Page 80 of Knot That Serious

Eli almost missed a step and cursed before standing up straight, eyes wide as she glanced at him. “Sure, yeah. Okay.”

Raj was struck with electric fondness. “You know, so we can plan our first date.”

Eli shook her head, a grin curling her lips as she held out her phone.

They exchanged phones, and numbers, on the third floor landing. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, and yet the moment was ending far too quickly.

“Well, I think our journey ends here. Is there anything else I can do to make you feel better?”

Eli hummed, facing the door, her lip bitten between her teeth. Indecision played on her features.

“Actually…” She turned to him, gaze quickly tracing over his frame. “Can I just… can I have a hug?”

Raj’s heart practically swelled.

16. Plan In Action

Eli

“Can I just…”

This was a stranger, albeit a very handsome one, with no preconceived notions about Eli. She could be whoever she wanted to be in this moment.

And right now, she was just an omega, fresh out of her heat, with no alpha to cuddle. And this alpha had just spent the better part of his afternoon listening to her complain about another alpha.

And whose fault is that?

“Can I just have a hug?” she asked.

Raj froze for a split second, as if that was the last thing he’d been expecting. But then he nodded, opened his arms with the defined biceps, and waited.

Eli practically launched herself at him, burying her face in his sternum. He was tall, too, and his arms completely enveloped her. Warmth and safety surrounded her, and Eli went lax against him.

“You smell nice,” Eli murmured, and this close, she heard his breath catch.

“You, too,” he said softly, and his voice rumbled through his chest and against her cheek as he spoke.

“Thanks for… listening, I guess,” she offered, forcing herself to step away after what felt like the longest moment.

“Anytime. I’m serious. You need anything at all, you just come knock, okay? Even if it’s so I can watch you down eight slices of syrupy bread.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks, and it must have been obvious, because Raj reached a hand up to cup her face, running a thumb over the color.

“I’m gonna court the hell outta you,” he told her.

Eli didn’t know how to respond, so she kind of stared up at Raj, a little lost.

“Not only to make him jealous,” he added, quieter. “Just to… show you. So you know how it feels. That way, if you do ever intend to let these bozos be your alphas, you’ll have expectations. They should court you if they want you to be theirs.”

His thumb stroked her cheek slowly as he spoke, and it was like he was casting a spell. Eli let his words sink in, lulled by the rhythmic touch.

Courted. By an alpha.

Beckett would probably be good at courting. Hell, the plastic bags of the blankets and pillows he’d brought were still in the recycling. But Jack… had only ever been with alphas. No courting necessary.

“This is a bad idea,” Eli warned, only half-believing it herself.

Raj’s full lips curled into a wide, genuine smile. The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes creased, big brown eyes actually sparkling.

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