful figures from other packs sought to offer gorgeous girls as potential mates for Dayson. He steadfastly rejected these advances, he was not a pawn to be manipulated. But eventually there came a mysterious girl he could hardly say No. Who was she?