Chapter 16: Rush

Chapter Sixteen

Rush

I ’ve never been jealous of Bear. Okay, maybe a little in the way he’s never cared what other people think. He deserves something good in his life, and it’s not like I want to take Lennox away from him.

I’d just really fucking like to be invited into the pack bedroom.

The only thing countering the burn of not being included is knowing that Thorne isn’t either. Once we got here, I helped him get settled in one of the guest rooms before hanging out in the living room for a while to see if Lennox and Bear would make an appearance.

I should have figured the chances would be slim, considering it was already late when they got in.

Lennox has a heat coming up, meaning she should be nesting, eating extra calories, and sleeping enough to stockpile energy for when it does hit.

Jesus Christ.

I’ve never been lonely in my own house before.

Knowing she’s here and just out of reach has my impulses on edge. Bear could have invited me to watch. It’s not like I would have shoved my way in.

I sigh and climb off the couch.

I’m clearly not getting an invitation tonight, but I can do a few things to make tomorrow run more smoothly.

If I’ve learned anything tonight, it’s that alcohol and gift wrapping don’t mix. The table is covered in wrapping paper and quite terribly wrapped courting and Christmas gifts. There are a few more to do before I’m done, but not one looks pretty.

I tried.

Bear better be thankful.

Someone has to think with their head instead of their cock, and for once, I’m being the responsible one.

I even hauled the Christmas decorations down from the attic while searching for the wrapping paper. There’s no guarantee Lennox will be coherent enough to celebrate, but I thought it might be a fun activity if she does feel up for it.

The scent of burning fills the air, and I shove myself out of my chair, tripping over my own feet in an attempt to get to the stove before the hot cocoa concoction boils over.

Dammit.

I probably should have known better than to try to multitask, but the milk was taking forever to heat up. Somehow, I forgot that milk boils super fucking fast.

“Fuck,” I hiss, tugging the pot off the burner and moving it to a cool one. Burning milk has already spilled all over the top of the stove as I click off the burner.

Well, this trial run was a disaster.

I frown, snatching up the handwritten recipe card and making sure it didn’t suffer from any of the spillage. This came directly out of the recipe box my mom left for us.

It was spared any scorched milk overflow, so I toss it aside and grab a dishrag.

“Damn,” I grumble under my breath. “This was a fail.”

Shera raises her head from her spot lying in front of the refrigerator, but I barely spare her a second glance as I search for a dish towel, since the rag is soaked.

I snag one out of the drawer and turn back to finish cleaning up, only my entire body jolts.

Lennox stands a few feet away. She’s clothed in one of Bear’s giant T-shirts, and she rocks on her toes when she spots me. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t,” I lie, stepping back to the stove. It’s still too hot for me to be doing this without a pot holder, but I’m committed.

Also, no one wants to clean up sour milk the next day.

“Can I help?”

“I’ve got it.” I move to grab another rag and wet it before heading back to the stove for one final cleanup. “Did you need something, sweetheart?”

“I fell asleep just fine, but I couldn’t stay that way. I’m not sure if it’s a side effect of my heat coming or what.” Her shoulders bounce, and the bottom of Bear’s shirt raises up her thighs.

I clear my throat and focus back on the job at hand.

In no universe did I imagine her popping up tonight, or I wouldn’t have had those shots. Let alone the couple of beers I worked on while wrapping.

“Do you always have trouble sleeping right before a heat?” I ask, frowning.

Is that too personal?

Damn, it might be.

“I’ve never actually had a heat before,” she says, making my jaw fall. “I’m legally considered a beta until it starts, but I never updated my ID, so…” She hums. “Who knows? It probably won’t be a problem, since it does feel like it’s coming soon.”

I gather up the towels and stomp them down the hallway before tossing them into the laundry room.

By the time I get back, Lennox is examining the open box of recipes.

I wash my hands and have to search for a hand towel. Once I find one, I dry my hands and tuck it through the handle on the stove with my eyes on the pretty little omega.

Her long brown hair falls around her shoulders as she flips through the cards.

“Are you hungry?”

She shakes her head .

“Want a beer?” I lean my ass against the kitchen counter.

She turns to face me, shoving her hair behind her ear. “Bear and I bonded.”

I hear her say the words, but they’re not what registers. Seeing the bite on her inner wrist as she pulls her arm down is what clicks in my brain.

