Page 78 of Not Ready

I push open the door to the gym and stop dead in my tracks.

Holt is jumping rope, and holy shit. It’s a whole different kind of workout from when I saw him doing pull-ups the other day. He bounces around, spinning the rope as his feet move almost faster than I can track.

It’s a little crazy that his movements seem to line up perfectly with the change in beat and speed of the song. He spins in a circle before crossing his arms and continuing to jump.

His biceps, shoulders, chest, and abs all flex and bulge as he moves. Sweat glistens on his skin, and my ridiculous impulses seem to be convinced we should lick it off.

I catch myself once I’m several feet into the room.

I should tackle him to the floor, pin him down, and lick him.

Repeatedly.

Maybe wallow around in his sweat. Just enough that I’ll smell like him.

My head shakes as I try to clear the haze from my vision and thought process.

This isn’t me.

I’ve never been particularly sex-crazed before. Definitely not the way other omegas have explained it.

Occasionally, the few days right before a heat or when I was supposed to start a new pack of suppressants would be tough, but nothing like since meeting Bishop and his pack.

My hair flies out as I spin around to run back to my room, but a strong hand grips my wrist.

Holt’s beachy, salty scent slams into my senses as he turns me back around. It’s so potent that I sway into him. “What’s up, sweetheart?”

“N-Nothing.”

“So, you don’t need anything?” he asks, tossing the jump rope aside. His brown curls stick to his forehead as he grabs the remote for the stereo, cutting off the sound before shoving it back into his pocket. His hands land on my hips as he gives my hip bones a little caress with his thumbs. “You must’ve come looking for some reason.”

“Mercy had to go to work,” I say, trying to breathe through my mouth. His scent is all my senses can focus on, and it’s extremely distracting.

“And you’re lonely?” He moves a finger to brush over my cheek, but I glance away from his bluish-gray eyes.

There’s no reason for me to be here right now.

I’m an adult.

I’ve lived on my own for years. I mean, I had Kate, but we always had completely separate lives.

My nose still seems to be determined to plaster itself to his sweaty chest.

I sway backward to keep from making contact with his skin.

Surprisingly enough, Holt is the hairiest of the three guys. He’s got a small cluster of brown curls in the center of his chest. It’s not a ton, but it is more hair than I’m used to.

It would be weird if I touched it, wouldn’t it?

Probably.

“I was just going back to my room…”

“Right, I caught you trying to escape, but you came in here for a reason.” He uses his hold on my chin to tilt my face back to his. “So, what’s the deal, sweetheart?”

I shrug. “I just wanted to see what you were up to. This place is incredible, but it’s kind of lonely.”

“It is, isn’t it? I didn’t grow up like this, either. It was just me and my mom in a tiny two-bedroom apartment.” He slides a hand down, links his fingers with mine, and guides me over to the couch on the far wall. “Let me guess, you want to soak up my sweat?” He tosses himself down right in the middle cushion and gives my wrist a tug. I end up standing between his spread thighs. “Climb on.”

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