“Which, yes, I’ll own,” Bella puts a hand to her chest, “trashes your afterglow, but it’s the perfect time before heat spikes again. Either you leave now, or you’re trapped in this box for the night. We can’t wait it out.”
Pierce and Liam exchange a look over my head. Beckett’s jaw tightens, but he nods. “Let’s go.”
I sit up a little and both Beckett and I groan.
“Pierce,” I ball my fist into his shirt, “this is going to be an adventure.”
“Beckett’s tough. He can take it.”
“What does that mean?” Beckett looks between Pierce and I, as we try not to laugh.
Bella practically skips to the door to admit two men in EMT uniforms. Their faces are professionally neutral as they wheel in a gurney, though I detect a hint of amusement in their eyes. My face burns hotter.
“Brandon, Miguel, meet the patients,” Bella says, gesturing to us with a flourish. “Patients, meet your transportation. They’re both betas, so don’t get your alpha panties in a bunch.”
“Brace yourself, Beckett.” Pierce can no longer contain his giggles.
“Stop it! This is serious!”
“What do you mean?” Beckett asks again.
Bella drapes a fuzzy blanket over my shoulders. It has the Scorpions’ logo on it. I shiver and moan as it slides against my skin. Beneath me, I feel Beckett shudder too. His jaw is clamped shut, trying not to show it. I clutch the blanket to my chest. This is going to be embarrassing enough. We don’t need to flash the whole world.
“Told you.” Pierce is openly chuckling now.
“What. Do. You. Mean?” Beckett says each word like a complete sentence.
“Okay,” Brandon, the EMT, crouches next to us. “Ash, your job is to hold on tight. Beckett, bend your knees, put your feet flat on the floor. On the count of three, push with your lower body. We’ll hoist you up to standing, and then you’ll go right on the gurney. Got it?”
Pierce is on one side. He mirrors Brandon and hooks an arm under Beckett’s.
I bury my face in the blanket as Brandon counts us off. They manage to get Beckett upright, but just barely, gravity pulls him right back down, but they manage to get the gurney under him.
All the big sudden movements have Beckett’s knot doing awful, terrible, wonderful, magical things to me. I’m coming and screaming through a mouthful of blanket I shoved in my mouth.Beckett thrashing as he comes too. The string of curses coming out of him blisters my ears.
“I did tell you to brace yourself.” Pierce says, sounding far away.
“Fuck you, Pierce.” Beckett manages to get out around breathy moans.
“Absolutely, I look forward to it, but let’s get home first.”
The gurney lurches into motion, and I cling to Beckett, every movement sending tiny shockwaves of pleasure-pain through me where we’re joined.
“I love you,” he whispers, only for me to hear.
Chapter sixty
ASH
Istretch,yawn,andpull the blanket tighter around me. The kitchen counter is cool beneath my bare thighs, making me shiver. Heat has always left me drained and in pain and wanting to crawl away and die. And always alone.
Turns out, heat is a fucking blast with alphas who love you. There were snacks, baths, endless cuddles, massages, and naps that started and ended with kisses.
I’m wrung out, tender, like my nerve endings have been electrified. And I cannot wait to do it again.
Pierce stands between my knees, his fingers making lazy circles on my hips beneath the blanket. Every touch feels magnified, but not overwhelming. It’s just perfect. His chest is close enough that I can lean forward and rest my forehead against it whenever the world gets a bit too bright or loud.
“All good?” Pierce murmurs. His fingers pause their circular motion, then resume when I nod against his chest.
