Cricket (Cricket Kendall Book 1), page 32
“She gets it.” I wave him off. Em’s frown deepens, and I raise an eyebrow. “You sure everything is okay? I’m sure we can stay an extra night if you need to spend more time with him. Hell, I’m sure Aurora would give him a few days off if he came back to Denver with us.”
As much as I tease my brother for his relationship, I know he loves Luca. I don’t like seeing Em upset. Hopefully, they can work shit out.
“Maybe.” Emerson smiles, and it looks genuine. He waves at Theo, Cas, and Hollis. “I’ll see you guys later.”
The guys and I wave back at him as he hops back into our SUV and takes off down the street.
Theo
As soon as Emerson drives away, my phone rings. When I see Cricket’s name, I smile and hold the phone up to my ear.
“Hello, little witch.”
“Hey, are you guys back yet? I’m about to leave here in a minute.”
I perk up and raise my eyebrows at Hollis and Cas. They follow me down the sidewalk toward Mrs. Gallagher’s studio without a word. Killian follows beside them with an easygoing smile on his face.
“We’ll come and meet you. Killian is with us, but Emerson just left to meet up with Luca.”
“Good. They definitely need some alone time.” She laughs, which is probably my favorite fucking sound in the world.
I grin at Killian. I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything he told us, but right now I mostly feel ecstatic and relieved. He approves of us dating his sister, which is totally fucking insane. I was getting worried yesterday when we acted like idiots with her around the twins. I think we honestly just lose our fucking minds when we’re with Cricket. But Killian seemed cool with it. And holy fuck, he guessed so easily about us being werewolves. I mean, he didn’t say that exactly, but he knows we’re not human. If everything works out the way I think it will with me, Cricket, Hollis, and Cas, Killian and Emerson will technically become my brothers too. I hadn’t considered that before.
“Theo? Are you there?”
“Yeah, sorry. I just got distracted for a second. Your brothers are fucking awesome.”
“Good, I’m glad. So, I guess I’ll see you in a few minutes?”
We turn around the corner, and I see the yoga studio a couple of stores down. I tell Cricket we’re outside and end the phone conversation. I can’t wait to see her. I missed her so fucking much last night and today. It feels like an eternity since I’ve seen her, even though it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours yet. I know Cas and Hollis are probably feeling just as antsy, but I’m determined to be the first one she sees when she walks outside. As soon as the door opens, I shove Cas aside and run over to greet her.
Cricket’s eyes light up. I pick her up, and she hooks her legs around my waist. Fuck, I love feeling her wrapped around me like this. I bury my face in her neck and inhale her amazing fucking scent. God, she smells even better than she usually does, and I feel my wolf stirring.
She laughs and pushes my head away. “Stop it, I’m all sweaty.”
“I like it.” That’s an understatement.
Cricket unhooks her legs and wiggles around. I know she wants me to put her down, but damn. Feeling her do that just makes me want her more. It takes all my self-control, but I let go of her. She walks over to Hollis and Cas, who have goofy smiles on their faces.
While she’s hugging them, I finally get a look at what she’s wearing. And good fucking lord. Her yoga pants hug every one of her curves, and her ass looks so big and tight and holy fucking amazing. Earlier, when Brittany and Lacey offered to hook up with me while we were waiting for Cricket’s brothers, all I kept thinking about was seeing Cricket in that red fucking dress yesterday.
I’ve hooked up with Brittany and Lacey tons of times before, and not that long ago either. Before I met Cricket, I didn’t think I’d ever be capable of turning away a threesome with two hot girls. I’d been foolish enough to believe even my mate wouldn’t be able to keep my eye from wandering. But Cricket is so perfect, and I’m one hundred percent confident that I will never, ever get tired of absolutely fucking worshipping her incredible body. Turning down Brittany and Lacey had taken no effort. They’re boring. I would much rather stare at Cricket’s ass in her yoga pants than consider hooking up with another girl.
Cricket asks me a question, and my eyes snap up to her face. Ah fuck, she totally caught me staring. I give her a guilty smile. “Sorry, what?”
