Page 52 of Knot What I Expected

Her cheeks flush darker. Her scent sharpens with irritation, but underneath it I catch something else.

Something warm.

Interest. Desire.

But beneath even that?

Exhaustion.

Bone-deep fucking exhaustion.

My desire doesn’t disappear.

It changes.

Twists together with something far more dangerous.

The need to take care of her.

Feed her.

Get her off her feet.

Find out what has this stubborn, beautiful female working herself half to death and fucking fix it.

I have no right to feel any of that.

No claim.

No promises between us.

Nothing.

But apparently my instincts don’t give a fuck about technicalities.

Because looking at Gabriella now, tired and pissed off and so damn beautiful I can barely think straight, one thing becomes painfully clear.

Staying away hasn’t killed the attraction. Her secrets haven’t either.

If anything? I want her more.

Fuck.

She’s wary.

Works too hard.

Is too damn tired for this.

For me to be giving her a hard time.

And for some reason, that sends me right over the fucking edge.

I move around the end of the bar.

“Havoc, what the hell are you doing?”

“Taking you outside.”