My eyes fly up to hers as I try to get myself together. “Congratulations. So, was that a yes to a beer?”

I need a drink, that’s for damn sure. Heading back to the table, I snag mine and take several long pulls.

“Thank you,” Lennox says, appearing at my side. “It’s taking some getting used to, but I’m really happy.” Her hand lands on my back as she stretches around my side. “Would you like some help? I love wrapping gifts.”

I jolt, drop my beer bottle, and grab one of the rolls of paper to stretch out over her gifts.

“Did you peek as a kid too?” I laugh and toss an arm around her shoulder. “I know I did.”

“Oh, crap! I thought they were for Bear or maybe your other family members…” Her pretty cheeks turn pink as I stare.

“It’s totally fine,” I assure her. “They’re kinda dual purpose Christmas-and-or-courting gifts, depending on how the next few days go.” I move before I can talk myself out of it, lifting her and placing her on the edge of the table. “You can have your first one now.” I stretch around her and grab the fuzzy socks, gloves, earmuffs, and scarf. There’s no way Bear had a chance to shop for her, unless it was online, and who knows when those will arrive. “These are from me and Bear.”

Dropping the earmuffs, scarf, and gloves onto her lap, I hit one knee in front of her as I tug the tags off the socks.

The boutique stores open this time of year were severely limited, unless I wanted to drive twenty minutes to The Exchange side of the island, but I did the best I could under the circumstances.

“Oh my gosh,” Lennox whispers as I grab her ankle. Her skin isn’t hot like it would be during a heat.

I’m not shocked.

If she was having a wave that caused her to spike a fever, I’m pretty sure I’d be able to smell it.

Her toes are especially cold, and I start to wonder if she has circulation issues or if I need to bump up the heat in the house.

Nah, Bear is like a human furnace. She’ll be fine once she cuddles in bed with him.

“Rush, this is awesome.” She pats my shoulder as I pull on the knee-high, baby-blue socks one by one. “Holy crap, it feels like Jersey cotton, but it’s so much warmer. This is great.” I glance up to find that she’s rubbing the scarf against her cheek.

I’m sure I could have found the set for half the price at a department store, but hearing the joy in her voice makes the astronomical markup in pricing worth it.

The money I banked playing professional hockey is keeping Dry Dock and the bed-and-breakfast afloat at the moment, but my parents provided us a good life from those two businesses. It’s just taking a little time for Bear and me to learn the management side of things.

My nostrils flare as her feet dangle, kicking with excitement.

Fuck.

Being this close to her pussy while intoxicated was a bad idea.

My hands land on her thighs as I push myself to my full height. She grins up at me as I lean over her, and my heart thumps wildly in response.

She’s fucking beautiful.

Not to mention how cute she is with the baby-blue earmuffs, blue-and-gray scarf, and matching gloves on. It makes for a tantalizing image, when all she’s got on outside of that and the socks I just put her in is Bear’s plain white T-shirt.

“I’m glad you like it.” I smirk, pulling my phone from my pocket. “Can I take a picture to show Bear? I don’t want him to feel left out.”

She licks her lips, and her pupils expand. “Yeah, please do. That’s very thoughtful.”

I chuckle, brushing a finger over her soft cheek. “Goddamn, you’re beautiful. Lean back a little and smile.”

She complies, and I snap several pictures before turning the phone around to show her my favorite one.

A naughty little gasp escapes her puffy lips as she smacks me in the gut. “You could have warned me that my nipples are showing.”

I snort. “No way, pretty girl. That’s my second favorite part of that picture.”

“What’s the first?”

I don’t hesitate to tell her the truth.

“Your smile.” I shrug, shoving my phone into my back pocket. “Seeing you happy might be my new favorite thing.”

“I’m sure you’ve melted the panties right off many women with your unfailing charm.” She raises an eyebrow.

“Luckily, you’re not wearing any.” I wink to distract her. That feels like a dangerous topic. We need to find something new to focus on. “Do you know how to ice skate?”

Her head shakes. “No, I grew up in North Carolina.”

“I happen to be an excellent teacher.” I wiggle my eyebrows. “Maybe I could sweet-talk you into coming with me sometime?”

“I’ve always been a little clumsy.” She tucks her hair behind her ear. “Did you really play professional hockey? Did I hear that right?”

