Her eyes widen in panic, and she shakes her head like she’s trying to clear it.
“It’s okay.” I stroke both hands down her bare arms in what I hope is a calming gesture. “Knox, get in here.”
“That’s not going to help,” Ava hisses.
Knox is already pulling back the curtain, crowding into the small space.
“Scent mark her,” I say.
He looks shell shocked at my suggestion. They both do.
“Definitely not going to help.” Ava glares.
“It’ll cover your scent until we can get you some scent neutralizers.”
Knox looks at me, and I suddenly realize I’m still in the skimpy little cocktail dress. His dark gaze roams from me to Ava, lips pinched tight, fist clenched.
“Are you okay with this?” he asks Ava.
She gives a resigned sigh. “It’s better than running into Declan before I get the neutralizers and having him figure it out.”
“Would it be so bad if he did?” I ask, slightly afraid of her answer.
“Yes!” Ava nearly yells. “If he finds out, I can never participate in another Olympics again, not to mention?—”
She cuts herself off, leaving me curious what she was going to say.
“And what happens if we can’t get the suppressants and you go into heat?” Knox asks, taking a step closer.
Ava grabs my hand and squeezes. She’s shaking.
“You need a backup plan, sweetheart,” he adds. “This isn’t going away. It’s only getting worse. You’re gonna perfume more and more until you’re in full heat, sending out that delicious scent like an invitation for every alpha on this ship to feast.”
“What do you expect her to do, Knox?” I push against his chest with the hand Ava isn’t clutching. But his solid frame doesn’t move. “It’s not like she can control it. We’re gonna get those suppressants. It’s our only option.”
His throat bobs as he swallows, pupils fully blown, but his expression softens, and he takes a step back. “I’ll help. We’ll get those pills.”
He’s right, though. We need a backup plan if we can’t get them. I tug on Ava’s hand, turning her toward me. “Ava, what do you want to do if we can’t get them?”
“Can’t we burn that bridge if we come to it?”
“No,” Knox growls at the same time as I whisper the same answer.
“I can help you through it, if you want,” Knox says, taking her free hand, but glancing at me as if he’s waiting for me to answer as much as he’s waiting for her.
I blink, surprised by the flicker of curiosity more than anything else. Knox and Ava. Together. Likethat. It should feel… wrong? A few seconds ago it was sending me into a panic, but now, seeing them together, it doesn’t. If anything, the idea settles into my mind like a really sexy puzzle piece.
“I… um…” She looks at me, and I give her a reassuring nod. I don’t know how we’ll keep her secret from Declan if she goes into heat, but I want her to be taken care of. I don’t want her to be in pain.
“Okay,” she whispers.
Before I can stop myself, I’m imagining it. Ava in heat, begging for a knot.Knox’sknot. I remember the way that knot rubbed against my clit when we had sex, the way it swelled before he came. The soft feel of his lips on mine as he filled me. He’d make Ava feel so good. I want that for her. I want her to feel good.
Could I help her feel good? My thoughts drift to sweaty places. Touching the curve of her waist, the slick heat of skin pressed together, breath hitching as our bodies inch closer in that anticipatory silence right before that sigh of pleasure. How would it feel to have my lips trail slow kisses along her collarbone, to make her melt, to taste her?
I jerk myself from the sexy daydream. This dressing room is much too small for thoughts like that.
Knox scent marks Ava, rubbing his cheek against hers. The whole dressing room smells of him now, overpowering her richness. Knox’s leather scent rides in on the edge of danger—raw and rugged like a worn-in biker jacket, with hints of smoke that whisper stories of late-night rides and restless roads. There’s a wildness to it, sharp and addictive, but beneath the grit, it’s worn and cozy and familiar—like the steady grip of his hand that always keeps you safe, no matter how fast the world spins.
