Chapter 77

Rachel POV

Bella & Rachel's Apartment

Time seemed to have rolled back for all three of us as the evening wore on into the night.

We watched a movie we had loved as teens and laughed at all the same jokes as if we hadn't heard them before a hundred times. We shared popcorn while complaining about how it was never as good at home as it was at the theater. We said our goodnights with hugs all around before parting ways in the living room, Nathan to my room with Bella and I going to hers.

"Tonight was fun. Do you think we could do this again after you get back from the boonies?"

I tossed odd-shaped and sized throw pillows onto the hope chest at the foot of the bed. Bella turned the bed down while I finished clearing space for us to lie down. It felt almost as if we were acting out a scene from one of the movies we'd watched when we were young.

"I think we could. I do think you need to reconsider all these pillows. Didn't we make fun of people who had these weird decorative pillows when we were in high school?"

Bella tossed my nightgown at me as she grinned, "Shut up! I saw them in the store and just needed them. I'm a grown-up now. I get to have decorative pillows if I want decorative pillows."

I changed into my gown while giggling at her. She was too much. Her bedroom looked feminine and friendly in a way I associated with Bella. I was glad she'd become the kind of woman who bought decorative pillows because they suited her personality perfectly. She was kind of soft and decorative herself in a homey sort of way.

"I want it on the record: I had a grown-up house and I never gave in to the urge to buy decorative pillows."

"That's because you're perfect at being decorative yourself. Plus? You lived in a mausoleum. I hated the way that house made me feel when I came over."

Bella gave an exaggerated shudder before climbing into her side of the bed. I scooted in on mine and jostled her with my shoulder. We had more than enough space on the queen-sized mattress, but it felt just like high school when we'd shared the tiny bed in her childhood bedroom.

"I have to admit I didn't do the decorating. Or maybe 'admit' is the wrong word? Should I say I 'protest' I didn't do the decorating?"

We shared some more giggles as we turned off the lamps on our respective sides. The light from the hall shown under the door as the only illumination in the room; I enjoyed feeling as if we were all alone in the world for a moment.

I could use a few more minutes with just my best friend before I wound up in the middle of nowhere with a man who used to be my boyfriend and an Alpha who seemed to have never been a boy.

"I think 'protest' is perfect. I'd protest whoever did the decorating at the Wright Fortress of Solitude. The place could use some color. If you get back with Tyler? I insist on adding at least an accent wall in the living room. Sitting room? What do you call it there?"

"Who says I'm getting back with Tyler?"

"A certain friend whose name shall now and forever more be Buzz? I think he definitely gets a vote on the Take-Tyler-Back ballot."

"Shut up!" I hissed at her as I rolled to my side to face her in the bed, "What if Nate hears you?"

"Nate can't hear me. He has selective hearing when it comes to girl talk. He's learned when to tune us out."

I wasn't so sure she was right about that. Nathan seemed to hear everything I said---and remembered it, too. His active listener skills were on the list of reasons I loved him.

Tracing through the apartment, I realized the living room separated us as well as the central air system. It was possible he wouldn't hear us whispering across the distance and through a closed door.

I could be acting a little paranoid. Who could blame me though? It wasn't every day a woman had to deal with her ex giving her a sex toy the night before she had a sleepover with her first love.

"Okay. I'm paranoid. I admit it. You really have a whole trunk under this bed?"

"Really, really," Bella said with a snicker I loved as much as I loved her, "You really never even looked at the sites they're sold on? How did you resist? What about when you were, you know, watching 'inspirational materials'? You didn't think about getting one then?"

"You mean like---porn?"

I whispered the word even quieter than I had been speaking only to have Bella burst into fits of laughter. She shook the bed with her amusement and I couldn't get mad at her because I knew I was ridiculous. I was too old to be embarrassed about sex.

"Yes, I mean like 'porn,' Rachel. Why do you make me feel as if I'm corrupting you? I've never noticed you were this sheltered before."

"We've talked about sex plenty. Don't act as if I'm some kind of nun."

"You're pretty close to being some kind of nun," Bella teased, "What are you going to do about Tyler? You said you thought about getting him a gift in return for introducing you to Buzz."

I knew less about sex toys than I did about astrophysics. I'd at least read a book written by Neil deGrasse Tyson before.

There was no way I would be going into a shop which sold stuff like that, but Bella had piqued my interest by mentioning they were easy to browse on the internet. I held out my phone before I could change my mind. Things were easier in the dark with a good friend.

"Okay. Show me some options for Tyler. I'll try to break out of my sheltered existence to rock his world."

Bella and I curled together over the small screen as we browsed items I had never spent time thinking about. They had a gadget for everything from what I could tell. I blushed so much I was surprised I didn't set the bed on fire. I'd joked about a blow-up boyfriend before, but Bella proved they actually existed!

We decided on a masturbator called a stroker which was billed as ultra discreet in addition to being reversible with two distinct textures to try out. It was supposed to be one size fits all since it was stretchable; I really appreciated how it was packaged in a completely boring box which also came with silicone lubricant and an antibacterial toy cleaner for a full kit.

"Shut up! Nate is going to hear you!"

Bella had been losing it laughing for a few minutes after I questioned how they were sure it was 'one size fits all' since Tyler was more than a little above the reported human average. I was only too grateful it was so dark in her bedroom. I finished the order off with gift wrapping.

"Where did you ship it to? Please tell me you picked his office."

There was zero chance I would send anything to Tyler's office. I shook my head at my friend. She was a mess.

"I sent it to the house. He will be surprised enough I'm sure. I still can't believe I ordered it! He wanted me to think about him while I was away---do you think he'll think about me?"

"How old are we? Fourteen? He's a guy. They think about linoleum when they jerk it. He'll probably get off while considering his stock options. We're the ones with active imaginations. Do you want to make sure he thinks about you? If you do, then you call him. You can talk to him on the phone. Say sexy things. Say his name. You'll be amazed how fast he gets there."

I usually tried to be careful with what I said during sex. I was loud. Moaning and making noise was fine with Tyler though he had been known to get upset with me if I started trying to talk to him.

I wondered if his opinion on me talking during the main event would have changed now?

Bella made me want to try.

"If I think I can manage without Nate catching me? I'll do it. If he doesn't like it, I'm blaming you. Just so you know. And you're prepared."

Bella laughed before rolling onto her stomach. She adjusted her hair over her pillow as she settled in to sleep.

"Fine. I'll take the blame if things don't go great with Mister Grumpy Alpha. Try to remember Nate is your friend not your father, okay?"

That reminded me I was going on this excursion to find my father and I murmured my 'okay' as I settled in to try to find some sleep myself during the night.

I had a feeling I wouldn't be getting a lot of quality sleep in while visiting Moonglow Pack.