Page 26 of Knight With Benefits

“I get that. I don’t have any of my own, partially because I’d probably rip my beard out from the anxiety. Male or female, alpha or omega, even a beta, I don’t think I could handle it in this world.”

My remark was a little too real and killed the playful mood. I cursed myself for being stupid and letting out the truth, but Gwyn’s presence was soothing, and it had slipped out before I could censor it.

“Yeah, it’s hard. One of my boys is quiet, got good grades, and went to college this year, but my older boy…”

She shook her head before looking out the window again.

“I wish he could see what he’s getting into, but he’s still got blinders on. I don’t want to push him away fighting with him, but I wish he’d make better decisions.”

She sighed again, and I scrambled to reassure her without letting out the purr building in my chest.

“Boys are stupid when they’re young. And some of us hold onto our young and stupid for far longer than we should. It usually turns out okay, though. Especially with good examples to follow.”

While her lips tipped up, her eyes remained sad.

“Yeah, I hope so.”

I put the truck in park in front of the café, searching for something more to say, but failing without knowing what her son was involved in. It was hard to reassure someone without the details of the situation, especially with a past like mine where I knew how bad it could be. If her youngest was in college, that meant the other had to at least be the age I’d been when I’d joined the Army, thinking anything had to be better than the shitty community I’d grown up in, not realizing there was a dark side to almost everything.

Eyebrow quirking, her smile grew as she stared at me before letting out a laugh that made me smile despite not knowing why.

“You wouldn’t have to worry about ripping your own beard out, though. A baby would do that for you the first time you got close enough for those little fingers to get a fistful. They don’t let go.”

Glad she’d lightened the mood, I chuckled as I hopped out of the truck.

“Oh, I know! I’ve had a chunk ripped out by a chubby little demon. If I had to be exposed to that every day, I might have had to shave.”

The way she tipped her head had me shaking mine and holding up my hands to block her view.

“Don’t even think about it! Me without a beard is not a pretty picture. I look like I have a butt on my face, and not in the fun way where it belongs to someone else.”

Cheeks flushing bright red, Gwyn bit her lips to keep from laughing as she turned away to unlock the door. I couldn’t help thinking that if I could manage to keep her laughing, maybe I’d have a chance to see her flushed for another reason.

Chapter Eleven

Gwyn

Icould feel the heat radiating from my cheeks as I tugged the door open and stepped into the kitchen, a grin I couldn’t stop stretched across my face. I had to give it to Carl, he was fun to be around.

He was also patient in a way I hadn’t seen from other alphas. His interest was obvious, but it was like he was easing me into the idea of him flirting with me.

Flirting!

We were too old for flirting.

Weren’t we?

I shoved that thought and all the ones hanging from it aside. I had plenty to do to keep me busy for the day while Carl worked on the roof, but part of me was still sad when he stopped in the doorway instead of coming all the way in.

“Jason will be here soon to help, so I’m going to get the ladder set up and get started. It’s going to get noisy, so don’t worry unless one of us comes falling through the ceiling.”

My heart tripped, but the tilt of his lips said he was kidding.

Hopefully.

“Please don’t. I’m not interested in a sunroof, and I refuse to pay extra for it.”

I heard him laughing until the door thunked into place between us. Breathing through the wave of disappointment and hint of worry, I turned to my painting supplies, ready to get a coat on the walls of the dining area that wouldn’t be affected by adding the new wall.

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