Page 14 of Knot Their Boo
“Little bit. What upset you?” he asks gently, still touching me. Standing so close. Smelling so good. I want to lean back into him. Let him hold me fully. Soak up his warmth and scent.Mark him with mine, so everyone will know he was with me.Oh hells, there go my wild ass instincts again.
“You looked sad. I thought maybe the sandwiches were wrong…” I admit, shame burning my chest. “Did you want something else?” I ask, looking back at him over my shoulder. Fuck, he’s so close. He frowns, watching me carefully.
“You could have made me Pop-Tarts, Angel, and I would be happy.” Colter clears his throat, “An omega taking care of me, um, just does things to my instincts, and I was trying not to overwhelm you,” he explains, and my eyes go wide as I spin in his arms, and he drops his hands from my shoulders to grip my hips softly. Oh, fuck me sideways, that’s illegal. He can’t touch my bare skin with those big warm calloused hands.
“Oh shit, I didn’t even…oh shit,” I stammer, shaking my head. “You started it!” I accuse, poking his chest. “Why’d youcome over looking all sexy and shit, taking care of me by fixing my porch and…and…”
“Sexy, huh? You think I’m sexy?” He grins, cutting off my rant, stepping closer and pressing my ass against the counter as I stare up at him.
“Oh, please, a leaf would find you sexy. You know you’re hot. Why else would you wear this slutty little shirt?” I tug on the cut-off sleeve and scoff. “You wanted to rile me up.” I cross my arms over my chest, just to put a little more distance between us. I need air, but every breath I take is filled with his increasingly musky scent.
“Did it work, Sable? Did you get all worked up for me?” he growls, hot breath caressing my skin as he leans into me, whispering in my ear.
Fucking obviously, I want to say.
Instead, old wounds cut themselves open to bleed at his feet. My seventeen-year-old inner omega at his mercy, just like the day he rejected me.
“You were my first kiss,” I murmur, watching him carefully. He stiffens, pulling back slightly, but keeping his hands on my waist. “Why’d you kiss me, Colter?” I ask, hating how vulnerable I feel right now. But this is something I’ve been wondering for years. Something I never got to ask before I moved away, too scared to hear his answer.
Not good enough. Not enough omega. Not the right kind of girl…
“Why kiss me, only to avoid me the next day, like I never even existed to you, and then tell me to stay away from you?” I can’t hide the pain in my voice or the way my scent burns like bitter pumpkin at the painful memories.
“Fuck, Angel,” Colter growls, his light hold turning into a bear hug in the blink of an eye as he envelops me in his warmth. I press my face into his chest, his shirt still slightly damp from hissweat. Something that should gross me out, but it’s soaked with his delicious scent, so instead, I have to resist licking him.
Fuck. I’m so weak.
“I was graduating in a few months,” Colter says softly, keeping one hand wrapped around me, but uses the other to tip my chin up until I’m looking him in the eyes. “I was supposed to go to college out of state before my mom got sick. I thought I was doing the noble thing by letting you go before things got deeper,” Colter scoffs, shaking his head. “And to be honest, one kiss was all I needed for me to know that if things got serious, I never would have been able to leave.”
“But then your mom got sick, and you stayed to take care of her.” I nod, understanding what happened next. His life got turned upside down. His life plans were derailed, and he didn’t know what was next for himself, let alone a relationship that never was. “I get it now. I still don’t like it, but I get it. I’m sorry, Colter.” I hug him a little tighter. Losing his mom must have been so horrible.
“You shouldn’t be apologizing to me. I should have been more honest with you that night at the football game. You were so beautiful under the bright lights, and I was on a high after we won the game…” He sighs, holding me so tight as he trembles slightly. “I was the one that pursued you for weeks, flirting every chance I got. Then we kissed, and it felt like everything got tipped on its axis.”
“I know what you mean. That was my first kiss,” I admit.
“Mine too,” he blushes, a lopsided smile tugging at his lips and looking so cute. My mouth pops open in surprise at his confession. “I was young and dumb, and confused as hell. By the time I realized I wasn’t getting out of this town, and wanted to apologize for being a shithead, you had Taron. And your Grams kept bragging about how proud of you she was that you were going to business school on the coast…” He shakes his head, aforlorn look in his eyes that makes me ache to comfort him. “And then I was the one getting left behind,” he sighs, meeting my eyes again.
“Young and dumb is a good way to describe it. Not just for you, but me too. Taron fucking hates me now,” I grumble, dropping my cheek against his chest for a little hit of comfort, needing it so badly. “At least you and Rhian can tolerate my presence.”
“Taron doesn’t hate you.” Colter chuckles, but I don’t argue. He didn’t see the alpha last night. He was less than pleased with my appearance, that’s for sure. Taron is going to avoid me like I carry the plague, and I can’t even blame him.
“You should eat your sandwich,” I say, spinning away from the comforting arms of the alpha.
It doesn’t matter who hates me, and who doesn’t. I can’t get myself entangled with these men again. No matter what my omega instincts are telling me.
Right? Fuck, I don’t know anymore.
SABLE
It’s been days since I made Colter brunch. Before he left, I shared my phone number, in case he decided to do any more early morning repairs. By the time we finished eating, things felt lighter between us.
But for the last three days I’ve been helping Plum decorate her truck for trunk or treat, while also making a boat load of candles to stock the shop with. I visited Rhian to check out the space he had available for me, and had to tell him to shrink it.
I work fast, but even with Plum’s help melting and pouring, I can’t make enough candles in a week to keep six shelves stocked. Assuming they even sold. How embarrassing would it be to have them sit there for months untouched?
Instead, he’s giving me two shelves, with the option to add a third if they sell out quickly. So far they sell well in my shop, but I’ve only had them available for a day and a half.
It’s five in the afternoon right now, and I felt bad closing early, but during the holidays it’s normal for many of the shops in town to close early. If business picks up at the rate I expect, I might be able to hire someone to help in a few months.
