Page 20 of Knot Your Karma
“Better?” he asks softly, his thumb brushing across my cheek.
I stare up at him, and my brain tries to process what just happened. The way he just... fixed everything. Made the panic stop like I was broken, and he was the missing piece.
“I...” I start, but I have no idea how to finish that sentence.
“Karma—”
“I have to go,” I say, backing away from him like he’s on fire. I want to stay, oh do I want to stay. “I have to... the shop. I left the shop unlocked. Customers might...”
Run. You need to run before you do something even stupider like tell him the truth or kiss him again or both.
“Karma, wait?—”
But I’m already moving, practically jogging back toward Main Street. I can still smell him on my cardigan where his hands gripped the fabric. I catch myself pressing my nose to my sleeve as I walk away, trying to hold on to something I shouldn’t want.
This is bad. This is really, really bad.
Because now I know what it feels like when he kisses me. Now I know that his alpha energy can settle my panic like nothing else ever has.
Now I know that I’m not just attracted to Declan Mitchell—I’m definitely a scent match.
And he still has no idea that I’m the reason his family’s most precious heirloom went missing in the first place.
I am so completely screwed, I think for the second time today.
Reed
“Where the hell are you?”I ask when Declan finally picks up his phone on the fourth ring. “Adrian and I got here twenty minutes ago, and you’re nowhere to be found.”
“At the inn,” Dec’s voice sounds like he gargled gravel and regret. Knowing him, it could be both. “Room twelve. But Reed, something happened with Karma.”
I pause halfway up the steps to Anchor’s Inn. Adrian should be right behind me carrying our overnight bags. But all I hear is his heaving breath as he climbs the stairs.
“What kind of something? Good something orI need to start planning damage controlsomething?”
“I kissed her.”
“Okay, that sounds like good something. Why do you sound like someone just told you your favorite building got condemned?”
“She ran.” The words come out flat, defeated. “I think I scared her off. She had this panic attack, and I thought... I thought I was helping, but the moment I kissed her, she looked at me like I was the last person she wanted comfort from.”
I exchange a look with Adrian, who’s now paying full attention to my side of the conversation. His gray eyes narrow with concern.
“Dec, did it occur to you that maybe she’s not scared of you specifically? Maybe she’s scared of the situation, and you kissing her just made everything more intense?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. I just... I screwed this up, Reed.”
“You didn’t screw anything up,” I say automatically. Even though I know Declan, it’s possible he pushed too hard too fast. “Where is she now?”
“Her shop, probably. What Goes Around, on Main Street. But I don’t think she wants to see me right now.” He really sounds like a defeated puppy.
“Good thing she doesn’t have to see you right now.” I’m already heading back down the inn steps. “I’m going to go introduce myself. Beta perspective might be helpful here.”
“Reed, you don’t have to?—”
“Dec, you’re spiraling. That’s exactly when pack steps in to save you from yourself.”
Besides, I need to meet this girl now.
