Page 48 of Three of a Kind

Fuck if I know.

It’s got buttons, but the sweater is open at the front.

It’s the middle of summer.

All I know is, seeing her in a sweater throws me off.

She’s got to be burning up.

I’m in a plain white T-shirt and basketball shorts, but again, I was sweating in the truck with the AC blasting to keep Nova cool.

“Hi.” I flash her my signature smile as Nova heads around to the front of the stroller. She sits, waiting to be told whether she can engage.

“H-Hey,” Brooklyn says, swiping at her hair. She shoves it behind her ear, but the wind catches it, and it flies back out. “You look good.” Her eyes rake over my chest, and I find myself pulling my shoulders back.

My arm stretches to ensure the leash has plenty of room, and I move closer to the potent little omega.

“Can I have a hug?” I bite my lip, desperate to erase the few feet between us.

My brain is obsessed with figuring out if she truly does have the most enticing scent I’ve ever smelled, or if possibly, my system has exaggerated the memory of it.

Her head darts from side to side, like she’s frantically checking for something, but eventually, she nods. “I really hope you understand how much I appreciated the save that night in the bar.”

“It was nothing.” I erase the distance between us to give her a quick squeeze.

Brooklyn’s daughter, whose name I still don’t know, squeals, chattering away to Nova as my heart races.

My hand cradles Brooklyn’s shoulder as I bend low, allowing my nose to dance through her hair.

It was no trickery.

She smells like tart green apples and cinnamon with hints of vanilla.

It’s a delectable scent that makes my teeth ache as my mouth waters. It’s difficult to comprehend the wave of memories that wash over me from just her smell.

I truly thought that night was going to be the beginning of something special.

It doesn’t matter that it makes me sound pathetic to admit how invested I was in a delusional future that never came to fruition.

Brooklyn’s face ends up against my T-shirt, and she kind of rolls her face around. It appears she’s as desperate to search out my scent as I was to pick up hers.

“Mommy, I said, can I pet the puppy?” the toddler asks, twisting around in her seat to try to find her mom.

Brooklyn shutters out a heavy breath and glances up at me. “That’s Liberty, my daughter.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Liberty.”

“Libby,” the little girl squeals. “Can I pet him?”

I glance at Brooklyn. “Nova is great with kids, and she’s just waiting for me to give the command to release her so she can introduce herself.”

“Um, yeah, Libby loves dogs,” Brooklyn says, wiping her hands off on her sweater.

My phone rings, and I tug it out of my shorts pocket.

I’m expecting it to be Gunner checking in, but it’s Bless.

“Shit, I think it’s for you.” I hold out my phone. “I had to straight up beg for her to swap us over to keep an eye on you. I get the feeling she wants to double-check that it’s all right with you.”

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