Page 35 of The Twelve Knots of Christmas
It was us.
How did…?
I couldn’t look away. And I couldn’t stop smiling.
We had so much fun skating together. I’d been shy and hesitant at first, but my body quickly remembered what to do. Balthazar told me jokes and stories, and had me laughing the whole time. The food we ate after was really good, but the rush of racing with him and nearly falling down from laughing made that my favorite part of our first date.
Until I spent an hour hiding in the women’s bathroom.
“But how did he get this made so quickly?” Apparently I underestimated the skill and efficiency of the artisans at the market. I’d wanted to dismiss all the vendors as sellers of festive junk, but this was a memory frozen forever in time.
I hadn’t only undervalued the artisans, but I’d misjudged Balthazar. He hadn’t just gone out of his way to do something nice, he’d given it thought and care.
Looking to my door, I wondered what sort of clothes he’d given Lyla for me to wear tomorrow? I had joked when I mentioned lingerie, but I was expecting a slinky dress or a gaudy Christmas dress. But now I thought it couldn’t be that. We weregoing to a charity event. He’d seen how I dressed. He probably picked something tasteful. Or it could be a sweater with his farm’s logo on it like the employees were all wearing. That would make sense too.
I shook the snow globe again and set it on my desk. I’d been thrown off by normal dates, but that’s exactly what I needed. Fun and light, and yeah, tomorrow would be Christmasy, but my anxiety lessened. If I really was in heat, then it would get handled with the help of the pack, but they weren’t pressuring me. No one was getting attached to anyone. We’d have our final dates and then I could be merrily on my way to California after Christmas.
Letting Artemis outside in the backyard for one more potty break for the night, I went back to my room and prepped a hot bath. I picked up the snow globe again and giggled, remembering how I’d won one race by pretending to stumble. When he skidded to a stop to help me, I kept going and touched the other side before he did. He chased me around the rink four times as I laughed and then actually fell for real.
My dreams weren’t nearly as sweet and light. I woke at two drenched in a feverish sweat and had to drape a cold washcloth over my forehead and another around my neck. The next time I opened my eyes, it was just after seven and I had a pillow wedged between my legs soaked with my slick.
I throbbed with the ache of needing to be knotted. Fuck. I’d been doing so good the past few days. Jasper blew my mind with his oral skills had held off my heat for two days, but it was more fierce than it was before.
Tossing my pajamas and the pillowcase into my laundry basket, and then adding the entire pillow, I hurried into my bathroom and ran a cold shower. Artemis whimpered her concern, but I had to have relief.
I leaned against the tiled wall as the chilly water made me gasp. Flashes of my dreams flickered in my mind. Lucian kissing down my neck and bending me over to fill me from behind. I spread my legs and teased my pussy, fingers prodding and flicking against my clit.
Jasper climbing on the hood of his Mustang with me and fucking me as he whispered all the naughty things he wanted to do to me. Moaning, I plunged a finger into me and pumped my hand. It wasn’t him, but I couldn’t stop. I needed this.
Balthazar stripping out of his tight jeans in my room, forbidden and sexy, and the magnificent weight of him on me as he thrust up into me. Grinding my palm against my clit, I drove a second finger into me. He’d be so much bigger. Hard and thick, and his knot, oh God, how it would stretch me.
I covered my mouth with my free hand to keep my cry from waking anyone in the house as I came. And while the edge of my heat had become less painful, it was still pulsing.
As I panted and tried to not fall, I turned the water to warm. I couldn’t dismiss this as just simple attraction. This really was my heat. I would need the Alphas sooner rather than later. Quivers of nervousness fluttered in my belly.
Having the conversation with the pack, and then letting Jasper eat me out on his car, those things were big deals. But being knotted by an Alpha? I didn’t know if I was ready for that. Everyone told Omegas it was the greatest feeling in the world and the only true way to help ease heat pains.
Maybe I could get by with just lots of oral sex.
But I couldn’t stop imagining what their cocks would feel like inside of me, and how it would be when their knots swelled and locked our bodies together.
I turned the water cold again. Dammit. I couldn’t let my hormones dictate what I was going to do.
Today was about the charity event. We’d be in a public place surrounded by people. Maybe there would be drinks and food, or a silent auction. There would definitely be a Santa. Every Christmas charity event had an appearance by Old Saint Nick. A perfect thing to keep me from getting aroused.
I finished my shower, dressed, and took Artemis for a long walk. By the time I got back, Miss Eloise had made breakfast, and by ten, Lyla had finally emerged from her suite.
“I’ve been planning your look for today all night.” No good morning or even a cup of coffee in her. Lyla was full of energy and ready to work her fashion magic on me. “Your hair will take the longest, so we’ll do that first. I will do it up in the style of space buns, but make the balls into bows. It will be super cute. Your makeup will be light and have extra shimmer to it. I have snowflake earrings you can wear, and you can borrow any of my leggings. I have five choices laid out for you to choose from.”
Oh God, not the Christmas leggings. “What did Balthazar give to you for me to wear?”
“You’ll see it after your hair and makeup is done.” Lyla chuckled. It was too devious.
“If you’re doing my hair like bows, is it a present costume? Are you dressing me up like a Christmas present?” That would be a hard no for me. I might wear a dress Balthazar picked or the Silver Tree Farm sweater, but I was not a costume person.
“No. Don’t be silly.” Lyla poured herself a glass of orange juice, purposely not looking in my direction.
I turned to Miss Eloise to see if she had any reaction, but she was only smiling and cutting mango to eat with our French toast. She glanced up at me and reached over to pat my hand. “It’ll be fine, dear. The event is at the children’s hospital wing.They bring in gifts for the kids, have a little party for them, and raise money to help families pay for their medical bills.”