She snorts, which is one of the cutest things ever. “I asked if you guys have eaten already.”
Hollis and Cas grin at her. She eats so much, nearly as much as we do. I don’t know how she keeps her body looking so fit, with that tiny fucking waist. I imagine running my hands down her sides, along the curve of her waist where her hips jut out. Fuck, I can feel myself getting hard. I need to stop.
“No, we haven’t eaten yet.” Killian laughs and shoves her arm playfully.
Hollis reaches out and grabs Cricket’s hand. I feel a split second of jealousy, but I force myself to focus on Cricket’s face. She is positively beaming at him, with a few strands of hair coming loose from her messy bun and fluttering in the slight breeze. I relax and feel genuinely gratified that my beta can bring that look to her face.
“Do you want to go to the diner?” Hollis asks her. He looks so happy in a way I’ve never seen before. I wonder if that’s how I look when I’m looking at Cricket too.
She nods and turns to face her brother. “What time do you guys need to leave?”
“Not for a while. Maybe five or six, depending on how things go with Em and Luca, and if Em starts bitching about getting enough sleep tonight.”
We walk back to Aurora’s place so Cricket can get cleaned up. Cricket’s in front of me, between Hollis and Killian, and Cas walks beside me. I’m trying really, really fucking hard not to stare at her ass the entire way. I glance sideways to see if Cas is having the same problem I am. He’s scowling and chewing on the inside of his cheek.
I’m about to nudge him and ask what’s wrong until I realize his eyes are locked on Cricket’s and Hollis’s hands. I really thought he was getting better at seeing us touch her. Most of the time, he seems okay. For fuck’s sake. Killian just straight up told us we should both date Cricket, and Cas just seemed concerned about Cricket’s reputation. I really wish I knew what was going through his head. Ever since I told him I think she might be my mate, he refuses to talk about her with me. I’m really struggling with the decision to tell him about the three of us being her mates. Every day, I’m more and more positive I’m right, and I’m getting more confident that Cricket will choose to accept all of us. But Cas just, sometimes he can be so fucking unpredictable, and I don’t want to tell Cricket before her birthday. Because god, if there’s even the slightest chance I’m wrong, I will be so fucking devastated and heartbroken.
He’s moved on to glaring at Hollis. I nudge him and give him a smirking grin, hoping he’ll at least turn his glare on me for teasing him. It works, and he bares his teeth at me. It makes me laugh, and Hollis turns his head to look at us quizzically before he opens the door of Flora & Feathers.
Paisley is working behind the register, and her friends Sabrina and Nadia are standing by the counter with her. The girls go quiet and glare at Cricket. This is getting fucking ridiculous. I figure Hollis is still too chicken-shit to hurt Paisley’s feelings, but somebody’s going to need to say something to her soon. Hollis lets go of Cricket’s hand, and I’m about to flip the fuck out on him for it, but he puts his arm around her instead and pulls her in close.
I grin at Paisley and her friends. They look so pissed. It’s hilarious. Once we’re all in the stairwell on our way up to Cricket’s room, Killian turns to Cricket and raises an eyebrow. It’s so funny to see small similarities in their features and gestures like that, but also kind of weird when Killian or Emerson do something I find cute on Cricket.
“What’s that chick’s problem with you?”
“She has a crush on Hollis.” Cricket shrugs. “She and her friends have been dicks to me since they realized I’m friends with him.”
“Is she a crazy ex or something?” Killian asks Hollis.
“No! I’ve never shown her any sort of interest. She’s really starting to piss me off.” Hollis rolls his eyes.
Cricket walks in front of everyone else, with Hollis just behind her. I don’t know if Hollis thinks she’s going too slow, or if he just wants an excuse to touch her again. He grabs her around her waist and carries her the rest of the way up. He doesn’t set her down until we’re in her room, and she turns to give him a look like she’s annoyed. But I don’t think she is, and she looks so fucking sexy. I want her to look at me like that.
I walk over to her closet and throw it open. “Let’s choose what you’re going to wear today, little witch.”
