Page 46 of Knot That Serious

As he approached, Eli stared up at him, eyes wide.

Was Jack always this hot and intense? Or was her vision heat-colored?

“You heard us last night,” Jack said softly.

If any more blood rushed to Eli’s face, she might pass out, but she nodded anyway.

Eli leaned back as Jack leaned in and planted his palms on either side of her hips. The mattress dipped as he slid closer, a knee nudging between hers but not moving any further.

“D’you do anything about it?” he asked, staring down at her. His hazel eyes were dark and his hair was all a mess from his helmet and Eli really wanted to kiss him, which was crazy because he was her best friend. But then again, she was kind of almost in heat and—he’d asked her a question.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she nodded.

It must have been the answer Jack wanted to hear, because one corner of his lips twitched up.

“Admit it. You want Beckett, too.”

Fine. She nodded.

Jack grinned then, sharp and victorious, as the doorbell rang. “Good,” he practically purred. “Because I told him to come over.”

Eli blinked, and Jack was leaning away, the mattress breathing in his absence as he retraced his steps before pausing at the door.

“I got more oranges, by the way.”

Eli watched him go, waited until he was out of sight before she let herself fall back onto the bed and cover her eyes. She let out a little groan.

What had she gotten herself into?

Jack’s murmur carried from the living room, and Eli trailed to the edge of the hallway, peeking out to find—not Beckett.

Arlo was standing on the other side of the door, all polite smiles with a white paper bag.

“Hey, Arlo,” she called out.

He leaned around Jack to wave. “Hey you! How’re things?”

She shrugged, not wanting to trail too close, in case she was perfuming. “Could be better, I suppose. Thanks for delivering—Jack, get out of the way.”

Jack stopped shifting his shoulders to eclipse Eli from Arlo’s view.

“Sorry,” he muttered, and stayed still.

Arlo glanced between the two of them, brow perfectly arched. “Riiight,” he drawled. “Well, I asked Wendy what her favorites were around heat-time, and she helped me pick out a few good options for you. Hope they help.”

“Thanks, man, we appreciate it,” Jack said, accepting the bag.

“Receipt’s in there, too, and if you run out, feel free to give me a call—”

“Holy shit, Arlo,” Jack sputtered, prying the bag open and peering inside. Eli wanted to see, too! “We won’t be running out any time soon.”

Arlo chuckled, ran a hand over the back of his neck and glanced down. “Maybe went a little overboard.”

Fuck it. Eli left the safety of the hallway and trailed closer, peering around Jack’s side to see into the bag. Not only had he scored them three types of flower, but a vape and three types of edibles as well.

“Jeez, do you think I’ll need all of this?” she asked, a thread of panic in her voice.

“Nah, of course not. Just wanted you to have options. Jack said citrus is your favorite, so I got some flavored edibles.”

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