Chapter Six
Selena smoothed down her skirt and checked her lipstick for what seemed like the millionth time that day on the glass of Lone Wolf Security’s door. Evie was scheduled to work at the office today, which was why Selena came around. Yup, that was totally the reason why. And it was also a nice, sunny day, which was why she wore her favorite blue-gray dress that matched her eyes and showed off her legs. Plus, she woke up feeling refreshed and had time to fix her hair, taming it into glossy curls down her back. Yes, that was the reason she was standing outside Quinn’s office, not feeling nervous at all. Straightening her spine, Selena knocked on the door and waited for it to open.
“Selena! It’s nice to see you again!” Luna Rhoades, Killian’s wife, greeted her.
Behind her, sitting on the couch, was a blond woman Selena recognized as Meredith, Quinn’s adopted sister and the only female member of their family. “Selena! Long time, no see.”
“Hi, Meredith, Luna,” she said, surprised to see both women as she stepped inside the office. “You’re back. How was the honeymoon?”
Luna blushed. “Amazing. We went to this private island in the Caribbean that the Alpha owns.”
Selena whistled. “Private island, huh? Sounds nice! And it looks like you got some tanning done! Naked hopefully?”
“Well, there was lots of naked time …”
“Eww, no details please,” Meredith said, sticking her fingers in her ears.
Selena laughed. “Wow, I’m surprised.” She looked down at Luna’s pregnant belly, and she estimated she was six months along now. “But, you go girl! Glad you got some!” She raised her hand, and Luna heartily high-fived her.
“Pregnancy hormones, don’t you know?” Meredith quipped, rubbing her own pregnant belly.
“Good thing that’s not contagious,” Selena joked as she sat next to Meredith.
“Are you here for lunch?” Luna asked.
“Uh-huh.” Selena looked around. “Where’s Evie?”
“She’s in the office with Killian and Quinn, just giving him a rundown of what happened while we were away.”
As if on cue, Killian, Quinn, and Evie walked out of the office.
“I’ll get that done for you, Boss, no worries,” Evie said brightly. “Oh, hey Selena!”
“Hey Evie!” she greeted back and nodded at the two men behind her. “Killian. Quinn.” She tried to keep her voice as even as possible, but Quinn and his damned smile were making her heart thud loudly against her ribcage.
“Hey, Selena,” Quinn said.
“Hello, Selena,” Killian said as he walked to his wife. He put a hand on her shoulder. “Lunch with Evie, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Well, have a good one. We have to be off for a meeting at Fenrir Corp.”
Luna frowned and let out a sigh. “We’re not going home yet?”
“Sorry, sweetheart. It was unexpected, but the Alpha could only meet us today,” Killian said. “Are you feeling sick?”
“It’s just …” she sighed. “It’s getting harder to move around, you know, and I don’t want to get stuck in the Alpha’s waiting room while you have your meeting.”
“I’m sorry.” Killian let out a deep breath. “Maybe we can reschedule.”
“Don’t be silly, Killian,” Meredith interjected. “Why don’t you boys get to your meeting and come back here to pick up Luna? We can all stay in and have lunch here.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Luna said. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all, sweetheart.” Killian leaned down and kissed his wife on the forehead, then patted her belly affectionately. “I’ll be back. Quinn,” he called. “Let’s go.”
“Yeah, sure,” Quinn shrugged. “See you, girls.” His eyes flickered to Selena briefly before he left. She stared at them, her eyes transfixed on the door as it shut. When she woke up this morning, she was disappointed that she was all alone. The only evidence he had been there at all was his delicious aftershave that seemed to linger in the air. He had been so sweet the whole night, watching the movie with her. And he had tucked her in, too.
“Selena Merlin!” Evie exclaimed, jolting her out of her reverie. “Oh no. Don’t you dare!”
“What?” She gave Evie her best “who me?” look.
“Girl, I’m warning you!”
“What’s going on?” Meredith asked.
Selena’s eyes darted from Evie to Meredith. “No, don’t you dare.”
“Quinn was over at our place last night,” Evie said smugly. “Snuggling on the couch with Selena.”
“We were not snuggling!” Selena protested. “Are you getting back at me for what I told them about the night you met Connor?”
“Shut. The. Front. Door.” Meredith shot to her feet, a miracle considering her advanced pregnancy. “You were making out with Quinn? At your house?”
“We were not making out!” Selena corrected. “We were just watching Fellowship of the Ring.”
“Was it a date?” Luna asked.
“It was not a date. We are not dating,” Selena said. “We had dinner and then watched the movie.”
“Sounds like a date to me,” Evie said, crossing her arms and raising a brow at her.
“It was a … friend date,” she said, emphasizing the friend part.
