by Roxie Ray
Bee hummed. “Well, maybe he’ll think I’m hot.” She winked, and I channeled her sister, Bri, for a moment.
“Hey, maybe you should focus on your new career endeavors and not so much on the boyfriend-hopping. Get your channel going, get some money under your belt. Some independence. Guys like that, anyway, knowing a woman isn’t just out to be supported or whatever.”
She sniffed and grimaced but relented. “You’re right. It’s the most important thing and needs all my attention.”
Bee and I dove into her edits, and before we knew it, we’d edited three videos, including reshoots. It took nearly as long to get her ready for the reshoots as it did just doing the edits.
But we had a blast, talking and laughing about how she was going to be such a big internet sensation.
Lunchtime came and went, and no Wayne. When we finished, Bee packed up and left, and not five minutes after I helped her carry all her stuff downstairs, I had to open the door to another knock.
Wayne stood with a sheepish look on his face. “I’m so sorry. I overslept. You’re much nicer than the other client I was supposed to deliver to today, so I took hers first.”
I put a fake angry look on my face and stepped back. “Come in. You owe me an extra dessert, sir.”
He shook the bags as he came in. “Already done. I put a low-carb cheesecake in here for you.”
“Oh, yum. You can be late every week if that means I’ll get a free cheesecake.”
I shut the door and walked around him, taking a few of the bags off his hands and moving to the kitchen. I had all three bags I’d grabbed up on the kitchen island before I realized he hadn’t followed me.
“What’s with you?” I stared at him with one hand on my hip.
He was still in the middle of my apartment, halfway to the kitchen. His nostrils flared as he turned his head from side to side.
“Does my house stink?” I sniffed hard and moved closer to where he stood, a few feet from my bed.
Wayne shook his head. “No, I’m catching a really nice smell.” He wrinkled his forehead and kept cocking then shaking his head. After a couple more seconds of nostril flares, he seemed to snap out of it. “Anyway, sorry. I’ve got your full order, just a little late.”
“Don’t forget that cheesecake. I might have it for breakfast.” My stomach rumbled, reminding me it was past lunchtime, and I hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch.
After a moment of digging through the bags, Wayne pulled out a foil-wrapped flat, circular package. “Bingo. Sorry, I ran out of the little plastic containers.”
He brought my food in reusable containers that I washed and sent back with him every time he delivered.
Grabbing the cheesecake, I slipped a fork out of my drawer and perched on my bed with my legs crossed to watch him work. “You’re probably smelling Bee’s perfume.”
Wayne froze and eyed me. “Bee?”
“My friend. I’ve been helping her work on getting an online video going.”
He blinked several times, then went back to unpacking. “Like the videos you do?”
I laughed and waved my fork at him. “No, beauty blogging. She’s got a knack for it. Her videos are already starting to be picked up and watched, and she’s only done a handful.”
He grunted. “Well, cool. Nice to hear someone local getting some good results.”
“Hey, we’re local,” I said. “You and I both get good results.”
Wayne’s laughter made me smile. I did enjoy spending time around him.
“Did you get a break after all the pre-holiday insanity?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “I did. My mom and sisters demanded it after I wasn’t around enough over the holiday.” He shrugged. “I mean, they’re pretty understanding that I have to keep my clients happy if I want continued success, but still, they wanted me around for the festivities too.” He pursed his lips at me. “And you? Did you spend time with your grandfather or have anyone over?”
I gave him a confused look, but he pointed at his nose. “I’m a chef, remember? I can pick up the different scents.”
“Oh.” I shook my head. “No, just Bee.”
“Bee…yeah, you’ll, ah, have to find out what perfume she uses.” He was almost done and started packing up the clean containers and his reusable bags.
“I’ll check with her.” I smiled at him and grabbed my phone to ask.
He stopped by the bed and handed me a napkin with one hand. His bags were in his other. He’d finished up. “Ah, okay. Well, I’ll see you in a few days.”
I walked him to the door and said goodbye again, then with great reluctance, put the cheesecake away. It was time to get busy. I had to plan out my streams for the weekend. My New Year’s Eve streams have always been my biggest. Too many people at home for the big celebration, I figured. I wanted to do my best for them since they didn’t or couldn’t get out with other people. At least they’d know I cared.
By the time I had it all figured out, my back was screaming for me to move. I grabbed a hoodie and my running shoes and headed out to the coast.
As I walked along the water, more for peace of mind than for real exercise, I thought about Porter. I couldn’t help myself. I wasn’t sure what it was about him that made him more tolerable than most men I’d dealt with. Maybe it was the way he carried himself and was so sure of himself.
He didn’t seem like the type of man who would feel the need to tell me what to do or get jealous over stupid things. But then, he’d made his feelings for me known. He wasn’t interested in me.
That was an odd feeling. Usually, guys wanted me, and I had my pick of whether or not I wanted them. The bratty side of me just wanted to push him.
But for the first time, another first, I didn’t want to flame the fire. The drama of it all felt heavy and too much.
