Page 21 of Knotted their Beauty

“Rufus,” Sjorn says a little too calmly as he sees who I’m snuggling with.

“Let me see what the layout is before I decide if I’m going to have his dog bed hidden somewhere.”

He knows better than to say anything as I move into my work mentality. I’m not going to enjoy this gig, but I’m going to act like the goddamned professional that I am.

The venue actually has a small stadium seating area reminiscent of a fair area, and the stage is curtained off with a little back stage. I could potentially use this, but I prefer when I can see Rufus.

He’s family too, and I would be devastated if something happened to him.

Standing on the stage with my legs spread like a Viking ready to conquer the world, I gaze over the people already sitting down. The early bird gets the worm, so these are also my favorite victims to do my bidding.

There’s a little girl with wild curls talking excitedly to a man with fuckable lips. Damn, he is really pretty. He has intense eyes and is giving his entire attention to her as she bounces in her seat. Welp, I obviously need to get closer to investigate.

“Did you find someone?” Sjorn asks knowingly, following my gaze. “Hmm.”

“Don’t judge me,” I mutter, jogging down the steps and approaching the little girl, and who I imagine is her dad. He’s a little young, but I won’t judge.

They’re sitting just behind the first row of seats, which is close enough for me to keep an eye both on my dog and them.

“Excuse me,” I say, leaning over the empty seats in the first row to speak to them.

“Hi! Ohhh puppy,” the girl whispers. I appreciate the way her voice lowers. Most kids squeal when they see Rufus, and he doesn’t particularly like it.

Her gray green eyes are lit up, and she sits on her hands to keep herself from reaching out. Smart girl. Not all animals are good with people, but Rufus is.

“Do you think you can do me a favor?”

Her dad’s eyes are wide as he gazes at me, and I have to struggle not to look into them for long. They’re pools of blue that remind me of the ocean, and I imagine the shade may change depending on his mood.

He’s even prettier than I first thought and my nostrils flare for a moment. Mm. Yeah, I really like what I’m seeing.

“It depends on the favor,” the girl replies. “What do you need?”

Her dad’s lips twitch in amusement, and I imagine she drives hard bargains. Good. I’d hate to think this girl is a pushover.

“This is Rufus and I’m a performer today. I’m filling in and I wasn’t able to get a pet sitter,” I lie. I don’t like to leave him with just anyone. “Would you like to hang out with him? It’ll just be while I’m on stage and then I’ll come right back. I’m pretty attached to him.”

“Can we, Arlo?” she asks with wide eyes.

Ah. Not the dad it seems. Curious and curiouser. My interest is definitely piqued. This isn’t necessarily a good thing for anyone.

“He looks sleepy,” Arlo murmurs, leaning closer. The breeze pulls his scent toward me and I nearly swoon. Fuck.

Lemon cake. I love everything about it, and I think I just found my newest hyperfixation. The alpha inside of me sits up and growls, and I know this person is about to change my life whether he knows it or not.

He can’t smell me yet with how the breeze is blowing, but that’s for the best. I don’t want to scare him.

“He’ll probably sleep through the performance,” I admit, careful to stand downwind from him. “Rufus was just settling in for a really good nap and I interrupted. Are you two good for hanging out with him?”

“I don’t see why not.” The little girl wiggles in excitement at his agreement, and I can tell she’s screaming on the inside. She’s absolutely adorable. It also makes me wonder where her father is, because who hangs out with a twenty-something year old simply for shits and giggles. “I suppose we should introduce ourselves if we’re going to be watching someone so important to you. I’m Arlo and this is Calista.”

“Lennox,” I rumble. “It’s very nice to meet you. Does Calista often call her father by his first name?”

Yeah, I’m fishing for information. I don’t fucking care how pathetic that makes me.

“No. Daddy would have a chick,” Calista says, mangling the idiom adorably.

Arlo hides a smile, shaking his head. “I’m the nanny. Her dad is picking us up later. It looks like they’re almost ready to start.”