Talk About… Rivalry (Rockwood Valley Omegaverse #2)

37. Taylor

Taylor

S idney looked gorgeous. There was a glow to her skin, cheeks flushed, as she walked from one piece of art to the next. She’d put on a cute, black dress that rested just above her knees, boots, and a jean jacket on top. Simple, yet sexy as hell.

Then again, I couldn’t seem to get enough of my mate.

As we walked through the art exhibit she studied the pieces while I studied her. I knew which ones she liked by the way her smile grew, or disliked, by the wrinkle to her nose.

The exhibit was a mix of art styles and though I had never been into art like she was, I was having a great time.

Maybe it was her sweet and earthy scent in my nose all night, or the contentment in the bond, but I could stay in this moment forever with her.

As she grew more comfortable with the pack, it was like watching her change in the best ways. She no longer curled in on herself when no one was watching. She stood tall and confident, her laughter and smiles carefree.

My hand was wrapped in hers as she tugged me on to the next, eyes lighting up as she turned to me.

“This artist is one of my favorites. He’s fairly unknown, but look at this,” she said, voice low enough that we didn’t disturb anyone else. I finally took my eyes off Sidney to look at the paintings hanging on the wall.

They were amazing. The way he’d painted his subjects was almost melancholy, their faces turned or shadowed, yet ethereal. The mix of glowing blues and purples mixing with the shadows and pale figures, rang with emotion.

She let out a small laugh. “I never realized how depressing they feel. They’re all so alone and lost.”

“Art resonates with the emotion in us,” I countered. “Maybe you didn’t realize how much you felt like that. Does it still resonate with you now?”

“No,” she admitted, a bittersweet smile on her face. “I can see their beauty but I can’t relate the way I did before. You guys changed me.”

“You’ve changed us, too, sunshine,” I promised, kissing her temple as she stared at the pictures.

Before her frown could truly take hold, she brought me over to the next artist. When I didn’t turn from her she looked up at me and rolled her eyes.

“If you keep staring at me, you’re going to miss everything,” she laughed. Her cheeks darkened with embarrassment but I just chuckled.

“But you’re a work of art, Sidney,” I teased. She groaned, but her smile widened.

“You’re so cheesy,” she accused.

“Only for you,” I countered, unashamed that she caught me watching her. I loved seeing the emotions cross her face, and the line between her brows deepen as she concentrated on a piece, trying to uncover its secrets.

She didn’t call me out again as we made our way to the last room. Her focus was on the art around her and a part of me hoped that she would take this as a sign to keep working on her own.

“Let’s go next door,” I said as I took the lead now, pulling her into the small art supply store.

“No, Taylor,” she protested. “You’re tired of all this. It’s my thing, not yours.”

“You are my thing,” I said, not stopping as I pushed open the door.

The bell chimed and an older woman in paint stained overalls and frizzy gray hair that stuck out from her ponytail greeted us.

“Welcome in,” she said, her smile wide and I couldn’t help but return it. “Can I help you at all?”

“My mate here is looking to get back into her art. We’re making an art studio at the packhouse and she needs supplies. Do you deliver?”

“Of course.” She grinned, giving Sidney a wink. “What kind of mediums are we talking?”

“We’ll need canvases, different sizes, and easels, outside of that, it’s all you, sunshine,” I said, nudging Sidney.

Her eyes were wide and startled, glancing around and already overwhelmed. Knowing this wouldn’t end without a fight, I texted the group chat we had without her, for moments just like this.

Taylor: She loved the art exhibit and I dragged her into the art store. She looks like she’s going to fight me but I’m about to clear out this store.

Maverick: Sending you money

I didn’t even have to ask and her alpha knew what we needed. She’d be less likely to fight if it was from all of us.

Bennett: Sent. Don’t let her hold back.

Taylor: That was the plan but we all know she’s stubborn.

Leo: Sent as well – and you may have to have the clerk bulk up what she picks out too.

Taylor: On it. Thanks guys. She’ll take it better if it’s a group effort

Tucking my phone away and ignoring the money they sent for now, I tuned back into the conversation.

