Page 51 of Bonding with the Beta

“I saw you guys when you came in,” she says softly. “I can tell that there is clearly some mutual attraction there.”

“So?”

“I just—” She pauses. “I just want you to be happy.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Trying to be, Ava.”

Her lips twist downwards, but she attempts to cover it up with a smile. “Well, you have me, Jaxon, and the baby when she comes.”

“I know.” I nudge her side. “I’m very excited to meet her.”

Ava smiles and rolls a hand around her stomach. “Tell me about it.”

“Do you want to see the yearbook?”

“Absolutely.”

Ava goesup to bed fairly early, and I thank her for letting me stay over. She says I’m welcome to anything in the kitchen, so I help myself to a glass of wine in an attempt to de-stress.

I close myself off in the living room and turn onThe Notebook,which I’ve seen a thousand times before—anything to give me comfort. I sip on my wine a little too quickly until I tip the glass back, and it’s empty.

I analyse the droplet inside, and I sigh.

Time for another.

As I enter the kitchen, I stop dead in my tracks when I see Kayden shirtless, his hand on the open fridge door. I assume he just finished a workout because sweat trickles down his back.

My stomach flutters as the muscles in his back contract as he straightens and shuts the fridge door. He turns to face me but doesn’t seem phased by my appearance. It’s as if he knew I was here all along.

“Don’t have to make it so obvious, blondie.” He smirks.

This time, he flashes his tight abs and carved biceps, making me shudder. I blink at him, tightening my grip around the wine glass before I drop it. “Make what obvious?” I say with liquid courage.

“That you like what you see.”

I shoot him a look and walk towards the fridge, opening the door. “You wish.”

He watches me out of the corner of his eye as I peek inside the fridge and grab the bottle of open wine. My body heats up as his eyes roam my borrowed pyjamas from Ava, which consists of tiny blue silk shorts and a matching camisole.

I pour half a glass before I glance over my shoulder at Kayden; his dark hair is a mess from whatever he was doing at this time of night. I try my hardest to keep my eyes above his collarbones, but it’s proving difficult.

After placing the wine bottle back, I close the fridge and rotate my body towards him. “Thanks again for my car.”

“I know. You’ve already said.”

“I’m bad with cars. I choose to ignore everything,” I murmur before covering my lips with the glass.

Kayden’s brows raise to his hairline. “I can tell. Next time, go straight to the garage—don’t wait. It could be serious, Kayleigh.”

I gulp, my mouth suddenly dry. “Okay.”

I take a step towards the opposite counter, putting some well-needed distance between us. The wine slips down my throat, this time a larger sip to stop myself from glancing over at him like some feral cat.

The concern for my car and my safety made butterflies erupt in my stomach. And then the way his voice deepened when I said I’d drive back to campus and he wasn’t having any of it…shamefully, it made my core clench.

I suck in a breath and turn around to face him again; he now has an apple in hand and takes a bite. The sound of it crunching echoes around the kitchen, along with my thrumming heart.

The sight is exquisite. You’d think I’ve never seen a man eat an apple before.

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