Bella’s tone takes on a stern edge. “Mylo, I told you?—”
I raise a hand, pinching the bridge of my nose with the other. “I know. And you were right. That was a stupid rookie mistake. I should’ve realized I was getting tired.” Should’ve known better than to push it when I’m sweating buckets. Should’ve been smarter than letting ego get in the way. Should’ve listened to Bella when she said she had the shot.
“Don’t beat yourself up,” Bella says gently. “We’ve all been there. I’m just glad you’re alright. And glad you were nearby.” Bella turns her attention to Christine, who stands right behind my shoulder. There’s gratitude in the stunt woman’s tone, but also confusion. “Why were you nearby?”
“Just taking a quick walk while on break,” Christine says quietly.
Tooquietly. It’s not like her to sound bashful. Or maybe not bashful; it’s more…guilty.
Wait a second…
I turn to Bella. “Mind if I grab Christine for a minute while you move stuff around for the next shot?”
Bella looks as if she has a thousand questions to ask, but the schedule permits time for exactly zero of them. “Sure,” she says thinly, turning to spur the rest of the crew into action.
I grab Christine’s elbow and pull her further into the ravine, enough to get us out of earshot. Then, realizing I may not look the most professional for the next minute or two, I pull her all the way around a bend, hidden from view.
“Were youstalkingme?” I hiss.
At this, Christine looks incredulous. “Stalking? We’re both working here!”
“Yeah, exactly!Youhave a job!”
“So do you. I thought you were Mister Safety. So, what thefuckwas that?”
My cheeks heat, and I glance down at the rocks lining the base of the ravine—rocks I very nearly shattered my spine across. “It’s like I told Bella. Just a stupid rookie mistake. One I probably wouldn’t have made if not for you skulking after me, making my palms sweat!”
“And you callmethe self-centered one.” She barks a quiet, cold laugh. “Ijustgot here. In the nick of time, I might add. Because howyousmell is interfering withmyjob.”
My blood flashes hot. “You don’t get to blame—”omegas, I want to say, but the crew is too close. “—usfor how we naturally smell! You think every time you scent one of us?—”
“It’s not because you smell like an omega,” she hisses, and I wince at the word said aloud. “It’s because you smell like an omegain heat.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “No, I don’t. That’s taken care of. Last night… worked.”
She grips my chin, and my breath stutters in my lungs.
“You can lie to yourself,” she growls, “but don’t youdarelie to me.”
I try to keep it together.
I really do.
But as we stare each other down, every exhale sends heat radiating from my core, soaking my bodysuit with sweat, chin leaning into her touch.
I don’t know which of us moves first, only that my hands are in her hair, her lips against mine, my tongue seeking hers.
I moan quietly, and her hand drops to my neck.
“Shhh…”
My throat softens under her touch, and her tongue slides along the roof of my mouth, pressing deeper, tasting and searching.
My cock tightens in my tucking briefs, pinching painfully, but the pain only floods my body with an endorphin high.
Her hands slide over my waist, only the thin spandex between us. Heat stirs under every touch. When her hand slides down, down, across the peak of my hipbone, between my legs, breath rattles through me. It’s everything I can do to not moan or scream or beg.
Christine pulls back and I follow her, ravenous, clinging to her neck. The hand at my throat pushes me down onto my heels, and I only stop my desperate tugging when her lips press against my cheek, then my jaw, nibbling to my ear.
