Page 12 of Knot in Bloom
The man I saw through my window Tuesday morning during the flood. Those same intense green eyes and sharp jawline. Perfect suit. Perfect hair. Scent like expensive leather that hit me so hard I got slick before I could think straight. Pure alpha confidence that made my omega instincts practically beg.
He wants flowers for business meetings every Tuesday for the next month. Big money. The kind of contract that could pay my mortgage for three months.
But the way he looked at me. Like I was worth his time instead of just convenient.
My phone buzzes and I nearly drop it.
Text from Caleb. When did he get my number?
Hope you’re taking care of yourself tonight. Long weekend.
I stare at the message. He’s checking on me. At nine PM on a Saturday. Like that’s normal.
Before I can figure out what to text back, someone knocks at my door.
Soft knock. Polite knock. Nobody good ever shows up this late.
I pad downstairs in my bare feet and peek through the peephole of the side entrance.
Levi. Standing in the back alley with a brown bag and wine. Looking nervous but determined.
Oh crap. Oh crap crap crap.
I’m in flannel pajama pants and a tank top. Haven’t showered since this morning. My hair’s doing that thing where it sticks up weird. And he’s here with dinner and wine and probably expectations I don’t know how to meet.
“Sadie?” His voice carries through the door. “I know it’s late but I thought you might be hungry.”
My stomach chooses that moment to growl so loud he probably heard it.
I could pretend I’m not here. Hide until he goes away.
But I’m tired of hiding from things that might be good just because they also might hurt.
I open the door.
His scent hits me first. Cedar and books and rain. Familiar and safe but also something deeper that makes my core clench with want. He’s wearing jeans and a soft sweater that makes his eyes look warm.
“Chinese food,” he says, holding up the bag like evidence. “From Pine Valley. The good place.”
The place I mentioned liking once. Months ago. He remembered.
“Levi.” My voice comes out breathless. “You don’t have to?—”
“I want to.” He steps closer. Near enough that I can see his pupils are big. Near enough that he’s definitely smelling my honeysuckle and vanilla and the arousal I can’t hide. “You’ve had a hell of a week.”
The way he says it. Like he’s been paying attention. Like my disasters matter to him.
“Okay.” I step back to let him in, then lead him up the narrow staircase to my apartment. The space feels tiny with him in it. His alpha presence makes my skin prickle and my scent sweeten without permission. “That’s really sweet.”
He moves to my kitchen table. Starts unpacking containers like he’s done this before. Like he belongs here.
“Sorry about the mess,” I say even though there’s no mess. Just nervous energy making my mouth run. “I was just walking around trying to process everything. The wedding went well I think but I keep waiting for something to go wrong because that’s what always happens and?—”
“Sadie.” His voice is gentle. “Breathe.”
I take a breath. Watch him find my wine opener without asking where it is.
“The wedding was beautiful,” he says, pouring wine into my mismatched glasses. “I heard three people ask Maeve for your contact information at the post office this morning.”
