Page 28 of Knot Convenient
“I am so sorry!” she stammered.
That hit me. Why was she sorry? “No need to apologize.”
“No, I totally should. I don’t go flashing my ass willy-nilly! This is old”—she gestured to her nightdress—”and my ass has grown considerably, so it’s a little short on me now.”
“If you want to buy more, just use the pack card.”
“I couldn’t do that!” she rushed to say, always so quick to turn down help.
“It’s up to you,” I said. “You’re welcome to wear whatever the hell you feel comfortable in around here. If you want longer nightdresses, then buy them. If not, no one is going to complain.”
The pink in her cheeks remained bright. “Th-thank you.”
“Is the room okay? How are you settling in?”
“It’s amazing. Thank you! Milo is just a little unsettled—a new place, a new crib, it’s all a lot for him.”
My eyes raked over her face, noting the dark circles. I’d disliked the sight of them when we’d met her at town hall, but up close, I was annoyed that they hadn’t abated at all.
“If you need help with Milo, just say. Half of us are insomniacs. I’m pretty sure Emmett only gets three or four hours of sleep a night, judging by the way he mainlines caffeine.”
“I could never—”
“You could. I wouldn't offer if I wasn’t serious.” I focused on her eyes. “We’re in this for both of you. He’s our responsibility too.”
She bit her lip, nodding. Our conversation lulled for a moment. I was content to simply stand so close to her. More than once, my eyes wandered down. As well as being short, that skimpy nightdress also showed off a considerable amount of cleavage.
“Can I ask you something?” she asked in a soft voice.
“Sure.” I nodded, hoping my expression was open. I wanted Summer to ask anything she wanted to. This was her home, and I wanted her to feel safe and comfortable with all of us.
“Why Emmett? Why did he…” She trailed off, that pretty blush spreading across her face again.
She was asking about the bond mark. It took me several moments before I was willing to answer. I knew she’d ask at some point, but I hoped it would be later.
“I’m not a strong man,” I admitted in a low voice.
Summer glanced over me, her brows raised. It was a subtle movement, but it made me smile. Her eyes raked over the muscles in my arms. Years of lugging car parts around had helped me build a considerable amount of muscle. Under the curiosity, there was a hint of appreciation in her gaze, and I couldn’t help but preen internally at having her look at me like that.
“Physically, I am, sure. That’s…that’s not what I meant.”
“So…”
I gently cupped her face with one hand, my thumb tracing her jawline. My cock was rock hard, but thankfully my jeans hid it somewhat. I’d been rocking a hard-on since the moment she flashed her bare ass at me, and it showed no signs of retreating.
“So, if I had been the one to sink his teeth into such a beautiful omega, there’s no way in hell I would’ve been able to control myself.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Oh.”
Summer’s face flushed an even brighter pink, and all I could think about was how perfect she was. Really, what were the odds that we would match with such a stunning woman?
I chuckled. “Oh, indeed.”
“I-I should go… Milo…”
“Go, sweetheart.”
Summer turned to leave, her hands on the hem of her nightdress, pulling it down as she padded away. As she got to the kitchen door, she turned to me, a small smile gracing her face. “You should try and get some sleep too. I’m sure you have a lot to do.”
