"The snow?" I questioned. Hadn’t they lived in the mountains? How was it new to him?
"Yes," he breathed out, getting up and stepping closer to the window. Our table was right next to them, so he didn't have far to go. He glanced back at me, a slight pink to his cheeks like he was afraid I'd judge him.
"When I was a kid, I grew up in the mountains like this. We were near them before we came here, but not close enough to witness this," he explained. Sadness and nostalgia took over his features for a moment before he turned back to the window. It pulled at my heart strings enough that I couldn't resist stepping in.
"Come here," I urged, hopping up and abandoning my tray. I grabbed Levi's hand and pulled him with me. For some reason, I didn't have the same hesitation with him. Maybe it was simple omega camaraderie or the vulnerability I’d just witnessed. He didn't protest when I pulled him away, and the others didn't join us. I dragged him through the hotel, up the stairs, and finally to the stairs leading to the roof. I glanced over at his clothes, deciding the hoodie and boots were enough for this moment.
The icy air slammed into us when I pushed the door to the roof open, but neither one of us reacted. Usually, I was the odd one out, able to withstand cold better than the others, but his excitement seemed to drown out everything else. Emberwood was magical in its own way.
Seeing the landscape with new eyes, I glanced at the mountains around us. They were gorgeous, even with the overcast sky. The falling snow was gentle, adding to the fluff that permanently decorated our grounds. The evening sun gave everything a warm glow, gorgeous pinks and oranges painting the sky. He looked even more amazing now, his copper hair and shining green eyes standing out against the snow. The smile on his face was pure and genuine.
"This place feels like home," he said in a hushed tone. He wasn't talking to me, but himself. His eyes sparkled with tears as he glanced around at the mountains, the grounds, the town, then me. "I'm glad we found you here."
"Me too," I said, the words falling out before I even realized that I meant them. That alone had some of my walls falling.
He stepped closer, his hand gripping my upper arm. Our eyes locked for a moment before he leaned in, his lips softly brushing against mine. It was a question, giving me the chance to pull away, but I had no intention of that. This kiss felt right, and my body leaned in instinctively, breathing him in before kissing him back. That brought him to life. His free hand rested on the side of my neck, tangling in my hair and tilting my head to the side. His tongue teased over my bottom lip, and I opened for him. He was more dominant than I expected, his tongue dancing with mine as he kissed me senseless. My body came alive for him, pleasure coiling in my belly and slick already pooling between my thighs. Our sweet omega scents mixed around us in the air, making the heady feeling even more intense.
As if he was afraid we were going too fast, he slowed the kiss down and pulled away. He rested his forehead against mine for a moment, both of us catching our breath. A soft rumbling emanated from us both, two omegas content and happy in our little bubble. That feeling of home and safety was so strong in that moment, and it was something I hadn't truly felt in fifteen years.
9
Farren
'Who are you putting all that makeup on for?'Zehra teased. I was debating between lip colors. I was trying to make myself feel pretty, wanting some extra confidence for the next time I faced my mates. I saw no reason to be ashamed of it. Omegas were fans of a little pampering, and it wasn't often that I took the time to pamper myself. It was nice to have someone to dress up a bit for, and after that kiss with Levi, I definitely wanted more. Of all of them.
'Well, it certainly isn't West,'I shot back, laughing to myself as I picked the red and hurried out of my suite. I was running behind now, but I wasn't going to skip coffee again.
"Morning," Nikolaus called as I walked into the kitchen. He was chatting with Molly, two travel mugs of coffee already in his hands. "Molly hooked us up with caffeine."
"You're on morning shift with me?" I questioned, still feeling half-asleep. Even those striking eyes of his did nothing for me right now.
"She's not a morning person, so go easy on her," Molly advised, patting him on the shoulder. I didn't comment, taking the coffee with a quick thanks and heading for the lobby. I still had five minutes to go, but West didn't play when he was tired, which was nearly every morning.
"West asked me to help out today, something about a big group?" Nikolaus answered as he fell into step beside me. I groaned at the reminder; I'd blocked it out for my own sanity.
"Ugh, I forgot that it was today. Get ready. West is going to beextra," I warned.
"Extra what? He seemed fine with it," Nikolaus said, eyebrows furrowing as he tried to puzzle out my explanation. "In fact, he assumed I'd be a better door greeter than Kane."
I laughed at the thought of Kane glaring at everyone. "Definitely a better choice." Tipping my cup back and draining half in one go, I paused before stepping into the lobby. I needed the extra few seconds to brace myself.
"That bad?" Nikolaus asked, sounding amused and a bit more worried than before.
"Fraternities and sororities coming at the same time? Oh, it's going to be chaos," I promised. "But nothing we can't handle. And at least we have Kane on maintenance now. They always break things."
"Well, you don't have to face it alone," he promised, his hand reaching for mine and giving it a squeeze. I shifted to face him, breathing in his scent to bolster myself. That earthy vanilla, bitter chocolate, and tobacco was a balm for my anxiety. I was starting to rely on them already, and that should have scared me more than it did.
"Let's go."
He pushed open the door, holding it for me and giving me a small smile. Likely because I'd allowed him to be a gentleman this time. Our moment fell away as everything turned to a hot mess. West was on us the moment our feet hit the polished wood floors.
"I've got to get the room blocks turned down. They requested extra towels and pillows in nearly every room," he grumbled. "Get the reservations ready on the computer. You'll need them up before they get here. This is the same group that showed up four hours early last time, and the internet is always slow when it’s this cold out. "
"Which puts them arriving around ten," I noted as I glanced at the large clock on our wall. "I'll print off the itineraries for Al's ski shuttles and classes. The usual stuff."
"Good thinking," he said, sounding impressed. I held back an eye roll at that—he always acted like I was new to this game when we had a crazy day of bookings. He nodded once before practically running upstairs to check rooms. At least he wasn't shouting at five in the morning, waking up the whole hotel.
"Al's?" Nikolaus asked.