Although it had just turned to March, it was relatively warm out, so I decided to go for a walk that evening to find something to eat. After my meeting with Chilli, I sent Lila off to work, and I spent most of the day doing absolutely nothing. Honestly, my mind was kind of frozen with all that had taken place in just a little over a week. Maybe I needed to go back to work. A sense of normalcy might do me good.
A hand came to my forehead, and I quickly leaned back, glaring at Kai.
He gave me concerned eyes. “You feel kind of hot. Do you need me to take care of things for you?”
He looked behind us, one of many times. I was strolling, but his body was tense and alert. It was very apparent that my determination to hold some semblance of normalcy in my life was stressing him the hell out. He was doing his job, and I appreciated him for it. I was realizing that going at this alone was a bit daunting. Having someone have my back was more comforting than I wanted to admit. If I relied on him too much, I’d get attached. My mind would get clouded by his presence, his scent, his voice. That freaking purr thing he did when we were in bed. It was a slippery slope from a friend that happens to be an alpha to being claimed by an alpha.
I walked faster. “No, thank you, I’m fine.”
He walked up to match my strides, although he was taller, so it took less energy. “Why are you mad at me? I couldn’t have done a bad job.”
I chuckled, crossing my arms. “How confident of you.” Of course, he hadn’t done a bad job. I’d been thinking about our night and morning together practically every day. Did I want to jump back into bed with him again? Abso-freaking-lutely.
But I wanted to be in control of myself. Half the reason I hated being an omega was the lack of control we were supposed to have. I wasn’t some beast in the wild. I didn’t need to spread my legs for every alpha that passed by.
He jogged in front of me, giving a playful pout. “Well, if I didn’t do my job, give me a second chance to do better.”
I shook my head and walked around him. Nope, I would not fall into temptation. I was strong. I was more than my bodily needs. But an image of Kai’s full lips popped into my mind. His long pink tongue adorned with his piercing, licking slowly along his bottom lip, made me pause. My mind was being really disrespectful right now.
I would not have sex with the hot incubus. I would not have sex with the hot incubus. I would not have sex with the hot incubus.
Kai’s face suddenly appeared in front of me. “What’d you say?”
Crap. I didn’t say that out loud, did I? I peered at him suspiciously. “Can you read minds?”
He batted long lashes at me innocently. “No.”
“Would you lie about that?”
His gray eyes grew serious as he searched my own. “Not to you.”
The way he said it, the playfulness dying out of his voice, made the hairs on the back of my arms stand up. Damn, the way he looked at me, like I was a sparkling diamond lit from above, made my mind fuzzy.
I will not fall for the hot incubus. I will not fall for the hot incubus. I will not fall for the hot incubus.
* * *
KAI
Ihad no idea what was going on in my omega’s mind, but it was driving me crazy not knowing. I wanted her to just give in to me and accept me. But she was a stubborn one. If we kept at her pace, she would go into her heat, and she didn’t want to make decisions then. I’d have to get her a little out of her comfort zone. Respectfully, of course.
I grabbed her hand as we continued to walk.
She glanced down but didn’t remove her hand. “Why?”
I looked up at the night sky. “It’s a nice night. The stars are bright. The weather is decent. I’m walking next to a beautiful woman who I like very, very, very much. It just felt like the right thing to do.”
She loosened her fingers between mine, but I held on tighter. “You’re laying it on thick.”
I looked down at her with my perfected hurt expression. I wasn’t really bothered by her words but making her feel a little guilty shouldn’t hurt. “I’m just telling my truth. Maybe one day you’ll believe me.”
She humphed but didn’t respond with her usual witty retort. Little by painstakingly little, I would wear her down.
We walked on in a comfortable silence, passing restaurants and shops closed for the night until we reached the store. It was still early enough that the parking lot was pretty full, but it was quiet. I assumed that was because people were inside.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I sniffed the air. The familiar scent of wet earth and manure filled my nostrils. Something wasn’t right, and I hadn’t survived this long by ignoring my senses. I spun around, shoving Billie behind me at the same time.
She pushed against my back. “What’s going…” Her voice trailed off as soon as she looked ahead.
