I was both disappointed and relieved.
Then, the soft padding of quick footsteps reached my ears, and a moment later she appeared.
She was wearing a plush robe, her honey brown hair pulled up into a messy bun on the top of her head. Fluffy slippers encased her feet, leaving only a few inches of ankle bare. She was bundled up all the way to her neck, otherwise.
It was the middle of summer, and Leighton’s AC wasn’t cold enough to warrant that many layers, which could only mean…
Nesting.
This was the first Kiara had shown nesting behaviour since I’d been here. It must mean she was incredibly close to heat, which meant I should stay far away from her.
I wasn’t given that option.
She came to a stop in front of me, a nervous little frown on her face.
“Did you need something?” I asked after clearing my throat. “Everyone else is out.”
Kiara inhaled deeply, letting out a whimper. I pressed back into the couch, but that was the most effort I could put into getting away from her. I didn’twant to, damn it. The only reason I shifted at all was because I should—it was the right thing to do for all of us. I may have acknowledged that I wanted Leighton and Kiara to join our pack and not the Ashbys, but that didn’t mean it was wise for me to start courting them, or anything equally ridiculous.
“I can call them,” I offered.
Her scent was a cloud of need around me. My reaction was uncontrollable, each breath bringing me farther away from the self control I cherished.
“I need you,” she declared.
I choked, doubling over my knees as I began to cough. I’d almost hacked up a lung when she placed her hand on my shaking upper back. Every inch of me tensed in anticipation.
Should I turn her down? Yes. But no, because wouldn’t that damage our relationship more? If she wanted me, I needed to give myself to her… but that could damage me, and then what?
Fuck.
Fuck.
Her hand fisted in my shirt, trying to pull it over my head. It was almost aggressive enough to rip it by the seams. Sitting up, I removed it for her without consciously having decided my next move.
Instead of touching me like I thought she would, she grabbed the shirt. Held it to her nose. Inhaled with a moan that went straight to my fucking cock.
Right.Nesting. She was on a mission to gather every soft item in this condo, and my shirt had caught her eye. My panic receded and I almost smiled at the demanding little omega.
Before it could fully form, she looked down at my pants and made a grab for the waistband. “I need these too.”
“Why?” I asked, looking down.
They weren’t a comfortable material, not even for the person wearing them. She wouldn’t be cuddling with my pants.
Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. “Um…”
She trailed off, but her hand began to tremble. Tears beaded in the corners of her crystalline blue eyes, threatening to spill over.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever undressed so fast in my life. My body had barely moved, but I was handing her my pants, left only in my boxer briefs. I’d lifted my hips to remove them, leaving me still sitting while she stood in front of me.
Kiara held the pants to her chest, then rubbed them against her bruised neck. She was coating herself in a layer of my scent. I’d rather she got it straight from the source—from my body bracketing hers, my cock sliding between her tits so my release would drench her face and breasts.
This was better.
I had to convince myself it was.
Her gaze flicked down to my bulge and she clutched my clothes tighter. Her nostrils flared, pupils dilating.
