“Hey!” Her eyes narrow and there’s visible tension in her shoulders.
“I’m in my underwear. It’s cold,” I lie, because I’m definitely not cold, but I really want under the blanket now.
She rolls her eyes but doesn’t object again. Score one for this wolf.
Desmond gets the movie going and credits begin rolling as we all dig into the meal.
Isa moans and I fight back a smirk. There’s something satisfying about knowing she likes it. That she’s enjoying something I made for her. “This is so good. I haven’t had albóndigas since—”
She cuts herself off and I turn to look at her. She blinks rapidly then stares down at her bowl like she’s fighting back tears. I take in her bottom lip as it wobbles. The red splotches that appear beneath her eyes as if she’s already cried her eyes out.
An unfamiliar jolt of something I don’t want to realize hits me in the chest. Fuck. She hasn’t had albóndigas since her mom died. That’s what she’d been about to say.
Jordy sees her reaction and meets my gaze with a concerned look of his own. I lift my shoulders just enough as if to say I have no fucking clue what’s set her off, because I sure as shit am not about to share her secrets with him. They’re mine, and mine alone. But in typical Jordy fashion, he saves the night with a wise ass joke.
“Damn, Isa. You can’t moan like that over soup. My head’s going all sorts of directions after hearing that sexy noise out of you.”
She laughs but there’s a hiccup in there. “You’re such a guy.” She throws a tortilla at him before swiping one of mine to replace the one she just lost. I pretend not to notice.
“Don’t hate. I can’t help that I was born with one of these.” He grabs himself underneath the bright pink bikini bottoms covering his sweats and then takes a big bite out of the tortilla she hit him with.
She groans again, this time in feigned annoyance. “I don’t even know what to do with that statement.” This time, her voice isn’t as tight, and some of the redness has receded from her face.
“Yo. Pipe down. Movie’s starting,” Desmond cuts in, and all of our attention goes back to the screen just as Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flanery appear on-screen and walk past the priest to kiss Jesus’s feet.
Jordy groans, cocking his head to one side before shaking it. “Boondock Saints. Again?”
To which Des replies, “Don’t gripe at me. Isa picked it. Girl’s got good taste. Not our fault you don’t.”
Jordy harrumphs but leaves it be and focuses on the albóndigas as we all turn our attention to the screen.
As soon as Isa finishes her food, I whisk the bowls back to the kitchen. The movie is almost halfway through and it’s just now getting to the good stuff.
I reclaim my seat and tug at her blanket once more. She scowls at me and tugs some of it back so I jerk at it again. This time I’m met with a glare. “What are you doing?” she whispers.
“Shhh—” Jordy snaps, engrossed in the show. He might complain about how often we watch this movie when we come out here, but he loves it just as much as we do.
Ignoring Isa’s question, I lift the blanket and shift closer until our sides are pressed up against one another. I wrap one arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to my chest while adjusting the blanket until it comfortably covers the two of us.
Her body stiffens for just a moment before she relaxes against me and a small thread of pleasure filters through my body. One of her hands presses to my chest right over my heart and I wonder if she can feel it pounding. This girl makes me feel things I’m not entirely sure I want to feel.
My eyes stray to the teal bracelet on her wrist. She’s worn it every time I’ve seen her. Is it sentimental or something? The urge to ask her about it is strong, but I hold myself back, unwilling to expose just how much she intrigues me.
Isa definitely isn’t like other girls. Those girls want to get with me or my boys because we can do something for them. If they’re connected to another faction, they want to gain information that can help them. Or they want a hot night in bed with a wolf. Something the three of us usually wouldn’t mind but it gets old after a while. And in my case, if they’re a shifter, they want a shot at securing a position beside the Southwest Pack’s future Alpha.
Isa doesn’t seem to care about any of that. She doesn’t seem to care about status or power.
And knowing that draws me to her even more.
13 Isabella
I don’t know what is going on between us. It’s like something has shifted, the air is charged and the tension thick. Rafael’s muscular bronze chest is warm beneath my cheek and I find myself absently trailing the devil mask tattoo on his collarbone.
He sighs in contentment and pulls me closer. I’m certain it’s a subconscious reaction, because there’s nothing sexual about the touch at all. And despite the warning bells in my head, I’m not uncomfortable in his arms. In fact, I’m very comfortable. Like, this is where I belong. Right here in his embrace.
It’s not a platonic feeling with him the way it’s always been with Josué, however. I have stupid butterflies in my stomach and an ache in my core that has me clenching my thighs together. I don’t
