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She eyes me for a second as we continue our dance to the other side of the ballroom, soft jazz filling the space. When she clears her throat, I brace myself to lie some more. “Do I… Do I smell good to you?”
Are we scent matches is what she means, because, unless I’m mistaken, she’s been sniffing me as subtly as I’ve been sniffing her. If we both smell so good to each other, it can only be because of one thing.
Scent matches.
I think of her buttery sweet, vanilla and coconut scent. One I will crave for the rest of my life. “You smell all right, I guess. Why? Did you use one of Nancy’s shampoos and you’re not sure if you picked a dud?”
She peers up at me a moment longer and then shakes her head, looking away. “Nothing. I just wondered…”
If we’re scent matches. And if I were to confirm we were, how soon would you run?
“You just wondered…?” I prompt.
It’s been a while since I heard any sound of conversation from the office. How much are Kylian and Rune eavesdropping right now? Probably a lot. I know I would be.
“Nothing,” she says. “It’s nothing.”
We dance a little longer, and I tuck her even closer, resting my chin on the top of her head and smothering a sigh at her soft white-blonde hair.
“Cian—”
“It’s easier to keep my balance when you’re close.” I try to keep the smile out of my voice as Kylian passes the open doorway, walking far slower than I’ve ever seen him move.
As my gaze clashes with his, he lifts a brow and shakes his head at my barefaced lie. He’d do the same if he were me. Everleigh is our scent match. Our omega. If he told me he wouldn’t do anything he could to have her in his arms, he’d be lying.
As we dance, Everleigh leans on me more and more as I take over the lead. “You’re good at this,” she says so dreamily I know she’s enjoying this dance as much as I am.
“That’s what you get with excellent one-to-one tuition,” I murmur.
And five grand I spent on dancing tutors who taught me, Kylian, and Rune the skills we needed to fit in seamlessly among our wealthy business partners.
“How good?” I recall the primness in her voice that made me instantly hard at the thought of her giving me instructions.
Where that thought had come from, I have no idea, but it had surprised me. I’d heard Kylian gently teasing her in the entryway, and the thought had inserted itself right into my head. Now it refuses to leave it.
“Not you too.” She sighs. “I’m not saying it.”
I still need to ask her about her reaction to the pencil and sketchpad on the dining table, but I’m reluctant to end this dance. She sounds relaxed, and she’s leaning against me, letting me lead. If I bring up what happened, she’ll end the dance.
Immediately.
She feels so good in my embrace, her cheek on my chest, her arm wrapped around my back. It’s pure selfishness that wants to keep her here for as long as possible.
“You don’t have to say it here,” I say.
In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t. In bed, naked except for that blue silk scarf in your hair would be better.
We’ve always taken charge in the bedroom. As alphas, we prefer it. But Everleigh is coming to us from a cruel alpha, a man who demanded things from her she didn’t want. We have to be mindful of that, and of her. She’s going to—if she hasn’t already—associate an alpha’s order with pain. With hurt. And with cruelty.
We have to undo that. But slowly. Make her believe not all orders are bad ones, like not all alphas are cruel. I’m not sure how long it’s going to take to undo all that damage, but I don’t intend to stop trying. And I know—we all know—in order to get Everleigh to trust us, we need to make ourselves more human to her.
“You asked about why I wear a fake Rolex, and the reason is that it’s a reminder,” I tell her.
She peels her face from my chest and peers up at me through soft, dreamy, green eyes. “A reminder of what?”
I immediately miss her closeness and think of how to bring her back. “How do I twirl you?”
She blinks. “Twirlme?”
