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What she means is, we miss you. Come out for Mel’s birthday.

Daphne

Her birthday was six months ago.

Mellie

My half-birthday, then. Tell those men we’re stealing you tomorrow night.

Maverick

We’re free.

Mellie

Duh. I checked. We’re all free, including Little Miss Settled Down.

Daphne

Okay, rude. Also, that sounds good. I miss you too.

Mellie

Wait, you’re not going to argue?

Daphne

Why waste the time? God knows you won’t let me win.

Mellie

True, true. Be ready to impress at eight.

HALF-BIRTHDAY

DAPHNE

The next night,the guys stand by my front door watching me take the stairs. Knowing Mellie will want to drink her weight in booze or walk until sunrise, I opted for a pair of lower-heeled, worn in knee-high boots. No use wanting to rip my feet off by the end of the night.

My long-sleeved black dress is flared at the hips and comfortably snug everywhere else. It looks relatively modest, until you realize the bodice is sheer, showing off the deep rainbow longline bra beneath. Paired with a pale grey peacoat and some jewelry, I’m pleased with how I look.

The dress is shorter than what I usually wear, and the coat does almost nothing to hide the serious gap of thigh showing between the hemline and the top of the boots.

As soon as I hit the floor, three alphas train eyes on that expanse of skin. Their scents rise and I squirm under their attention.

Nate steps up, running a hand over the waterproofed suede of my boots. “Damn, kitten. Can I have you in bed with nothing but these on?”

Do not perfume. Do not perfume.

“Maybe.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” The stair puts us closer to the same height, which seems to please him until he shoves his face into my neck. “You don’t smell right.”

“I’m going out of the house,” I remind him, chuckling at his whiny voice. “Unless you’d like me to wash the descenter off?”

Three growls are my only answer and yes, my little omega heart soars.

“I just miss your scent when it’s gone,” Nate whispers. “Can you sleep over at ours tonight?”