Page 16 of Forbidden Taste
I come hard, a growl ripping from me as I fill him, my knot swelling—but it’s not like yesterday. It doesn’t fully form, doesn’t lock us together, and I feel it then—slick gathering around my own hole, warm and unexpected, slipping down my inner thighs as we collapse into the nest.
My knot deflates too fast, and I pull out, Riley whining at the loss, a soft, needy sound that cuts through me. I’m panting, my chest heaving, and two realizations hit me all at once. One—I won’t be enough for his heat if my knot won’t stay locked inside him, won’t ease him through the spike the way he needs. Two—his heat might throw me into my first one, my body responding in ways I’ve never known, slick dripping from me like an Omega in full bloom.
That second revelation terrifies me because while I don’t mind the idea of an Alpha taking care of Riley, I’ve never once given in like that and I’m not sure I want to. Deciding to ignore it, I drag Riley back into my chest, his ragged breaths matching my own. “You okay?” I murmur into the curve of his neck, drinking in his sweetened scent.
“Better now,” he whispers, his breath warm against me, “but fuck, Leo, I didn’t expect…” He places a firm hand on my chest but it’s not words either of us need to say aloud. We can both smell the syrupy thick scent of apples and sugar mixing with his. It’s a problem for another time.
A comfortable silence filters between us, the buzz of my phone telling me that we’ve spent too much time away from reality. With less than two weeks to the end of the year, I can’t afford to miss too many classes. It takes me a moment to untangle myself from Riley, his cute little snores abruptly stopping the moment I exit the nest.
It’s as if our bodies are so in tune with each other that leaving his side has his body reacting to the loss. He throws me a quick kiss before scurrying off to the bathroom, leaving me alone to my thoughts. Just watching his adorable bubble butt has me groaning, a new wave of slick gathering between my thighs at the same time my knot throbs, yearning to lock something.
The sensation is overwhelming but not crippling, something I’m apparently going to have to get used to. Riley returns with a towel and washcloth before pushing me toward the guest bedroom. I almost complain when I realize he’s giving me time to decompress, a moment to figure out the chaos in my head as I use the private bathroom in here. Fifteen minutes under the steam doesn’t do much and I’m even more confused when I slip my clothes on from yesterday and find Riley flitting around the kitchen, a wild grin on his face.
It's just after 7 am, we haven’t missed a second set of classes but Riley looks reenergized. He’s pulling bread from a cabinet, eggs sizzling on the stove, soft music playing in the background. I didn’t even notice it at first, like it just belongs here as a part of him. Knowingwhythe notes hang in the air, though, pains me a little.
His scent is still sweet but muted in a way that makes me want to take off his clothes and mark him all over it again. My instincts hate not being able to smell him properly. Riley snorts as he passes me, guiding me to the small kitchen table. “Sweetie, it’s just a scent blocker and yes, I know what you were thinking. If I don’t wear it, every Alpha in a five mile radius is going to try and come through that door. See? That’s why I’m wearing it.”
A small growl rumbles through my chest which I quickly nip in the bud, Riley setting the loaf of bread down beside me. I’m still trying to sift through my thoughts when he places two plates on the table and then the pan of eggs. This all feels so natural, so domestic, almost too much.
“What’s going on in your head, Leo?” Riley probs softly, disappearing again to bring juice to the table.
I stare at the food, my fingers tracing the edge of the plate, and swallow hard. “What do you usually do for your heats? Because my knot… it didn’t… not like in the practice room.” It feels weird knowing that my knot is now not good enough. “Do you call Benjamin or…” The name tastes bitter on my tongue, and I can’t meet Riley’s eyes, dread curling in my gut at the thought of that citrus-scented Alpha anywhere near him.
Riley’s face scrunches up, a flash of disgust crossing his features as he slides onto the table beside me, perching his ass on the edge. “Benjamin has never been in here,” he states. “My first heat was three years ago, just after coming on campus. I called the service—like I always do. Anonymity, set rules, then they leave afterward. It’s mostly safe and I’ve never had any problems with it.”
I nod, my gaze fixed on the scrambled eggs. “What are you doing?” I ask, my voice quieter now, curious as I watch him fuss over the plate. He’s already twisted around, placing bread on my plateand smothering it with some kind of sauce before laying a healthy serving of eggs on top of it and then two strips of bacon.
He shrugs, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I like doing this, but there’s never anyone to do it for. And I don’t like people in my nest.” His voice dips a little, his cheeks turning a faint pink but that just has me thinking of other people in his nest again, including Benjamin. A growl rumbles out before I can catch it, and I slap a hand over my mouth, my eyes widening as I look over at him, heat flooding my face.
Riley laughs, his head tipping back as he swings his legs lightly against the table. “Sweetie,” he says, still chuckling, “we haven’t talked, and this is as good a time as any. Is this something you want? You and me?” His eyes lock on mine, searching for an answer and I can tell that there’s a point to whatever he’s asking.
“Yeah. I want this. I want you.”
“Then you have every right to protect me, defend me, be jealous. Fuck, Leo, no one ever has.”
“And what do you want?” I ask, my eyes tracing the curve of his jaw, the flush still lingering on his cheeks.
“Cuddles and hugs and kisses,” he says, almost shyly, his gaze flickering away then back to me. “I like the sex, likereallylike it, but I want all the sweet stuff too.”
I reach out, my hand sliding to his waist, and drag him a little closer as my other hand grabs a strip of bacon from the sandwich. I hold it out to him, my fingers brushing his lips. “Like this?” I ask, a tease threading through my words as I watch his reaction.
He lets out a giggle, throwing me a small nod, as he takes a large bite, my heart swelling at his eagerness. “I like those sounds. Don’t hide them from me.”
Riley’s laughter fades to a soft smile, and he leans in, his breath warm against my hand. “I’ll make you a deal. You’re not allowed to hide yours either.”
“Deal,” I murmur, grabbing another piece and holding it out. He takes it, slower this time, his tongue flicking out to graze my skin. My free hand slides up his thigh, a soft, contented sound coming from him that vibrates through me. I feed him more, piece by piece, my fingers lingering longer each time, tracing the curve of his lips, the softness of his cheek. His eyes flutter shut and I can’t look away as I memorize every last inch of his face.
I pull him closer still, until he’s half off the table, his legs dangling on both sides of me, and wrap my arms around his waist. “No one’s ever done this for me either,” I say, my lips brushing his ear. “Cared like this.”
Riley tilts his head, allowing me access to his neck, a wholly submissive move. “Good,” he purrs. “Because I don’t want anyone else doing it.” His lips find mine then, my beautiful Omega tasting like bacon and I melt into it, my hands roaming his back, before I drag him off the table completely and into my lap.
The world outside beckons but I ignore it, staying in the moment. “I could get used to this, princess.”
“Me too,” he breathes against my lips as I reach for the rest of the sandwich, feeding him small pieces and sinking into the warmth that this moment provides.
Last week, I thought I’d never be able to hold Riley in my arms and now I can’t imagine a moment without him in it.
thirteen
