The doors open with a soft ding, but instead of leaving, Corbus steps towards me, and in a move almost as graceful as Dash, reaches out and braces himself against the wall by my head. Not blocking me in, but studying me up close, those icy blue eyes moving slowly over my features. When he bends his head, my lips quiver, wondering if they’re the target, but he skims right past them, his breath feathering across my neck. I hold still, mesmerized, as he breathes deeply though his nose. His cedarwood fragrance rolls over me, full of warm, spicy notes, and the sound he makes on his exhale is enough to set off sparks under my skin. “Orange blossom, if I’d plucked it straight from a sun-warmed tree.”
I arch my neck, my omega preening as he hovers over my scent gland. “It smells good?”
He makes a hungry sound in the back of his throat. “There’s no sweeter perfume in the world, Kate, and I’ve travelled most of it.” When he pulls back, regret shines in his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that the first time we met.”
He’s so close, I can see the silver chips in his blue eyes, and I suddenly feel like I can see all the way to his soul. “That’s okay. But it’s nice to hear you say it now.”
He nods, but his brow furrows, and he reaches out to touch my hair. Not petting me, exactly, but rubbing the strands between his fingers, like he’s testing my shampoo. “We all have baggage, Kate. I just work very hard to hide mine.”
There’s a note of anguish in his voice and I feel my stomach twist. I didn’t mean to force a confession out of him. “Corbus. You don’t have to talk about it.”
“You deserve to know.” He’s still playing with my hair, but now his gaze slides away from me. “I’m undiagnosed, but I have many of the traits of someone on the spectrum. I don’t really know where I fit, and I’m awkward with people I don’t knowwell, because I can’t always pick up on their cues. I don’t like eye contact, and I have to mask a lot of my habits…”
His voice falters, and I want to touch him, but I don’t know what his boundaries are yet. “Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?”
He tucks my hair away, his fingers lingering on the soft curve of my ear. “I’m just asking you to be patient with me. Or more patient, since I’m already a few steps behind.”
I nod, but as he pushes the button to open the doors again, I don’t move to follow him out. “Is your trip real, or was that just your spur-of-the-moment exit plan?”
His lips quirk again, and now that I know how hard he works to control his emotions, I feel a little zing of victory at that smile. Lachlan’s smiles are pure sunshine, but Corbus’ are the mercurial rainbow, a fleeting gift that makes me feel like I’ve just discovered a pot of gold. “It’s real, unfortunately. My mother summoned me last week, and I can’t keep putting her off. I’d ask you to come, but we’re not close, and I find it hard to mask my issues around her-.”
“You don’t have to explain,” I interrupt him, following him down the hallway to his bedroom. I’ve walked past it twice with Dash, and both times almost swooned at the unadulterated burst of cedarwood that greeted me. “My mom and I are in a strange place, too. She lives in Florida with an alpha I’ve never met. She’s very traditional, so she took my unbonding really hard. I still stay in touch, but I don’t appreciate all the advice on how to win Lee back.”
I see a flash of anger on his face before his gaze drops to his shoes. “Parents don’t always know best.”
“I agree. Especially since I wouldn’t take Lee back even if he begged me.”
This earns me another of those tiny smiles, and when he reaches out, his fingers slide over mine until they’re twinedtogether. The feel of his large, cool palm is nearly as intimate as his face hovering over my scent gland, and I watch as he studies our bound hands. “I have a friend in London who specializes in scent bonds. Perhaps I could ask him to look into our situation, if you and Lachlan are agreeable.”
I look at him in surprise. “Lachlan?”
“Well, there are three of us in this equation, yes?”
I nod numbly, although I’m not sure how Lachlan feels about being a scent match, let alone part of a bond triangle. “I should go and check on him.”
“And I should pack.” He pauses, still holding my hand. “You will think about this heat auction some more? Please don’t rush into a decision until we’ve had a chance to talk.”
The note of hesitancy in his voice is so different to how he spoke earlier, claiming that no one could outbid him for my heat, as if money and influence were the only considerations. If I’m honest with myself, I’d felt a secret thrill that he was so determined to be at the top of my list, but I like this vulnerable side of him more. “I won’t make any decisions without you.”
“Thank you.” He studies me a moment longer, his gaze roaming over my features again before he pins me with those brilliant blue eyes. “In my opinion, people are more than their designation. No matter what happens with your heat, you will still beyou, Kate.”
He drops a kiss on my knuckles that would make me swoon even if my hormones weren’t going haywire. I try for a casual goodbye, but my heart flutters when I earn another of his small smiles before I retreat down the hallway. A part of me wants to follow him into his room and convince him to postpone his trip, but a little distance will probably do us both good. There’s a lot for us to process, and I also need to find Lachlan and make sure he isn’t freaking out about our new status.
Assuming it really is a scent match, and not just some leftover feelings from college. I’m guessing that Lachlan is as shocked as I am that there might have been a bond between us all these years. Was I so blinded by Lee that I didn’t notice, or is it something new, only forming since I was unbonded?
When I return to the main living area, I find Dash and Bram having a showdown in the sunken lounge. They both look at me expectantly and I give them a small smile. “Everything’s fine. Corbus is packing.” I wave a hand between them. “What’s going on?”
“I’m telling Bram he should go with Corbus on his trip, same as always,” Dash replies, his arms folded and his foot tapping impatiently. “We’re more than capable of looking after each other without an alpha tooverseeus.”
Bram sends a quick glance towards the heavens, as if seeking respite from sassy omegas. “I know that, but I just dropped a bombshell in the middle of everything…”
“And we’lldealwith it,” Dash insists, holding a hand out towards me. I gravitate towards him like we’re magnetized, breathing in his sweet tea scent with a happy sigh. “See? Kate is fine. And I’ve already got a plan, involving some delicious cheat day snacks, my favorite scent match film, and a sleepover in the media room. No. Knots. Needed.” Dash waggles his brows at the alpha. “Even ones as uber as yours.”
I smirk at the look on Bram’s face but then rewind what Dash said. Bram always goes on these trips, and that shouldn’t change because our scent bonds are now in the mix. “If you stay, who is going to look out for Corbus? He’s dealing with this, too, and I got the feeling this visit isn’t going to be easy for him.”
“No,” Bram admits, rubbing his jaw. “His mom is a handful. Plus, he’ll probably want to visit a few of his suppliers, and I don’t like him traveling around with a briefcase full of gems.”
“You need to go, Bram,” Dash says quietly. “Besides, I’m sure Lachlan and Kate can use the space to work their stuff out in private.” He catches my eye and nods towards the glass doors. “He’s out on the terrace. Why don’t you check on him while I bully Bram into packing?”
