Page 53 of Knot Her Reality

“I promise I’ll tell you what happened last season—everything, no secrets—just not tonight. If I make it past the first date with you, I’ll sit down and explain what happened. Just give me some time for you to get to know me first, okay?” The confident alpha that was before me just moments before had faded as she drops her head, her shoulders folding in. “I’m not trying to keep secrets. It’s just hard to talk about.”

Reaching out, I take her hand in mine and squeeze. “Of course. I would never force you to talk about something that clearly makes you so uncomfortable. I’m happy to wait until you’re ready to talk about it. Now, chin up. This dress wasn’t meant to be worn by someone meek but by a powerful, confident alpha.”

A smile peeks out as Tessa lifts her head to meet my eyes. “It is a damn good dress.”

“Hell, yes, it is. And trust me, I know the type of person I had in mind when I designed it. It’s perfect for you.”

It’s one of the more daring dresses I’ve designed—one I wouldn’t wear because of my curves—but it’s made for the alpha’s body. She’s only a bit taller than me, though she’s wearing higher heels than I do—she’s definitely standing at over six feet currently. The dress is a deep olive shade that looks amazing against her complexion and is a good choice with her dark red hair. The dress is strapless, with cups over her breasts and a deep V between them all the way to her waist. Beneath the cups, the material is mesh with green boning, giving it a sexy corset look. From there, the material drapes over the hips, making it look like it’s wrapped around her. The right side stops high on her hip before flowing to the floor, a floor-length swatch of silky material draped over the side, giving it a peek-a-boo look. It shows a lot of skin—both leg and torso—while still being elegant. Not just anyone could pull it off, but it looks like it was made for her.

“Damn, I wish I could wear this one. It looks amazing on you.” I give her a small smile as heat rushes through me. Based on the last few days, I know my perfume will still leak out despite my best efforts, and I can tell the moment Tessa gets a lungful. Her eyes fall shut, a quiet moan spilling from her lips.

“You smell amazing, omega,” she purrs, stepping closer. “What were you thinking about that made you smell so delectable?”

“I… uhhhh…” I gulp down a breath, immediately regretting it as I practically drown in her scent.

Tessa shakes her head as if to clear it before she takes a step back, clearing her throat. “Sorry about that, Evangeline. Sometimes our instincts get the better of us, don’t they?”

“Yes, that they do,” I manage to get out of my suddenly parched mouth. I rub my legs together, knowing there’s not a damn thing I can do about the heat in my core or the slick that Tessa’s words produced. After all, I still have two more suitors to meet before dinner. There won’t be any relief coming for me anytime soon.

“On that note,” Tessa says, glancing over her shoulder. “It looks like it’s time to wrap up our meeting.”

I bite my lip, trying so hard to not rub my thighs together. I don’t think I’ve ever responded to anyone in the way I have these suitors. I’m kind of loving it—well, mostly. Having drenched panties at all times isn’t the best thing, but I feel like I can really find my pack here. A smile forms as I realize I’m actually feeling very hopeful about what’s to come. I can’t wait to figure out who will be part of my pack.

Tessa returns my smile before leaning in to brush her lips against mine. It’s over before it really begins, but I forget how to breathe as she brushes her hand against mine. “Until later.”

“Yeah,” I murmur, lifting my hands to my lips as she walks away. Our lips barely touched, but I’m already perfuming like crazy. Holy shit.

My eyes are wide as they meet Reginald’s. He grins at me, shooting me a thumbs up. Before I can say anything, the limo turns onto the driveway. I guess I was lost in my thoughts for longer than I thought I’d been.

Steeling myself, I push back my shoulders and smile as the door opens. No one steps out at first, making me curious. A man steps out, a grin on his handsome face. He’s on the shorter side, probably closer to my height. Silver streaks through his chestnut brown hair that’s slicked back from his face and a pair of metal framed glasses perch on his nose. As he steps closer, the lights reflect off of his baby blue eyes.

He comes to a stop a few feet in front of me, ducking his head, but doesn’t say anything.

“Hi, there. I’m Evangeline.”

He takes a deep breath before lifting his head to meet my eyes. “I’m Bradley. Bradley Perceval.”

When he doesn’t say anything else, I hold my hand out to him. “It’s very nice to meet you.”

My eyes fall shut as his scent hits me. Oven baked bread, tomato leaf, and bay leaf. “Delicious.”

“Huh?”

I blink my eyes open, feeling the blood rushing to my face. “Your scent. It’s delicious.” It also tells me he’s a beta, which explains his smaller stature. Not that betas can’t be just as jacked as alphas, but most aren’t.

“Thank you, so is yours.” Bradley’s smile is shy. “I’m sure you’ll notice that I’m a little shy. It’s something I’m working on. Please be patient with me.”

“Of course. It’s really awesome that you’re pushing your boundaries like that.” I reach out to take his hand in mine, squeezing lightly. “Would it be easier if I asked questions?”

His smile grows as he nods. “Much easier.”

“Awesome. You’re a beta, right?” He nods at my question, his fingers tightening around mine. “Then let’s go with the next bit of information people usually give. How old are you? What do you do for work? Do you have any family?”

“I’m forty-four, and I’m a high school teacher. As far as family, I’m an only child, as many people are. It’s just me and my dads—they’re a mix of alphas and betas. When they wanted to have a baby, they used a surrogate, and that’s where I came into the family. The woman who carried me was in my life, but she has a family of her own. She’s more like my aunt than a mom, but I didn’t suffer at all. I loved being raised by my dads.” A flush creeps up his neck, and I can tell he didn’t expect to speak so freely. “It’s actually really easy to talk to you.”

I grin. “Good. That’s what we like to hear.”

I continue to ask him questions about his family and work until Reginald gives me the signal to wrap it up.

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