Chapter 28 The Flutter of Attraction
1409 Words
Chapter 28
The Flutter of Attraction
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Louise
I swallowed a stuck lump in the back of my throat. Joseph stood in the doorway, his eyes a speckled misty grey as he surveyed the room. Again, there had been no ocean breeze to warn me he was near—no sound of nearing footsteps. Had I all my senses dulled since the operation?
He smiled at me warmly, and a flutter of butterflies exploded in my chest. His white button-up shirt was buttoned to the indent of his defined collarbone and draped, untucked, over his black jeans. Hanging loosely over his broad shoulders was a dark black denim jacket. Those butterflies were swarming at the sight, making my stomach tingle. Oh, my goddess, what is going on with me? Am I attracted to him?
“Ohh,” Raine whispered into my ear. “I think there is something between you two for sure.”
“Stop,’ I giggled, pushing her back. “There’s nothing–”
“Louise,” Joseph interrupted. He reached behind him and wheeled out a wheelchair. “It’s a lovely day outside… Why don’t we do something? There’s a little park and coffee van we can visit on the first floor…”
Did he seriously want to take me out? Yes, it was in the hospital, but why? What was he trying to prove to himself or to me? And why did I want to go? Oh, my goddess… I do like him!
“I—I can’t?” I stammered in disbelief, fighting against the newfound realisation. “I’m not ready to do that! What if I tear my stitches out?”
I could hear my friends giggling and whispering beside me. I elbowed them into silence.
Joseph’s eyes softened. It was a look he was giving me more and more each day. “I’ll look after you… An Alpha’s promise.”
“But you’re not Alpha… yet.” I huffed, attempting to force the apparent feeling of attraction away. I crossed my arms. “Besides, I heard that promise before! Then look, I ended up here…”
Again, I heard Raine and Jo giggle and whisper something to each other.
Grinning sideways, a dimple framing his thin lips, he nodded at me. “That’s true… But if you stay inside any longer, you’ll end up pale enough to claim vampire rights.”
“Vampire rights?” Trying not to laugh, I shook my head. “That’s not – I mean…”
“Do vampires even have rights?” Raine asked, scratching her head.
“Vampires aren’t real,” Jo rolled her eyes.
“Oh yeah,” Raine chuckled, smacking her forehead.
“That’s not…” Oh, goddess, what did I mean? I grumbled before rubbing a pale hand down my face. He’s not wrong, but I can’t go anywhere with him! I quickly hid the evidence of my pale hands under the blanket. “I meant… Why are you being so nice to me? You have been here nearly every day since I woke up…” I glared at him, hoping to unravel his true intentions. “You’ve done enough… And you don’t owe me anything...”
He drummed his fingers against the wheelchair handles. I could see his mind ticking as his chiselled jaw clenched and unclenched. It was a look he had given when he guessed the killer in Cluedo. It was also the look he had when he was teaching me Blackjack. “I’m trying to help you… Is that such a bad thing?”
“Yes,” I eyed him, waiting for the penny to drop. When it never did, I continued. “After everything that’s happened… I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
“We think it is!” Raine and Jo leapt to their feet.
‘That sounds like a brilliant idea,” Jo grinned.
“We’ll get you ready,” Raine insisted. She turned to Joseph and shooed him out of the room. At the door, she grabbed the wheelchair from him. “Louise will be ready in five minutes…”
“Three if we’re lucky enough,” Jo called over her shoulder as she tossed the blankets back.
“Sure…” Joseph cleared his throat. I could hear the entrainment in his tone. “I’ll be waiting…”
The door closed between us. When had Raine and Jo become so bold in front of the Alpha-to-be? They had bowed to his every word only a little over a week ago, as normal Omegas did. What had changed? Had they taken a page out of my book? Was I influencing them too much?
I glared at my two friends. As before, they continued what they were doing, ignoring me. Everything was suddenly a confuddled haze. I wiped at my eyes, then faced them. “What do you think you two are doing?”
“Oh, nothing… Much…” Raine teased as she wheeled the chair beside the bed. “You know, just doing what friends do and saving your love life!”
“Don’t be stupid,” I rolled my eyes. “I don’t have a love life! He’s not–”
“Don’t be naive!” Jo’s face was suddenly before mine. I had to doubletake. “I don’t know what exactly is going on between you two, but that spark I see in your eyes when he’s around… it tells me – we’re doing the right thing.”
“And it’s only grown since your surgery…” Raine added. “And it’s bright!”
“What spark?” I asked as I attempted to suppress my grin.
“That one!” She pointed at my flushed face.
I turned to Raine, who had grabbed my hairbrush off the side table. “Don’t do this… he’s not… I don’t…”
“Oh, shush.” She waved my words away. “Don’t try to cover the truth… Admit it to yourself. You like Joseph…” She brushed my hair, not gently. “And I feel like something happened at the party… Something that started it… like a kiss or...”
“Wait,” I glanced up at her, dumbfounded, my hand going to the cheek he had kissed, then my lips. “How did you know he kissed me?”
“I didn’t…” She snorted a laugh.
“You just told us!” Jo teased as she slipped a pair of black slippers onto my feet. “And by the looks of it, more than once.”
“Oh no,” I slapped my forehead. “I wasn’t… It didn’t mean anything!”
“All done,” Raine sang as she dropped the brush onto the bed. She leaned over my shoulder so her cheek was beside mine. “An Alpha – or Alpha to be, doesn’t randomly kiss an Omega unless they are mated… or chosen…” she stood back. “But that never happens.”
“I don’t like him like that!” I tried to argue, but my smile gave it away. “He’s arrogant… rude…”
“And handsome!” Raine interrupted. “And strong…” She offered her hands, and I took them. “If he’s your mate–”
“He’s not my mate!” I defended as I stood on wobbly feet. My stitches itched in protest, but I ignored them. “I’m too young–”
“Pft,” Jo huffed. She held my hand as I stepped carefully over to the chair, turned, and slid into it. “We already know you’re different from the other Omegas … No Omega would ever speak to him like you have.”
“Anyway,” Raine exclaimed. “You’re all done and ready to go.”
Both girls, their faces alive with excitement, knelt before me and leaned over my knees. I realised I had unconsciously gone with them, or was it consciously? Now, I was sitting in a wheelchair, with my hair brushed and my clothes neat, ready to go to the park with Joseph.
I’m going to do this! I had somehow convinced myself. Yes, I’m going to put my trust in Joseph.
“And…” Jo whispered as she grabbed my hands in hers. “If you’re not back in an hour, we’ll come and find you.”
Raine’s hands were over ours. “That’s a best friend's promise!”
- Writer
