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I watch Cabe’s smile turn into more of a smirk as he gives me a nod. Next to me, Mason shakes his head in exasperation while Micah just laughs.
I might be in for an interesting afternoon.
17
Cabe
I can’t believe I got Espy to joke with me about herbuttof all things. It’s so delightfully unexpected that I can feel myself basically floating around the kitchen with smug joy. Mason’s still glowering at me over Espy’s shoulder, but he needs to chill out. I may come across as silly and carefree, but I’m paying attention. The cute little omega is a bit nervous, but it’s muted. She’s comfortable here—comfortable with us—and a little flirting won’t scare her away.
I’d turn into a monk before I let that happen.
Micah may have been exaggerating a bit when he said I kicked him and Mason outhoursago, but he honestly wasn’t too far off the mark. Aside from the other night when she ended up staying for dinner, I haven’t had much of a chance to hang out with Espy at all. I’d be jealous of Micah, and now Mason, if I weren’t so simultaneously excited for them.
All things in good time.
Besides, I have a new outlet to work through my instincts now, which has been helping a ton. That lunch we had the other day with Leo’s pack really rattled me. I wanted to beat the crap out of Lincoln for challenging me and Mason on our ability to protect Espy. I still have little cuts along the base of my palms from clenching my fists so I wouldn’t take a swing at him. But then he shared all that stuff about how omegas are being targeted and the attack that happened in Utah, and I started to feel a bit of shame. Here I was pining after the idea of having an omega for the past year or so, and yet I was already failing to do the bare minimum of having basic fucking awareness of what threats were out there.
I spent hours afterward jumping back and forth between being pissed at Lincoln and pissed at myself before it finally occurred to me there was a better outlet for my anger. I sucked up my pride, and after getting Lincoln’s number from Leo, I called him up to ask how I could help. He was dismissive at first, but when I wouldn’t back down, it seems he finally decided to take me seriously. Turns out there’s a reserve program at the base here that takes civilians and trains them up to deploy in emergency situations. They were getting ready to start a recruitment push to beef up security around the university in light of the attacks. Lincoln gave me the right number to call, and ten minutes later I was all signed up.
My first meeting is on Monday, and already I feel calmer knowing I’ll actually bedoingsomething to help.
But it’s still the weekend, and Espy is here in my house and in my kitchen.
“So, what are we working with?” I call out, clapping my hands together. The sharp smacking sound it makes reminds me of the starting whistle at one of my soccer matches. Just like in that situation, I feel alive and ready to play my heart out.
“Someone’s eager,” I hear Micah teasing me under his breath. I don’t even spare him a glance as I flip him off, my gaze locked on Espy as she smiles up at me shyly.
She looks adorable. All big hazel eyes, long dark hair, and lips that look soft and inviting. She’s wearing these cute gray leggings with little pink socks and an oversize white sweater that hangs down almost to her knees. She looks cozy and even tinier than usual, forcing me to fight my natural instinct demanding that I grab her up and tuck her away in my room under a pile of blankets. Maybe crawling in there with her...
Unfortunately, that will have to wait, but her outfit is a good reminder of what I have planned.
“Hold it!” I shout, dashing out of the kitchen and up the stairs to my room. I’m back before anyone even has a chance to move, and I’m not even out of breath.Thank you, offseason conditioning.
Espy’s head cocks to the side slightly as I approach her, hands held behind my back so she can’t see what I’m holding. It didn’t escape my notice earlier that Mason was holding her hand, but I don’t want to push her too far too fast. I make sure to stay two feet away as I come to a stop in front of her.
“First things first, we gotta talk protection.” I wink at her, loving that I get a front-row seat to see just how far the blush spreads across her cheeks and down below the collar of her top.
“Cabe ...” Mason groans again, but I don’t pay him any mind.
If anything, Espy’s rose, vanilla, and cream scent grows a bit stronger, and I know she isn’t put off by my innuendos.
I bring my hands around, holding up the cute little apron I bought for her as soon as Mason mentioned she’d be coming over to bake. It isn’t a courting gift, per se. Technically, we aren’t courting her, but who doesn’t like gifts? I watch her nose crinkle as she laughs, reaching out to run a hand down the material. I still don’t know her that well yet, but I figured I couldn’t go wrong when I saw this one with little dancing cartoon kitchen items.
She doesn’t hesitate when I take her hand to pull her off the stool and turn her around so I can tie the apron straps. She barely comes up to my chest, and I take the opportunity when her back is turned toward me to bend down and smell her hair. I let out a whole-body shiver as I inhale, and I have to hurry away to put on my own apron just to hide my reaction from her.
“Flowers?” Espy questions, following me into the kitchen.
“My grandmother’s.” I wink at her and give a little chest shimmy, all the better to show off the ruffles. “I was my family’s de facto sous chef growing up. Trust me, it took many hours of hard labor to earn this puppy.”
“Lots of tears too,” Micah adds. “Wasn’t it a pity gift to get you to stop crying after that one Thanksgiving when you accidentally mixed up the salt and sugar, and Brite spit out that bite of yams, and—?”
“Okay!” I interrupt. “That’s enough from the peanut gallery. Don’t you both have things to do? Homework?”
“Nope,” Micah chirps back. The little shit.
I know for a fact Mason is buried in work right now, but he studiously avoids catching my eye as he sips nonchalantly at his coffee. Seems it may be harder to get rid of my packmates than I anticipated.
“Who’s Brite?” Espy asks curiously.
