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18

RHODES

I lost count of how many times I almost slid off the road, definitely going faster than I probably should have, but it was worth it to make it in time for this.

Larkin trembled against me, shaking under my touch as I whispered in her ear, “Happy birthday, baby girl.”

With a gasp, she spun and launched herself at me. I fell back into the wall with a chuckle, as Larkin wrapped her arms and legs around me, burying her face in my neck and inhaling deeply.

I lifted her higher in my arms, loving the feel of her pressed against me. Closing my eyes, I breathed her in, the familiar scent of strawberries filling my senses. My wolf sighed happily, at peace now that she was with us again.

She lifted her head, tears sparkling in her eyes as she touched my face. “I didn’t think you would make it,” she admitted, choking on the words.

“I almost didn’t,” I admitted. “It’s a long story I’ll tell you all about it.”

A gorgeous smile stretched across her face, her nose brushing mine as her eyes sparkled in the low lighting.

“I missed you,” she told me quietly.

“I missed you, too,” I answered, pressing my lips to hers. Like always, the second her mouth touched mine, fire ignited.

Her legs tightened around my waist and I had to remember we were in a room full of people before I spun her around and pressed her against the wall.

My lips caressed hers, my tongue slowly stroking into her mouth as I relearned her taste all over again.

A throat cleared behind me and I reluctantly broke the kiss, looking over to see a room full of people watching us.

I let Larkin go, biting back a groan as she slid down my body, intentionally rubbing against me despite her parents standing a few feet away and obviously watching us.

The second Larkin stepped away, her mom was there, pulling me into a hug.

“I’m so sorry about your father, honey,” she whispered, her arms tight around me as she squeezed hard.

Larkin’s dad offered his hand to me next, shaking mine firmly. “If you need anything, you let us know. You’re family, kid.”

I barely had time to smile at him before Katy and Skye were hugging me, followed by Remy and his parents. Several others offered their condolences about my dad, and it didn’t bother me the way I expected.

It felt... nice. Comforting to have my pack surround me.

Larkin took my hand. “Mom, Dad, we’re going to—”

“Stay here to hang out with everyone who came to celebrate your birthday? Open that mountain of presents in the corner?” her dad interrupted, lifting an eyebrow.

Larkin sighed, her head drooping slightly as she forced a smile. “Of course.”

“I’m teasing, sweetheart. You two go. We know you have a lot to talk about,” he told her, smiling indulgently.

She reached up and hugged him quickly with one arm, still holding me with the other.

“Thank you,” I told him sincerely. I had wondered if Larkin and I being together would make things awkward with her parents, but clearly it hadn’t.

There were people all over Larkin’s house, so I led her out the back door and towards my house, opening the back door for her. After a few sliding steps in her heels, I picked her up and carried her the rest of the way, not stopping until we were inside my house. I kicked the door shut with my foot, setting her on the countertop and stepping between her legs.

“Lark—”

She cut me off by kissing me, hooking her ankles low around my back and pulling me flush against her. I groaned into her mouth, my hands coming up to cradle her face and angle her mouth where I could best devour her.

Grinding her center against me, I reached down, sliding a hand under the skirt of her dress and up her thigh until I reached her damp center.

“Fuck,” I swore, tearing my mouth from hers as I pushed her panties aside and easily slid a finger into her.

Her head fell back against the cabinets with a thud.

“Ow,” she said with a laugh, reaching up to rub the back of her head.

“Be careful,” I murmured, one hand going around to cradle the back of her head while I added a second finger.

“Rhodes, please,” she whimpered, her hands pulling at the jacket I still had on, her hips jerking against my hand.

I withdrew my hand, licking my fingers clean and watching her eyes widen, her breathing getting harder.

Reaching behind her, I undid the zipper of her dress, helping her slide it off her body. I barely registered the black lace strapless bra, quickly divesting her of it before I jerked her panties off her body.

It only took me a matter of seconds to strip out of my clothes.

She lifted a leg to remove her heels and I grabbed her ankle.

“Leave those,” I said, my voice deep and rough as I smoothed the pad of my thumb across the delicate straps.

I tugged her hips to the edge and was inside her in a single, deep thrust that had her crying out.

“Too much?” I asked, chest heaving as I resisted the urge to fuck her as hard as I could.

She wrapped her legs around me once more, the points of her heels digging into my ass.

“No,” she managed, grabbing my shoulders. “More.”

I pumped into her in long, deep strokes until I felt her body start to convulse around mine, her pussy clenching hard around me, driving me over the edge with a roar.

I held her in my arms for several quiet minutes, our racing hearts settling, her body wrapped around mine.

“Are you okay?” she asked, pulling back to look me in the eye. “Did you clear your head? Figure things out?”

Sighing, I pressed my forehead to hers. “Yeah. I think I got it all figured out.”

“Is there anything you need?” God, she was so sweet and selfless.

And mine.

“Yeah,” I answered softly. “I could use a tutor.”

Her tiny nose wrinkled. “A tutor?”

“I need to get my grades up if I want to apply to college,” I told her with a small smile.

Her eyes went round, her mouth dropping open. “You’re going to college?”

“I was thinking maybe a business degree would be a good idea if I want to open my own garage,” I replied.

“I think that’s a great idea,” she whispered, tears in her eyes again.

“On one condition.” I held up a finger.

She grinned. “Name it.”

Smirking, I leaned in and told her, “You have to join a sorority.”

Laughing, she pulled her head back. “So, you can still screw sorority girls?”

“Only one,” I corrected with a smile.

“You know if I join a sorority I’ll probably live in the sorority house. Not with you in the pack housing.”

“Fuck that. I’ll buy you a sorority jacket or sweater or whatever, and you can wear it when I want to screw a sorority chick.”

She giggled harder. “Got it all figured out, huh?”

I sobered, lifting a hand to her face. “No, I don’t. But I know I have you, and you have me. The rest we can figure out as we go along.”

“You’ve always had me,” she replied honestly, gently. “And you always will.”

“It’s always been you,” I murmured, kissing her slowly.

It would always be her.