Page 46 of Coco and the Misfits

His hand falls to his side. “I need… help with housekeeping.”

“With your house.” Zach’s words come back unbidden. I frown at Atticus, searching for the right words to ask him what the hell he’s thinking of me. “Explain.”

His brows go up. “What do you mean? Isn’t it self-explanatory? Cleaning. Tidying up. That sort of thing.” Now his brows knit. “If you want. My apologies if I misunderstood the kind of job you were looking for.”

A faint laugh escapes me. “You didn’t. That’s… I could do that.”

His frown eases. “Warning, though. My home isn’t pink and pretty like yours.”

“No? An alpha who doesn’t like living in a pink gingerbread house? Who would have thought?”

“I know. I’m such an outlier.” His mouth twitches. “I also don’t hoard chocolate cake in my fridge.”

“Damn.”

“Or have nests piled high with pillows.”

“No pack, then?”

He goes still and I belatedly realize I’ve poked a sore spot. “No, no pack.”

Why? The question is on the tip of my tongue but I manage to swallow it back down. Enough indiscretion for one day, Coco, I scold myself.

On cue, he turns toward the door. “I’ll be on my way. Took up enough of your time, showing up unannounced to?—”

“No need.”

“No need?”

“For announcements. If you wanna come back.” I all but skip to block his way. “Atticus?—”

“Ace.”

“Ace. Thank you.” I gaze up at him and his green eyes brighten. “I’ll take the job.”

“You sure? Think about it first.”

I probably should. I don’t know him, even if he saved my ass the other night. Even if he slept beside me and never touched me sexually.

But I’m an impulsive person. So I throw my arms around the neck of my knight in tailored armor. Er, suit. “I accept the job offer.”

After a moment, he puts his arms around me, too. “That’s great. I’d appreciate the help.”

As if a mogul like him has need of poor little omegas like me to keep his mansion in order. I want to laugh but I also want to cry because he’s being so kind.

Unless there is a hidden agenda.

Wait, though… if he had wanted to take advantage of me, couldn’t he have done it by now, without any need of offering me a job? I all but threw myself at him and yet he pulls back.

He smiles. “I’ll leave you my number and the address. Sleep on it. If you still want the job tomorrow, call me.”

I nod.

He doesn’t kiss me. Doesn’t do anything else. Still the gentleman, and I appreciate it but… do I?

As he leaves and I lock the door after him, I try to sort through my thoughts and feelings. He doesn’t want to be a Band-Aid on a recent wound, and I can understand that… or is it simply that he doesn’t want me?

Why should it surprise me? Being kind, being protective doesn’t imply he wants to sleep with me. He may not even want girls. Or omegas.

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