Page 144 of Specter Bred

Before Sammy, I had never experienced anything like it. There was a comfort in being held by him, a quiet sense of contentment I hadn't known I was missing, but beneath that was the constant pull of attraction, simmering between us and growing stronger every time we touched.

Sammy’s arm tightened around my waist as he pulled me flush against him, his mouth brushing close to my ear.

“Remember, Firecracker, Grizzly gave us orders.”

I turned my head enough to catch the grin spreading across his face.

“And you know how our instructor gets when things don’t go exactly the way he expects,” he added. “Personally, I’d hate to disappoint the man.”

“Since when are you worried about disappointing Graves?”

“Since I became the poor bastard who has to tell him you didn’t follow his instructions.”

Before I could respond, he stood, taking me with him. The cool night air hit my wet skin and sent goosebumps racing across my body. Sammy’s uniform clung to him, soaked through as he stalked out of the pond. Then, with ridiculous ease, he shifted his grip and tossed me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing more than a rag doll.

I always underestimated Sammy’s strength. Being manhandled by a beta should have rubbed every one of my alpha instincts the wrong way, and mostly, it did. But there was another part of me, a softer, more feminine part, that enjoyed knowing he could handle me when he wanted to.

I still protested on principle.

“No way! Put me down, Hayes. Right now! I’m not some omega you can just toss over your shoulder whenever you feel like it.”

He laughed, completely unbothered. “If you were an omega, I wouldn’t be nearly this interested. We’ve already established I have a type, Maeve.”

I twisted in his grip, partly testing his strength and partly because giving in without a fight would have been humiliating. His arm only tightened around the backs of my thighs, keeping me firmly in place as he carried me, buck naked, toward camp.

“Keep struggling, Firecracker,” he said, far too pleased with himself. “We both know you’re putting on a show.”

“I am not.”

“Sureeee.” His hand shifted higher to secure me when I tried again. “You’re definitely not enjoying the fact that this Farm Boy can carry your stubborn ass through the woods.”

I smacked his back. “Put me down.”

“Nope.”

“Hayes!”

“Come on, Maeve.” His voice dropped into something teasing without losing that easy confidence of his. “Don’t pretend you’re not planning to march back into that tower and make excellent use of me the second we get there.”

I went still for half a second.

His laugh told me he had noticed.

“Thought so.”

“Fine,” I grumbled, finally going still over his shoulder. “But don’t let this go to your head, Boy Scout. Carrying me around does not mean you’re suddenly in charge.”

Sammy’s grin widened, and he gave my thigh an infuriatingly smug little squeeze.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, ma’am.”

Chapter 20: Nolan "Grizzly" Graves

“That's the first order you've given that I actually like the sound of, sir,” Hayes said, flashing me a wide, dimpled grin.

Maeve rolled her eyes and stalked off without another word.

I watched her go, already knowing she would listen. For all her alpha attitude, she could be remarkably obedient when she wanted to be. Also, last night’s exchange had left all three of us wanting more, and I hadn’t missed her reaction when I brought up the idea of a dual-lock.