Page 19 of Knotty Nights
I found myself drifting closer, stepping into the messy notes of her scent. My pulse stuttered, every inch of my skin prickling under the assault.
As Atlas bent her knees,staring up at me uncertainly as she moved, I couldn’t help but stare at the bulge of her biceps through the leather jacket.
I’d spent years convincing myself that I was too old to date, or that Alphas like Atlas would simply look right through me.
But she didn’t. Every unsteady breath and each wave of her scent said otherwise.
Shelikedme. Better yet, shewantedme.
I needed to see just how much.
When I turned to walk over to the couch, she watched me uncertainly, her brown gaze like deep pools under the waning sunlight.
I took my time arranging the folds of my bathrobe around my thighs as I got comfortable on the old couch before I said:
“Come here, Atlas.”
She started to stand, but I shook my head.
“Crawl.”
Behind her nerdy little glasses, her eyes widened.
I could almostseethe thoughts tumbling through her mind.
Her lips parted as though she wanted to say something, maybe ask a question. Or was she debating whether obeying me would be a terrible idea?
She hesitated long enough for me to doubt my Heat-given confidence, but when she reached up to slide her glasses off her nose, I knew I’d won.
She glanced at me from beneath her lashes, searching my face for clues for what comes next.
I crooked a finger at her.
“Come here, Atlas.”
She shifted forward, one knee sliding ahead of her on the rug, then paused. That little hesitation waseverything—I loved the way it made her muscles taut under the leather.
By the time she paused at the edge of the couch, anticipation hummed beneath my skin.
There was something almost unbelievable about having an Alpha bend to my command. Alphas weren’t supposed to pause and hesitate, yet this one was so beautiful when she was unsure.
I leaned forward, running a palm over the neat rows of buttons on her shirt. The silk was warm, the breasts beneath soft.
It had been a long time since I’d done anything selfish. That word had been eradicated from my dictionary ever since Rosie was born. Now, however…
“Let me see you,” I rasped. “Slowly.”
Atlas swallowed hard, licking her lips as she grasped my statement.
She sat back on her heels and reached for the first button on her shirt.
“No.” I shook my head, tilting my chin towards her waist. “Undo your trousers.”
Her gaze locked onto mine, wide and alluring.
“I’m here for you,” she began, unsure. “I’m here to give you what you need, not…”
“This is what I need,” I assured her, settling back in the soft seat. “I want to see what you’re hiding inside those trousers.”