Page 63 of Feeling the Heat: Part One
I shake my head and give him a tight smile. “Nope. Just needed to clear my head for a moment.”
“Hmm…” The alpha crosses his arms over his chest, no doubt trying to make his biceps look bigger in his too-tight shirt, and gives me an assessing look. His eyes linger on my chest, and I realize when I unbuttoned my shirt, it exposed a lot more cleavage than I normally do.
Holden smirks and shifts closer, uncrossing his arms so he can lean on the edge of my desk. “You know, I can think of a few ways to help you get out of your head. I’m free after work, if you want me to show you.”
My usual reaction would be to laugh off his less than subtle proposition and tell him I’m fine without his “help”. To my horror and embarrassment, that’s not what happens.
I shrink back in my chair, eyes going wide with fear as my omega panics at the mere suggestion of this alpha putting his hands on me. The man I saw as a harmless douche before I revealed is now a threat, his body too close to mine, blocking me in, keeping me trapped with him in my office.
I struggle to breathe, my eyes darting to the hallway in the hopes that someone will walk by and look in and save me.
“N-no thanks.” Fuck, I hate how weak my voice sounds.
Holden scoffs at my reaction and steps back. “Jeez, Camille, learn to take a joke. I wasn’t serious. You’re way too old for me, anyway.”
I should call him out on his bullshit, because I know he’s only a year younger than me. Or calmly threaten to tell HR he’sharassing me. But I can’t get the words out. I’m still choked by my omega’s overblown reaction. Held hostage by an instinct I don’t know how to fight.
I look back at my monitor and pretend to start working, praying he’ll leave. My hands shake as I rest them against the keyboard, my eyes burning with unshed tears of frustration and illogical fear.
I feel Holden’s eyes burning into me for a long moment before he huffs and leaves. I sag against my desk, the tension in my body finally releasing now that I’m alone.
What the fuck was that?
Just when I thought listening to my omega might be alright, she hijacks me and turns me into a cowering mess over a skeevy alpha. I can’t fall to pieces because something rubs her the wrong way.
How the fuck am I supposed to do my job if that keeps happening?
How the fuck am I supposed tolivewith that?
Any excitement I had for letting go and giving my omega some space to explore things with Ambrose and his pack has soured. No more listening to instincts, because clearly they are broken. I need to figure out how to lock my omega away before she ruins my life.
21
A rushed showerand a change of clothes and underwear later—along with many manufactured excuses for not going on my date tonight that my omega refused to let me send—I’m standing on the stoop of a townhouse in a much nicer neighborhood than mine.
My finger hovers over the doorbell as I take in a deep, stabilizing breath. As I exhale, I make myself press it.
My pulse spikes the second I hear it chime and I shift in place, smoothing down my skirt and making sure my necklace isn’t twisted as I wait for someone to answer. Footsteps sound on the other side of the door, matching the pounding of my heart in my ears, and the urge to flee rises as they grow closer.
The slide of the deadbolt tells me it’s too late for that, and I force a shaky smile onto my lips as the door swings open.
“Camille! You’re here,” Ambrose says, eyes widening slightly as he takes me in, despite his welcoming smile.
He sounds like he’s shocked to see me.
Shit, I’m alreadymessing this up.
“Did I get the time wrong? I can come back later if you want,” I blurt with an apologetic grimace.
Ambrose’s eyes go even wider, his thick brows raising in alarm. He shakes his head and reaches out to grab my arm like he’s afraid I’m going to flee. “No! No, you’re right on time. Please don’t leave.”
Warm, slightly callused fingers wrap around my arm, accompanied by a spike of unexpected lust at the contact. My breath hitches and my eyes drop to look at where he’s touching me and setting me alight.
Immediately, Ambrose lets go and steps back, a tinge of red peeking out above his trimmed beard. “Sorry I’m being so weird! I just saw you and…” He shakes his head and chuckles, the sound a bit hoarse. “I couldn’t believe you were actually here. That, and I forgot how beautiful you are.”
His candor disarms my nerves some, and I chuckle. “You weren’t kidding about your memory problems. You saw me a few hours ago.”
Ambrose’s laugh washes over me, easing even more of my anxiety. “Damn, you’re right. But to my credit, you weren’t wearingthatbefore.” His piercing gray eyes sparkle with heat as they give me a quick once over.
