“Sample?” he replied, working to get one head functioning correctly. “I’ll not say no to that.” Isley gave Laken a sexy, flirtywink, getting another blush when he glanced back at them. It never grew old. “I’ll be back.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Alphahole
Laken:Kari, why am I hearing about your mating to Bowie secondhand?
Booker:He’s here now being all cutesy while Popi is fussing worse than a mother hen over Bowie.
Rue:Congrats Kari! I’m pissed I missed last night, it looked fun. Kari, why weren’t you there? Bowie already got you by the short and curlies? Oh, that’s right, you were being inaugurated into the PA's fun shenanigans.
Kodi:You got two guys sharing your bed, I’m sure your evening was just as entertaining.
Rue:Won’t argue about that. But I miss you guys.
Silas:Oh look, baby brother is getting all soft being out in the boondocks.
Rue:Fuck all the way off, Silas.
Silas:Nice!
Booker:And by secondhand, I’m sure you’re talking about Isley. Did you skip out to avoid Popi giving you the eye of matedom he’s cast at everyone else?
Jupiter:Not getting cast in my direction! That just leaves you, Kodi… Run Kodi… Run.
Silas:We all said the same thing, Jup! It won’t be long before you have a little Emmy of your own the way you’re clucking like a broody hen.
Taylin:Feeling feisty, I see, Silas. You clearly didn’t have enough to drink last night.
Kodi:Popi will have to be fast if he wants to catch me.
Laken:Don’t you say anything to Popi, Booker! We’ve just started dating.
Dad:Booker, you leave Laken to handle talking to Popi about Isley, you hear me? Laken, bring Isley for Sunday dinner tomorrow.
Booker:Now who’s interfering Dad?
Laken:Dad…
Dad:Please.
Laken:Alright, if he wants to come. I’ll not force him.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Laken
Laken eyed the mess on his sleeves, distracted by thoughts of asking Isley to come to dinner at his parents'. He knew it wasn’t a request, more a demand when Dad asked. It was his own stupid fault for starting the conversation in the group chat while Isley had bought what seemed like a ton load of the chocolate he’d sampled. The noises he’d made while eating it got Laken’s body thinking it was party time, so he’d chosen the news about Kari as a suitable diversion.
Fool!
Despite Kodi confirming the relationship the previous evening, Laken was a little hurt that Kari hadn’t mentioned anything in person. Fuck, Kari was mated! That nugget left Laken with many feelings on how it would be to claim Isley in that way after knotting him. It had been an emotional connection, and why he’d never done it before. He hadn’t been prepared for the all-encompassing need to bite Isley at the sametime. He’d barely had the wherewithal to keep himself and his wolf spirit in check.
In part, it was why, when he heard Kari as he was readying to leave, he’d used the excuse that he was in a rush himself. He had gotten to bed late after the antics of the night before. It was three o’clock before he had crawled into bed, and after the busy week, he’d slept like the dead—or in a beer induced coma.
Laken rubbed at the cuff of what was once a powder blue sweater and was now a yucky brown mess, making it worse. How had he somehow gotten chocolate on both cuffs of his sweater when they hadn’t gotten to the ‘dirty bit’ yet? The apron he wore had some smears on the chest, but Laken didn’t think he’d put them there. In fact, he knew he hadn’t. It was the handsy man next to him. When Isley got excited, he appeared to forget the fact his hands were a mess from all the dipping his fingers did into the melted chocolate.
He glanced at the man in question, chuckling at the big streak of brown smeared along his jaw line, leading up to his left ear. Seeing Isley wasn’t doing any better with making a mess helped ease Laken’s anxiety. The woman to his right looked like she was in a different league to everyone else given how clean and tidy she was. In fact, Laken didn’t miss how she’d gotten the melted chocolate into the individual sections they’d decorated with patterns first, with no spillage.