“Oh, this is too much. I’m going to be a bit rusty,” she protested.

“Girl, let that pack spoil you,” she teased, glancing behind her to give me a wink. I nodded, grin widening as I realized she’d be more helpful than I expected.

“The entire pack chipped in for this, sunshine, they’ll be expecting you to not hold back.”

She shot a glare my way, chewing on her lip nervously, but she couldn't ignore the beta that swept her around, showing her different types of items.

I started to get nervous as Sidney got more and more overwhelmed. The beta realized, too, slowing to a stop in front of me.

“You know what, I think I have a good idea of what you want and need for this now,” she reassured Sidney. “Why don’t you let your mate discuss budget with me and I can handle the rest. I thrive on this sort of thing.”

“Actually, that sounds perfect,” Sidney said with a sigh of relief.

“Give us one second, sunshine.” I squeezed her hand before following the clerk up to the front.

In five minutes, she had my card on file and my number to contact before the final sale, and she planned to start right after we left. One glance at the budget, with my own contribution added in, and she assured me this was enough to not only resupply her, but spoil her.

That was the goal.

“All done,” I said as I met Sidney by the door, taking her hand and leading her outside. “Are you hungry?”

“Taylor.” Her voice was off and I froze, turning to look. My heart clenched as I turned to face her, worried what I might find.

She fought for words and I focused on the bond, trying to read what was going through her head.

“I don’t need you guys to buy me things. This is… too much.”

“Look, Sidney, I get it. I know how odd it is when someone goes out of their way like this, but believe me when I say we wanted to. You’ve never had someone here to spoil you like we want to or think about you in more than just basic survival things. We don’t want you surviving only, we want you to thrive and to find your own version of happiness. That’s all.”

She took a shaky breath as my words settled over her.

“I’m just…”

Sidney wasn’t usually the ‘lost for words’ type but I had a feeling I knew where her head was going now. I’d made studying her my job for weeks and it was getting easier to read her now that the bond was involved. I could feel the insecurity, sharp and biting, right under the surface.

“Sunshine, are you afraid if you’re ‘difficult’ or ‘too much’ that we won’t want you anymore?”

Her breath caught and tears swam in those gorgeous, green eyes as she nodded.

“I know it’s stupid,” she bit out, swiping angrily at her tears. “Old habits and all that. She left because we weren’t enough and dad always acted like if I did anything outside of being quiet and hard-working that it was too much. My brain doesn’t know how to handle all this.”

“We’ll help you,” I vowed. “This is all going to settle into a new version of normal and if you have doubts or fears, find one of us. We’ll all talk you down. But I can promise you that you’ll never be too much for us. You’re exactly what we want and need, Sidney.”

Her worries melted away before heat filled her gaze.

“Take me back to the hotel now, Taylor. We can order food later.”

She didn’t have to ask me again, I took her hand and hurried her to the car, driving back to our hotel room for the night.

I wanted nothing more than to fuck her senseless, but the night I had planned wouldn’t be rough and fast, it would be a show of love and care.

Sidney’s gasp as I opened the door to our honeymoon suite was everything I hoped for. I’d gone all out for tonight, including requesting a massage table and oils from the spa downstairs.

“This is,” she started but I turned her toward me and kissed her.

“Just enough,” I challenged. “I have a whole night of heat recovery planned, and this massage will end with a happy ending.”

She snorted out a laugh. “Always so cheesy.”

“Just for you.” She grinned, dropping her bag near the door and heading for the window. The view at night here was perfect. The mountains were a gorgeous backdrop to the twinkling lights of the town below us.

“We should send proof of life to the pack before they send out a search party,” I mused.

Holding up her phone, she turned us so the window was our backdrop. Her head fell to my shoulder and we smiled up at the camera. Our cheeks were slightly flushed and our eyes shining with happiness.

“My new favorite photo,” she said, sending it to the group chat.

Sidney: We’re alive and well. Turning in for the night.

Leo: Liar. We all know what you’ll be doing

Sidney: Don’t be jealous, Leo.

