Page 26 of Knot Alone

“Aye, aye, captain.” Graham gives a jaunty salute with his watering can.

Linus furrows. His irritation is even more potent with his pressed suit. “This is important.”

Graham sets down the can and bundles Linus close with a soft kiss. “I know, babe.”

I can tell Linus would rather we stick together and move around like a pack. But the Alpha is trying to remember we’re all adults capable of arranging things with the Center ourselves. Part of me wants to tell Linus that it will take me all of fifteen minutes to clear my to-do list for the weekend because I planned accordingly for my heat. All I need is to adjust my packing since I won’t be alone anymore. I have a suspicion my organizational skills might turn Linus on more than actual sex.

“As you said, Maggie will give us updates on her status throughout the day. She’ll give us a head’s up when she’s ready to check in to the Center, whenever that may be.” Graham repeats Linus’ instructions. Linus checks with me again, and I nod.

Linus asked me about ‘my anticipated timeline’ first thing this morning while all of us were still naked. Graham had bitten back a smile and I think we both had the overwhelming desire to pinch Linus’ cheeks for being so adorable.

I told Linus my heat shouldn’t take more than a day or two to set in, and he’s planning accordingly. To be honest, if I let myself, I think I could crawl back into bed and tumble straight into heat right here and now.

But going home with an Alpha I’ve barely met is one thing. Going through a heat at his house is another.

“Right. We’ve got our game plan. Maggie will keep us updated. We’ll meet you at the Center when you say it’s time. Or, if you want, we can bring you back here to pass the time until you’re ready for the Center.” Linus repeats.

“Break.” Graham claps his hands.

“You’re not funny.”

“Maggie is laughing.” Graham counters.

“It’s a pity laugh.” Just like Linus’ bitten-back smile is for pity too.

“Sure, it is.” Graham smirks as he threads his fingers through Linus’ belt loops and tugs him into a kiss. They’re a lovely contrast this morning. Linus in his three-piece suit—the vest is even hotter than the regular suit from yesterday—and Graham in nothing but sweats, hair a riot of blond fluff and pillow marks still smooshed into his cheek.

They part with a pop and soon enough the three of us are at the front door, exchanging good morning/goodbye kisses. Somehow Graham did the laundry, so I’m not sneaking home in some Alpha’s spare clothes. The scent of them is going to cause me enough trouble; I don’t need a walk of shame.

Before I can head down to the waiting car, Graham backs me against the wall and presses a deep kiss to my lips, slow and drugging. Some part of me recognizes that my almond arousal is flooding the entryway. But I don’t care, not with Graham’s hot weight pressed against me.

We might’ve stayed there forever, but Graham jumps when Linus pokes him in the ribs. “Gameplan, you two. If you both keep scenting like this, I’m going to drag you both upstairs and we’re going to spend the day in bed.”

Graham leans against the doorframe like the spread in a naughty magazine. “I’m all right with that.”

“Graham,” Linus says, all seriousness. “Get dressed before I have an erection right here on the front porch.”

I laugh, loud and free. They both smell thrilled that they’ve caused it. As much as I’d like to go back to bed, I’m too practical to avoid my luggage forever. I go up on my toes and give Graham a final peck. “Bye, Graham.”

Of course, he drags me back up for another kiss, all my weight against his chest as I balance on my tip-toes. “See you later.”

“I’m going to get you both back for this,” Linus grumbles and nudges me down the stairs.

“Sounds like a promise, not a threat!” Graham calls, then shuts the front door so he can have the last word.

Linus spends the car ride as a perfect, high-strung gentleman. He holds my hand and through sheer force of will keeps his scent mellow, like we both aren’t strung out on low-grade arousal. I’m grateful for his restraint because it feels wrong to get up to anything in the backseat of a car without Graham.

Though… I recognize that’s a problem as soon as the thought crosses my mind: ‘without Graham.’ I’ve never been a ‘make out in the backseat of a car’ sort of woman. But I’m daydreaming about them pressing me between them with my skirt rucked up so I can ride Linus’ fingers.

“Maggie, please.” Linus’ groaning interrupts. I flinch out of the daydream and see his hand white-knuckled on the car door. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to have to jerk off in the car before I go into the office.”

“Sorry.” I blush, my arousal doused with mortification. Linus keeps his hand in a loose grip on mine.

We pass the rest of the car ride in silence. After a goodbye kiss, I step out of the car with a cheerful buzz. I stride up the driveway of my parent’s red-brick McMansion, heading for the side door that sits just past the flowerbed full of rogue daffodils. I wonder what Graham will have to say about these flowers that always come up early because the bed is next to the sunward side of the house. Like everything else in the gated community, the yard is perfectly manicured. The gardeners cleared the flower beds for spring and the plants are waiting for mother nature to heat things up.

I blush at the thought, because I could make a comparison between me and the flowers, and there’s a dirty joke in there about Graham and plants.

This leads me to thoughts of dirty talk at all. With Linus’ voice murmuring praise for my pussy.

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