Page 46 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

He was a Hemlock.

A crooked, tentative smile revealed Shane’s bright white teeth. The look on his face made my heart flutter. I perfumed and Shane’s eyes darkened, a restrained growl hissing in the quiet.

Blush pinkened my cheeks. My gaze raked over him, pausing at a swath of silken paper glinting under the fluorescent lights.

A delicately wrapped box with a twirled ribbon rested in his palm.

See? Alpha brought us a gift. Tell him to knot us. Scent mark him so everyone knows he belongs to us.

I internally cursed my omega, wishing she’d keep her horny thoughts to herself.

Too distracted, I hadn’t realized Shane had moved so close. His torso blocked the sunlight from the window. I twisted my fingers in front of my waist, wanting to look away from him.

But I couldn’t. My eyes stayed locked on his, drawn there by some incessant pull that refused to release me.

“Hello, love,” he whispered, the backs of his knuckles barely brushing the hinge of my jaw in the shadow of a touch.

That deep, decadent voice of his was unfairly disarming.

The weight of that pet name made a rush of desire settle into the place behind my sternum. It reminded me of how I felt curled up in my nest with my favorite blankets—comfort, safety, and happiness.

Thankfully, the shop was empty save for Mrs. Jameson, who seemed to take the hint and made herself scarce, leaving Shane and me alone to do… whatever this was.

“If you don’t have other plans, I’d like to take you to lunch.” I arched a brow, and he rushed to add, “So we could talk. Well… more so I could grovel and apologize and explain.”

I enjoyed the image of him groveling far too much. My omega had other plans, eyeing that tiny present, seconds away from demanding it. My curiosity swam to the surface, wondering what Shane got me.

“It better be some good groveling,” I mumbled under my breath.

A zip skittered across my collarbone as he gently guided my cardigan back into place over my shoulder. He gestured toward the door, and my feet moved before my brain could catch up.

“Let me know if it’s not, and I’ll ramp it up.”

Shit. He wasn’t supposed to hear me.

“Oh, I will.”

Some of the tension in the lines around his mouth faded, and it made the knot in my stomach uncoil. The playful back and forth returned so easily. It was almost as if nothing had ever changed between us.

That happy thought mixed with the fear bubbling in my belly. Every worst-case scenario flashed through my head. Being this close to Shane—to my alpha—made it harder to keep my wits about me.

If I weren’t careful, it would be too easy to slip back into what we had once been. And if that happened, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I would end up alone, crying in the crumbling shambles of my childhood home.

Slowly, a firm hand slid over the small of my back, the touch tentative. A hum of pleasure followed the motion, crawling up my spine until a shiver shook my slender shoulders.

I didn’t pull away, ignoring the warning alarms blaring in my head.

Instead, I relaxed into the touch, chasing it like a flower seeking the sun.

My fingertips flexed along my leggings, and then I heard it. At first, I thought it was a quiet growl.

No.

It was a purr.

A honeyed purr rumbled behind Shane’s sternum. My hand found his chest. I focused on the rhythmic vibration that made all our problems seem so insignificant.

A muscle in his jaw jumped. His strained smile made my brow furrow.