“You can stop trying to deny it now—and stop trying to run from me,” Emerson barked.
“Fine,” Dash snapped in reply to the bark, but the bite from his words was robbed when Emerson swooped in for a kiss.
“You can return to work in the morning. Tonight, you’re going to rest and recover.”
“Yes, sir,” Dash replied, his face going beet red at the unintended ‘sir.’
Emerson grinned. “About time you started minding me.”
Dash shoved at his chest. “Asshole.” He glared at Emerson. “How do you do that?”
“How do I do what?”
“Sometimes you say something in a certain tone and it’s like I can’t stop myself from doing what you’ve just commanded.” Dash paused, realizing he’d just givenwaytoo much ammunition to his mate.
Emerson’s face was a mask of incredulity. Dash tried to hide his own astonishment while silently screaming at himself for telling the alpha too much.
“Riiiight.As if I could force you to do anything you don’t want to do,” Emerson said, chuckling. He searched Dash’s face a moment, his smile fading and frown growing. “You’re playing with me.”
Dash forced a smile. “Of course.”
“Yeah,” Emerson said, frowning. “You’re way too smart to have said that if it was true.”
Dash clenched his jaw, trying to hold the smile on his lips.
Emerson cocked his head to the side, lifting both hands to collect Dash’s face in them before barking. “Tell me the truth.”
Dash shivered.Asshole.“Thattone… It does something to me.”
Emerson’s jaw dropped.
Heat warmed Dash’s cheeks again. “Is this something omegas do with their mates?”
Emerson shrugged. “How would I know? I’ve never heard mention of it.”
“I’m an alpha, too. Maybe I can harness that same power to make you do things.” Dash cleared his throat before attempting to match the same tenor. “Take the boat back to dock.”
Emerson chuckled. “Nope. That wasn’t it.”
Dash cleared his throat again, making the same command.
Emerson shook his head.
“That’s not fair,” Dash muttered. “You’re not allowed to use that against me anymore.”
Emerson dragged him closer. “I won’t promise that.”
Dash narrowed his eyes.
“Iwillpromise to only use it when I need to force you take better care of yourself.”
Dash scoffed.
“Rest tonight, work tomorrow,” Emerson barked.
Dash fought a grin.“Asshole.”
Emerson chuckled. “It’s too late to go in tonight anyway.”
