Page 39 of Hired for Research
He set the boot beside him and lowered her foot to the floor, moving his hands to the other. The warmth of his fingers sank into the muscles of her calf, the tingling intensifying as her core fluttered at his nearness. There was no way he could miss the scent of her arousal and her cheeks grew warmer as his nostrils flared.
“I’ll put them by the door. Hopefully they’ll dry before you need them again.”
Wet boots and winter storms were the last thing she was worried about. She should have been concerned about how warm she felt and how much she wanted Jett’s hands to remain on her, but the fuzziness that had overtaken her at the diner was encroaching again.
Jett rose, so close he seemed to tower over her before he stepped to the side and carried her boots to place beside his. Evelyn remained rooted to the spot, unsure what to do. Her mind was clear enough to know what her body was begging for her to do went against everything she’d been clinging to since she met Jett, but she wasn’t sure she cared anymore.
He seemed to avoid looking at her as he moved across the apartment again, dousing some of the heat pouring through her veins. Pulling a blanket from the back of his couch, he came back to where she stood, holding it out and waiting for her to duck so he could wrap it around her shoulders.
The scent of him intensified and she had to breathe through her mouth to keep from drowning in his pheromones. Her stomach clenched again but she was beginning to think it had nothing to do with it being upset, and everything to do with the male standing in front of her.
She wanted him. Her core pulsed with the need to have his hands on her again, this time without the cloth barrier between them.
His hands lingered on the ends of the blanket, fingers worrying the fabric above where she held it clenched over her heart. He was staring at her with such an intense expression, a reflection of the desire she felt shining back at her from his eyes, but he finally let go and took a step back.
“Can I get you anything?”
Your hands on me. Your mouth on mine. An assurance I won’t crave you the rest of my life or regret leaving here without finding out what a knot feels like.
Maybe I should try it. For research.
She shook her head, pressing her lips together and praying those words wouldn’t escape the confines of her mind. She didn’t even trust herself enough to thank him for the consideration he’d shown, knowing her control was tenuous.
An awkwardness grew between them as they stood in the middle of the room staring at each other. If she moved she was going to throw herself at him, but she couldn’t just stand in the middle of the floor until the storm ended. She could still hear hail pinging off the window beside the couch, and she had no idea how long it was going to last.
“Umm, can I use your bathroom?”
Maybe if she got away from him for a few minutes she could calm herself and stop imagining him bending her over every piece of furniture in his apartment.
Jett grimaced, his eyes sliding away from her to look into his bedroom before letting out a sigh.
“Yeah, just ignore the mess. I swear I’m not a slob, I just haven’t had time to drag my laundry down to the washroom.”
The mundane concern helped pull her further from the raging desire that had been growing inside her, and she quirked a brow. She’d be the last one to judge someone on clutter considering the state of her own house. Her bedroom was probably the only one she might be able to claim was clean, depending on how someone viewed her little nest.
“I’m sorry if I’ve kept you too busy. I’m used to working everyday and didn’t consider you’d need some time off. You should see the state of my dining table. At least you have room to eat at yours.”
His chuckle sounded a little strained, but his shoulders seemed to relax.
“It’s no problem. It’s more that I’ve been lazy about it. I’ll find us a movie or something to watch while we wait. You sure you don’t need anything?”
Evelyn shook her head again and turned toward his bedroom door. Suddenly her plan to escape him didn’t seem so smart considering she’d have to pass through that den of delicious scent to get to the bathroom.
Sucking in a deep breath, she held it as she stepped into his private space. A part of her felt like she was intruding and she should be ashamed, but she couldn’t help how his apartment was laid out.
She kept her head down and made it to the bathroom without giving in to the urge to look around, closing the door behind her. Letting out the breath she’d held, she took a cautious sip of air. She knew there was no way the room would be devoid of his scent, but she’d hoped it wouldn’t be as strong and she could ignore it.
She was wrong.
Her belly clenched, making her double over and brace her hands on the sink in front of her. Shaking her head, she tried to deny the obvious, but it was too late for that.
She was going into heat.
Panting as she straightened, she tried to remember when her last cycle had been. Hers had always been further apart than most, but she’d double checked before she came to Eden to be sure this wouldn’t happen. She should have had another month at least, yet she couldn’t deny the wetness seeping from her core or the heat burning in her middle. Maybe it had been the exposure to so many alphas, or because of the attraction to Jett and his constant nearness, but it was happening.
“What do I do?”
She stared at her reflection, taking note of her flushed skin, dilated pupils, and rapid breathing. She was close to the tipping point, where her thoughts would focus on nothing but the need growing within her womb.
