Page 78 of The Bounty

But she might not want to do it.

Maybe it will drive her away from me.

I shouldn’t do this. This was a mistake. It was a stupid—

But there’s a knock at my door as I spiral, and a familiar, delicate scent calls to me.

I open the door to find Olive looking up at me with hopeful eyes.

And today, she’s wearing a dress.

My mouth waters and my cock twitches as I take in the sight of her beautiful skin, her gland exposed in the low-neck dark blue sundress, and her fiery red hair falling in curls around her shoulders.

Barefoot, she’s a wild, carefree goddess, and I’m the monster Alpha looming over her.

“Hi,” she says, her voice soft. “May I come in?”

Of course, I want to say.I’ll make sure this door is never closed. Hell, I’ll remove it if it means you visit me more.

I nod, stepping aside, and she sits on the leather couch across from my desk, crossing her legs. The dress moves up, showing the smallest bit of her thigh, and I almost choke.

Get a grip, idiot!

I’m thirty-five goddamn years old. I shouldn’t be acting like a lovesick little boy.

“I wanted to apologize to you,” she starts, and I frown.

“Apologize?” I repeat dumbly.

“If I made you uncomfortable yesterday, after you carried me into the house. I know I said some things…”

“Oh, it’s okay,” I add quickly. “I know you didn’t mean them.”

Of course, she didn’t. Why would she find you attractive?

She frowns. “What are you talking about?”

I bite my lip. “What areyoutalking about?”

She laughs and shakes her head. “I mean, I basically flirted with you, like a pervert. And then asked you to tuck me into bed. And I know you’re not the biggest fan of me…”

She shifts uncomfortably, her eyes downcast, and I can’t stand it any longer.

I sit next to her and tentatively reach for her hand. “God, I know I’ve fucked this up,” I mutter. “But Olive, I fucking adore you,” I admit. “Please,please, stop thinking that I don’t. You’re all I fucking think about.”

Suddenly, the love-sick boy has come out, spilling his guts to his crush.

Her eyes widen in disbelief. “Really?”

“Yes,” I whisper. “I’m so far gone for you that it’s embarrassing. And I didn’t want to come in between you and my brother and Killian.”

“Oh my God, you’re so handsome when you blush,” she whispers, and I growl. “My big scary Alpha, such a teddy bear on the inside.”

My Alpha.

Fuck. Those wordsdosomething to me. I’m rock hard, my cock straining against my jeans, and I want nothing more than to lift that dress and fuck her senseless.

But there’s another way to show how I feel about her.