Page 78 of Knot My Band: Part One
“Just Aiden?” Chase asks with puppy dog eyes.
It’s hard to resist Chase’s charm, but I think this time should be just about Aiden.
I toss him a wink over my shoulder, feeling Aiden’s gaze on me. “Sorry, Chase, it’s just Aiden tonight.”
I open the door to my nest, and we go inside.
My shoulders relax as I take in my safe space full of soft pillows and blankets.
“Wow, Oli,” Aiden breathes out, his soft brown eyes taking in every detail. There’s awe in his voice.
“You can join me in here any time,” I say, and I mean it. Aiden is safety and comfort. I want all the time with him I can get.
“Really?” Aiden’s eyebrows shoot up.
“Of course. I love being with you, Aiden.”
He nods, his shyness endearing as it always is. “I love being with you too, sunshine.”
“Make yourself comfortable,” I encourage, slipping off my shoes and stepping onto the softness. Aiden follows suit. He seems even more nervous than usual.
Aiden’s fingers trace a hesitant path along the edge of a crimson blanket, his touch light. He sits down gingerly, his back straight as a board, muscles tensed with the kind of nervous energy that makes me want to reach out and smooth away the lines of worry etching his brow.
“Oli,” Aiden starts, and there’s a tremble in his voice that doesn’t match the steady beat of the alpha aura I know pulses within him. “I’ve got to be honest with you. I’m…” He swallows hard, and those soft brown eyes of his meet mine, vulnerable and wide. “I’ve never done this before. With anyone.”
My heart does a little flip, touched by his admission. My lips tilt into a reassuring smile as I scoot closer, the nest embracing us both.
“We don’t have to do anything,” I reassure.
He shakes his head quickly. “No, I want to be with you. You’re my omega, and I love you.”
My hands are shaking as I cup his cheek. “You love me?”
“I might be quiet, but when we write together, our souls connect. I watch you every day, and you’re just so perfect, kind, optimistic, and bubbly. You’re everything I’ve dreamed of.”
I give his cheek a gentle squeeze, my voice dropping to a murmur. “I love you too, Aiden. You’re always there for me, full of safety and comfort. We will go at your pace tonight. There is no pressure.”
His relieved exhale is the sweetest chord, and I can see the tension start to melt from his shoulders.
I lean in, close enough that our noses almost brush, and whisper, “Can I kiss you?”
A small nod, almost imperceptible, but it’s all the confirmation I need.
I press my mouth to his in a whisper of a kiss, light as the brush of a feather. His lips quirk into a smile against mine, and he returns the kiss, a little firmer this time. It’s sweet and tentative. Raw and full of potential.
With a gentle nudge, I guide him to the center of my nest. The blankets are plush beneath us.
I help him settle onto the pillows, his body stretched out.
“Cozy?” I ask, fluffing a pillow behind his head. The omega in me demands I take care of my alpha.
“Very,” he says, his voice a low hum that vibrates through the room. Aiden looks up at me with a trust that feels more exhilarating than any crowd’s adoration.
“Perfect.” I straddle his hips and flash him a grin that’s all promise.
His cheeks flush with a bashful rose, but his eyes remain locked on mine, full of wonder and a smoldering anticipationthat tells me he’s exactly where he wants to be.
I reach for the hem of his shirt, fingertips grazing the skin just above his waistband. Aiden’s breath hitches, and I watch with delight as a shiver runs down his spine. He obediently lifts his arms, allowing me to peel the fabric over his head.
