Page 16 of Tempted By the Alpha Outlaw

“You good?” My voice comes out rough.

She nods, but her gaze stays locked on mine. “Yeah,” she whispers, lips parting like she wants to say something else. Instead, her eyes flick down—to where I’m still holding her.

Fuck.

I let go, stepping back like it costs me. The plates are steady now, but I’m not. Her scent—vanilla and wildflowers—clings to the air, too sweet, too close.

Too damn tempting.

“Sorry,” I say. “Didn’t see you there.”

“Were you sneaking off?” she asks, her tone light but with just enough teasing to make me feel caught.

I shrug, trying to play it off. “Not much for group clean-up.”

Magnolia’s lips twitch. “Figures.”

The plates shift in her arms again, and I nod toward the dining hall. “You should probably get those where they’re going before someone bumps into you,” I say, gesturing toward the kitchen door down the hall. “Need a hand?”

Her laugh is soft, melodic, and it does something to me—a key turning in a lock, unleashing a hungry beast. “Apparently I do,” she says, holding out the plates slightly, like she’s testing me.

I step forward, taking the top half of the stack from her hands. Our fingers brush again, just briefly, but it’s enough to send another spark through me. She notices it too—I can see it in the way her breath catches, her eyes flicking to mine for just a second longer than they should.

And her scent…it’s stronger than ever, almost overpowering.

If I see this girl on the full moon…we won’t have a choice.

I’ll take her, claim her—whether we want to or not.

“Thanks,” she says again, clearly flustered. “Um…it’s this way.”

She tilts her head and starts walking, and it’s all I can do to follow her down the hall. A few people pass by, some shooting suspicious glances my way. Grant wasn’t kidding; this girl is important to the pack. Magnolia doesn’t seem to notice at all, glancing over her shoulder.

“I hope Frankie hasn’t been giving you too much grief,” she says.

I chuckle. “Oh, is she like this with everyone?” I ask. “Thought she might have a crush on me.”

Magnolia doesn’t laugh; in fact, she frowns. I come up to walk at her side, looking down at her. “I’m kidding,” I tell her.

She smiles, then, lighting up. “Oh…right,” she says, shaking her head. She seems to realize what just happened a second later, blushing rose red once again. “Not that I would care.”

I smirk. “Wouldn’t mind if you did, though.”

Fuck, I’m just asking for trouble, aren’t I?

And Magnolia is clearly flustered, because her voice is high and reedy when we reach the kitchen. “We’re here,” she says. “Just um…this way. Yeah, you can put the dishes in the sink.”

I step into the kitchen behind Magnolia, the noise of the dining hall fading into the background. Magnolia heads toward the sink, her arms still full of plates. She’s graceful, gorgeous—and she has no idea.

“Right here?” I ask, stepping closer as she sets her plates in the sink.

“Yeah,” she says quickly, avoiding my gaze as she busies herself with stacking the dishes properly. Her cheeks are still flushed, and I don’t miss the way her hands fumble slightly.

I lean against the counter, setting my plates down beside hers, but I don’t step back. Instead, I stay close. “You’re pretty good at this, you know.”

She glances at me, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion. “At what? Doing dishes?”

“No,” I say, my voice dropping a little. “At pretending you’re not flustered.”

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