Page 15 of In Deep

I’m trying my best not to untangle the thoughts in my head, to ignore the nagging voice in my ear that keeps asking what the hell I’m doing, to play down the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

It’s just a date. It doesn’t mean anything. If anything, it’ll be good. He’ll realise I’m not an omega worth pursuing and I’ll realise he’s one of the stuck up boys who think too much of themselves. Certainly, not a guy who should have triggered these damn butterflies.

I move on to my wash basket, cursing as I fling more clothes onto the floor in a bid to dig right down to the bottom.

“You’re not actually going to wear it if it is dirty, are you?”

“No, I’m ruling it out.” I scoop the pile of clothes back in the basket with an angry huff.

“Wardrobe?” Sophia slides off the bed and walks to my cupboard flinging open the doors and sorting through the hanging articles. I wish she wouldn’t. My wardrobe is about a quarter the size of hers and the items in there are mostly treasures I discovered in second-hand stores or charity shops. There’s a slight musty smell to it that I’ve tried my best to remove with fabric softener and potpourri.

Sophia doesn’t seem to notice. She stops at a summer dress, blue, with spaghetti straps and a slight flare to the skirt.

“How about this?” she suggests. “You’d look amazing in this, Rosie. And it’s flirty but not too dressy.”

I take it from her hands and hold it up. “I don’t know.” It would reveal an awful lot of skin. The alpha already makes me feel exposed when I’m with him. I’d feel practically naked in this.

“Trust me. I am an expert at dates. I’ve been on hundreds.”

“Doesn’t that make you the opposite of an expert?”

She bumps me with her shoulder. “I like to keep my options open.” She pauses. “You should too. Zane is hot and rich and a sports star and he’s going to be a doctor. Fucking hell, Rosie! But you don’t have to plump for the first alpha that comes sniffing around.”

“Who said I am?” I may not be as experienced as Sophia when it comes to men and dating but that’s from choice. And nothing more. I’ve not wanted to date. And no one has tempted me into changing my mind.

Not until Zane.

“Sorry, I’m not trying to be rude or anything. I’m just saying, you’re gorgeous, Rosie, and intelligent. You can have any guy you want, if you want.”

I laugh. “I’m not sure that’s exactly true, but thanks.”

“It is true. Wear the dress. I promise you’ll have him walking funny all night.”

I give her a big push and she falls back onto the bed, laughing.

“Imay be the one having to deal with issues like that,” I confess. “He makes me feel things …”

Sophia stops laughing and lifts her head to stare at me. “Oh shit, this is serious. What sort of things?”

“Like my whole body might catch on fire when he looks at me.”

“Wow,” Sophia says, flopping her head back against the mattress as I pull off my denim shorts. “I’m not sure I can help you. I’ve never met a guy who does that to me.”

“You’ve dated plenty of hot guys before, though.”

“Yeah, and girls,” she reminds me, “and they turn me on. But I’ve never experienced anything like that.”

“Shit,” I mutter, working the blue dress over my head.

“You have to call me straight after this date. I want to hear about every single detail.”

“I doubt I’ll have anything to tell. I’m sure he’s going to realise I’m not his kind of girl.”

Sophia throws a cushion at me. “Bullshit!” I chuck the cushion back at her and find my brush, dragging its teeth through my wavy hair. “No one who looks at you with that much heat is going to lose interest that quickly … Maybe when he gets to know you and learns about what a giant geek you are, he’ll have second thoughts.”

“Oh god,” I moan, burying my face in my hands.

“I’m joking,” she laughs, before jumping from the bed and taking the brush from my hand. “Want me to do your hair?”