11. Trevor

11

TREVOR

Breakfast is a free-for-all. A few times a week, we’ll do something as a group, usually if we can get Stone to cook. He’s the best cook of all of us, and he enjoys it the most, but today, we’re on our own. I’m waiting for Sophie to join us before I make any decisions, in case she’d rather go somewhere for breakfast. I want to be hospitable.

Randi’s seated at the counter when Sophie exits the bedroom.

“Good morning!” Randi says cheerfully when she sees her. “Would you like some cocoa?”

Sophie nods. “Still off drinking tea? I haven’t had any since we discovered what Doreen was doing.”

“Aye. Of all the things I’m angry at her for, ruining tea for me is the most heinous.”

“It’s okay. Do you have yogurt? Where’s the cocoa?”

I join her at the counter and gently nudge her out of the way to open a drawer. I hand her a spoon before turning to open the refrigerator and reaching back to hand Sophie a container of yogurt. “Do you want berries?” I ask with my head still inside the fridge. When she doesn’t answer, I turn and find her gaze fixed on my ass. I’m wearing team-branded sweatpants. Nothing sexy. They aren’t even gray like the ladies go crazy for, they’re basic black. But if she enjoys the view, I’m not going to complain.

“Berries would be nice, thank you.” Her voice is husky.

Randi snorts from her seat behind us, and I turn around in time to catch her smirk. I hand Sophie the container of mixed berries and reach into the drawer for a spoon of my own. I take back the container of mixed berries and dump some into my own cup of yogurt. I hold it up to do a toast and am met with a blank expression. I huff out an exasperated breath and roll my eyes before tapping my yogurt container against Sophie’s with a murmured “cheers.”

“Soph, we’re supposed to be partners. Understand what the other is going to do and follow along,” I grumble.

Now Mac and Randi are chuckling. The red flush climbing up Sophie’s neck doesn’t bode well for me.

She quirks an eyebrow that seems to convey let’s make everyone uncomfortable. Slowly slipping the spoon from between her lips, she establishes eye contact with me. Licking a drop of yogurt off the tip of the spoon elicits a gulp from me and a slight warning growl from Mac. Her mischievous grin tells me she’s having fun and that this is partly revenge for seeing way too much of Mac and Randi being lovey-dovey. Turnabout is fair play.

“Well, Trev, we are partners. On the dance floor.” She gives a saucy wink. “So far.”

Mac growls again, making Sophie grin. I’m kinda scared, though. I hope he doesn’t put cooling gel in my protective cup. I’m not going to leave it unguarded in the locker room. “Forgive me for not realizing yogurt toasts are a thing here. I’ll try to do better next time.” With a sexily arched brow, she spoons up more yogurt and closes her eyes with an orgasmic groan as she swallows.

My dick starts to harden. I can’t help but imagine what it would feel like if she swallowed with my cock deep in her mouth. Now I feel a flush creeping up my neck, too. The tips of my ears are probably as red as the goal lamp.

“Anyway,” Mac says, apparently deciding it’s best to ignore our shenanigans rather than continuing to growl. “You think you want to live in the pool house, Soph?”

“Mhm mm uh,” she says. I assume she’s saying, “I don’t know.”

She goes to pick up her mug and realizes she never made her cocoa. Wordlessly, I reach into the black-and-white lighthouse cookie jar on the counter and pull out a packet.

“Thanks,” she says, shaking the packet before ripping it open and dumping it in the mug of hot water Randi poured her. Using the spoon from her yogurt, she stirs in the powder. I take her empty yogurt container and rinse it along with mine, then put them in the recycling bin under the sink and throw her cocoa packet in the trash. I like to have things tidy.

“Pool house?” Mac asks.

“Oh, yeah. No reason not to look at it. With how much we’re traveling, I don’t need anything incredible. The room at Devil’s Den is gorgeous, but I feel bad tying it up for so long.”

She rolls her shoulders. I can see the tension she’s carrying. I’d be happy to rub her shoulders—or other parts—to help ease it.

“And I’d rather be near the woods. I can’t shift and run there with all that sand and the city.”

“It’s nice,” I say. “I think you’ll like it. And if you don’t, not a big deal. I’m fine driving back and forth for practice. Don’t change things to make it easier for me. Do what’s best for you.”

That seems to bring her up short. I don’t know what I said that was wrong. I’m trying to be nice.

“Okay.” She tilts her head toward the bedroom she stayed in. “Can we talk for a sec?”

Randi and Mac share a glance, silently communicating something I probably don’t want to know.

“Yeah, of course,” I say before following her down the hall into the bedroom. I close the door behind me for privacy, knowing it’s pointless. Mac can hear what we say if he wants.

She turns to face me, her hands clasped together. I think she’s trying to disguise that they’re shaking. What reason would she have to be nervous around me?