Leo: Too late

Maverick: Take care of our girl, Taylor

Bennett sent a screenshot of our picture as his home screen that made us both grin.

I was the first to toss my phone on the table nearby, and Sidney did the same. She turned to me, her eyes burning for me, but she was waiting patiently, letting me take the lead.

I was so fucking proud of her.

She shuddered as I ran my fingers up her arms before helping her out of her jacket. She turned as I tossed it aside, giving me access to the zipper on her dress.

I lowered myself to my knees as I helped her slide it down, the inky fabric pooling at her feet. One by one I took her boots off before leading her to the prepared massage table.

Sidney didn’t protest as I helped her lay on top. I gently clipped her hair up so I had full access to her toned shoulders.

They had a few selections of massage oil and I chose a coconut that was subtle enough to not drown out her scent. Now that I had it, I couldn’t bear to dampen it even for a second.

With a lofi playlist filling the silence and my omega laid out for me, I couldn’t be happier.

I poured the oil over my hands, warming it, before sliding my oily hands over every inch of her. Soon, her groans filled the air, her body turning to putty as I worked out her sore muscles and any knots in her body.

Her breath hitched as I teased over her ribs. I moved down one leg, then worked my way back up, stopping at her inner thigh and smirking as her breath caught.

Then I moved to the next. She lifted her head enough to side eye me before collapsing back as I dug my knuckles into the bottom of her foot.

“Fuck,” she cursed. “This is amazing.”

“Maybe this will have to be our thing,” I teased. “I knew that random masseuse certification would come in handy one day.”

She chuckled and I knew she’d ask for more later but for now we just both fell into the trance of the moment, the methodical movement soothing me into a relaxed state right along with her.

“Turn over for me,” I urged, helping her roll over and giving me a full view of her gorgeous, bare body.

This was about to get far more difficult. She smirked, her eyes drifting closed, as she waited for me to continue.

That little smile fell away as I worked the muscles of her arms, ending in a full hand massage that had her groaning happily.

Then, I stopped working the muscles and worked on teasing her into a frenzy instead.

My hands ran over her chest, circling her breasts before moving slowly down her abdomen.

She growled in protest as I moved down her legs again, parting her legs to let me see her pussy glistening for me.

“So fucking wet,” I praised as I breathed in her sweet scent. My body was flushed for her, cock hard and aching, and my own slick wetting my cheeks in response to hers.

Fuck, we were a pair. Sharing her with Bennett during heat was incredible, but now I needed her to myself.

I spread her legs further and pulled her down the table, hooking her knees over my shoulders as I pressed a kiss right to her center. She gasped, legs tightening around me as I flicked my tongue over her clit, then slowly slid it down to her core, pushing inside and tasting her sweet, honeyed slick.

Fuck, she tasted so good it had me ready to come just from her sounds alone.

Her cries amped up as I licked and sucked at her, cleaning off every bit of slick that gushed out of her until she was coming on my tongue.

“Please, Taylor. Fuck me,” she begged as her body quaked from the aftershocks.

“Not here,” I said, pulling her off the table and leading her to the bed waiting for us.

Thank fuck I didn’t ask for rose petals, it would only slow us down.

“I want you on top,” I said as I laid back, ready to watch her lose herself on my cock.

She didn’t hesitate to straddle my legs. There was no waiting or teasing as she sank down on me. We both moaned, Sidney staying still for a moment as if soaking in the feeling, before she started to rock her hips over me.

Each swivel of her hips had her clit grinding over me, a shudder wracking through her each time.

My fingers gripped her hips, completely enraptured by her as she fucked herself on me. I was barely holding onto my control, biting hard on my lip to keep myself grounded.

“Come with me, Taylor,” she breathed out, bending down to kiss me hard. I slid my hand between us, teasing over her clit as our tongues danced together.

The moment she clamped around my cock, I let go, filling her on a cry of my own, fingers bruising on her hips as we shook together.

She collapsed on my chest, both of us breathing hard. Warmth echoed through the bond, both of us letting it stay wide open as the emotions drifted back and forth.

This right here was what I waited my entire life for.