Page 31 of Knotty Nights
I was tempting fate. Irene from HR had warned me against developing feelings for a client, but how was I supposed to suppress my natural instincts when the omega wrapped in my arms was perfect in every way?
“Your heart’s beating really fast,” Jazmine whispered against my chest.
That’s because I’m worried about being forced to leave you.
“It’s nothing,” I told her as I ran a soothing hand down her back. It was cool to the touch.
She pushed herself up onto her elbows to meet my gaze.
“It’s time for you to go, isn’t it?” she asked quietly.
I scrambled for a response.
“Not unless you want me to.”
I’d been given the day off, and I couldn’t imagine returning to my flatshare only to obsess over every moment I’d spent with Jazmine.
She stared at me for a long moment as though trying to read my thoughts.
“Do you want to stay?” she asked, the words uncharacteristically quiet.
God, more than anything.
When I struggled to find a response that didn’t sound needy or pathetic, she laughed softly to herself.
“What am I saying?” she muttered. “You probably have other clients to see.”
“No!” I pulled her back when she threatened to leave my side. “I wasn’t lying when I said I never do this. I’m a coder by profession, not an escort.”
Jazmine blinked.
“I thought…” she trailed off. “I thought that was just a story you were trained to tell your clients.”
I shook my head. “I don’t have any clients. I…”
Damn it, I could get in so much trouble for this…
“I’m part of the app development team at AlphaNet,” I confessed, watching her eyes go wide. “We were short on escorts for launch day, and I sort of stepped in.”
She bit her lip, her brows drawing close as she tried to piece my story together.
“Were you forced to—” she began, but I shook my head quickly.
“I never thought I’d meet a prize like you.” I laid my forehead against hers even as my pulse kicked.
“I’m not a prize,” she insisted. “There are thousands of other lonely omegas out there in the city.”
“None like you, Jazmine,” I promised.
She gulped audibly. “This was supposed to be just three nights.”
I stilled, watching her, not trusting myself to speak without stuttering. Slowly, I said: “Do you want it to be?”
She shook her head, a hopeful smile curling her lips tentatively.
“No.”
I latched onto that word.