My hand slides between us, fingers finding the slick bundle of nerves, circling in time with his thrusts. The dual stimulation builds, tension coiling tight in my lower belly. Leif’s focus stays fixed on me, undisguised desire in his eyes, his rhythm faltering each time my body clenches around him.
When I come this time, it’s gentler but no less profound, a rolling wave rather than a crashing tsunami. Leif follows moments later, his release triggering aftershocks that ripple through me, his face buried in my neck as he pulses inside me.
We remain tangled together, unwilling to separate even as our breathing slows and sweat cools on our skin. Eventually, Leif rolls to his side, keeping me close with an arm around my waist, his nose nuzzling into my hair.
“What time is it?” I ask, realizing I’ve lost all track of the passing hours.
Leif checks the bedside clock. “Just past ten. Do you have to be anywhere today?”
“Not for a while.” I trace circles on his chest, feeling shy now that the heat of passion has cooled.
“Good.” His smile warms me from the inside out. “I’m not ready for you to leave yet.”
The hours blur together as we alternate between bouts of lovemaking and quiet conversation. I learn Leif loves having his inner thighs kissed, makes a particular sound when I suck at the pulse point behind his ear, and responds to my Alpha pheromones with an open eagerness that leaves me humbled.
He learns that I’m ticklish along my ribs, purr under his fingers when he massages my scalp, and enjoy being pinned beneath his weight in a reversal of traditional dynamics that surprises and delights us both.
Between exploring each other’s bodies, we talk. He tells me about his childhood fascination with marine biology, and how he abandoned it for teaching when a professor recognized his gift for connecting with struggling students. I share stories of my first construction job, how the foreman almost fired me for correcting his measurements until he realized I was right.
Somewhere past noon, Leif retrieves the forgotten breakfast from the desk, returning with the insulated bag. The biscuits arecold but still delicious, the gravy congealed but flavorful. We eat cross-legged on the bed, feeding each other bites between kisses.
The clock on the nightstand catches my eye. “Jared will be waiting.”
Despite my words, I make no move to dress.
Leif traces my collarbone with one finger, his touch lighter now. “Was this…just for today?”
The question hangs between us. My throat tightens as memories of Auren slither into my contentment. He had made so many promises in similar afterglows only to break them when it was convenient. I’d sworn never again.
“I’m not certain,” I say. “Do you want it to be more?”
Leif’s hand stills, caution settling over him. “I’d like to say yes, but things are complicated right now.” He swallows. “I’d like to try, though. If you would.”
His hesitation sends a chill through me. I’ve been here before, with an Omega who kept one foot out the door while I tumbled headfirst into commitment.
“Sure, we can try,” I say, dropping my eyes as he kisses me.
I can bear this uncertainty for a short time while showing Leif I’m an Alpha who can be trusted if it’s what he needs. My fingers tighten in the bed sheets.
This will be okay. The flutter behind my breastbone brings me some small comfort.
Everything will be okay.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Leif
The October air bites at my cheeks as I trek up the stone path to Emily’s cottage, my laptop bag banging against my hip with each step. Fallen maple leaves crunch beneath my shoes, their edges curled and damp.
It’s the fourth Wednesday I’ve joined Emily and Jared for dinner, and it’s starting to become a comfortable habit.
Through the windows, warm light spills out in honey-colored rectangles across the yard, illuminating the mist of my breath in the fading twilight.
Before I can knock, the yellow door swings open, and Emily fills the frame, the sleeves of her flannel shirt rolled to her elbows.
“You’re right on time,” she says, kissing my cheek. “The stew’s almost ready.”
The ease of it still catches me off guard, this quiet routine we’ve been testing with the unspoken agreement that I’ll keep coming back unless one of us says otherwise.