26. Meggie

26

Meggie

T here's another note on my pillow. I've gotten one every day since Harrison laid down his no touching decree—not that I've entirely stuck to that rule, but we've all been trying.

I've asked all the guys about the poems, but none of them have fessed up. I had no idea who was writing them until today. But now, I'm fairly sure it's Dante.

I read it again, unable to get enough or suppress my giddy smile.

I want to picnic between your thighs My breath, the wind, your taste, the feast I'll dance my fingers across your skin And open your basket with my teeth With my tongue, I'll catch every drop as you melt I'll drink Intoxicated Inebriated Drunk on the one I hold dear Meggie, omega, may I? May I, omega, please?

Tingles flutter across my skin at the erotic words, even though I've read them so many times already. It's Dante. I'm almost certain.

The rest of the team is already asleep, but Dante hasn't come to bed yet. Unable to relax, I go looking for him and find him out on the balcony.

"Hey," I say, pulling the sliding glass door closed behind me.

He's leaning against the half wall of the balcony, staring out towards the grassy commons. He looks at me over his shoulder and smiles, then turns back to the view. I join him and take in the lovely sight of Paris at night.

A trio of athletes is taking an evening jog around the village and lights twinkle in the city beyond. Pretty as a postcard. I'm going to miss this view when it's time to fly home.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Dante's gaze is focused on the French skyline around us.

"Mmm," I nod. "I wish my mom and sisters could be here and see this."

Dante's lips curl up, but he doesn't look away from the scenery.

"Lily's passport took so long to come in. By the time my mom could look at flights, all the hotels were booked, and flights were stupid expensive."

"It would be nice to have them here for you. I'm sorry it didn't work out."

"She even looked at flights into England." I laugh, remembering the picture of fifteen open browsers on my mom's laptop as she checked airlines and discount sites. "Thinking they could get over to France from there, but they still couldn't find anywhere to stay once they made it to Paris, so that was a bust."

"I'm sure they love the photos and voice memos." He gives me a slow smile.

I flash him a grin and slide my phone from my pocket. Cozying up next to him, I snap a selfie of the two of us.

"You're not sending it?" He asks as I slide the phone back into my pocket.

"Nah, this one is just for me."

We stay there for a moment, looking at one another in the night, alone on the balcony. But then Paris seduces us back to leaning on the railing and taking in the city, and I realize I never asked Dante whether his family will be here.

"Are your mom and step-dad coming?"

"Nah." He shakes his head without looking at me. "She came to the last Olympics and… it didn't go well. After her pack abandoned her, she got pretty sensitive, like her nerves are always on edge, and all the crowds and things…"

"It was too much," I quietly finish for him.

Somewhere on a balcony above us, someone strums a guitar and sings a ballad in Spanish, breaking the quiet of the evening. The wistful sound adding to the moment. "Dante?"

"Hmm."

"Would you really have wanted to bond me if I wasn't an omega?" I know he's told me already, but each time his mom and her history come up, I can't help doubting just a little.

"I wanted you even then, Meggie."

"That's not the same as what I'm asking."

"I gave Ellis the green light to pursue you."

"Again, not the same."

He sighs, not looking at me. "Honestly, Meggie, I don't know." The words are so quiet I have to lean in closer to hear them. "I wanted to. I'd decided I would. But if it came down to it… I can't say." His expression is sad, like the words pain him to admit.

The song dies out, replaced by soft laughter somewhere above us.

"Thank you for the poems," I say, softly bumping my arm into his.

"What gave me away?"

"You're the only one that calls me omega." Another song starts up. "It's like a fetish for you."

His gaze stays fixed ahead, but a small smirk tugs up his lips. "Not a fetish. A reminder. You being an omega is a gift too good to be true. You're… everything."

His gravelly voice makes my insides clench. I wet my lips and slide my hand up his arm, but when I get to his shoulder, he grimaces and pulls away.

"Is it hurting that bad?" I ask.

He turns around, leaning his hips against the half-wall so he can look back into the apartment before he answers. "It's not good."

"Would it help if I rubbed your shoulders?"

He hesitates, like he's trying to decide if it's a good idea for me to touch him.

"I'm not offering to manhandle your goodies." I soften my sigh with a smile. "Just a little back rub."

His gaze drifts over the Parisian scenery before he relents and gives me a resigned nod.

There aren't any chairs out here, so Dante folds his massive body and sits cross-legged on the ground.

"Hold on." I go inside and pluck two pillows off the couch. Returning, I give him one to sit on and place the other behind him for my knees. "Much better."

He hisses when I first start kneading his shoulders, so I ease up on the pressure. "Is this ok?"

Dante replies with a stifled moan. Fighting back my pleased grin, I knead and rub along the hard contours of his back and shoulders. Gentle brushes along the tendons of his neck and deep palpitations into the chiseled strength of his arms. His contented heavy breaths stir in my heart as I work to ease the aches and pains.

It's only when I happen to look down over his shoulder that I notice the impressive bulge tenting his gym shorts. My fingers still, and Dante clocks the change in motion. Turning back to catch my eye, he notices my line of sight and lets out a deep chuckle.

"My shoulders are up here, omega." He wiggles the body part I should be focusing on.

I resume my massage but can't pull my attention fully away from the erection I caused. "Do you…" I let my words trail off and rub my fingers down his spine to massage his sides.

"I'll be fine." He shifts his shorts to ease the fabric that is surely strangling his cock. "That's why we have cold showers."

Trying not to be a total horndog, I focus on helping his shoulder pain and not on what it would feel like to hop up and go sit on his lap right now.

"You played well during practice this morning." His praise speeds my heart rate.

"I know," I say, giving his sides another squeeze.

"And you were a good friend to Emily tonight."

"Are you trying to talk about other things to deflate your erection?"

"I was trying to, yes." His laugh is warm and easy.

"I'll follow your lead." I try to add a sultry tone to my words, and his little groan tells me I nailed it. If only it didn't make my lady parts turn to flames. Maintaining my control would be a lot easier if he didn't keep making those sexy noises and smelling like a summer picnic. It wouldn't really be that bad if we were together, right? I've been with some of the other guys lately and it's been fine.

I work my hands over his shoulders to his tight pecs, slowly inching my touch down the ridges of his abs. Before I can get any farther, he says, "Omega," in a commanding tone that has me shifting back an inch or two and squeezing my thighs.

"Fine," I sigh. That omega part of me, the part I pushed to the back corner of my mind for years, full-on whines at being deprived of the treat tempting me in Dante's lap.

I clear my throat and return my focus to his shoulders. "Do you want me to get some muscle rub?"

"No. Ellis is already worried."

Yeah, Ellis smelling the muscle rub would just make things worse. I wish I could take away Dante's pain all together. I hate seeing any of my men hurt. It makes something in my chest ache, like a bruise.

"This is helping." Dante reaches up and gives my hand a quick, affectionate squeeze. "Thank you."

I lean down to plant a small kiss on his injured shoulder, then sit back and return to my massage on the balcony under the French stars.