I hand him the keys. He quickly locks the front door. He returns in seconds.
He helps me into the passenger seat of his truck. He buckles me in. His hands are gentle, but they shake slightly.
He runs around to the driver’s side and climbs in. He hurriedly slams the door before starting the engine.
“You okay, Sedona?”
“Not sure.”
He turns the AC all the way up and points the vents directly at me. “Better?” he asks.
I nod. The cold air definitely helps, but the heat inside me is growing. It’s a throb now, a pulse between my legs.
I look at him.
He’s gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles are white. A bead of perspiration rolls down his temple.
“Seth,” I say. “Are you okay?”
He laughs. It’s a harsh, strained sound. “No,” he confesses. “I’m not okay. Being this close to you… while you’re starting a heat… it’s torture.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“Don’t apologize,” he snaps, then his expression softens instantly. “It’s not your fault. It’s biology.”
He throws the truck in reverse and pulls out of the lot, driving fast with his eyes locked on the road, refusing to look at me. I watch him, noting the tension in his shoulders and the way he holds his breath.
“Seth,” I say again.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
He glances at me, just for a second. “I’ve got you. I’ll always have you.”
We drive in silence as the trees blur past the window. The heat in my belly spreads, moving down my thighs and making my skin tingle.
I shift in my seat, feeling the slick start again, warm and wet against my panties. I whimper and watch Seth’s jaw clench in response.
“Hang on, Sedona,” he says. “We’re almost there.”
I close my eyes and lean my head back against the seat. I think about Tex, the daisies, and that ball of warmth. But now, the warmth is a fire, and it’s threatening to burn me alive.
I grip the door handle. I just need to hold on—hold on until we get to the house, until I can lock the door and ride this out alone.
But a part of me—a traitorous, Omega part of me—doesn’t want to be alone.
I look at Seth. His profile is sharp against the sunlight. He’s focused. He’s protecting me.
I want him. I want him to touch me. I want him to put out the fire.
I squeeze my eyes shut. I can’t think like that. I won’t.
I just need to survive the next ten minutes.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Seth