Either I was ready to settle down, or I was getting too old for games. Or both.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” I stared at my heels in disgust. I’d ordered this outfit just for tonight, and it included a glittery gold pair of heels, and five seconds after putting them on, one of the straps broke off.
I had no other shoes that remotely matched this gold outfit. It wasn’t a color I normally went for. I didn’t want to do the video barefoot, either.
Tapping the screen of my phone, I checked the time. Okay. If I were lucky, Holly would still be at the boutique. I was dressed and ready to get the lighting and stuff prepped before doing my hair and makeup and starting my stream.
But shit, I had to hurry. Rushing to the closet, I pulled out a long pea coat and buttoned it to the top, then stuffed my silk-stocking clad feet into a pair of fuzzy boots. Nobody would be able to tell all I had on was a gold negligee.
The boutique was a couple of blocks down, so not a long walk. Except that the town was bustling with activity, people headed to the club or to Jace’s Place for the night. I smiled and darted around people, clutching my coat close to me to make sure nothing flashed through to the people passing by, and made it to the boutique in no time.
As I reached for the door, my shoulder slammed against someone. I didn’t even have to look up to know who it was. The pulse in my chest told me exactly who I’d knocked myself into. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to that feeling.
I turned to find Porter grinning down at me. “You’ve got a habit of not watching where you’re going.” But he said it in a kind, humorous voice.
“I’m sorry,” I squeaked. “I’m in a hurry.”
“Can I do anything to help ease some of your tasks?” he asked, totally stunning me. Why would he offer to help me?
He laughed. My stunned expression must’ve been showing on my face. “It’s not that big of a deal. We’re friends now, right? I can offer to help you with whatever has you so rushed.”
With a grateful smile, I shook my head. “It’s fine. I can handle it; I just have to get back.” I put my hand on the door and looked back at him. “But thank you for the offer.”
He winked and tipped an imaginary hat at me as I rushed inside.
Holly came through for me. She’d been just about to head out, and when I showed her my outfit—after carefully looking around to make sure the place was closed—she disappeared into the back and returned with a gold-and-black pair of heels that were perfect. Better than the first pair, actually.
After hugging Holly tight, I ran my card and hurried out. I’d forgotten something I wanted for the backdrop behind my bed. Since it was the new year, it needed to be super festive. I was normally so organized. I couldn’t believe this had slipped my mind.
We had a small craft store another block away from my loft, so I rushed toward it, carefully watching exactly where I was going before I ran into someone else.
And even watching, my heart thumped harder as I turned the corner.
Porter stood dead ahead, exiting the craft store with a single bag in his hand. “I can’t get rid of you,” I joked.
He grinned at me and nodded at my bag from Holly’s. “Get your items?”
I shook the bag. “Yes and remembered something else I needed. Gotta run in here, and now I’m even later.”
He followed me in and took the shoes from my hand. “Go find what you need. I’ll wait and help you take it back.”
I didn’t take the time to tell him he didn’t have to do that. If I didn’t hurry, I wouldn’t be live on schedule, and my subscribers had paid good money for me to be on time.
Five minutes later, I carried a basket full of New Year’s decorations to the front and paid.
Porter stood by the front door, dutifully holding the bag with the shoes. “Come on,” he said. “My place is down from yours anyway. I’ll walk you.”
“Big plans?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’ve got a special live stream tonight,” I explained. “It’s my biggest night of the year, so I want it to go well.”
He swallowed, clearly affected by the thought of my live stream. Oh, how powerful that made me feel. I tried not to preen as we walked, talking about marketing as we neared my building, and even though I reached for the bags at the bottom of the stairs, he shook his head. “What kind of friend would I be if I let you go up without carrying them? Come on.”
He led the way and waited while I opened the door, then and only then did he hand over the bags.
The words were on the tip of my tongue to invite him in. That same stare had returned, the one that saw me through and through. The one that lit my skin on fire and nearly had me making stupid decisions right before I had to get online and take my clothes off.
“Thank you,” I stuttered out. “For the company and for the muscle.” I breathed deep and smiled at Porter. “I’m a lot calmer now.”
“Can I help you set up?”
I gazed into my apartment, and against my better judgment, nodded. “Sure, thanks. That would save some time.”
We were here to work, not to explore this insane feeling between us, so I put the bags on the bed. “Don’t get mad if I boss you around, okay?”
He laughed and held up his hands. “Go for it.”
I ran for my bathroom, yelling instructions as I went. Once behind the partially closed door, I swapped my pea coat for my fluffy white robe. “Unpack the bags and start hanging the decorations above the bed.”
He had the bag unpacked when I returned but held the shiny Happy New Year banner uncertainly. “Just to be sure,” he pointed at my bed in the corner of the room, the one I used for videos. “That’s where you want it hung, right?”
Laughing, I sat at my makeup vanity and slid the robe slightly off my shoulders to do my makeup. “Please. The tape’s in the top right desk drawer.”
He grabbed the tape and got to work.
“I can’t thank you enough for this,” I said as I dabbed base on my cheeks. Camera makeup had to be a lot thicker than normal. “It really helps me out.”
