Page 60 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

The subtle scent of musk and clove mingled with Shane’s. They mixed so beautifully together. I wondered if they knew that. They must have. They bonded for a reason. The anxious flutter in my belly settled slightly.

Something still wasn’t right. Something was missing.

I combed through the rest of the laundry, releasing a frustrated whine when I didn’t find what I needed.

“Baby girl. What are you doing?”

I froze, clutching my prized garments as if someone would steal them from me. That deep rumble hummed over my spine, making my thoughts go quiet. My heart jumped, the sound of it beating in my ears.

When I turned, Jason filled the doorframe. A tight T-shirt hugged his torso, gray joggers slung low across his hips, his hair still damp from the shower.

An unfamiliar noise rose within me as my knees buckled.

Jason Hawthorne must have made a deal with a demon. No person looked as devastatingly handsome as he did without a blood oath or magic. He gripped the doorframe above his head, making the veins in his arms bulge.

My thighs clenched together as more slick rushed from my pussy. Shit. This was the third pair I’d ruined today.

“Nothing.”

The word came out in a high-pitched squeak. Darkness flared in his irises, his nostrils twitching as he scented my arousal.

Damn.

With only one exit from the laundry room, I had nowhere to go. Part of me wanted to run away from him. To let loose the primal part of me and him. I wanted to see Jason lose control.

My omega swooned at the idea of being chased and claimed by the Apex of our pack.

We wanted him to catch us.

He crossed his arms, and I licked my lips.

“Then why are you rummaging through the dirty clothes like a little raccoon?”

How did I even answer that? It would mean admitting something I was busy trying to ignore.

“Um.” I fiddled with the heart pendant on my necklace. “I needed some items for my nest.”

Jason’s entire demeanor shifted. A serene glow illuminated his eyes. His chest puffed out, spreading that damn T-shirt too tight across his body. Drool caught on the corner of my mouth. I swiped it away. I wondered what he’d taste like if I trailed my tongue over the lines of his abdomen.

He rocked forward. The air rushed from my lungs as his scent clouded the tiny space. His hand curved around the dip of my waist. Gooseflesh prickled over my arms and my nipples tightened beneath the cotton of my shirt.

“Do you have everything you need for your nest, Omega?”

His lips curved into a smile along the shell of my ear. Gods. Jason Hawthorne stole my voice. The whispered question melted like dark chocolate in my mouth—molten and soothing and dangerous.

That knowing gaze of his pinned me in place. My fingers feathered across his chest, toying with the taut material.

“Actually. There was one thing I was missing.”

“What. Did. You. Need?”

Each word came out in a strained grunt, his pupils swallowing the shades of blue in his eyes.

“This.” I tugged at his shirt. “My nest doesn’t smell right.”

I hated how meek and needy I sounded.

“It’s yours. Take it, baby. All of me belongs to you.”