Page 45 of Knot Her Beta

“I’m glad there are no bears on the island.” Jared shudders as he studies the dark trees on either side. “I like the woods, but I don’t like the Woods.”

Leif elbows him in the side. “Bears can swim, you know. Who’s to say we don’t have a visitor on the island?”

He covers his ears. “Nope! I can’t hear you, professor!”

I sling an arm around his waist. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

His head comes to rest on my shoulder. “Such a good Alpha.”

Warmth spreads through me.

“Just don’t run away in terror,” Leif teases. “You have to be loud and make yourself big.”

Jared straightens and raises his arms above his head as he marches forward, growling at the woods.

I whistle and clap. “You got this!”

Leif joins in, hooting with laughter.

“Go back to the mainland, bear!” Jared spins in a circle. “We’re all predators here!”

“He’s totally going to die,” I chuckle.

“Yup.”

We share a smile, and I slip my hands into my jacket pockets to keep them warm.

“We should do this again,” Leif says, the hesitation from earlier back. “Pick a day mid-week to have dinner together here.”

The flutter of the bond reaches toward him, and unable to deny it, I agree. “We should.”

He takes a step closer, our arms brushing as we walk. “Great. I’ll see about setting up that spare bedroom. Just in case.”

My pulse quickens. “Yeah. Just in case.”

Too soon, we arrive at the garage near the kitchen entrance, and we bid Leif goodnight.

We wait as his flashlight beam swings back toward his cabin, watching it shrink between the pines until it disappears.

The motion sensor trips as Jared pulls the side door to the garage open, flooding the gravel in pale light. Inside, the cold air carries the lingering tang of gasoline.

We find the wooden stairs along the far wall and head up.

My brain is already running logistics. First boat runs at six-thirty. I’ve got a change of clothes in my work bag, which is in my truck, which is parked at the mainland dock. Jared’s got nothing but the clothes on his back and whatever’s in his pockets.

Thinking along the same lines, Jared rubs a hand over his chest. “I might be able to borrow a change of clothes from Kyle in the morning.”

I take in his broad shoulders and long, lean frame, then think of the smaller Beta male. “Nothing Kyle owns will fit you. Maybe you can borrow from Dominic.”

Jared’s lip curls in disgust. “I’m not wearing designer jeans and T-shirts with fancy logos to work on the boat’s engine tomorrow. We can borrow from Blake. He’s got enough flannels to clothe a small army.”

“I’m not wearing Blake’s flannels.”

“You’ve worn my flannels.”

“Your flannels smell like you.”

His hands find my waist, and he growls, the sound carrying in the still air. “Are you trying to seduce me, Alpha?”