Page 60 of Knight Life In Vegas

Oh dear. His pain had held him in an iron grip for so long. I probably wasn’t enough to crack that shackle.

I could comfort him like this, though.

“I’m sorry, Beau.”

“For what?”

“I don’t like that you’ve been hurting so much, and for so many years.”

“It hurts less now that I’m here.” His sigh was deep, every bit of him shifting as he drew in a breath and let it go. “I don’t know how to move forward.”

“Have you talked to a therapist about your grief?”

“Constantly.It was all I could do not to follow Emily into the grave. I triedsohard to stay for my son and I couldn’t even do it right.”

“Bryce is a happy and well-adjusted man with a pack who loves him. None of us can do more than our best, but I fully understand the disappointment when it feels like your best isn’t enough.”

“Iknowmy best wasn’t enough. It’s another burden I carry. Honestly, I’m surprised I haven’t collapsed under the weight of them already.”

“You’re stronger than you believe. I don’t think any of us understand the depth of our strength until we look back and realize what we survived. I’m proud of you for staying even when it was hard.”

He tilted his head, pressing his trembling lips to my hair. My poor alpha. He had been through so much and he was still here, trying. I slid my hand up his chest to cup the back of his head, offering a small comfort. I still maintained that fate was on a power trip, but maybe I was looking at things from the wrong angle. Maybe I was the only way Beau could heal. What could possibly soothe the wound of losing a scent-matched omega if not another one? Even if Beau and I had no future, I could offer him this.

“You could have me without it meaning anything, if you wanted to. If that would be easier. I don’t want to replace Emily. I just want to help.” My other matches had stepped up hard for me, and I was the only one who could do that for Beau. “Stay here if you want. Settle yourself whenever you need to. Take what you want to without having to feel guilty.”

His low growl thrummed through me. “You’re already so much of a temptation. I’m not strong enough to resist if you put yourself on a platter like that.”

I planted a soft kiss at the hollow of his throat, his scent erupting around me, making me dizzy with growing desire. “Then don’t resist.”

His fingers slid over to my face, knuckles brushing my cheek softly before tucking beneath my chin to lift me far enough to catch his eye. The first touch of his lips against mine was so light I could barely feel it, save for the electricity that crackled in the air between us.

“Dangerous,” he whispered.

The next brush was firmer and he inhaled deeply. My lemon meringue scent was a cloud around us, weaving with his, the lingering but muted scents of my other matches still clinging to the sheets to form a cacophony that turned my brain to mush.

Beau was careful.Socareful. Every touch as his lips explored mine felt like he thought either of us might shatter at any moment. I couldn’t imagine losing a bonded mate. A divorce to someone I had been growing apart from for years was bad enough.

He inched me over until I was on my back, hair sprawled beneath me. His blue eyes were filled with longing, a layer of anguish and desire giving them all the depth of the ocean. I stayed still as he traced my lips with his thumb and then slowly skimmed down my body like he was seeing me for the first time.

“Are you afraid?” I asked quietly.

“Yes.”

“Do you want to stop?”

“No.”

His fingers curled behind my neck and his mouth descended against mine. Moment by moment his hesitation melted away. He didn’t have the finesse I expected from the start, but then maybe kissing was like riding a bike. The core memory of how to do it was stored away and simply needed to be activated.

Soon enough he was kissing me breathless. Goosebumps tightened my skin and my pussy ached for attention. He didn’t seem to have any intention of moving beyond my mouth, but he did shift over, planting his knee between my thighs and sending a bolt of electricity up my body when I rocked my hips to grind my clit against him.

“So fucking dangerous,” he whispered against my lips.

I wasn’t prepared for his teeth when he moved from my mouth to my throat, his bite holding me firmly in place while my omega instincts rocketed into the stratosphere. He didn’t break the skin, but he held fast no matter how much I squirmed.

“Beau,” I gasped out.

He rose up, staring down at me. “I never thought I’d hear my name said like that ever again.”

---