“Don’t worry, Mr. Holtz. It’s already been discussed,” I reply. “Because of the amount of time you’ll be away, I’ll cook, pack, and freeze meals for you to eat during the week.”
He pauses, one eyebrow rising. Maybe the fact that he won’t look at me is a good thing. It means I have less encouragement.
“There is no way I’m taking a fucking lunchbox with me to games.”
I hide my shudder as he growls. The sound winds through my body, teasing at my nipples and firing my core.
I had to take my nipple piercings out to bind my chest and it’s a good thing too. They would have made me even hornier.
He finally lifts his head and meets my eyes with a scowl. I expect fireworks; I expect shock. I want there to be some fanfare or explosion or something to say he’s feeling what I am.
Because all the air has left the room and the only thing that remains is his scent, which buzzes like an espresso shot. I don’t even know him, and I want him so badly it hurts.
There has to be an off button for a scent match, right?
“I’ve already given you your options, Timber. It’s up to you to decide which one to take,” Marilyn says.
I take a slow, secret breath, and I clench my ass so I don’t shiver as his rough heat fills my lungs.
I’m in danger.
I squeeze my jaw hard, tightening my throat so I don’t let out a hungry whine. We need this job more than I need to hitch a ride on a hockey player.
“Looks like you want to be here as much as I do,” he says roughly, his voice like sandpaper, smoothing out all my frazzled lines. If I can just bury into his huge puffy chest and listen to him murmur to me as I fall asleep, or sink down onto him as he moans over how good I feel around his cock…
“I highly doubt that,” I say with a cheery smile, holding out my hand, which he takes begrudgingly.
I want him to suck in a breath or tremble or do anything other than blanket my hand in his meaty paw and glare at me. I’m yelling at my stupid imagination to sit down and stop thinking about how small my hand would look on any other part of his body.
“Nice to finally meet you, Timber,” I say politely. “It looks like we’ll be living together from now on.”
He squints, inspecting me, and I curl my toes in my shoes to make sure I don’t react.
Mixing my heat and scent suppressants means I shouldn’t slick, but who knows what will happen when the horny sirens are blaring?
“The only reason I’m doing this is because you told me to,” he growls at Marilyn as he drops my hand. I’m not gonna lie: I know what I’m doing with it tonight.
“Timber,” Marilyn says his name like she’s summoning a dog. “I know your house is more than big enough for ten people, so you don’t have an excuse. And Luke won’t get in your way, will he?”
“No, ma’am,” I say with a firm nod. “I’m only here to cook meals and provide support. You don’t have to see me at all if you don’t want to.”
It will probably be better that way. An omega in an alpha’s house pretending to be a male beta while getting closer to my heat. That? That I can deal with.
But Timber is my scent match. And that’s as bad as throwing a piranha into a tank of goldfish and telling it not to chomp.
“What about my private space?” he asks.
“What about your place on the team?” Marilyn shoots back.
He clicks his tongue, and I watch him curiously. I don’t think I’m meant to think of my alpha as cute, but the way he hunches over his shoulders and holds his folded arms hard against his wide chest just makes me want to rub his back and whisper my dirty thoughts in his ear.
“Fine,” he says grumpily.
“I didn’t quite hear you. Is that a yes?” Marilyn says with a calm smile.
“Yes, it’s a fucking yes. But my housekeeper has to prepare a space for him. He can’t just come whenever he wants.”
“Very good. I’ll ask your manager to call her now. Your place should be ready by tonight.”
