Page 25 of Knot Alone

“Hey.” I soothe, pulling Maggie into a hug. Having her naked and warm in my arms isn’t as sexual as it could’ve been. But I think I might like this better.

“I never want to hurt you.” Maggie gasps against my chest, trying to hold back tears.

“And I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then come to bed.”

“I was going to.”

Maggie snorts in disbelief.

“I promise. I just needed a minute to myself. I just… sometimes I have to remind myself that I’m great and Linus loves me and his parents can be hidebound idiots.”

Maggie reaches up and presses her tiny hands to my cheeks. “If they don’t understand how great you are, they’re idiots all the time.”

I can’t help my grin.

Maggie’s own smile fades to a swallow. “Will you…” She trails off, and I let her think for a moment. I also make sure not to think about how good the two of us look in the mirror, with my shirt rucked up Maggie’s thighs to show off the bottom curve of her ass.

“I asked Linus to help me with my heat.” Maggie finally says.

“I know.”

Maggie gulps, and I’m so damn proud of her for saying the next out loud. “Would you help me too?”

“Yes,” I answer before she can finish the question. A piece of me slots into place as I press my lips to hers. Some piece I didn’t realize was missing.

Linus and I are going to be okay. It doesn’t matter what his parents have to say, or how much they’re going to fuss over Maggie. Because when they do, she’s going to look at me and share an eye roll. She and I are on the same team.

The kiss turns slow and drugging as my dick comes back to life after the up and down of angst I’ve put it through. My arousal recognizes that I’ve calmed down and there’s a warm, sweet Omega in my arms. A woman Linus and I are going to do our damn best to keep.

I’m working my hand down the curve of Maggie’s back, looking for the edge of my shirt when Maggie yawns into my mouth.

Maggie freezes like a startled deer and blushes so fast and so hot that I can feel the heat against my skin. I laugh, and Maggie thumps her face against my chest and starts giggling. The arousal leaches out of me like a balloon, giving way to something sweet, full of potential, and no desperation.

I give Maggie one last kiss, then nudge her towards the door. “Let’s go to bed.”

“But you’re…” Maggie glances down at my half-staff erection poking at the towel.

“I’m an adult who can handle my own erections.”

Maggie pouts at me and I want nothing more than to paint her bottom lip with my come. “Bed. Before it turns into something I actually have to take care of.” I tap Maggie on her ass. She flushes bright pink and scampers away, but Maggie doesn’t object like Linus does. I make a mental note for later. (After her heat, because a heat mere days after we meet isn’t the time to start sexually experimenting.)

For now, I follow Maggie back to the bedroom. She stops at the edge of the bed, waiting for me to climb in first like she doesn’t trust me to stick around. I roll my eyes but slot into the middle. Maggie tucks herself against my side, head pillowed on my pec, while Linus rolls over and flops on my chest like a grumpy cat.

I never could’ve dreamed my night would turn out this perfect when I woke up this morning.

Chapter Seven

Maggie

Linus is a taskmaster when he has a goal to achieve. As much as Graham and I would’ve been happy to ignore the beeping of Linus’ alarm and stay in bed, Linus had plans.

Tragically, not sex plans.

“All right, here’s what we’re going to do.” Linus finally announces from the far side of the kitchen island. Linus paced all breakfast. Only stopping to break off a bit of his muffin every time he went past the plate, pondering potential variations while he figured out our day. Graham left Linus to it, doing the morning watering without a care for his husband’s stress. I took my cue from Graham and focused on the muffin and coffee Graham made for me. (Despite being wheat germ and stored in the freezer, the muffin is delicious.)

“I’m going into the office to clear my desk and handle anything pressing so there are no interruptions this weekend. Maggie will ride with me. I’ll drop her off at her home so she can clear her desk too. Graham, you’ll be going to the Center to handle all your intake paperwork and testing.”

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