Page 62 of Hot Knot Summer
Atlas’s gaze zeros in on us with laser focus as he sets the food on the coffee table. “Everything okay here?”
Emma jumps up from the couch, putting distance between us with almost comical haste.
“I almost died this morning,” she announces dramatically, clearly desperate to change the subject. “When you invited me to move in, you conveniently failed to mention this place is infested with mutant spider monsters from the ninth circle of hell!”
The three of us exchange glances, River’s lips already twitching with poorly suppressed amusement.
“There was one in the shower with me,” Emma continues, gesturing wildly. “With fangs like steak knives! And those creepy front legs that were all…” She mimics the spider’s threatening posture, raising her hands and wiggling her fingers. “It could have bitten me! Or I could have slipped and cracked my head open trying to escape it! There would have been blood everywhere!”
River turns to me, eyes dancing with mischief. “So you saved her? While she was in the shower?”
Emma’s cheeks flame. “He’s under strict instructions to never speak of it again.”
I draw an X over my heart with one finger, expression solemn. “A burden I alonemust bear.”
River clutches his chest in mock despair. “The injustice! The cruelty!”
“It wasn’t a show,” Emma protests.
Atlas, who’s been silently observing our banter, approaches us, setting the garlic bread alongside the pizza boxes. “So, our resident hero saved you from certain death?”
“Yep,” Emma confirms resignedly.
“Sounds like our Levi,” River says, flopping onto the couch and patting the space beside him invitingly. “He’s always had a flair for dramatic rescues.”
Emma hesitates, then sits beside River, tucking one leg beneath her. Atlas settles on her other side, leaving me to either take the armchair or join them on the sofa. I opt for the latter, claiming the space on River’s other side.
“I’m starving,” Emma declares, clearly trying to steer the conversation away from her shower adventure.
Atlas chuckles, opening the top pizza box. “Wasn’t sure what you liked, so we got a variety. Pepperoni, supreme, and veggie.”
Emma’s eyes light up at the sight of the pepperoni. “You beautiful, beautiful men,” she says fervently, grabbing a slice and folding it in half before taking a massive bite. The small moan of pleasure she makes has all three of us staring.
“We miss all the fun when we’re gone.” River sighs, reaching for a slice of supreme.
“Speaking of comfort,” Atlas interjects, his gazelanding on Emma. “How’s the room working out for you? Levi put a lot of thought into it.”
The way he looks at her, like he’s imagining exactly how she’d look sprawled across that nest bed, sends a flare of possessive heat through me. We don’t compete, we complement. It’s what makes us work.
“It’s perfect,” she answers. “I really can’t thank you all enough. The nest, the clothes… it’s incredibly generous.” Her gaze flickers to me, and the blush returns full force.
“Want to try the supreme?” I ask her, selecting a slice and holding it out to her, just close enough that she’ll need to lean in if she wants it.
She eyes me suspiciously, but her stomach apparently overrules her caution. She leans forward, reaching for the slice, but I pull it back slightly, just out of reach.
“Ah-ah,” I tease. “Open up.” I’m curious to see how she’ll respond to this small assertion of dominance.
River snorts into his soda, and Atlas watches with undisguised interest as Emma debates her options.
After a moment’s hesitation, she narrows her eyes at me, challenging, not submissive, then opens her mouth, allowing me to feed her the slice. Her lips brush my fingertips, the contact sending a jolt of electricity up my arm. I don’t break eye contact, don’t care that the others are watching. Let them see. Let her know exactly what she’s doing to me.
“Good?” I ask, my voice deliberately lower.
She swallows, then nods. “Not bad.” Her attempt atnonchalance might be more convincing if her pupils weren’t blown wide, her scent shifting subtly to something sweeter, headier.
“So,” River interjects, clearly enjoying the show. “Any other creatures we should warn you about in these woods? Bears? Mountain lions? Overly amorous squirrels with boundary issues?”
“Just us three,” Atlas answers with a wicked grin before Emma can respond.
