Page 5 of A Beta Protects

Just in case. I never told anyone why I did it or who I was waiting for.

Her. Kira.

On the second floor of our farmhouse, I push one of the closed doors open, holding it for her to enter.

I don’t need to hold it open, but I do need to have her closer to me.

After the barest hesitation, she walks past me and into the bedroom. Her left arm brushes my chest as the scent of her fills my lungs.

Her eyes fly to me and widen before she subtly retreats. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you.”

“It’s okay. The doorway is narrow,” I say, wishing it was narrower.

For one long moment, we hold each other’s gaze. Then she looks away, her cheeks pink as she examines the room with gray drapes, neatly made up bed, and dresser along one wall.

The spot between her shoulder and neck captures my focus. My gums ache with the need to sweep her hair aside, pin her to the nearest wall and bite.

“… putting you out?”

I study her expectant face as I deduce what few words I missed. “This room is yours for however long you need or want it. You’re not putting anyone out.”

She clears her throat. “I always thought you hated me, back in Missouri.”

“I never hated you, Kira,” I say softly.

“Oh.”

Conscious that it’s late, and she’s probably been on the road long enough to need rest, I back up a step and point my chin at a closed hallway door opposite.

“There’s a bathroom across the hall that you can use. You can find a clean towel behind the door, and a spare toothbrush and other stuff you might need under the sink. It’s late and everyone is asleep now, so you won’t have to worry about bumping into anyone.”

We usually keep spares on hand for when Galen’s sister, Eden, and her mate, Luka, visit from Colorado and forget something. We’ve rarely had to dig into that stuff, but it’s good to have just in case.

“Everyone?” Her brow lifts as she scratches the back of her bare right arm.

Again, my gaze snags on her naked ring finger. The skin is paler there, a sign she took the ring off recently.

“The people who live here,” I explain. When her eyes narrow, I pretend not to notice her curiosity, retreating before she can ask me about them. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nods. “Thanks.”

I close the door and hold still, listening to her moving around and hoping she doesn’t go through the dresser.

I told her this was a spare room. It’s not. It’s mine, and the second she opens any of those drawers, she’ll know it. For the first time, and maybe the only time, I have my mate in my bed.

Now to get her to stay.

3

KIRA

Iwait until Dom’s footsteps move away from the door before I let myself release a slow breath of relief.

He didn’t scream at me to go away.

In fact, that brief and unexpected moment of brushing my arm against his chest made his eyes spark with arousal? Attraction? Interest?

I’m probably wrong. But for a split-second, I could have sworn he was looking at me as if he liked me. More than liked me.

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