Page 35 of Knight With Benefits

She huffed a laugh, sucking in a deep breath before nodding and straightening her shoulders.

“You’re right. We’re both adults. What happened was nothing.”

My frown was immediate, and I used my thumb to take hold of her chin when she tried to pull away. My bear was grumbling inside of me, and I wanted to growl, but I swallowed it back.

“It wasn’tnothing. You sharing your body with me is notnothing. I’m honored you trusted me enough to allow us to share our attraction and pleasure, and I hope it won’t be just a one-time thing.”

She seemed surprised by my vehemence, but I couldn’t have her thinking what had happened wasn’t meaningful. I could understand her hesitance to get involved with me, or any alpha, and even her desire not to be knotted, but she needed to realize her desires were valid and there was no reason to deny herself.

“I—Okay.”

I smiled as I rubbed my thumb over her lips, watching a shiver roll through her.

“I didn’t get to show you any of my tricks this time, so we’re definitely going to need a repeat. When you’re ready.”

Brows scrunching, she chuckled and cocked her head when I finally released her.

“Tricks?”

Winking, I backed toward the door. I didn’t want to leave her, but that seemed like the best time to make an escape before anything got weird again, and I was already running late.

“You’ll just have to wait and see. I’ve got to get David’s truck back to him, but I’ll be at your place bright and early, okay?”

I was glad to see her easy smile back on her face as she nodded, lifting a hand to wave before I disappeared into the kitchen. I was elated she’d opened up to me enough to do what we’d done, but I craved more, and I was going to have to tread carefully if I’d have any chance. I could be patient, and my bear was already convinced she’d be worth it, but I worried the alpha side of me might make things difficult.

Only time would tell if I could turn us into more than friends-with-benefits.

Chapter Fifteen

Gwyn

Ikept shaking my head, sure my mind had to be playing tricks on me. If it hadn’t been for the smell of him still on my skin, I’d have been sure it was only a daydream.

I had sex with Carl!

Closing the oven and setting the timer, I turned toward my little bathroom, but my steps slowed as I neared the doorway. I needed to shower, I had been sweaty even before my romp with Carl, but the omega part of me didn’t want to lose the alpha’s scent. Having mine the only one in the house always left me on edge, the instinctive part of me feeling unsafe because I didn’t have an alpha to protect me, despite my desire to be independent.

Fingers curling into my palms, I argued with myself, urging logic to win so I could take those last few steps, but my omega side was tired of being suppressed. I found myself heading through my bedroom door instead as I tugged my shirt over my head. The desire to shed all my clothing and bury them in my nest was overwhelming, but I reined it in until I managed to get my jeans and underwear into the laundry hamper, while my shirt took the place of my pillow cover.

Sighing, I shook my head at myself.

“You can’t help instincts. It’s fine. It doesn’t mean anything.”

It was a little easier forcing myself into the shower knowing I had his scent in my nest, but part of me still deflated as his smokey chocolate and hints of graham cracker faded away with the water running over my skin.

I was drying off when my timer dinged. With just myself in the house there was no reason to dress, so I wrapped myself in the fluffy robe I’d splurged on and went to eat my dinner.

Alone.

Emotions swirled beneath the surface, but I knew cracking them open wouldn’t be the best idea. It would be too easy to get lost in the storm, and I didn’t think I’d make it out the other side in one piece. Loneliness and worry were constant companions, but there was more buried beneath those, and I wasn’t ready to deal with it all.

My skin began to prickle, warning me my shower was about to be pointless since I was on the verge of sweating again. It had been a warm day, and between the oven running and the robe, it felt like the air conditioner couldn’t keep up.

Exhaustion hit, dragging my shoulders down as I stared at my half-eaten food. Things kept piling up, one problem after another calling for my attention, but there was only so much of me to go around.

Tossing my dishes in the sink, I couldn’t even find the energy to clean them properly and put them away despite knowing I’d regret not doing it in the morning. Adding having the AC checked to my EVENTUALLY list, I ignored the ASAP list hanging beside it on the fridge and headed for bed. The day had started early, and so much had happened. All I wanted to do was sleep, and for once, my body and brain cooperated and let me drift off. I couldn’t remember anything after tossing my robe aside and snuggling into my nest, hugging the pillow covered in the shirt that smelled of an alpha I shouldn’t want.

I was still dreaming when voices outside startled me awake, my thighs smeared with slick from the hands I’d imagined doing wicked things to me. Sunlight poured through the window, showing I’d slept far later than usual, and a heavy thump vibrating through the walls had me lurching from the bed in search of clothes to go figure out what was going on.

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