Page 45 of Knot That Serious

“I mean, I don’t think it gets any more uncomfortably intimate than that,” he said, a smile in his voice. Eli leaned back only to gently bump her forehead into his sternum.

“Bonk,” Jack said softly. Eli grinned at their feet, repeated the action. “Bonk,” Jack said again. “Besides, I’ll have you know I’m, like, really great in bed, and what is it you’re telling me all the time? ‘Treat yourself,’ or somethin—”

“Okay, okay, fine!” she blurted, then winced, slamming her eyes closed.

But then… relief unfurled in her as the words settled, as it dawned on them both what Eli had just agreed to.

Jack would help her with her heat.

She lifted her head, stared up at him almost challengingly. “You are not allowed to spit in my mouth like you did to that one guy.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Please. I’m gonna treat you so good, baby girl—”

“No. Nope, absolutely not,” Eli groaned, and broke the embrace with her arms as she stepped away.

Jack snickered. “I’m just kidding, I’m kidding. I’ll finally get to show you what else is huge besides my brain,” he teased.

Groaning, Eli stalked into her bedroom to get away from him. “Are you still hung up on that?”

Jack followed, but leaned against the door jamb instead of coming in without her permission.

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll knot you so hard your eyes cross.”

Eli scoffed and used her foot to push her bag away before slumping down onto the bed. “Don’t get my hopes up.”

He didn’t say anything at first, and Eli glanced up at him to find his gaze latched onto the bag.

“Is that Beckett’s shirt?” he asked.

“Nope,” she lied.

“Liar,” he called out. “You like him, don’t you?”

His gaze narrowed and she couldn’t tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

“You’re just projecting.”

“You’re the one who packed his dirty shirt in your bag for horny jail.”

“Please don’t call it that,” Eli pleaded, and then glanced to the bag where the light blue sleeve was peeking out.

“Okay, so, if you don’t like him, why’d you steal it, huh?”

Eli ground her teeth together. “He’s just. Nice. I get good vibes,” she tried.

“Does he smell nice?” Jack asked.

Eli nodded.

Jack’s hum was suspicious. “S’got a nice knot, too,” he drawled, and Eli’s face went red.

She glared at Jack across the room and startled out of her annoyance when she found something a little too serious to consider it a tease.

“Bet you’d like it,” he continued, finally leaving the door frame, lowering his arms, and stepping into her room.

He moved slowly, giving her every opportunity to tell him to stop, to leave.

She stayed quiet.

---