Page 197 of Knot What I Expected

And isn’t that so Rowan? For all his growling and swearing and pretending he doesn’t give a shit about anything, he notices what people need.

He quietly fixes messes. He protects. He shows up. He makes sure little boys are safe in his truck.

Christ.

I’m definitely falling for him.

“Alright, little man. Seatbelt buckled?”

“Yep!”

Rowan checks it himself anyway.

Of course he does.

“Good.”

Then he settles me into the passenger seat before walking around the truck. I watch him through the windshield.

Broad shoulders.

Blond hair catching the late-afternoon light.

That confident, loose stride.

Sexy Viking-looking bastard.

And he's mine.

Or well, I think he is.

I mean, he could be.

That's the terrifying part. The Fates might have brought us together. Our bodies might recognize us as Alpha and Omega. And yeah, the matebond might already be growing between us.

But none of that guarantees love.

That's something else entirely.

Something chosen. Built. And I think I'm starting to want that with him.

Rowan gets behind the wheel.

“Okay. Here we go.”

The truck rumbles to life. A moment later, his right hand settles on my thigh.

No hesitation.

No big production.

Just warm, calloused fingers and one reassuring squeeze.

The matebond hums. I look down at his hand. Then at him.

His eyes remain on the road. But his thumb moves once across my jeans.

A tiny caress.