“Well, isn’t that something, all of us here in this mixed-up world, not sure of the way we should be or do. Confused. Uncertain.”
“I can picture you staring out of a window, thinking deep and confusing thoughts.”
Cyn snorts a laugh. “Oh, you’ve got my number. And while I’m thinking deep and uncertain thoughts, what are you doing?” His voice drops low and husky, and without thinking, he holds out a hand to help me over a fallen tree.
I’m hesitant, but I take it, feeling the roughness, the size of his hand dwarfing mine. My skin tingles at the contact. I look away from our joined hands, step over quickly, and let him go.
“I’m outside in the rain, climbing a tree. No thoughts, just living, existing in the present,” I say, pretending he doesn’t affect me.
“You’ll have to teach me how to do that,” he murmurs, his voice still low and intense, and I know he knows I’m losing my mind over that small touch. And we both know that was his intention.
“We don’t have enough time,” I say lightly.
That sobers him, making the smile disappear. “You should know that walking away is not something I’m capable of doing.”
You’ve done it once, you can do it again.
I don’t say the words.
Cyn drops his arm over my shoulders; it happens so quickly I don’t have a chance to duck. The warmth and strength are what I immediately notice, followed by the rum scent that is distinct, then the dark, sweet scent I can’t identify. It’s a scent from my dark dreams, from being huddled up on rainy nights in my room, safe and warm but longing for something more.
Cyn’s scent is temptation.
Heat unfurls inside me. I have a visceral reaction to this alpha’s touch and scent. My thoughts scatter, and I turn into him, leaning in, drawing that scent into me so I can memorize it and keep it forever.
“Bonnie, stop. I won’t be responsible for taking you off and having my wicked way with you if you continue stroking my abs like that.” His husky words take too long to wake me up.
I look down, and, sure enough, my hand is on his stomach, and I’m stroking. I snatch it back and try to step back, but his arm tightens around me.
I stare up at him, my head is filled with smokey warmth, this feeling of absolute contentment that I have never felt before.
So, this is what they say when they talk about being scent-struck.
I duck and dip away from him, staring at him with wide eyes. When he takes a step towards me, I hold up a hand.
“Nope.”
Self-preservation requires distance. Lots and lots of distance.
“No? Are you sure?”
“I have no idea right now, but because I’m so fuzzy, the answer is yes, I am sure. You keep your distance with that ridiculous scent.”
“You like my scent?” Cyn looks ridiculously pleased.
I groan as it gets stronger.
“Everyone would like your scent; don’t be so cocky.” I snap at him and rub the bridge of my nose. “Geez, this is going to be a bad couple of days.”
He bites his lower lip and looks completely, effortlessly fuckable. My core clenches, and I have to ignore the feeling of my panties getting wet and the tremble in my legs. My skin is too sensitive, and I’m thrumming with low-key arousal that only needs a puff of air to explode into an inferno.
“Right, enough eye-flirting, the rest of the group is leaving us behind,” Kota says from right behind me. “Though I will say, watching you fall apart over a whiff of Cyn is the highlight of the day so far.”
“Don’t flatter yourself; it was his BO that knocked me off my feet.”
Dakota throws his head back, laughing.
I stomp away, pretending to be furious, but inside, I’m freaking the hell out. I react more strongly to them than I have to anything I’ve ever encountered. Stronger than when I was eighteen.
