Page 8 of Knot Your Sugar

Her scent seems to intensify, wrapping around me, pulling me further under her spell.There's definitely something about beta pheromones they don't cover in textbooks,I think vaguely, but the thought evaporates as she pulls me toward the soft glow emanating from her bedroom.

Moonlight spills through the curtains, painting the room in shades of silver and shadow. And then she’s standing before me, bathed in that ethereal light, clad only in simple, black lace underwear that somehow looks sexier than any elaborate lingerie. My breath catches as I'm struck by a powerful urge torub myself against her so she bears my scent. I quickly suppress the impulse, confused by its strength. What is wrong with me tonight?

"What are you thinking?" she asks, her voice a little shaky, a sudden wave of uncertainty clouding her eyes.

"That you are incredibly beautiful," I manage, the words heartfelt and utterly true. "And that I really, really want to make you feel good."

Her smile, a little shy but dazzling, returns.

“I like that plan very much,” she says, her voice gentle and sure.

She leans in, kissing me softly as her fingers tug my shirt free. I slip out of my pants, and she pulls me down on the bed beside her.

I take my time, learning the landscape of her body as she sheds the last of her clothing. The sensitive spot behind her ear that makes her shiver, the curve of her waist that fits so perfectly in my hands, the way her breath hitches when my lips trail down her collarbone. I’m usually a controlled lover, focused on technique and outcome. But with Elena, it’s different. I’m lost in the moment, in the soft, involuntary sounds she makes, in the way she arches into my touch. When I kiss my way down the soft skin of her stomach, her fingers clench in my hair, not guiding, but anchoring.

"You don't have to—" she starts, her voice a breathless whisper.

"I want to," I interrupt gently, looking up to meet her gaze in the dim light.

She hesitates only a heartbeat before nodding, then eases back against the pillows, legs parting just enough to invite me in. I lower myself between her thighs, taking my time, kissing slowly down her inner thighs until I’m exactly where she needs me most.

I start with a gentle kiss to her folds then draw my tongue in one slow stroke from her entrance to her clit. Her breath catches. I do it again, savoring her taste, the way she already trembles beneath me. I explore her, alternating between soft, teasing licks and firmer, more focused strokes. Her hips begin to rise in rhythm with my movements, and I adjust to her every reaction, learning what pleases her.

As her arousal builds, I wrap my arms under her thighs and hold her closer, my mouth relentless now, lapping, flicking, sucking until her hands are tangled in the sheets, her breath coming in quick, shallow bursts.

She’s close. I feel it in the way her thighs tense around me. I don't let up. I keep going until she finally shudders apart with a breathless gasp, her whole body trembling.

Satisfaction surges through me as she shakes uncontrollably, my alpha's pride reveling in having pleased my partner.

My thoughts stutter.Partner?She's not mine. She's a woman I met tonight. Yet some part of me already feels possessive in a way I can't explain.

I move up beside her, gently brushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead. She’s catching her breath, eyes still closed, a soft, satisfied smile playing on her lips. I expect her to reach for me next, but instead, her breathing begins to deepen and slow.

"Elena?" I whisper, leaning closer.

Her only response is a soft, contented sigh followed by what sounds suspiciously like the beginning of a snore.

I blink in disbelief. Did she just... fall asleep?

I stare at her peaceful face for a moment, then have to suppress a laugh.

Of course. She mentioned starting her workday at some ungodly pre-dawn hour. Between that, the evening of conversation, and the alcohol, what I just did probably felt like the world's most intense relaxation technique.

"Well," I whisper to myself, "that's a first."

I gently pull the covers over her, then debate what to do. Leaving feels wrong somehow, but staying without explicit permission seems presumptuous. After a moment's consideration, I decide to stay, at least until I'm sure she's deeply asleep. I can slip out then, leave my number or something.

I lie beside her, careful not to disturb her rest, and find myself studying her features in the moonlight. The curve of her cheek, the fan of her lashes against her skin, the slight part of her lips as she breathes deeply in sleep. She looks so utterly serene and unguarded. The reluctance to leave intensifies.

This feels… nice.Unexpectedly, wonderfully nice.

I'll stay just a little longer, I tell myself, a soft smile touching my lips. Just to make sure she’s really, truly asleep…

Chapter four

Elena

Warm sunlight streams through my curtains, coaxing me awake.

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