Page 87 of Knot for Me
“Good. This is for you. It’s chocolate chip today, but only because I ran out of fruit. Don’t expect dessert every morning.”
“I wondered if you made them or bought them.” I walk over and grab the muffin, pulling down the wrapper. “You’re really good at cooking and baking.”
“Thanks. My mother taught me most of what I know.”
“I bet she’s lovely.” I take a bite, watching his smile fade slightly.
“She was.” His mismatched eyes fill with sorrow, the green one slightly darker than the blue.
“I’m sorry,” I say once I finish swallowing.
“It was a while ago. But you’re right, she was amazing. I miss her a lot.”
I take another bite, chewing slowly to try and think of what to say next. I’ve never been sure what to say in these sort of situations.
“How’s your head?” he asks, saving me from having to figure it out. He sets his book on the table and leans back, arms on either side of the oversized chair.
“He told you?” I wrinkle my nose.
“We tell each other everything.” A flash of jealousy crosses his face, and I’m pretty sure I know why.
“Whatever happened to don’t kiss and tell?” I mutter, shaking my head and finishing the muffin.
“We’re a pack. We share things.” His eyes move slowly down my body, taking in my tight T-shirt and yoga pants. “Or at least, usually we do.”
“Awe, Cory. Don’t envy Lucas. I think I may hate him.”
He lifts his eyebrows and gazes at me. “You don’t hate me?”
“Of course not. You know that. We’re—” I cut off before I say friends, because how can we be?
Cory stands and walks around the coffee table, stopping before me. “We’re?”
“Smut buddies,” I say lamely, biting my lower lip. Tension snaps tight between us, and Cory takes another step, unable to resist the pull.
He reaches up and uses his thumb to untuck my lip from my teeth, softly brushing the pad over my lip. “I don’t like how things have been,” he whispers like it’s a secret that could get us both killed.
I swallow, fighting the desire to blurt out that I’ve missed him. His thumb moves to my cheek, and he cups my face with his palm. I close my eyes and ever so slightly lean in to the touch.
“What Cornelius said about you being our omega—”
“Don’t.” I wrench away from him, heart rate spiking. “Please don’t.”
He drops his hand at his side and dips his head, face withdrawn and confused. “I’m sorry.”
Blowing out a hard breath, I shake my head. “You don’t have to be. It’s not you.”
“It’s not you, it’s me?”
I hold his stare for a second then glance away. “Yeah. If I were a good omega, things could be different.” Pulling my shoulders back, I swing my gaze back to meet his. “I’m not, Cory.”
He opens his mouth to protest, but I slash my hand through the air to stop him.
“Can’t we go back to how it was? Everything was fine until that bastard showed up.”
“It wasn’t fine, but we can be friends if that’s what you’re asking.”
I frown. I thought things had been okay. I realize suddenly that I hardly know these men. I’ve been here for a short time, and the moments we shared are few and far between. It’s irrational to feel so torn about them. My heart can’t want these men. I don’t even know them.
