Wolf's Call (Wolves Next Door #2) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,36

lock of hair. "Not too much?"

"No," he promised. "There's just one more thing I want from you."

Then he kissed me. It started soft, but the moment my lips parted, he pressed in. One arm moved behind my back, and he leaned closer, holding me up until the guys groaned in defeat. Against my mouth, I felt his lips curl, but my toes were doing the same. Yes, condoms had been a good idea. A very good one, because there was no way I could go another night without giving in.

CHAPTER 11

My birthday was supposed to be no big deal, but Ian was adamant that we do something. Inviting Elena over was a given, but I didn't want presents. I definitely wasn't going to have a cake and people singing! Instead, we did this. The guys grilled. I got to be lazy, and Elena not only sat beside me, but also curled up with me when we all watched a movie together that night.

The whole time, I couldn't stop thinking about that box of condoms. Not a package - but a megapack. It was a clear invitation, but I'd been a wolf long enough to know that my alpha's mate was his first - or should've been. For any other alpha, that would've been true. Yet, halfway through the movie, Ian caught my eye, dipped his head ever so slightly, then slipped out of the room like he was just going to grab a drink.

He didn't come back. Ten minutes later, Lane disappeared silently. I stayed, letting my fingers play with Elena's hair until Trent said he was heading to bed. Pax stayed a little longer, then managed to vanish in the action part of the movie, leaving the two of us alone. I wasn't sure Elena had noticed, though. Her attention was fixed on the screen, and she was just tense enough to be completely invested.

It was one of the things I adored about her. This woman was so calm, cool, and collected in some ways, and so completely open in others. She was one of those sweet "good girl" types who knew better than to talk to guys like me. Granted, she also wasn't a girl. She was all woman, and it was a little intimidating. Ladies like her didn't give little boys like me the time of day.

When the credits finally began to roll, Elena sat up, looking around. "Where'd the rest go?" she asked.

"Bed," I told her. "Work in the morning."

"Oh." I couldn't quite tell if she was disappointed, nervous, or confused.

"If you'd like, I can walk you home, or..." I tilted my head toward the stairs. "If Gabby's away tonight, I, um..." I huffed, knowing I was blowing this. "Care to spend the night?"

The smile she turned on me was amazing. It was this perfect mixture of shy and excited, but her eyes found mine without hesitation. "I'm not imposing?"

And there was the elegant. The perfect. Damn, this woman could turn me into a fumbling idiot with little more than those chocolate brown eyes of hers. The sweetness? It pulled at some part of me that I wasn't sure I could control. I wanted to prove to her that I could be a gentleman, but I wasn't. I hadn't grown up with a silver spoon and fancy manners. I was the kid who'd gone to college on a cross-country scholarship!

All I could do was sigh. "I am going to fuck this up," I admitted, "but I'd love to have you stay. I just don't want you to feel like you have to, and I'm sure that's not the sexiest pickup line you've ever heard, but - "

She leaned in and pressed her lips to mine, silencing my rambling excuse. "I like you, Seth," she whispered. "I..." She leaned back to look at my face. "This might sound dumb, but I kinda feel like you're the only one who truly understands me."

"Me?" Because I was nothing like her.

She just nodded. "Me, the one who wasn't born a wolf." I nodded too, because I could relate to that, but she kept going. "And I wasn't raised to think wine in the fridge and steak every night was normal. I was a military brat, and Dad was always on a deployment, and mom was always frazzled with us kids."

"Really?" That was not at all what I'd expected. "Because you seem like a Fifth Avenue princess. You have the clothes, the manners, and the look for it." And I let