Cas walks over and shoves me so he can get into her closet first. Fucking bastard. I shove him back, and he growls. I have a really strong urge to shift so I can put him in his fucking place. I wouldn’t technically be breaking Hawthorne’s alpha order by shifting in front of Killian. It’s not like I told him anything about us. But I’m pretty sure we’d break something since this room is kind of small. So, I compromise and punch Cas as hard as I fucking can in his side. He snarls and punches me back, and we roll around on the floor beating the shit out of each other.
When a door slams, we stop moving and look up. Cricket is standing next to her now-closed closet door with one hand on her hip. In the other hand, she’s holding a small pile of clothes.
She looks so pissed. And sexy. “You guys are fucking idiots.”
I shove Cas’s face roughly one more time and grin up at her. “Worth it, just to see that look on your face.”
Killian bursts out laughing. He sits next to Hollis on Cricket’s bed, watching me and Cas. Hollis holds Stella in his lap and gives us an amused shake of his head. Cricket groans in exasperation and stomps her cute little ass over to her bathroom, locking the door behind her.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Cricket
Sunday morning, I’m sleeping in to make up for the sleep I lost Friday night going out with Killian and Emerson. I have no idea what time it is, but I’m stirred from my sleep by the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs to my room. My vision is still blurry from just waking up. Before I can lift my head to see if Aurora needs something, somebody tackles me and pins me down under my covers.
“Wake up, little witch!” Theo’s voice sounds way too fucking cheerful.
I open my eyes to glare at him, and I get a hand free so I can smack him. He seems to find this hilarious and grabs my wrist while he scrunches his nose up. I wiggle so I can get my other hand free, but he grabs that wrist too.
His eyes are full of heat and mischief now, and his voice is a sexy growl. “Cricket, you know I love foreplay, but not in front of the guys!”
That gets a laugh out of me, and I tilt my head to see Cas and Hollis standing in the doorway. “What the fuck are you guys doing?”
After eating lunch at the diner with Killian, Theo, Cas, and Hollis yesterday, I spent the rest of the afternoon home at Aurora’s hanging out with my brothers. They finally confronted me about the guys, and the fact I told them about being a witch. Neither of them seemed mad, really, but they asked me a million freaking questions about how my magic has been changing. They made me promise to keep them updated.
Emerson and Killian also teased me relentlessly about the guys being my boyfriends. The more I denied it, the more they taunted me. I didn’t tell them I secretly wished that were true. I’m just happy my brothers seem to like them. I came super close to telling them about the guys being werewolves, but I chickened out. I want to tell them, but I think I’ll just wait until they come back to Emery Ridge for my birthday in a few weeks.
Cas has his signature scowl on his face, and his arms are crossed. His tee shirt is tight, and his arm muscles are all bulging and sexy. “We didn’t know you’d still be sleeping.”
Hollis bites his lip, looking super cute and nervous. “We can let you go back to sleep.”
“No fucking way.” Theo scoffs and bounces on top of me. “We’re taking her over to Hawthorne’s house to play in his pool. These are our last days of summer, boys!”
I don’t want to tell Theo he’s actually hurting me. I know the guys will freak out, and he’ll feel terrible. So, I use my magic to push him completely off the bed.
He stares up at me in bewilderment from the floor while Cas and Hollis crack up. Cas walks over and sits on my bed next to me. He gives me a teasing smile. “Your hair looks even cuter and messier than usual.”
“So, we’re going swimming at Hawthorne’s house?” I shake my hair out and grin.
When the guys nod and smile, I hop out of bed and pad over to my closet to grab a swimsuit from my dresser. I only get a few steps when Cas makes a weird choking noise. I turn and raise an eyebrow at him.
“You’re not wearing any pants.” His eyes are fucking huge, and his cheeks are turning red.
I snort and look at Theo and Hollis. I’m only wearing panties and an oversized tee shirt. They’re eyeballing my bare skin with interest, but they don’t seem as scandalized as Cas does. “Well, it’s not like I invited you in here. I could have been naked, for all you knew! Besides, you’d better get used to it if I’m going to wear a bathing suit all day.”
