Page 18 of Knot What I Expected

“Stop,” I whisper.

The thing inside me quiets.

Barely.

I finish the refills and turn toward the kitchen. That’s when the bell over the front door jingles.

Every nerve in my body fires at once.

I stop.

No reason. None. Except suddenly the itching vanishes.

Completely.

The restless thing beneath my skin goes quiet.

My lungs fill with a scent that absolutely should not make it through a restaurant filled with grilled beef and barbecue smoke.

Pine.

Smoke.

Male.

Him.

Oh, fuck me.

I know who walked through that door before I even turn around.

A-Feral.

My favorite firefighters.

Three massive males come through the entrance like the doorway personally offended them by being too small.

Wreck enters first.

“Hey, Wreck,” I call.

His mismatched eyes find me immediately.

“Gabriella.”

Then his attention shifts toward the kitchen.

“Gia here?”

I laugh.

“See? This is why nobody invites you anywhere anymore.”

His brow furrows.

“What?”

“You don’t even say hello before asking where your mate is.”