Page 59 of Hot Knot Summer
“HURRY! Before it jumps!” The genuine terror in her voice has me sliding open the door without further hesitation.
A rush of steam escapes, then?—
Oh.
Fuck.
My brain short-circuits for approximately 2.7 seconds.
Emma stands before me, completely naked, water cascading down her body in rivulets that make my mouth go desert-dry. Honey-blond hair darkened by water plasters against her shoulders, drawing my eye to the elegant curve of her spine. Droplets cling to her skin like they’re afraid to let go, and who could blame them?
Her breasts are perfect, rose-tipped handfuls that would fit my palms exactly, heave with each panicked breath. My gaze tracks lower, over the gentle swell ofher stomach to the curve of her hips, then to the apex of her thighs, where there’s a thin strip of light hair. Fuck!
Focus. Threat assessment. Now.
With monumental effort, I force my gaze to follow where she’s pointing.
And there it is.
Its front legs arch high, poised in a threat display, jagged edges silhouetted against the haze. A huge spider. Its body bloated and black, bulbous and slick, gleaming wet in the humidity.
Even I flinch slightly.
“Don’t move,” I tell her, keeping my voice calm despite the adrenaline. “That’s a wolf spider. Their venom is quite ineffective against people, but they can grow big and look intimidating. I need you to very slowly move toward me.”
“A what?” Emma squeaks, momentarily distracted from her terror by my terminology. “No, I’m not moving an inch. It’ll jump. Spiders always jump.”
“Actually, they rarely jump unless severely threatened,” I explain automatically, my brain reverting to facts as a defense against the overwhelming sensory input of naked, wet Emma. “They prefer to retreat when confronted by something larger than?—”
“If you’re about to tell me spider facts while I’m naked and terrified, I swear to God, Levi—” She breaks off as the spider shifts position slightly. “OH MY GOD IT MOVED!”
“Emma,” I say firmly, using just enoughAlpha tone to cut through her panic. “I need you to trust me. Move toward me, slowly.”
“I can’t.” She shakes her head, pressing herself further into the corner. “I literally can’t make my legs work. I’m completely paralyzed.” Her voice drops to a horrified whisper. “I have severe arachnophobia. Like, diagnosed, went-to-therapy-for-it arachnophobia.”
That explains the intensity of her reaction. I reassess the situation, calculating a new approach while trying desperately to keep my eyes on her face and not on the water droplets sliding between her breasts.
“Okay, new plan,” I say. “I’m going to grab something to?—”
“Don’t you DARE leave me alone with that monster!” She looks on the verge of tears now, her hazel eyes wide with genuine fear. “Please, Levi. Don’t go.”
The vulnerability in her voice hits me harder than I expect, awakening something fiercely protective that has nothing to do with Alpha biology and everything to do with... her. Just her.
“I’ll be right back,” I promise, softening my tone. “Five seconds. Count them out loud.”
Before she can protest further, I dart out of the bathroom and grab a towel from the linen closet. Back in the bathroom, I push the door all the way open to create an escape route.
“One... two... thr— Oh, thank God, you came back,” she gasps, relief plain in her voice.
“I promised I would,” I say simply. “Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to throw this at the spider. The second I do, you run to me. Got it?”
Emma nods frantically, still pressed against the far tiled wall corner. Water continues to stream down her body, and I can’t help but notice how her skin has pebbled with goosebumps despite the steam. My gaze drops involuntarily to her breasts, where her nipples have hardened to tight peaks, and a fresh wave of heat crashes through me.
Not the time, I remind myself harshly.
“On three,” I say, forcing my attention back to the arachnid threat. “One... two... THREE!”
I fling the towel at the spider, but instead of staying put, the little nightmare leaps. Not toward Emma, thankfully, but directly at me. Pure reflex has me ducking, and the spider lands on the bathroom floor with a barely audible pat.