“Are you sure it’s okay if I move to the pool house?” she asks and then licks her lips. Another sign of nervousness. I don’t get it. “We’re together so much already with practice and traveling. I don’t want to crowd you and make your home uncomfortable. We’re wolf shifters. We can be territorial even though we like to have a pack around us. I’m not part of your pack.”

My wolf wholeheartedly disagrees with that sentiment. If I was to have a pack, Sophie would be at the center of it. I reach out and pull one of her hands free from the tight clasp they’re locked in. Lacing my fingers with hers, I tug gently to pull her closer. She could stand her ground, but she moves easily into my embrace. Wrapping my free arm around her waist and resting our clasped hands against my chest, I look down into her beautiful blue eyes. They’re the clear blue of the summer sky, not the murky blue of the Atlantic Ocean in winter.

“I want you to do what makes you happy and what you’re comfortable with.” On impulse, I drop a kiss on her forehead. I wish I could’ve placed it about four inches lower, but I know once we start it’s hard to stop, and these joggers won’t hide my reaction. “I know Randi loves the idea of you being closer so you can spend more time together. Mac too. As far as I’m concerned, you’re welcome to this room, but I understand how that may be too close for comfort for everyone.”

I fist her shirt where my hand rests on her hip. My gaze drops to her mouth. My wolf instincts have me licking my lips, wanting to pounce. Only my steely control keeps me from eating her up.

“To be honest, this fling we’re supposedly having with each other might actually happen if we’re closer.”

Her eyes ignite with desire, and her hands fist in my shirt then open flat to press against my chest. Feeling my muscles seems to cause her breath to catch, to race.

“Yes,” she says, her gaze lingering on my mouth, her hips pressing against mine in clear invitation.

“What are we going to tell everyone? I don’t want to keep this a secret from your brother and our friends. I don’t want to sneak around.”

“Is there a reason we wouldn’t keep it a secret?” she asks. “We’d be having fun, but it wouldn’t be anything serious. If our friends and my brother know, then there’ll be questions when it’s over. I’m not going to be here, so you’re going to be the one stuck dealing with the fallout. Is that something you want to deal with?”

I shrug. “I don’t care who knows. Everyone at least suspects something is going on because of the nights I’ve spent at the hotel. You stayed in my room at the All-Star Game. Who knows who saw us kissing on New Year’s or in the bar in Florida.”

“Yeah, but I stayed in your room at the All-Star Game because of Miranda and Declan.”

I laugh. “I know what you said, but that doesn’t mean anyone believed it.”

She flicks her hand nonchalantly. “Whatever. I don’t care. Tell whoever you want whatever you want, then. But I don’t want to discuss it on the show. People will suspect a showmance because they always do, but it’s a double-edged sword. If we make it public, folks who ship us will vote for you, but we risk alienating the people who vote for you because they think you’re unattached. If we keep it vague, then everyone believes what they want and you’ll get your votes. Win-win!”

I loosen my grip, allowing her to step out of my embrace to go back to the kitchen where Dec and Miranda are clearing their breakfast dishes.

“Ready to go see Mallory?” Randi asks. When Sophie says she is, they put on their coats and follow me and Mac outside to wave goodbye as we drive away in Dec’s SUV.

Mac drums his fingers on his steering wheel in a rhythm only he can hear. Am I making both of the Mackenzie siblings nervous today?

“What’s going on with you and Sophie?” he asks abruptly, his Scottish brogue deeper than usual.

Mac’s my friend, and I’m not going to insult him by pretending to not understand what he’s asking. “We’ve kissed a few times, and I’m attracted to her, but nothing beyond that. Yet. I won’t lie to you. Or to Sophie. I want your sister. But I’m not cut out to have a relationship. I’m not like you. I’m not looking for the white picket fence and kids. We’re having a fling while we’re doing the show and she’s here. Provided we can get time alone together,” I say pointedly, causing Mac to chuckle.

“Hey, I’m all for it. But don’t hurt her. Be upfront about what you want. She’s been used by men trying to get closer to our family.” He raises his hand to cut off my protest. “I know you’re not like that. But be careful with this fling. Make sure she doesn’t start wishing for forever when you’re looking for right now.”

Now it’s my turn to nervously drum my fingers against my thigh. Mac is one of my best friends. I don’t want this to cause a problem between us.

The trees whiz by as I think.

“I’m monogamous, and I’m honest. I don’t lead anyone on. The hookups I’ve had always knew that’s all it was. Sophie knows. I never want to hurt her. I care about her. But I’m not cut out for marriage.”

If I ever did get married, I’d want it to be to someone like Sophie. But I could never make her happy and give her what she wants.

And I’d rather my heart be broken than hers.