5. Calista

Chapter 5

Calista

I 'm on my third whisky sour, and while I definitely feel confident enough to tell Orion about Juniper, I don't want to. Because I forgot how much fun being around him is.

He's easy to talk to. Easy to laugh with. He gets all of my jokes and has a really subtle sense of humor that makes him interesting to engage with.

He's careful to stay away from any topic regarding Juniper, which I'm grateful for.

It makes the time between us… light. Fun. More than fun, I'll admit.

Being around Orion like this again? It's more than just falling into an old pattern.

It's like coming home.

On top of the great conversation… he's insanely attractive. I think that I must have fallen for him so young that I, like, imprinted on him or something. I've seen other men, of course, and I've been around a lot of attractive men.

None of them have ever made my heart beat like Orion does.

He's wrapping up a story about a teenage wolf being stranded in a human wildlife clinic, and I can't stop laughing.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's funny," he laughs as I snort at the image of the alpha pretending to be a wildlife rehab vet. His blue eyes sparkle, and they look so much like Juniper's that my breath catches in my throat.

My laughter dies, and I'm just staring at him. "I… I missed you," I blurt.

It's definitely the whisky talking, and I immediately wish that I could pull the words back into myself.

Orion's face softens. "I missed you, too."

I take a deep breath. I need to tell him. He's not a bad person. When he stood up to his mom earlier, I felt like, for the first time, he was willing to create some space between them.

It made me wonder what else has changed for him. And what that means for us.

But telling him about Juniper is going to ruin the moment.

I've missed this so much. I don't want to ruin it now.

"I'm sorry if I made things weird with your mom," I say.

He straightens, then sighs. "She's… a lot."

"I've never seen you be so firm with her."

Orion nods sharply. "It's time."

"What's different?"

He sighs again, then leans back on the couch. From this angle, he looks… not relaxed, exactly. Poised. Somehow. Like he's waiting for something.

It's sexy.

You think everything he does is sexy .

"I'm turning thirty in two months," he says.

My heart flutters. "Okay."

"She has… she wants me to find a mate."

"Do you?"

It's just a question. But it feels like I just ignited a fuse. The tension simmers in the room.

Am I worried that he'll say no? Yes?

I don't know. I have no idea what I want his response to be. I do know that it will kill me if I don't ask.

Orion studies me before his eyes darken slightly. "I already found the person I wanted to be my mate."

"You did?" I say in a tiny voice.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"She didn't want me," he says softly. "And I'd rather be human than be with anyone else."

"Oh," I murmur. He doesn't respond.

My heart skips. Even though I know it can't be true, that I heard him tell his mom years ago that he would never want me for a mate, there's something in his voice that makes me feel like… Is he talking about me?

He leans forward, putting his forearms on his legs. "Do you have a mate, Calista?"

"No."

"You didn't mate with the father of your child?"

"No," I repeat, even more quietly. "And I don't want to talk about him."

I don't want to remember how I'm holding this secret from him.

I'll tell him. Just not right now.

"Tell me about your daughter," he says softly.

I shuffle to sit closer to him. Our legs are so close, I can feel the heat rolling off of him, even though we aren't touching.

"She's amazing," I whisper, shutting my eyes. "She's smart. Funny. She's everything…"

He makes a noise, and I open my eyes. He's looking at me with…

Longing.

Orion opens his mouth. "Calista, I wish…"

I can't let him finish that. I'm not sure why. I know that I can't talk about Juniper anymore. I need to tell him. I don't want to tell him.

Most of all, though, I want him. I long for Orion, for his touch on my skin, like I've been walking through the desert for five years. Like he's the only thing that will keep me from dying of thirst.

All of those sentiments somehow propel my muscles to action. I lean over, pressing my lips against his.

It's a shock to me. It's a shock to him.

Then, when the shock is done, a whole new feeling overwhelms me.

There's a spark. Literally, a spark that passes between us.

I gasp, opening my lips, but as soon as I do, Orion puts his hand on my neck and deepens the kiss. From there, everything cascades.

I'm so lost in the kiss that my body moves on its own, and I just follow the path it has decided. I straddle Orion's lap. My dress hikes up to the tops of my thighs as his hands run up my legs. I can feel his erection through the rough fabric of his jeans, and I moan with desire.

I remember that, too.

"Calista," he rumbles, his lips pulling back. "You're so fucking beautiful…"

I lean forward, meeting his mouth. "Just kiss me."

He growls but complies.

My hands tug at the edges of his shirt, pulling it up and over his head. Soon, I pull at the edges of his belt, desperate for what I know he can give me…

"Wait," he murmurs

I pause, my hand on his belt buckle. "Orion?"

"I want you," he rasps, his voice hollow. One of his hands moves up and down on my leg, causing goosebumps to chase over my skin. "Do you?—"

"Yes," I whisper.

It's all the permission he needs.

I squeak with surprise as he rises, and I wrap my legs around his waist, clinging to him as he walks us backward. When we get to the bedroom, he tosses me on the bed and descends on me. He slowly unbuttons my dress. One button at a time. Every button opened earns me another kiss, no matter how hard I press myself up against his lips.

It's torture.

When he gets to my waist, I scrape my nails against his scalp. "Faster," I whisper.

He chuckles against the skin of my belly. "I'm savoring this, Calista."

I groan at my name.

When he finally unbuttons the spot over my panties, I can't take it anymore. I hook my thumbs in the sides of my thong and pull, dragging the last few buttons holding my dress together with it.

"Impatient," he growls, his lips skating over the soft part of my belly. It doesn't even occur to me that he might see the stretch marks from Juniper. Until he traces them lightly, kissing every single one. I don't say anything, but the movement makes my throat feel tight with emotion.

Until he licks at my center, and I cry out.

Orion presses forward, pushing my legs apart with his shoulders. He laps at me, growling, and my eyes roll back in my head.

I'm so close. I press his head down, hoping he will just go a little longer, just right there…

When he stops and pulls back, I whine. "Why did you stop?" I pant. I'm so needy for him, it hurts.

Orion's smile is wicked in the dark. "I want you to come around me, Calista."

I groan again.

He takes his belt off, finally, and pulls his jeans down. My eyes trace the curves of his muscles down, then widen at his thick erection. There's no way it got bigger in the past five years. Right?

He takes his hand and runs it over his cock, looking down at me with hooded eyes. "Do you want me, Calista?"

I nod.

"Say it," he growls.

"I want you," I respond.

There's no point in hiding it. I widen my legs.

Orion growls and leans forward. He fits himself against me, and when he presses inside, we both moan.

"You feel so good," I pant.

Orion grunts and starts to move.

I gasp as I cling to his broad shoulders. "Orion…"

He picks up speed, and I moan. Every movement is perfect. It's like we're in sync, somehow. When he moves, I answer. When I ache, he meets me.

"Calista," he growls against my neck. "Come for me."

"I can't?—"

"Now," he groans.

I didn't think it was possible. I've never had sex with anyone but Orion, and it was good before. But it's freaking amazing now.

Because right when he tells me to come…

I do.

My orgasm crashes over me, exploding across every one of my nerves. I gasp, calling his name, and I feel him jerk above me.

He says my name like a prayer.

The pleasure seems to stretch forever, until my skin feels like it's expanding outside of my body. By the time I come down, we're still joined, our chests heaving as we breathe in sync.

I look up at him. "That was…"

Orion looks at me, and I can see the nerves in his gaze.

So, I tell him the truth.

"It was perfect." I smile.

Orion smiles back. "You want to do it again?"

My grin grows, and I pull him down. I press a kiss on his lips before I give him my response.

"Absolutely."