Page 20 of Knot on the Market

The proximity makes my omega instincts pay attention in ways I'm not ready to examine. "But there's something satisfyingabout fixing things yourself," he continues, his voice quieter now. "Making a place work the way it's supposed to."

The way he says it makes me think we're not just talking about houses.

I take a step back, clutching the books to my chest, needing space to think clearly. Julian watches the movement with those dark, perceptive eyes but doesn't follow, like he's already memorized how close I was willing to get.

"Julian!" Levi's voice calls from the back room. "Are those quarterly reports going to finish themselves?"

"Probably not," Julian calls back, but there's no urgency in his voice. He looks at me with what might be mild amusement. "I should probably get back to actual work."

"The register's up front," Julian says, settling back into his chair and reaching for his abandoned novel. "Levi should be out in a minute."

"You're not going back to the quarterly reports?"

Julian picks up his book and gives me a look that's almost a smile. "I think I'll finish this chapter first. Some things are worth taking your time with."

The way he says it, his eyes holding mine as he speaks, makes it clear he's not talking about Steinbeck. Heat creeps up my neck as I realize he's talking about me, about this conversation, about whatever's happening between us in this quiet corner of the bookstore.

Levi emerges from the back room, tall and lean with dark hair and a comfortable sweater, moving with easy grace. When he sees me, his face breaks into a warm smile.

"Lila! Good to see you again," he says, coming around the counter. "How's the settling in going? Dean mentioned you had some excitement with an overcooked casserole and emergency door repairs."

"Much better, thanks to people like you bringing actual food," I say with a grin. "Your soup was incredible, by the way. And yes, between the oven trying to burn all my food and door handles falling off, I'm definitely getting the full homeowner experience."

"Glad you liked the soup," Levi says with a chuckle as he starts ringing up my purchases. "Sounds like you're keeping the local fire department busy."

"I'm working on that," I say, then pause when I realize how that sounds. "I mean, I'm trying to learn how to handle things myself so I don't need rescuing every time something goes wrong."

"Nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it," Levi says gently, but there's understanding in his voice that suggests he gets why I want to handle things myself.

"Find everything you needed?"

"More than I expected," I admit, glancing back toward where Julian has returned to his reading.

"Julian's helpful," Levi says with genuine affection. "Even when he's supposed to be doing my books instead of reading my inventory."

"I can hear you," Julian calls without looking up.

"You're supposed to hear me," Levi calls back. "It's called accountability."

I smile at their easy banter and head for the door, canvas bag in hand. The bell chimes as I leave, and I don't let myself look back. But I can feel someone watching me walk away.

The summer heat feels stifling after the cool quiet of the bookstore, and I realize I'm slightly breathless. I need to focus on practical things. Groceries, normal tasks that don't involve analyzing the way certain alphas make my pulse race.

The grocery store is a relief after the intensity of the bookstore. Normal tasks like buying milk and bread feel grounding, manageable.

I'm debating between coffee brands when I catch a familiar scent. Toasted marshmallow and amber, warm and comforting.

"Finding everything okay?" Dean's voice comes from behind me, and when I turn, he's wearing civilian clothes, looking unfairly good in jeans and flannel.

"Much better than my cooking adventures the other day," I admit.

Dean's smile is immediate and warm, and the easy humor in his eyes does something warm and uncomplicated to my chest that's a welcome relief after the charged complexity of my interaction with Julian.

"I was actually going to stop by later," Dean says, running a hand through his hair. "Make sure the door repair held up okay and show you how to fix it properly. But since you're here..."

He trails off, looking slightly nervous.

"Since I'm here?"

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