AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Baby?” he called from the bed.
“Yeah?” I called back, much quieter.
“You alright?” he asked, matching my tone.
I could hear him sliding out of bed, then padding over to the bathroom. It was so surreal, to hear things as if they were being blasted through a loud speaker. I looked over to him just as he peeked into the room.
“Don’t get too close,” I warned. “I fucking…smell. God, I smell so bad.”
“You smell pretty much like you always do,” he said.
I looked at him, horrified. “Don’t you dare say that,” I said, lifting my arm and smelling my wrist. “God, I smell like I haven’t showered in days. Please tell me that I don’t always smell like this. I don’t think I can face anyone ever again if that’s really the case.”
“You’re a little more musky than usual,” Cole allowed. “You had pretty bad night sweats, though. I mean…if you can smell yourself, I’m sure you’re picking up new notes of my scent, too. Do you find that gross?”
“I can’t smell you over myself or the smells of…of whatever the hell is in here,” I said. “I almost feel nauseous with how strong that smell is. What is it?”
“Can you be a little more specific?” he said with a chuckle. “I’m not sure what you’re referencing.”
“It smells like…like…I don’t know. It’s almost sickeningly sweet.”
“Your body wash, maybe?” Cole suggested, walking into the room and grabbing it from the shower. He twisted off the cap and held the open bottle up to his nose. I didn’t even have to get closer to it to know that’s where it was coming from. I pressed my hand to my nose and winced, fighting the urge to heave.
“Can you please get that out of here? I feel like I can almost taste it, it’s so strong,” I griped. “God, I can’t believe you let me even bring that into the house.”
He laughed as he closed the bottle and chucked it over his shoulder. “I’ve only ever smelled this way, like a shifter, so I guess I’m just used to it. Why do you think I buy so many clean scents?”
“I’m so sorry I’ve done this to you for so long,” I whined, just relieved to have the fruity scent out of the room.
“Don’t be,” he said. “I’m sure you’re just feeling strongly about it because you’re experiencing it for the first time. Give it a few hours, a couple days, and I’m sure it will get easier.”
“I’m mortified,” I said as I stripped off my pajamas and threw them as far away from me as I could.
“Well, I was going to join you for your shower, but now I’m worried I’ll smell like a wet dog to you,” he teased. “You want me to get out of here? Reduce the strain on the ol’ olfactory centers of your brain?”
“No,” I said. “Weirdly enough, you’re the only thing in the room that actually smells good, as far as I can tell.”
He chuckled and sauntered over to me, wrapping me up in his arms and kissing the top of my head. “You sure? Even this close?”
I took in a deep breath and smelled…I couldn’t even describe what I smelled. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I could only tell that it was good. “Yes,” I said with a comforted exhale. “I’m positive.”
He laughed again and undressed. “You know why I smell so good?”
“Because you’re perfect?”
“Yes, in a way. Perfect for you, that is,” he said with a wink. “Pheromones, sweetheart. You and I both give off smells we can’t get enough of. Especially after I claimed you.”
“So, you’re telling me I just give off special perfumes only you like?”
“Me, and probably some other folks, too. But your smell changed after that night in the forest,” Cole explained. “That’s why everyone can tell that you’re claimed by me—the scents are almost the same, with a few small differences. But we can talk about that later. Let’s get you washed up so you don’t feel like you’re about to pass out from your own fumes.”
“Thank you,” I said gratefully, stepping into the steaming water with him.
We showered, and I was blessedly relieved to feel the grime sluice off me and down the drain. Cole handed me his body wash, and, while it was still quite strong, it was at least a gentler scent. More like the smell of unscented laundry detergent, with a bit of an herbaceous note.
Cole shampooed my hair for me so that I could physically plug my nose against the scent. He laughed.
“We’ll go out and get you some new toiletries today, okay?” he said.