“No problem.” A few seconds later, he returned for another pack of decorations. “So, how’d you get into this, anyway? Doesn’t seem like something you just wake up and decide you want to do one day.” His tone was curious, not judgmental, so I didn’t take offense.
“I was struggling. I moved out of my parents’ house at fifteen, and didn’t know my grandfather for several more years. I bounced from job to job, crashing at friends’ houses. I managed to get this apartment.”
His eyebrows flew up. I could just see his face in my vanity mirror. “You’ve lived here since you were fifteen?”
I thought about my timeline. “No, I think I had just turned eighteen. But yeah, a long time.” I was really ready to move on. “A couple years ago, I made friends with a girl online, through a chat room for a book series we both really liked. She does this sort of thing for a living and got me into it. It got me out of debt.” I snorted. “Quickly. And then I started making some insane money. I couldn’t back down after that, in fact, I expanded. I didn’t used to do the fully nude, self-pleasure thing.”
He’d long since frozen, watching me as I talked and applied layers of color on my eyes. “You didn’t?”
I shook my head and started the other eye. “No, it was a gradual progression. But I know what it means to be flat broke. I won’t go there again.”
Sucking in a deep breath, I applied mascara and waited for the judgment or the haughty look, but none came.
“I respect you for doing what you had to do. You took care of yourself and bettered your life. Nobody was hurt by you doing what you have. You made good choices for your life.” He cleared his throat and looked away, hanging up a streamer. “I’m sorry for not fully seeing that sooner.”
Everything shifted for me at that moment. His sincerity touched my heart, and I couldn’t believe how much I had wanted his acceptance and didn’t realize it.
Damn it. Now I wanted more.
I ignored him, musing in my own confusion as I applied my eyeliner and mascara, but when I had one side done, he cleared his throat again. “Will that do?”
Whirling, I grinned at him. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
He headed toward the door. “Well, I’ll leave you to have a good show, then.”
Again, I had the strongest urge to invite him to stay, but there was accepting what I did, and then there was watching it live and in person. I wasn’t going to invite that drama in. I stood and crossed the room to open the door. “Thank you again,” I said softly.
My robe fell completely off one shoulder, exposing the strap to my negligee and drawing his gaze. I jerked it back into place, but it had been enough. The dynamic between us shifted and Porter looked down at me with eyes full of heat.
“You’re welcome.” His voice was so deep and low, it sounded like he growled the words. Reaching up, Porter tucked a stray hair behind my ear and opened his mouth to say something else, but then clamped his lips shut. The same hand that moved my hair shifted and he brushed his thumb along my lower lip. “Goodbye.”
I closed the door behind him and had to lean against it for a moment. I was so turned on that I was actually really glad I was about to do a live stream.
This was about to be one well-earned orgasm.
14
Porter
I parked at Jace’s house and sighed. Jace’s clan had a tradition of doing a big flight together every New Year’s Day. I was supposed to ride with him to the big cliff where they liked to fly as a group. Sammy would no doubt be there too.
Their clan flights were a lot of fun. I’d only been to a few, but they were just as close with each other as my old clan was. If I let my guard down, I’d fit right in. But for the most part, I’d been flying alone or with Jace.
But Anthony had specifically asked me to come along, so who was I to refuse the alpha of the clan I’d petitioned to join?
Jace and I drove through the winding mountain road to the meeting. Anthony was waiting on us with a slew of clan members. “Porter!” he called. “Jace. Glad to see you both.” He pulled Jace into a big, back-slapping hug,
then to my surprise gave me one as well. “Time for you to start feeling like part of the clan if you’re settling here.” He pulled back and looked me in the eye. “You’re still planning to stay, aren’t you?”
I opened my mouth to say yes, then closed it. I was, I had been. But I hadn’t been in to sign the documents on the house.
Bluewater was as good a place as any. It was beautiful, welcoming, quaint. And it held my brother and his family. My family. Happiness was as likely here as anywhere.
“Brother,” Jace said. “You’ll find your place here. It’ll be easier when you do.”
I nodded. He was right. I’d figure it out. Energy flowed from his hand to my shoulder. The energy tasted and smelled like soil, like nature. It meant that Jace was connected to this land. This was truly his place in the world.
I knew that feeling. I wanted it back.
Should I have gone home?
Yes, my mother was gone. But the rest of my clan was still there. Still ready to welcome me with open arms. My home, my land. Where I belonged.
Anthony squeezed my other shoulder and walked toward the cliff face. “Welcome to the new year!” he yelled.
The clan cheered, and as we followed him toward the ocean, I clapped along as well. Pushing my doubts aside, I focused on the day and the fun of the flight. Time to feel like a part of the Bluewater Clan.
“I’m grateful to have all of you here today,” Anthony continued. “There is nothing more important than the love of our family and friends, and for me, that’s you guys.” The clan cheered and clapped. Clearly, they all loved their alpha, and with good reason. He was a great leader.
As Jace and I moved through the crowd, people I’d only met once or twice, or in a few cases not at all, squeezed my arm, patted me on the back, and greeted me. They wanted me to feel welcome and like a part of their family. It was touching.