Page 62 of Sweetheart: Part One

A low, wounded sound slipped from my chest, and I was tugging her closer.

Shit.

She stirred, and I hadn’t let her go.

For whatever crazy reason, I didn’t want a different Sweetheart. Not when I’d met Vex. None of them had been like this.

We’d had kind, sexy, fun, and outgoing Sweethearts. There’d been nothing wrong with any of the betas who’d turned up at our door for this job. Yet, never had I felt a connection with them like I did her.

She’d texted me in the middle of the night, asking if I’d come to her room. I had been asleep, but her number was set to ring no matter if my phone was on silent, so I’d woken to the text. I’d entered her room within the minute, crossing to her bed to make sure she was okay. She had been… kind of. Face free of makeup, she’d looked… tired, the faintest trace of red to her eyes as if she’d been crying. I hadn’t asked her about it, and she hadn’t told me a thing.

She didn’t have to. She wouldn’t be here long, and I would be whatever she needed for that time.

My signature still wasn’t on the paper, and I was feeling the weight of that. But I’d told her I would only sign her if at least one of my brothers accepted her.

They hadn’t. Not yet, and I couldn’t sign her in without that.

I couldn’t be the only one who wanted her here.

Laying as I was right now, arms wrapped around her waist, I really, really should let her go. But I was captivated by her. Her dark eyelashes fluttered, and then she blinked a few times, hand coming up to rub her eyes. I loved how soft she looked without her makeup, just as much as I liked her sharp edges with it.

There was a pinch to her brow as she tried to figure out what was happening.

That the alpha sleeping in her bed was cuddling her without asking first.

And he was completely aware of it and still hadn’t let go.

I shifted back in an instant, finally coming to myself, but she grabbed my arms, halting me. A smile crossed her face, delicate fingers dropping to where my arms encircled her as she peered up at me with those breathtaking chocolate eyes.

A purr rumbled to life in my chest.

I’d have to start making a list of ways to get her to smile for me more. Apparently—thank god—unrequested cuddles were on that list.

I wouldn’t be telling the others.

“I uh… just woke up… like this,” I said quickly.

“It’s nice,” she said, wriggling closer.

The feeling of her ass on my crotch sent blood rushing to embarrassing places.

Shitcakes.

She paused, the smile on her face getting nervous as her gaze darted to me again.

“Sorry,” I said, voice hoarse.

I was obscenely aroused, I could even feel blood rushing to my knot, which usually didn’t happen from just normal arousal.

“I really should…” I tried again to pull away, but this time she turned. Facing me, she wrapped one leg around my hips, pressing her face into the crook of my neck as she gripped me close. For a moment, I felt a flutter of nerves, not used to this sort of closeness. But she was right here in front of me. I could see her. My hands were on her hips right now.

“You smell really good,” she whispered.

I smiled, nerves ebbing away. God, I was a mess, though she obviously didn’t care.

She leaned back, hands planted on my chest as she stared up at me, pupils blown, lips parted just slightly.

“You’re beautiful,” I told her.

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