“It all right if I call you that?”

I nodded, unsure I could speak.

His eyes crinkled when he smiled, and I loved it. “If we’re overwhelming you, you need to tell us, okay? We don’t want you to run away from us because we came on too strong.”

“I’m not sure I could come on any stronger than literally climbing Ben on a dance floor, so…”

They laughed, and Rylan clicked play on the movie but kept it on low so we could talk if we wanted. But I didn’t want to talk right away. I leaned forward and put my drink on the table before cuddling down between the two of them.

It was like I’d run a marathon and was suddenly exhausted. Not sleepy, but tired in the way I just wanted to sit and feel that someone was touching me. Rylan was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, my legs brushing his shoulder. He curled one of his hands around my calf and squeezed, not stopping as he moved his hand up and down.

I couldn’t remember the last person to touch me—before Ben at the party—who wasn’t Eva or my mother.

Surrounded by them and their scents, my instincts were closer to the surface. I turned and slid my arms around Luke, laying my head on his chest. “I should ask you guys about boundaries too,” I said quietly.

“Touch me however you like, Esme,” Luke said. His lips brushed my forehead, and I whined. The sound was completely accidental.

Gently, Luke shifted us both so I was still holding him, but I was leaning more against Avery now so he could see my face. Blue eyes. A soft blue that bordered gray. Like the sea before a storm. “I’m going to kiss you,” Luke whispered. “Nothing more than that.”

He did, and I almost opened my eyes to see if I’d fallen through the floor. His kiss was confident and firm. Demanding in a way I wanted to respond to. Tender and easy, but not hesitant. This was an Alpha who knew exactly what he wanted, and it was me.

The kiss ended far too soon, but it was a good thing. Every pack member was staring at me, breathing in my perfume, which had exploded the second Luke’s lips hit mine. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for that,” Kade briefly dropped his head into his hands. “You smell—fuck you smell incredible.”

“All right,” Rylan said, standing and stretching. “Move over. Time for some calming Beta cuddles before every Alpha in the room goes full rut before you’re ready.”

I felt the reluctance in both Avery and Luke, but Rylan wasn’t wrong. I was perfuming so much, it was a little shocking.