Page 23 of Knot Your Problem

The dark, yet open, space within the treehouse calmed my nervous excitement. This was my favorite place, the space in the world that most felt like me. There was a vibration, a resonance in this place that called to me.

I loved my little studio cabin down amongst my friends, but I also liked to come up here and unwind after a long day. Watch the dappled sunlight filter through the leaves as the world changed from bright sunshine into spectacular watercolors, then finally, star speckled darkness.

I loved dawn just as much, and I would sometimes steal up here while it was still dark to watch the day wake up and creep out from the shadows, as the magic happened in reverse.

That hour at dusk and dawn when the light was soft, yet the world seemed to glow, made dreams and fairytales feel possible.

We built the treehouse suspended between three huge old trees growing close together on the sloped land of the farm. So the back was closer to the ground than the front, but it backed onto a rocky outcrop that wasn’t very accessible.

It had winding steps that followed the main tree trunk up to an enormous deck, with an enclosed fire pit to use in winter. The tree house itself was a simple A-frame, with a big main room that flowed in from the deck through sliding barn doors, a small kitchenette, bathroom and a loft room with a skylight.

I wasn’t really sure why I didn’t just move in here and tell the guys it was now off-limits. I didn’t have a problem being alone. Even in the dark.

I shifted restlessly, and Bear nudged my leg, sensing my nervousness. He was back up on his feet, but he still seemed a little woozy. Bear was also hyper focused on me and was in full protective mode, as though he could still sense danger. Or maybe what had happened earlier had rattled him. I wasn’t sure. Sometimes I wished I could read his doggy brain better.

I rubbed his head, and he leaned into my hip more, before he suddenly tensed and angled his head towards the stairs. I strained to hear, but I could only make out insects buzzing and the hoot of a nearby owl. A moment later, I heard footsteps approach through the leaf litter below, and I faded back into the shadows.

I was wearing a black t-shirt and a short, floaty black skirt with cabbage roses in the same shades as my hair. So I was hoping I would blend into the shadows. I wasn’t really sure why I was hiding. I just felt the need to watch him for a moment, before everything changed.

The footsteps slowed and became tentative as they started up the steps in the darkness near the trunk. As Dio emerged slowly from the top, I took a moment to drink him in, as he stood bathed in pale light from the full moon.

He was a gorgeous man, with that dark olive skin that glowed with caramel undertones, and those beautiful sun kissed brown curls. His hair was short on the sides, but riotous curls dipped over his forehead where it grew longer on top. I had the strongest urge to wrap those curls around my fingers and tug gently.

He was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a white, tight fitting t-shirt, with chunky boots. The way the shirt seemed to draw all the moonlight as it hugged his chest had me wanting to check my chin for drool. He had a beautifully proportioned body, with wide shoulders that drew down to a trim waist. He had an athlete’s build, strong and muscular, especially his thighs, without being too jacked.

His eyes were a piercing green that I could see blinking and darting around as he tried to adjust to the sudden light after the dark stairs. He knew I was here somewhere, and he was searching for me.

The thought made me want to run and see if he would chase me. I wanted to be such a bad girl, in the best way. But that wasn’t why I’d asked him to meet me here tonight. Well, not yet anyway.

I needed to know what I was, once and for all. The way I had reacted with instant need to this man and his friend screamed omega. And I could sense that strange hint of a scent that had haunted my teenage years, almost pushing against my skin, wanting out.

Even now, just the sight of him had me feeling needy and aching. I’d had a healthy sex life before the Crash, but I’d only ever been with betas and I’d always kept it casual. No-one had ever made me feel like this, with just a look, before today.

I’d chosen Dio over Sam to meet tonight, even though they had reacted to me the same way, because I couldn’t handle both of them together for this and there was too much power exploding from Sam for what I needed right now.

Dio had also seemed like he was the less intense, if not the less dangerous, of the two. Yet, right now, I had a feeling his smile, and that deep laugh that skated over my skin and begged me to come closer, would be my undoing.

I took a deep breath and emerged from the shadows of the tree branches on the other side of the deck. Dio stilled as soon as I moved, before whipping around to face me.

We watched each other quietly, stuck in a moment neither of us seemed willing to break. It felt like that moment, just before something momentous, when the air felt charged with hidden intent. I could almost see the sparks zapping between us.

I felt the pull getting stronger with every heartbeat as we stared at each other without moving. Then Dio suddenly smiled like I was the fucking sun appearing after a storm. Rather than breaking the mood, it amped up the desire I felt building in my blood.

His smile was addictive. It lit up his entire face and drew attention to his mouth and those full, pouty, kissable lips. I arched an eyebrow at him, but remained silent.

“You’re so beautiful here in the moonlight, it takes my breath away,” he said in a hushed tone, in answer to my silent question. He took a small step forward, that dazzling smile still lighting up his face. “I don’t know why you asked me here, but I’m glad you did.”

I watched him carefully. There was no hesitation, nothing held back, no artifice, no stealth or concealment that I could see. He just seemed happy to be here, sharing this space in this moment with me. His entire body was relaxed and completely open as he stood casually at the edge of the deck.

He was holding a messy bunch of flowers, tied loosely with kitchen twine, and I felt my heart skip a beat dangerously. Nobody had ever brought me flowers before. I didn’t keep guys around long enough for them to get that confident.

They looked like the flowers we had grown around the kitchen garden to attract bees and help propagate the plants. He held them out to me now.

“I brought you these,” he said. “Technically, I stole them, then brought them to you. I’m hoping nobody minds.”

His impish grin told me he had zero care if anyone minded, and would probably charm them anyway if they hunted him down to object. I got the impression that smile helped him get away with a lot.

I went to take a step towards him, but Bear moved in front of me and blocked me. He had his head cocked to the side curiously. He ambled over to Dio, slower than his usual intimidating, long-loped stride when approaching strangers. I figured he was still a little fuzzy from being knocked out earlier.

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