Page 112 of Knot So Social

“Darlin’, I can promise you Joel’s not the sort to go talking about your personal business. He barely talks at all.” I pop my fingers under her chin and lift.

She sucks on her bottom lip, lashes damp. Fuck, she’s so beautiful, my body throbs in response.

“What does your heart tell you about Joel?”

“That he . . . I can trust him.”

“Right, because an alpha’s scent tells you a lot about the person, right?”

Willow nods slowly, her gaze growing unfocused, as if she’s lost in her thoughts.

I take both her cheeks in my hands. “I know alphas hurt you before, took things from you, even. I promise I won’t let that happen ever again. We’ll never ask you to do things you don’t like or become someone else.”

She sucks in a shaky breath, her slim body trembling. Fuck, I want to protect this woman so badly, it’s like an instinct blazing inside me. And that same inner voice also warns me not to push too hard or too fast. I don’t know everything she’s been through, or what’s holding her back. I just need to be the one thing she can trust to never let her down.

I drop a kiss on her forehead. “But we have plenty of time for all that, Willow. Today, you only need to decide if you’re happy to have Joel in your house. Do you want him to do your electrical tagging?”

A moment later she nods and calls loudly, “Yes, please, Joel. Test whatever needs doing.”

Being the first time she’s called his name, I reckon my brother’s probably orgasming out in the hall.

I grin and run my fingers over the back of her neck. “Well, looks like we have an hour or two to kill. Anything you want to do, my pretty omega?”

“But you’re injured,” she protests.

I sigh. “It’s not very gentlemanly of me, but I guess you’ll just have to do all the work.”

Willow giggles and then turns to see if I’m serious. Which I am. Dead serious about anything when it comes to her. Especially now, while I still hang in the balance of employment with Heat Wave. My contract doesn’t forbid ongoing communication with clients, if they initiate it. But what if I’m not cleared for duty by next month, and she asks for someone else?

The idea makes my alpha soul quiver. That cannot happen. Never. Which means I have four weeks starting today to make myself indispensable, to stick to her side and prove she doesn’t need contracts to trust us—me and my twin, who she just scent matched with.

Chapter thirty-five

Joel

A tingle works through my veins, a sweat mist dewing on my brow as I write the date on a label and affix it to a power cable. Feels like I’ve caught a cold, but in my chest instead of my head.

I wipe my brow on my sleeve and pause to look around. This house looks like it’s walked itself out of a Grand Designs magazine just in time for an Interior of the Year award. And the omega who lives here? Her scent clings to me, rubbed into my shirt until it’s inescapable.

Pure Jasmine.

Now I know why Jeremy was talking shit about buying a Jasmine plant. He wanted to keep smelling the gorgeous omega even at home. The pressure of her body lingers on mine like a physical force and a quiver runs through my hands. I set my Portable Appliance Tester down on the floor before it falls.

“Phew,” I huff under my breath, flexing my fingers in and out. “This is rough.”

I rise and adjust my underwear. The stiffy within has tormented me since the first whiff of Willow’s aroma. Every instinct screams to run into her bedroom and make her mine.

I know what this is. Read about it. The surprise phenomena of stumbling over your scent match out of nowhere. I thought the effect was exaggerated, like a fisherman’s tale that gets bigger with every retelling. Just like I thought what I had with Tracey was true love.

I had no idea how fucking wrong I was.

Now I can’t focus, can’t think in a straight line. Everything circles back to the gorgeous blonde omega who held me like she never wanted to let go.

But only for a minute.

My breath shudders in my lungs as I draw it in. I’m in pain. So much fucking pain my balls are turning blue. I need to do something; find a way to let it out. I lurch through the door and stride down the hall, ready to throw myself at Willow and beg to be hers.

Dulcet moans slide under her closed door.