Page 40 of Knot Her Cowboys
Riley giggled. God, I fucking loved that sound. “I think for the sake of my dignity and the luck I’ve been having lately I should put clothes on and sit in the passenger seat. Let’s not tempt fate any more than necessary.”
I moaned as she climbed off me, my fingers reluctantly unlatching from her hips. We located our clothing, scattered between the front seats and the truck bed, tugging them on as the sun crept higher.
She let me keep my palm on her thigh as I drove, a curious dance of desire and nerves swirling through the bond, switching firmly over to nervousness when I pulled into the drive for the ranch. It didn’t look like anyone else was awake yet.
We snuck into the big house like teenagers caught out past curfew.
“What the fuck, Cash?”
Riley shrieked, both of us turning to see Dakota and Levi sitting at the kitchen table. I pulled her against me, my palm against her chest where her heart galloped.
“Sorry.” Dakota rose to his feet, nostrils flaring and eyes widening the closer he got to us. “Okay,actuallywhat the fuck, Cash?”
I stared at the ceiling. “Uh, so we have a new packmate.”
“Shejustbroke off an engagement,” Levi hissed. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
Riley bristled. “It’s not his fault.” Both of my packmates focused on her, a fresh bolt of lust and panic slamming down the bond. “I forgot to take my dose of suppressants and I had a heat flare. I’d be able to feel if he took advantage.”
Dakota sighed. “We have to tell Cooper. He’s going to flip.”
“Okay, but what about you two?” Riley asked softly. “Are you mad? We don’t even know each other.”
The tension melted out of Dakota and Levi instantly.
“We’re not mad at you,” Levi promised. “We know you’re our scent match.”
Riley stiffened. “Isthatwhat that is?”
I poked Riley’s butt cheek, nudging her forward and Dakota instantly opened his arms to her. She snuggled up in there, Levi standing close by, his hand cupped on the back of her head. Her anxiety chilled out in their arms. That was a relief, at least. I already knew she liked them, but it didn’t hurt to make sure.
“So, you guys don’t just smell fucking incredible for no reason? How do you distinguish that from a scent match?”
The two of them exchanged a look over her head, Dakota opting to field that question. “From everything I’ve ever heard about it, you just instantly know. Maybe it’s something your conscious mind pushed back against because of your engagement, but you’ve been at ease with us from the start, so I can only assume you recognized it on an instinctual level.”
She let out a little sound of distress and thunked her forehead against Dakota’s chest. “I feel dumb I didn’t figure it out. I guess you’re right that I knew, but I didn’tknow.” Riley peeked up at them. “When did you know?”
“After the river.”
“So that’s not why you saved me? You’re just naturally a hero out of a movie?”
Levi laughed. “Well, for one, I wouldn’t willingly let anyone drown if I could stop it, and for two, Cash already loves you so that was more than enough for me.”
“I guess I should say welcome to the pack,” Dakota murmured, bowing his head to breathe her in. “I wish it was with a little more forethought, but I’ll choose to trust in fate.”
“Are you going to go back on your suppressants?” Levi asked. “I don’t want to push. I just want you to have control of any bonds going forward.”
“I probably should. I don’t really like them, but they do have their uses.”
Dakota glanced over to me. “I assume you’ll be taking this morning off. Are we instituting full omega leave for you?”
“That’ll be up to Riley.” My skin was already itching to have her pressed against me, but it wasn’t exactly fair to spring omega leave on my pack during our busy season.
“We could play it by ear,” Riley suggested. She slipped away from Dakota and Levi, wrapping herself around me. “I don’tmind tagging along on chores while we figure things out. Cash can hang out with me in the kitchen too.”
“You want to work after a fresh bond?” Levi asked. “You should be resting.”
Riley shook her head, holding on to me tighter. “I’d rather do what I can. It’ll help me process if I have something to do with my hands and I promise I’ll rest if I need to. Do we have to tell Cooper right this second? I know I need to. I’m just…” Anguish flared up in the bond, knocking me breathless. “I’m really scared he’s going to hate me, for this, and for everything before…”