“I didn’t know you and Quinn were friends now,” Meredith retorted. “You guys are always at each other’s throats.”
“Are you sleeping with him?” Evie asked.
“Jesus, Evie, no,” Selena answered.
“Really, now?”
“I’m not sleeping with Quinn. I’ve never even slept with anyone!” She slapped her hand over her mouth as three pairs of eyes zeroed in on her.
Evie was the first to react. “Wait … Selena … you’re a …”
“Yes, I’m a virgin!” she blurted out. “Jeez, you guys should see yourselves. You all look like you’ve never seen a virgin before.”
“It’s just that … you know …”
“What? You think someone like me couldn’t possibly be a virgin?”
“Well, yes,” Evie replied.
“What the hell does that mean?” Selena huffed.
“I mean, look at you.” Evie waved her hand up and down. “Selena—news flash—you’re gorgeous. Guys are always checking you out.”
“What?” Selena looked at her strangely. “No guys look at me.”
“Are you blind?” Meredith added. “There are lots of guys totally into you. I mean, your tits alone are enough to launch a thousand ships.”
“Meredith,” Luna warned.
“What?” The Lycan shrugged. “They are. Hey, if I batted for the other team, I’d be all over you. Why have you never bumped uglies with some hot dude? I thought you liked going to male strip clubs. And you were drooling all over Dante Muccino that time we ate at his restaurant.”
“Well, I guess you can say I’m all talk,” Selena said with a sigh. “And I don’t know … it just never seemed like the right time. I’ve never even had a boyfriend before.”
“And you want to sleep with Quinn?” Evie asked. “Talk about bad ideas.”
“Excuse me?” Selena shot back. “I’m supposed to be taking dating advice from you?”
Evie’s shoulders sank in defeat. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be the one talking, considering the asshole parade that is my love life.”
“It’s all right, Evie,” Luna said. “We’ve all been there. I’m sure between all of us, we could fill an entire book of assholes. I’ll start: Chapter One, cheated on me while I was at a business conference.”
“Chapter Two,” Meredith added. “Slept with me to get back at his ex.”
“Chapter Three,” Evie said. “Texted me ‘It’s me, not you’ and then started dating my best friend the next day.”
“Chapter Four,” Luna continued. “Had a girlfriend.”
“Chapter Five,” Evie added. “Had a boyfriend.”
“Really?” Meredith asked.
Evie shrugged. “I’m into theater. It was bound to happen.”
“Chapter Six, has mommy issues,” Luna giggled.
“Chapter Seven—”
“All right, all right, I get it,” Selena added. “Men are awful, and I should be glad I stayed away from them.”
“Look, Selena, it’s not that you should stay away from guys entirely,” Evie said. “I’m just saying … be careful.”
“I’m not going to sleep with Quinn. It’s not like that. He doesn’t want a relationship, and he’s made that clear.”
“Do you want to? Boink him, I mean.”
Meredith’s question caught her off guard, and when Selena didn’t answer fast enough, the blond Lycan let out a laugh. “Oh my God. You do.”
“I don’t!” she said defensively. “Besides, you guys have to remember there’s another party in the equation. Even if I wanted to sleep with him—which I don’t—Quinn doesn’t want me. He said so himself. He doesn’t even find me attractive. I just … ugh, my lunch hour’s going to be over soon, and I haven’t even eaten yet. I’m gonna grab a sandwich or something and head back to the library.”
“Aww, don’t go, Selena,” Meredith pleaded. “We won’t talk about you and Quinn anymore.”
“Just … don't rush into anything, okay?” Evie said.
“Jeez, Mom, I won’t. Are you going to give me the sex talk, too?”
“I can give you the sex talk, if you want,” Meredith offered.
“Uh, no thanks,” Selena said. “So, food?”
“How about Chinese?” Evie asked. “I’m sure we could get Emerald Dragon to send over enough food to satisfy two pregnant women.”
“Sounds great,” Selena said, hoping the subject of sex and Quinn was finally going to be put to rest. Truth be told, the realization that Quinn was not interested in her like that stung. But that’s what he’d been telling her all along, right? He said—after that goddamn kiss—he didn’t do relationships or commitment. Of course he wouldn’t be interested in that kind of stuff. Quinn was attractive, and he probably slept with a different girl each night. The thought of him slinking into some girl’s bed after he left her last night sent a stab of jealousy through her, but she pushed it deep down inside. She should listen to her friends.
“Hello, Earth to Selena,” Meredith said, waving her hand at Selena.
“Huh?”
“I was asking if you wanted fried rice or noodles.”
“Uh, yes. I mean, rice, please.”
Meredith raised a brow at her but said nothing. Thank goodness there wasn’t any alcohol around, or she really would have been spilling her guts.