Lily
Since Eva told me not to run after her grandson, I take a seat by the kitchen table on the couch while Eva gets up on her feet. Obviously, she is about to fetch me something, which makes me feel incredibly guilty.
I’m about to lift my ass, but Eva places her hand on my shoulder, “Sit down. You’re pregnant and tired from having my grandson mess with your head. Just relax while I cook you breakfast, sweetheart.”
My heart warms. “You’re the best, Eva.”
She smiles. “I know,” a wink is sent my way, and then she slowly walks over to the cabinets. “Wesley should be back shortly. In the meantime, just take it easy and try not to focus on that fool. Instead, you should think of happier things, like the gender reveal party. Are you excited for tonight?”
“I am, but...” I sigh, unsure how to continue.
Eva gives me a compassionate look filled with understanding. “You can’t get my grandson out of your head, can you?”
“No...”
Now it’s Eva’s turn to sigh. “You know, Wesley isn’t as hard to understand as you may think, and he also isn’t as cold as he pretends to be.”
My heart flutters. “I don’t think he is cold.”
“Of course, you don’t—you’re in love with him,” the laugh leaving her lips is gentle. “All I’m saying is that Wesley used to be much softer.”
“Really?”
She laughs again. “Oh yes. That boy might have grown up to be exceptionally tall and intimidating, but when he was a kid, he was a big crybaby. Wanted to bring home every injured animal he found outside, and oh! He had a soft spot for small things, like cats and tiny dogs. Even rats.”
I blink in surprise. “So what you’re saying is that Wesley used to be like me?” I still care about animals and small things. Heck, all of my personal belongings are covered in cute stickers of various animals.
“Oh yes. He was obsessed.”
“Huh,” I wrinkle my nose. “Why isn’t he anymore?”
“Becoming the Alpha of the pack changed him,” she grimaces over her shoulder before throwing bacon into a pan. “Not at first. When Mirelle was alive, Wesley was a very sweet man. That woman had him wrapped around her finger, but once she died, Wesley grew bitter and mean.”
I smile. “He isn’t always mean...”
“No,” Eva turns around with a sly expression. “Not now that you’re in the picture. You’re slowly bringing him out of the shade, and I couldn’t be happier. After months, I’m finally recognizing my grandson again.”
Even though I don’t believe her for one minute, it makes me happy to hear that Eva believes I’m slowly unraveling the mystery that is Wesley Brooks. Call it wishful thinking, but the thought of me having such an effect on Wesley is thrilling.
I’m about to ask Eva more questions about Wesley’s past and teenage years, but I’m interrupted by the door opening and slamming shut. Is Juanita finally back from her walk?
I whip around, but it’s Juanita I see. Wesley is standing at the door opening with a bouquet of flowers. He is slightly panting, and although he looks grumpy, he also seems pained.
“For you.”
My heart leaps in my chest as I stare at him, not quite registering his words until he takes a step into the room and holds the flowers out toward me. I hesitantly take them, feeling their soft petals brush against my fingers.
They are gorgeous and plucked by hand. I don’t recognize the type, but...wait. Are these enchanted roses? All of them are red and glowing except for a single white one in the middle, and I silently wonder if that means something.
Regardless of which, I’m grateful. “Thank you,” I say softly, feeling myself blush under his intense gaze.
Wesley grunts a response and shocks me by taking a seat beside me on the couch. I can feel the heat radiating off of his big body and the faint scent of his cologne. My heart races as I nervously shift to make more space for him. Eva silently brings over a plate of bacon, smiling before disappearing into the other dining room.
Is she giving us space?
My thought is interrupted by Wesley sniffing the air. His eyes are on the plate before he glances at me. “Hungry?” he asks gruffly as if he’s doing me a favor by offering.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak as I try to ignore how my stomach flutters at his proximity. He pushes the plate towards me, and I take a piece of bacon, wondering if it’s as good as it smells.
Wesley eats his own share of bacon in silence, his gaze flickering over to my face every so often. I wonder what he’s thinking, but I don’t dare ask. Instead, I focus on the food and the flowers, trying to ignore how my skin feels electric from the gentle brush of his arm against mine.
“Are you mad that I stormed off?” he asks.
I laugh. “Mad? No. You had no obligation to stick around; besides, I had fun with your grandma.”
