Page 2 of In Knots

He flips his head around to me, his helmet tucked under his arm. The other arm rests against his hip and he squints against the sunlight.

“You want us to change it for you?”

I stare at him, unable to find my voice.

“Sweetheart?” he asks, one corner of his mouth tugging up into an amused smile, a dimple denting his cheek.

I swallow. “Thanks, but it’s fine.” My voice squeaks a little and my cheeks burn furiously. “I’ve got someone coming to help.” I lift my phone, wanting him to think there is someone coming any minute now.

“It’s no problem,” he says. “We’ll have it done in no time. Where’s the spare tyre?” He turns and starts jogging back down the slope.

I spring to my feet, my skirt fluttering around my legs as I do. “No!” I call after him. “Really it’s fine.”

But he’s already reached the other men. “Let’s get it changed for her, lads,” he says, and the crouching one lumbers to his feet, peering up at me. His hair is shorn short, with designs cut away into his skull and his chin covered in stubble. He pops open the boot and ducks his head inside, pulling out the spare tyre a moment later as well as the jack and a wrench.

I scurry down the hill, slipping on the dry grass and nearly tumbling right into the side of the car.

The first man throws out his arm and catches me, steadying me back on my feet. I can’t help noting how strong that arm is, his muscles solid against my stomach, his flesh warm. Up close his scent is more vivid and he smells like the air after a thunderstorm.

“Alright there?” he asks me, making no move to pull away, the side of his mouth twitching again.

I take a step away, brushing down my clothes. An action he watches with a frown.

“Please, there’s no need. My help will be along in a minute.”

“Your help?” the man says, resting his helmet on the bonnet of my car as his friends nestle the jack beneath the car and haul it up with grunts of effort.

“Yes, they’ll be here any moment …” I say, my words falling away as I peer out along the road.

“It’s no problem.” He shifts his weight, leaning his hip against the door of my car. He’s dressed in jeans, dirty with oil and dust, and a battered leather jacket. “You think we’d drive straight past a woman on her own and not stop to help? That we wouldn’t help an omega.” His eyes catch mine as he says that last word and my gaze falls to the floor as my body tenses.

His is not the only scent I can smell. There are more hanging in the air too. All masculine and strong and alpha. The three men working together to change my wheel are definitely alphas too.

My knees should be knocking together with fear, and I should be trying to send a real message of help. Yet, I don’t feel afraid. Slowly, I let my gaze travel back to the first man and venture a peek at his face.

He rewards me with a full smile, cheeks curving, green eyes sparkling.

“What’s your name, princess?”

“Alexa,” I say.

“Alexa,” he repeats, slowly, rolling each vowel around his mouth. A mouth I find myself gaping at. His lips are plush and pink. I drop my gaze again, my cheeks burning under the sun.

“I’m Ryan. Nice to meet you.”

The man with the shorn head, stands, the mangled tyre in his hands. “All done.”

“Already?”

Ryan laughs. “I said we’d have you all sorted in no time.” I think there’s a tease in what he says, but I don’t understand it.

“What you want doing with this?” the other man grunts, squinting at me and lifting the tyre.

“Erm, put it in the boot, I guess.” I twist my phone in my hands. “And thank you. You really didn’t have to–”

“It was our pleasure,” Ryan says, sliding his helmet back on his head as the other man slams shut the boot. All four stride back to their bikes.

Should I be offering to pay them? I have no cash on me, although I have my credit card.

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