Page 102 of Knot That Serious

Raj dutifully took her hand, stroking his calloused thumb over the back, and chatted softly as they walked to the elevator. She half expected him to take advantage of the moment and kiss her or something, but instead, he just kept talking, eyes latched onto the way the numbers changed above the doors.

When the doors parted, he motioned for her to go first with a wave of his hand, and Eli couldn’t help but smile at his manners. The hallway was large enough for the two of them to walk side by side, so he kept hold of her hand until her doorway loomed before them.

“Make sure you think about me later,” she said, and let her gaze wander his tall figure. His erection had long since gone down, she was sure. But on the off chance he resurrected it later…

She smirked and leaned up for a kiss to his lips, parted in shock.

“Thank you for tonight,” she said against his mouth.

He cupped her head so gently, and followed her as she lowered to the heels of her feet, pulling another giggle out of her when he wouldn’t break the kiss.

“Thank you, my sweet, for letting me show you how special you are.”

Her breath caught.

“Have a good night,” he said, finally lifting away. “I’ll be thinking of you.”

Eli almost fell into the door as she unlocked it, and they both chuckled before he turned back for the elevators.

She waited for him to glance over his shoulder, then wiggled her fingers at him in a cheeky goodbye. His scent lingered on her skin even in his absence, and she grinned as she leaned into the doorknob.

As Eli finally shut the door behind her, she had to resist collapsing against it and sliding with a sigh to the floor. Instead, she locked it behind her, and braced for the two gazes latched onto her from over the back of the couch.

“Hey,” they said in unison.

She wondered how they’d spent the evening. If they’d missed her, thought about her or what she’d been doing with this other alpha.

“Hey,” she responded, anticipating the questions they surely had for her.

Instead, they turned around, but not before Beckett called out, “Seems like you had fun.”

“Yeah, nice sex hair,” Jack yelled after her, followed by an oof as Beckett elbowed him.

She rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding?

Jack wanted to remain friends, so why would he care what she was doing on her date?

If anything, they’d probably sat right on that couch and been too lost in whatever movie was on to give her a second thought.

She’d be lucky if they thought of her at all.

With that bitter thought in mind, she trailed to her room and collapsed on the bed.

20. Date Prep

Beckett

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Beckett asked.

“I only have good ideas,” Jack retorted, and Beckett rolled his eyes. Though Jack never knew, because Beckett had one hand covering his eyes, and one hand stretched out, hovering over a rack of hangers.

“I’m just saying,” Beckett continued, even as Jack said “Go.”

Beckett began to walk, hand wavering over hanger after hanger. “Isn’t the idea to blend in?”

“Stop,” Jack said, and Beckett froze, dropping his hand to the hanger directly beneath his touch, and opened his eyes.

“Oh, Jack,” he whined. “Do I have to?”