Accidentally Wolf (46 page)

“I would love that. I think it
’
s just what we both need,” he agreed, giving me that bright smile that let me know everything was okay between us. And we would figure this all out. “You pick the restaurant and I
’
ll figure out something fun and relaxing for us to do.”

“Deal.” I gave him another quick peck on the mouth before moving away.

He picked up one of the large boxes containing all my hanging clothes and left. I quickly tossed the pajamas I
’
d just taken off in to my bag and finished getting dressed. Then I tended to my morning business, careful not to forget my toothbrush, before heading out to the living room.

“Hey, thanks for the help guys.” I made sure to look at Noah and four strange vamps who were collecting the last of the boxes in the room before they started on the furniture. I wanted to let them know that I included all of them in my recognition.

“I just offered because I wanted to meet the woman who finally got Tristan to end his bachelor ways,” one guy said as he headed out the door with a few boxes. I rolled my eyes. Most people thought we were just dating so we could keep the truth under wraps as long as possible. I checked the kitchen to make sure nothing was still in the cabinets or pantry while the six of them handled my furniture.

I could have helped, granted, I was strong enough. But they were evenly matched up and moving furniture by myself wasn
’
t going to work out all that well. Also… I just didn
’
t want to. I had enough shit going on that when help was freely offered, I wasn
’
t stupid enough to look a gift horse in the
mouth
.

Plus, they seemed to really have a groove going. An hour after I woke up, we were done and I was locking the door to my apartment for the last time. I headed to the main office as they pulled away toward Riley
’
s for his stuff.

Once I dropped off the keys, I climbed in my car and drove over to the new place. Since I worked right by the airport and Tristan worked closer to the Loop we
’
d picked a place on the east side of Elmhurst. That way he could take
I
290 right into the city and I could take
I
294 right up to the office. Riley was the one who really ended up lucking out since he worked at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital.

I pulled up in the driveway, once again glad that I
’
d decided to get the bigger house of the ones we
’
d looked at. It also was on a larger lot. Most of the subdivision had the same exact size yards as each other. But the newer places came with more land because when the economy started to tank, the developers decided that not building the houses on top of each other would be a draw to potential buyers.

It was a draw for us as renters. So while most had the normal fifty by seventy-five foot lots, we had half an acre. Granted, we ended up with more because we were also a corner house at the end of the street. And our backyard abutted a park. If we ended up liking the place, I had a feeling I
’
d be contacting the rental company about approaching the owners to buy it.

I had picked up the keys last week and gotten them back from the cleaners Tristan had hired. I made sure to park my car in the attached garage so I wasn
’
t blocking the driveway for the moving van.

Well, it wasn
’
t really a moving van. It was just a large truck Vlad had in his fleet that he used for his businesses. I wasn
’
t sure for what since none of his clubs really delivered anything. But I guess it just made good sense to have a truck available. I didn
’
t want to question it any more than that.

Really, I didn
’
t.

I entered the house through the door from the garage that went straight in to the kitchen. Checking out the job the cleaning crew had done, I smiled. They were worth the price. Everything—the stone counters, the linoleum flooring, and all the appliances—w
ere
spotless. It definitely made the pain of moving easier when none of us would have to worry about needing to scrub down the place.

I moved from room to room, admiring how bright the house was with the way the sun shone in through all the windows and relishing in the immaculate state of the freshly shampooed carpet. I found myself appreciating the simple beauty of the house
’
s interior. It wasn
’
t particularly fancy, but there was a lot of space, which was the main concern at this point.

I finished looking over the whole place when the doorbell rang. I couldn
’
t have been there more than twenty minutes. Who the hell was at the door?

UPS, it seemed, with several deliveries. Interesting. I took box after box from the guy and set them down in the front room. I thanked him and then sat down to find out what they all were. The boxes weren
’
t address to Tristan or Riley, but to me.

The first one was a very large gift basket from Alena and Zeno. There was a card congratulating us on our new home. I was touched by the generous gift and the thought behind it. But how the hell did they get our new address?

Then there was a smaller gift basket
and
flowers from Vlad. Okay, he probably knew because Tristan had to let his employer know of his change of address. Next was a house warming gift from Noah… A bunch of Victoria
’
s Secret lingerie. Um, inappropriate but really pretty, so I wasn
’
t giving it back. Though I would let him know he was never seeing me in it.

Another shocker was the flowers from Brian Havers, my old Chief. It came with a note that he missed me and wanted to see me. Yeah, that was happening right after pigs started to fly. And last but not least were two dozen red roses from Alpha Joseph Engle with a card addressed to his Alpha Bitch. Wow. That was just fabulous. The last two were going right in the garbage.

I heard the truck pull into the driveway and got up to open the front door. I figured that would be easier than having them go through the garage and in to the kitchen.

“We got deliveries already?” Tristan asked as he walked into the house, raising an eyebrow and looking around.

“Oh yeah,” I growled, shaking my head. “My old boss and sometimes bed partner wants me back. Alpha Engle sent roses to his Alpha Bitch. Those can be tossed.”

“Good to know,” he grumbled.