“Fun?” he says the word as if he doesn’t understand its meaning. There is even a frown on his face.
I giggle. “Yes, she shared a lot of information about you.”
“Like what?”
“That you used to love fuzzy animals as a kid.”
Wesley snorts in response, a small grin tugging at the corners of his lips. “I wouldn’t say love. Maybe tolerate.”
I chuckle, feeling braver now that we’re joking around. “She also mentioned your first crush.” She didn’t, but perhaps he will tell me if I pretend to know more than I actually do.
Wesley’s grin falters, and he clears his throat. “Let’s not talk about that.”
I can tell he’s uncomfortable, but curiosity tugs at me. “Why not?”
“Because it’s embarrassing,” he mutters, his gaze flickering down to his hands.
I study his face, seeing the slight flush tinting his cheeks. For some reason, I find his discomfort adorable, and I can’t help but tease him a little. “Aw, come on. You don’t have to be embarrassed around me.”
“Woman, don’t push your luck,” he growls, but I can see the amusement in his eyes.
“Okay, okay, fine...” I sigh. “I’m sorry for bringing it up and, for the record, you deserve better than Anne.”
“You little shit,” Wesley laughs. “My grandma didn’t tell you about my first crush, did she?”
“Oh, she totally did.” She did not.
Wesley grins. “If she did, then you would have known that my first crush was Hannah Montana.”
My eyes widen. “Miley Cyrus?!”
“Uh-huh,” he shyly looks away, and I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel like giving him a hug. “I watched a lot of Disney Channel as a kid...”
I can’t help but find myself smiling at the thought of a young Wesley with a crush on Miley Cyrus. It’s endearing how he tries to maintain this tough exterior, but moments like this make me see him in a different light.
“Well, I can’t say I blame you for that one. She was quite the superstar back in the day,” I joke.
He chuckles, his shoulders relaxing as he takes another bite of bacon. “Yeah, I used to have posters of her all over my room.”
I can’t resist teasing him a bit more. “Did you have a crush on any other Disney stars?”
Wesley rolls his eyes, but it’s clear that he’s enjoying the banter. “No, just Hannah Montana.”
I decide to change the subject before I embarrass him too much. “So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”
“I’m heading to the gym before the gender reveal party.”
“Ah, can’t lose them biceps, can we?” I raise my own arm and flex it even though I have no visible muscle mass. It prompts a laugh out of Welsey.
“You know it,” he grins, his eyes dancing with humor.
I watch him finish his breakfast, admiring how his strong jaw moves as he chews. My heart flutters as I imagine what it would be like to have a relationship with him. Kiss his perfect lips whenever I wanted to...
“You’re staring at me.”
I avert my eyes, blushing. “I’m not...”
Wesley chuckles. “Sure, whatever you say.”
His voice is low, tickling the nerves in my lower half, deep and gravelly. How sad is it that I even have a thing for his voice? And the way he said, “What-evah you say,” made it clear that he didn’t believe me for a moment when I lied. So arrogant. Tell me how I fell in love with this idiot again?
I look at Wesley fish up the last bacon piece with his fingers. He gobbles it up within seconds and then spends time licking each and every fingertip. Gross.
“I can’t believe I actually believed you had class the first time we met...”
He grins. “You think I’m messy?”
“Obviously.”
“Perhaps I am, but luckily for me, you like that about me.”
“I do not.” How delusional is he?!
“That’s now what you said when you came all over my face yesterday.”
Oh my god.
Speechless, I stare at Wesley as he lifts his ass from the couch, taking the plate with him. He looks very pleased with himself, and when I realize Tess and Claudia are standing at the door opening, totally flabbergasted, my face turns beet red. It makes Wesley chuckle.
“I’m off to the gym since the woman I’m currently seeing has a thing for pecs and abs, which reminds me…” he smirks. “Tell me if you need a repeat of yesterday later. I would love to get messy again.”
Tess hiccups, and even Claudia is stunned by the uncivilized words leaving Wesley’s dirty mouth. But he only has eyes for me and gives me a cheeky little wink as he leaves the kitchen. And I will be damned. I’m wet as heck and pissed off because I definitely need to change my underwear.
I can’t believe that stupidly sexy Alpha embarrassed me in front of my friends! I will get my revenge on him later. He should be afraid, very afraid.