“When did you turn into such a prude, Cas?” Theo snickers, still sitting on the floor.
“It just surprised me, that’s all.” Cas scowls.
I dig through my dresser drawer to pick out a swimsuit. I have a ton of them since that’s pretty much all I wear during the summer in Florida. From the corner of my eye, I see Hollis watching me. I give him a flirty smile and hold two different bikini tops against my body.
“Which one should I wear, hmm?”
His eyes light up, and a grin breaks out over his face. He studies the tops, and then he lets his eyes slowly wander up and down my body. He meets my eyes and smirks. “I think you should try them on for us first.”
I laugh in delight. Hollis is usually so quiet, and I’m pretty sure he likes me. He’s not as aggressive as Cas and Theo are when it comes to flirting with me, so I’m always pleasantly surprised when he says or does something like that.
“Not a bad idea.” Theo laughs and waggles his eyebrows.
Hollis and I smile at each other, and he points to the blue and white seersucker bikini top in my hands. “I like this one.”
I put the other top back and grab the matching bottoms to the one Hollis chose. I pick out a navy-blue dress with spaghetti straps and some embroidery around the bust.
While I’m walking to my bathroom, Theo pounces up from the floor and slaps my ass with a huge fucking grin on his face. I stare at him for a few long seconds, completely appalled. Hollis and Cas are absolutely still, waiting for my reaction.
“Oh my god.” I furrow my eyebrows at him. “Do you want me to kill you this morning?”
Theo smirks at me and taps an invisible watch on his wrist. “It’s after noon.”
I keep my face blank, even though I want to laugh really badly. He’s being so cute and playful, and I want to kiss the crap out of him. I can’t keep it up, and a smile forms on my lips. I hear the guys laughing behind me as I lock myself in the bathroom. After I’ve showered and changed, I walk back into my room and quickly brush my hair out before drying it. I grab a small tote bag and toss in my phone, wallet, sandals, and the key to the bookshop.
“Okay, let’s go!” I chirp excitedly. I make my way downstairs first, and they’re quick to follow.
When I linger in the kitchen, Theo pushes me gently. “Don’t worry, Margot will feed us.”
I’m excited to see Margot and Hawthorne again. They were nice to me when we first met. I hope they actually like me. We run into Aurora as she’s leading a group upstairs for a tarot card reading. I let her know we’re going to Hawthorne’s house, and she asks me to say hello for her. The shop is busy. Luca is behind the counter talking to a customer, and Paisley’s putting some books on a shelf.
I want to see Stella before we go, so they follow me into the garden. Stella lets us pet her for a few minutes. When we get back inside, I almost collide with Chloe.
Her eyes widen in surprise, and she smiles. “Hey! What are you guys doing here?”
I haven’t talked to Chloe at all outside of our classes. And even there, we haven’t been able to talk very much. She seems cool, and I wouldn’t mind getting to know her better. “I live upstairs. My aunt owns the shop.”
“What? I had no idea!” She glances at the guys behind me and grins again. “It’s cute to see you guys together outside of school.”
I pretend to make a face at the guys and raise an eyebrow at Chloe. “I guess they’re kinda cute.”
Theo and Hollis snicker. Cas steps forward and picks me up around my waist so my back is pressed against his chest. “Liar. You think we’re all totally sexy as fuck.”
Twirling my fingers by my ears, I widen my eyes and mouth ‘crazy’ at her. Chloe and the guys laugh. She walks up front with us and whispers, “I’m with my girlfriend. I just came back here to use the bathroom while she’s up front talking to her friend.”
“Aww, nice! I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.” I smile. Cas has set me down, but he doesn’t let go of my hand. It’s basically second nature to be constantly touching at least one of them at all times.
She nods, her cheeks turning pink. “Yeah, we haven’t been together long.”
Up front, Paisley is still organizing one of the bookshelves. Luca’s still at the register, only now he’s talking and laughing with Katy.
