Page 40 of Knot Only For One Night

He tries to take me to his bike, but I insist on walking, especially when it's so nice out.

The sidewalks of Maine are actually so beautiful. Ripped right off an early 2000s sitcom. Nature lines the sidewalks, trees providing enough shade so we don’t burn from the sun, but also letting its light through just enough to be enjoyable. Everything about it that I’ve seen is beyond idyllic. I love it here.

Soren walks between me and the street, mumbling about how any man who makes me walk on the side closest to the street is a piece of shit, and I laugh.

“What about men who need courting?”

His face goes red before he can hide it. He doesn’t answer, but I think he likes the teasing.

Our walk back to campus is peaceful. My omega is content in his presence, and I even manage to forget about my upcoming heat and can just… breathe.

His cinnamon scent circles around me and I inhale deeply. It’s so strong. As if I dumped the entire bottle of ground cinnamon over my head.

“Do you smell me?” I ask, and his brows furrow as he leans back. Surprised by my question. “Do you?”

“Well, yeah. You put on a strong-ass perfume, of course…”

Awe. Wonder. Realization of why my omega wanted to meet this man so bad.

He’s a beta, and he’s my scent match.

In fact, if my gut is correct, I don’t think he’s the only one.

CHAPTER 14

ESPER

I have another date today. After my last horrid date, I’ve been scared to set up another. I put on my big girl panties though and made another match.

This time I didn’t rush into meeting them in person. I actually spent time talking to them and even let them ask me questions. So now, a week later, we have a date.

Seeing Juni’s Butter and Batter yellow brick building doesn’t calm my twitchy fingers. My nerves are through the roof, and I know Neven and Reed can smell it. I desperately wanted to invite Soren to this date. My omega even fought me on it, but it was way too soon.

Since I realized that he… and Neven… and Reed were my scent matches (or at least I think they are my scent matches), I’ve had to work extra hard to act normally.

I can’t scare them away.

Scent matches are for life. They are your soulmates, the ones destined to be with you, and for some reason the thought that I’ve actually found them flays me open. I feel raw. Vulnerable. Like my soul is bared out and I have to hold my skin flaps together so I don’t go spilling out. I’ve dreamed about it for so long, and now that it’s here, now that they are here… I can’t risk screwing it up.

The Heat Seekers app wasn’t necessarily for long-term relationships, let alone scent matches and Pack life.

I have a feeling that’s not why either of them was on the app either.

Quick heat fucks. That’s all it was supposed to be.

“How’s my hair?” I turn towards Neven. Who is smoking hot as ever. He has on a t-shirt and brown sweater vest with slacks. Like he’s going to work or something. He dressed it down with silver jewelry. Rings stacks and earrings. My skin heats as I stare at him, and I have to tear my eyes away before I start something I can’t finish.

I dressed much better than I did when I was stalking Soren. My hair is curled and I have on a black mini dress with maroon lace tights. I attempt to glance in the sideview mirror of Neven’s bike. When he picked me up, he joked that he could taste my nerves all the way from his house. I chuckled and tried to brush it off, but the whole ride over, I wished for some scent-blocking spray, a pill, something to cover up my scent.

Getting off his bike, I slide off the helmet and silk scarf, handing them and my riding boots over to Neven for him to somehow lock onto the bike. It’s so funny to me how they are such sticklers about my safety and yet all they wear are helmets. I’ll have to change that.

Turning to the side mirror on the bike, I fix the strands that got messed up from the wind.

“You look fucking amazing, Princess,” Reed rasps in my ear as his hands slide down the front of my dress. He tucks his head into the crook of my neck and inhales deeply. He presses against me, and I have half the instinct to grind back into him, but I need this date to go perfect, and one of my escorts walking in with a noticeable hard-on isn’t the best look.

“Reed,” I whisper, pushing him back and he laughs, taking my hand and twirling me to face him.

His brown eyes focus on my hair, his large comforting hands coming up to fix a few strands, and once he’s done he pulls me in to kiss him. His soft lips meet mine in the most perfect kiss—not too soft, like others I’ve kissed, but not so rough he might as well be biting me.