“Yup, and don’t stress. I promise to keep you safe if you agree to come with me.”

A huge part of me relishes the fact she doesn’t know who I am. Over the years, I passed on a lot of potential relationships because I wanted to ensure Bear and I would end up in a pack together. It sounds arrogant, but I needed to know anyone I was with would treat him equally.

“I’ll try,” she says, smiling up at me from under her lashes. “But I might be terrible.”

“That’s half the fun.” I grin and run the backs of my fingers over her cheek. “I really am happy for you and Bear. He deserves something good in his life.”

She squints as she studies my face. “You know, he cares about you a lot…”

“Of course,” I say, suddenly feeling like a dick. “Me too.”

Being a twin is hard.

I love Bear like the other half of myself, and he’s the one person I’ve been compared to most in my life.

Too bad I’ve never managed to measure up.

Christ.

This is why it’s dangerous to drink around the holidays.

I clear my throat. “Are you ready to head back to bed?”

She nods, pulling off the earmuffs. “Yeah, I guess I better.”

“I’ll walk you up.”

Lennox uncoils the scarf and drops it on the table before sliding down until her feet hit the ground.

I should take a step back to give her some space as she removes the gloves, but I can’t force my body to move. “You’re going to be really good for Bear.”

I’m just, you know, a little heartbroken at the thought of being left behind…

“I appreciate you saying that. It just dawned on me.” Her hand lands on my chest as she stares up at me. “I never extended the offer officially. It felt implied, but I would love for you to join us in the nest.”

“I’m wherever you want me,” I assure her. “Come on, I’ll help you get up to bed.”

I whistle for Shera, and she jumps up, shaking out her furry coat.

The next morning rolls around before I’m ready to be awake. I slap off my alarm that I apparently forgot to handle last night.

Janet and Chrissy are aware I won’t be in today. I made sure to give them full control to shut down the bed-and-breakfast to stop taking new guests if they think it’s necessary. That way, they can focus on the restaurant and bar.

Janet probably deserves a raise and a promotion. She’s the one who took over teaching me the ropes after my family pack moved.

I grumble my way through getting dressed in my workout clothes and stomp downstairs with only a mild headache.

Shera bounds in, meeting me at the bottom of the stairs.

“Come on, let’s find your leash, and I’ll take you for a run,” I say, scratching her head. “Bear never jogs with you. I really should be your favorite.”

“Jesus Christ, that was sad.” Thorne comes around the corner to the living room. He’s fully dressed in jeans and a long sleeve T-shirt with wet hair.

My eyes fall shut as I breathe through the urge to tell him all about how Lennox and Bear bonded. It serves him right, considering how he dicked her around, but that’s something that should come from Lennox.

“Morning, Thorne.” I paste on a plastic smile. “What has you up this early?”

“There wasn’t shit to eat around here. I jogged down to the only grocery store I could find and brought back enough to at least keep us alive if her heat hits.” He shrugs. “Now, I need to know if you have a step stool or a ladder.”

My head tilts as I scratch my jaw. “Why?”

“I already put up the tree.” He tosses a finger behind him toward the living room. “But I need to hang the lights. It’s actually a good thing that you’re here. I need advice on where to put Lennox’s first courting gift.”

“Decorating was supposed to be a group activity,” I growl, suddenly unreasonably angry.

I don’t know who the hell this guy thinks he is.

“I didn’t put up any of the knickknacks or decorate the tree,” he says, rolling his dark eyes. “I just got it put together. It’s kind of sad you guys didn’t spring for a real one, but whatever. It’s done. Now, are you going to help me or not?”

I glance down at Shera, who weirdly has migrated to Thorne for scratches.

The furry little traitor.

“I have to take her out for her morning run.”

Thorne snorts as Shera jumps on him, her paws landing on his chest. “I already did. She’s terribly out of shape. I thought she was going to keel over before we got to the grocery store.”

“You better not let Bear find out you left her tied up out front when you went in. He will try to murder you.”

He laughs and gives Shera a gentle shove off until her feet hit the wooden flooring with a clack.

“She came in with me, but on the way back, I thought I might have to carry her and the groceries.” He shrugs. “It’s getting late. Are you helping or not?”

My eyes narrow.

“We have a ladder in the garage by the pool.” No way is he doing everything and taking all the credit. “Come on. I’ll show you the way.”