Page 9 of Follow the Rhythm
“Well. I’m not going to say thank you because I don’t want to encourage this psychotic behavior.”
I took a sip of coffee. It was perfect.
“Well, this has been just great, but it’s time for you to go,” I said, putting down my mug a little too forcefully.
Charlie nodded, chugging his coffee. “Yeah, I have a shit ton of work to do.”
“Where do you work? The… handsome idiot store?” Woof. Not the cutting remark I’d intended. I took another sip of coffee.
“Your insults all sound a lot like compliments,” Charlie laughed.
“Shut up. It’s early. And you’re not wearing a shirt.”
Charlie grabbed the duffel bag he’d dropped by the front door when he arrived and wandered back into my room. “So, I was thinking…” he called from the other room.
“Oh, goodie.”
“I’m going to be in town for a little while on a contract. Would you want to do this again sometime?” He emerged fully clothed, but his hair was still damp, and he was barefoot.
“What? Let me poorly insult you?”
“I’d prefer just the incredible sex, but the insults are a package deal, right? And honestly, I think they add something to the experience.”
I hesitated. It had been good sex. Great, even. But how much of that was just my heat hormones? And was I really prepared for casual sex with anAlpha, when my only sexual encounters were out of necessity? Professional heat partners were a necessary evil to reduce the soul-crushing pain of a solo heat, not a substitute for genuine experience.
But on the other hand, what was the point of moving out of the Omega Center if I didn’tlivea little? Couldn’t I have some fun? Choose something for myself, just this once?
As if he could read my mind, Charlie stepped closer, and his scent enveloped me. I leaned unconsciously forward, and when he opened his arms, I sighed and stepped into his embrace. He dragged my damp hair away from my neck and breathed in, taking my scent from the spot right below my ear. I bit my lip against the tingling that rushed across my scalp.
“It doesn’t have to mean anything beyond two very hot people having fun,” he said softly in my ear, then nipped at my earlobe.
“No ulterior motive?” I asked.
“I’m not looking for anything serious,” Charlie assured me. “Are you?”
“Fuck no. The pack thing, bonding… It’s never happening for me.”
“Great, then it’s settled,” he said and kissed me fiercely while I fought to keep my knees from buckling.
We exchanged numbers, and he kissed me one more time before I finally got him out the door.
I locked it behind him and looked at my cute little bistro table. It would be nice not to eat on the couch.
I frowned. “It’s just sex,” I told myself firmly, and dumped the rest of the coffee down the drain.
Chapter 3 - Jess
Austin had told me to “look hot” for their surprise outing, but my options were limited since I had to hide a necklace of bruises.
I opted for a black corset top with long sleeves and a high lace collar that covered up most of them.
I also put on my knee-high Docs and tiny leather shorts because… why not? If Charlie was good for anything other than a mind-blowing orgasm, it was an ego boost.
I took a picture of my outfit in the mirror and sent it to him before I could think too much about it. He responded as I was putting on my lipstick.
‘I’m about to go to a very important work thing.This might be the meanest thing you’ve done to me yet,’his text read.
‘Oh, poor baby,’I replied.