“Noah sent me lingerie,” I announced, glancing past him at the man in question. “He
’
s never going to see me in it.”

“Spoil sport,” Noah replied as he carried in some boxes.

“Bite me.”

“Gladly.” He flashed me fang. I chose to ignore him.

“Alena and Zeno sent us a gift basket and Vlad sent a very nice house warming present.”

“Huh,” Tristan grunted, looking everything over. “Vlad must have told them our new address before they left.” Yeah, that made sense. “Noah knew because I gave him the address when I asked him last week to help us move. Didn
’
t think he
’
d send you a gift though.”

“You should thank him,” I said seductively as I lightly ran my fingers down his chest. I could feel his sculpted muscles through the thin cotton of his T-shirt. “He won
’
t get to see the lingerie on me, but, if you play your cards right, you will.”

“Good to know.” He gave me a quick smile and went back to unloading. Mission accomplished. I didn
’
t want a fight brewing between them. I
’
d had my fill of drama and just wanted a fun, peaceful day of moving in and unpacking.

Another delivery, from Edible Arrangements this time, came while I was
loading
the glasses that I
’
d unpacked in to the dishwasher. It was a huge basket of partially chocolate-covered fruit organized in a colorful arrangement from Chief Monroe. That was nice of him, but I wasn
’
t sure that was a normal thing for a boss to do. Well, one I hadn
’
t slept with.

The dishwasher was filled and running when I got another delivery from my team this time. Who showed up. At my house.

“Um, hey?” I stood in the doorway like a deer in headlights. What were they doing here?

“We thought we
’
d give you a hand.” Harris gave me a gentle smile. “Jennings brought every cable and wire known to man so he could hook up all your electronics.”

“The rest of us thought we could break down boxes and run out to get anything you need,” Cooper added. There was an awkward pause because I just couldn
’
t seem to find my voice. “It
’
s what friends do when one of them moves.”

“Right. Friends. Friends with my team,” I mumbled, trying to find my footing. I gave them a smile and invited them in. I
’
d never been friends with my team before or really anyone I
’
d ever worked with. Granted, we
’
d all been
friendly
before, maybe catch a few beers after a big case. But none of them had ever been to my home before.

“Ha! See, I told you we shouldn
’
t do a food gift basket or flowers.” There was a triumphant air in Davis
’
s tone. She was staring at the guys with a smirk as she gestured to the gifts we
’
d already gotten that I had on the counter.

“Victoria
’
s Secret did cross my mind too though,” Harris mumbled. I got some interesting images from his mind about me parading around in what he saw before he ripped it off of me. Someday maybe I
’
d get used to dealing with his thoughts.

“It was a gag gift
,
” I blurted out quickly, giving a snort to sell the fib. “Noah won
’
t be seeing me in it and said it was really a house warming present for Tristan.”

I saw Noah walking past the doorway just then and shot him a look clearly saying he
’
d better back me up. He gave me a quick nod and smiled at my team. “I thought I
’
d get one item for each room of the house they had to christen.”

“Cute.” Davis chuckled, eyeing Noah over appreciatively. I felt my siren stir at the action. In her mind Noah was already ours, but she had yet to wear me down and make me accept the inevitable. Yeah, right. I practically flipped her off mentally and pointed for her to retreat back to her corner. She nodded and did as I wanted.

There was one rule that I had said I wouldn
’
t budge under no certain terms. Never, ever was she allowed to come out or take over when I was around work people or on the job. In turn, she made me swear that she got to take over and run the show in my bedroom several times a week along with one man a month of her choosing. Just for sex, no keeping them.

Remington pulled out a huge gift basket he
’
d had behind his back. Well, the thing was too big to fully hide, but I hadn
’
t been trying to cheat and look. I burst out laughing when I saw it.

“This is great, guys. Thanks so much.” I was genuinely touched at their thoughtfulness. It was a massive basket stuffed with everything people tend to forget when moving. There was a few box cutters, enormous garbage bags, cleaning supplies, nails for hanging pictures, and much more.

The next several hours everyone pitched in. Jennings
set up
the living room with Tristan, getting our entertainment equipment all
put into place
. The little flat screen I had in my old apartment was in my room now since Tristan came with a sixty inch TV.

Davis and Harris helped me get linens through the washing machine and unpack the kitchen. I know everything wasn
’
t really in boxes long enough to get dirty, but it didn
’
t make them really clean either.

Cooper and Remington helped Tristan
’
s friends with doing whatever the hell they were doing. Setting up furniture I guessed. I was just trying to stay out of their way.

I was way out of my league though. I mean, it was fine when I was surrounded by people at work, especially when I was the team leader or the boss. I knew what to do. Here, in my home, as just Sera… I was so lost. Tristan had his five friends helping and then there were the five people from my team. So that was twelve of us, always moving around, a
flurry
of unpacking and constant talking.

I started to wonder if I had made a mistake. I missed my quiet one-bedroom apartment suddenly and realized I was feeling overwhelmed and needed to get some air. Or hide in the garage. I made my escape to the cool, silent environment of the garage and leaned my butt against my car, rubbing my chest to dull the ache of worry I had forming there.