Page 187 of Knot That Serious

Her gaze trailed to Beckett. Almost.

The thing was, she hadn’t been unhappy before… before the suppressant shortage changed everything. Before realizing just what Jack meant to her, and then Beckett and Raj, too.

But it was a different flavor of happy to have someone, or three someones, to share... this with. The dinner they’d had and the dirty dishes that still needed to be done and painting nails together and just being—

“Eli?” Beckett said softly, and she realized she’d been staring into space for probably a bit too long. “You okay over there?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, shaking her head, lips curled in a soft smile. “Sorry, just thinking.”

“Want to share with the class?” he asked, capping the bottle of his polish and pushing it away. He was done painting, and his glossy nails shined under the living room lamp.

“Just thinkin’ about how happy I am,” she said, flushing when it came out as less of a joke, like she’d intended, and more of a confession. She cleared her throat, sitting up on her knees and sliding into Beckett’s lap. To keep his nails from getting smudged, she wrapped her fingers around his wrists and pushed them up above his head as she slid into place. His bright blue eyes darkened as they met her own. “And how I could be happier,” she added, letting her weight sink onto Beckett’s lap.

“Oh, yeah?” he asked, voice a little weak, fingers twitching in her grasp.

Eli nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. “Mhm,” she hummed, tilting her head to the side, baring the line of her neck that was bare.

“Could think of a few things to improve the situation,” she purred.

Beckett’s lips parted, drawing in a soft breath as the words sank in.

…and in. And in.

“Error 404, page not found?” Jack asked with a snort, pushing his hand away from his face to squint at the polish. “She’s asking to bond you, man; snap the fuck out of it.”

“I—” Beckett finally choked out. His cheeks were about as pink as Eli’s hair. “I—Eli, is that what you’re asking?”

Eli rolled her eyes, chest full with fondness. “Yes, you ridiculous alpha. I want a full set,” she teased.

“Well, I think we can find some way to solve this problem,” he said softly. “I would love to bond you properly. I mean, it’s plenty enough that you’d include me in your pack—”

“Not like she has a choice,” Jack interjected absently. “I had you first.”

Eli turned her head and stuck her tongue out at Jack.

“Well, yes, I know that,” Beckett said. “But I mean, it’s just lovely to think that you want to share something so intimate with me,” he said.

He almost went to cup her face, but Eli grabbed his wrist and held it away. “Don’t mess up your paint job,” Eli said. “They’re still wet.”

He narrowed his eyes at her, lips twitching. “Did you plan this?”

“Of course not,” she lied, and leaned in to kiss him.

He hummed doubtfully against her lips, vibrating them with the sound, and she laughed before their mouths slotted together a little more seriously. She sank firmer into his lap, arms resting on his shoulders and fingers curling through his hair.

His arms were still lifted, but he relaxed them along the back of the couch, nails protected from possible damage.

“Oh, am I meant to just watch, then?” Jack asked.

Eli and Beckett pulled apart, turning in sync to stare at Jack, who had both his hands in the air, nails still wet just like Beckett’s.

“It’s not my fault you didn’t think ahead,” Eli drawled.

“So this was planned,” Beckett said, his voice all ah-ha!

He pressed into his feet, angling his knees off the ground and dumping her entirely in his lap. Through the thin layer of her skirt bunched between her thighs, she could feel that he was already hard against her.

“You make it sound so ominous,” Eli teased.

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