Riley
When we pull up to the Dark Moon packhouse Brandon and Caleb are already waiting outside for us. Todd unbuckles his seat belt as fast as he can and hops out of the car before Archer was even able to make a complete stop.
Archer murmurs under his breath about how reckless that was making me giggle and I hear Harry huff behind me as he really just hates seeing me interact with Archer.
I glare at Harry for his reaction, and he grunts as he gets his bag out of the car and slams the door shut. Archer looks at me with one eyebrow raised and asks, “Do you think the kid is ever going to accept me?”
I chuckle and say, “Eh, it’s not likely, but maybe you’ll grow on him just like you grew on me!”
He lets out a hearty laugh as we both get out of the car and as he takes my hand he says, “Oh yeah, like I had to grow on you! You seemed pretty taken with me from the start.”
I bump into his arm as I scoff, “In your dreams!”
I let go of his hand and walk over to Brandon and Caleb. I give both of them big hugs and they chuckle as they greet me. Caleb says, “Come on guys, I’ll show you to your rooms.”
I hear Archer mumble in frustration as he was obviously displeased that Caleb was showing us around instead of him.
Harry and Todd’s rooms are beside Brandon and Caleb’s. Meanwhile, they put me on Archer’s floor, and although I’m in the room furthest from him, I imagine I will end up in his bed tonight.
It’s hard to stay away from him and we have a whole weekend together so why not take advantage of it?
But I know I need to be careful when it comes to Archer. I think he’s invested in turning this into a real relationship meanwhile I just want something physical, carefree, and fun.
I don't want to lead him on or give him false hope. That wouldn’t be fair to him. School is starting back in a week, and I don't need any extra drama in my life.
I need to make sure to set firm boundaries with him by the end of this weekend. I just hope that he'll still want to be friends with me even if I don't want to be in a relationship with him.
As I set my duffel bag down, I hear his voice, “Are you okay, Riley?”
I turn back towards him with a small smile and say, “Yeah, of course, I am.”
He walks closer to me and lifts my chin up so that he can look me in the eyes. His thumb rubs my cheek as he asks, “You look like something’s bothering you, Riley.”
I shake my head with a soft smile, I don’t want to talk about this stuff with him right now. I don’t want to ruin everything.
“Nothing’s bothering me, Archer. I just can’t believe my parents actually let me stay here for a whole weekend.”
He smiles, “I know, it’s fantastic, isn’t it?”
I nod, “It is, we’ll have tons of fun.”
He leans in to kiss me whenever I hear a throat clear. I look over to see Harry with his arms crossed as he looks at us. He huffs, “We’re going to the movie room. Want to join us?”
I chuckle as I nod, “Be right there.”
He mutters so quietly that if it weren’t for my enhanced hearing I wouldn’t have heard him, “Hurry up.”
Archer shakes his head in disbelief and I cup his cheek and say, “Cool it, big Alpha man, he’s just being a protective brother.”
He hugs me tighter and says, “I know and I get it. I just wish I could’ve known you first and then he never would’ve had to worry about me hurting you or anything.”
I nod as I think about the fact that Zane was my mate. Even if I knew Archer back then it’s not like it would’ve done anything. The bond between me and Zane would’ve caused us to get together no matter what.
Archer tugs on my hand as he leads me to the movie room where they’ve already turned on some action movie. I smile seeing Todd looking so happy in his seat with a bucket full of popcorn. I notice that they turned on one of his favorite movies and I sit on the loveseat and curl up next to Archer as the movie plays.
I dozed as one movie turned into another and then another and they continued on in a movie marathon. I yawned and stretched, my legs feeling stiff, but I didn’t want to move. Archer chuckled deeply and I soon felt him pick me up as he carries me to my room. I hear Harry yell at him to make sure he takes me to the right room.
I could picture Archer rolling his eyes at Harry’s request, but I don’t react. I’m too tired, I just want to sleep without the sound of explosions and yelling from the TV waking me up.
As he sets me down on the bed I stir and he kisses the top of my head and says, "Get some rest, Riley. Tomorrow will be a busy day."
I grab onto his hand and murmur, "Stay with me. Harry warned you to put me in the right room... he never said you had to go into the right room."
Archer chuckles as he slips into the bed and spoons me and moves my hair from my face as he says, "You're a mischievous one aren't you?"
I shrug one of my shoulders making him laugh and he presses a kiss in the nape of my neck. Right where he would mark me if we were mates and he murmured against my skin, "Go to bed, Riley."
How am I supposed to sleep now? By that one simple action, it now feels like my whole body is awake and electrified from his touch.
Stupid attractive Alpha... how am I going to get any rest now?