10. Caleb #2
Her skin is soft under my fingertips, warm with the flush spreading down her throat.
This close, her scent is intoxicating—honeysuckle in full bloom mixed with vanilla and something that’s purely her.
Part of me wants to bury my face in her neck, mark her somehow so other alphas know she’s got someone looking out for her.
“It was about wanting to take care of you the way you take care of everyone else. About wanting to be someone you can depend on.”
Her pupils dilate completely, and I can smell arousal beginning to bloom in her scent. Sweet and inviting and making my cock thicken in my jeans. She sways slightly, like the proximity to an interested alpha is overwhelming her senses.
“I don’t know how to be taken care of,” she admits quietly, her voice shaky.
“Then we’ll work it out together.”
The words come out rougher than I intended, but more honest. Her honeysuckle sweetness turns richer, more complex, and when she bites her lip worrying, I want to soothe it with mine.
“Have dinner with me tomorrow night. Not because we need to discuss repairs. Because I want to spend time with you and see what this is between us.”
She looks up at me, hazel eyes wide with something between wonder and fear. “What if I’m not good at this? At being... wanted?”
Hearing the doubt in her voice makes something protective surge through me. Mine, my alpha side growls when she looks at me like that. How can someone so generous doubt her own worth?
“Then we’ll figure it out together.” I stroke my thumb across her cheekbone, watching her eyes flutter closed. “Say yes, Sadie.”
“Yes.”
The word is barely a whisper, but it hits me like lightning. Without thinking, I lean down and brush my lips against hers. Soft, testing, giving her room to pull away.
She doesn’t pull away.
Instead she rises on her toes, her hands fisting in my shirt to pull me closer.
The kiss deepens, and she tastes like everything I’ve been craving—sweet and warm with that hint of vanilla that drives me crazy.
Her scent explodes around us, so rich with arousal that my alpha instincts practically purr with satisfaction.
When we break apart, our breathing is ragged. Her scent carries traces of want now, sweet and inviting in a way that makes my cock throb. She looks thoroughly kissed, lips swollen and eyes dazed.
“Tomorrow night,” I say against her forehead. “Seven o’clock.”
“Okay.”
She’s quiet for a moment, and I can see something shifting in her expression. The joy from our kiss still glows in her cheeks, but there’s worry creeping in around the edges.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, exactly. It’s just...” She sighs, absently straightening stems that don’t need straightening.
“I had a meeting with Tessa Lang yesterday about the Harvest Festival. The state tourism board wants to evaluate us for their marketing campaign, and Mountain Living magazine wants to feature the town.”
“That’s incredible news.”
“It is. And it’s also completely terrifying.” Her hands still on the flowers. “They want me to handle all the floral displays—festival grounds, main street, vendor booths, plus a signature installation for the magazine shoot. It’s about triple what I normally do, and I only have two weeks.”
I can see the weight of it in her shoulders. How she’s already trying to figure out how to manage something that big.
“Two weeks is tight but manageable with the right planning.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself. But what if I can’t deliver? What if my suppliers let me down again, or something happens to the arrangements?” She worries her lower lip between her teeth. “The whole town’s economic future could be riding on whether I can pull this off.”
She takes a shaky breath, then looks up at me with determination mixed with fear. Watching her ask for help when she’s fought so hard to be independent—something hot and possessive burns through me.
For a moment, her expression shifts to something almost wondering, then worried.
“I keep thinking about this morning. Levi and Reid both showing up with coffee, and now you’re here wanting to help with the festival.
Three alphas actually wanting to... to take care of me.
” She shakes her head like she can’t believe it, then her scent sharpens with anxiety.
“What if I mess this up? What if I’m not... enough for all this attention? A month ago I couldn’t even get my insurance company to return my calls.”
Something possessive flares in my chest hearing her put it like that—three alphas, including me. But instead of jealousy, what I feel is satisfaction. She’s starting to understand what’s happening, that she’s worth this kind of attention.
Hearing the fear in her voice makes my chest tight. She’s figuring out that she’s got multiple alphas interested in her, and instead of being excited about it, she’s terrified she’ll let us all down.
“Caleb, I need to ask you something, and you can absolutely say no.”
“Ask me.”
Mine , my alpha side growls again. She’s trusting me with something that matters, and every protective instinct I have is roaring.
“You said you don’t have a job lined up yet.
And I know you have organizational experience.
” Her hands fidget with a ribbon, and I can smell the nervous energy in her scent mixing with lingering arousal from our kiss.
“Would you... would you consider helping me with the festival? I know it’s a lot to ask, and I know I should be able to handle it myself, but?—”
“Yes.”
She blinks. “Yes?”
“Absolutely yes.” I step closer, breathing in her sweet relief as it blooms in her scent. “You don’t have to convince me, Sadie.”
“You’d really want to spend two weeks planning festival displays and coordinating vendors?”
“I’d want to spend weeks working with you on something that matters to you,” I correct. “The festival part is just logistics.”
Her scent shifts, stress giving way to something warmer. Hope, maybe. Relief at not having to face this alone.
“I’ve never asked anyone for help with my work before.”
“How does it feel?”
“Terrifying. And... kind of amazing.” She reaches up to touch my face, her fingers tracing my jawline.
“With your help, I think we might actually have a shot at pulling this off. I’m going to tell Tessa yes, but.
..” She bites her lip. “What if it’s still not enough? What if we’re both in over our heads?”
“Then we’ll figure it out as we go,” I say, covering her hand with mine. “You and me. That’s how teams work—you adapt and overcome.”
“You and me.” The words seem to settle something in her expression, though I can still smell lingering worry in her scent. “Thank you. For saying yes before I could talk myself out of asking.”
“Thank you for trusting me with something that important.”
“So we’d better start planning. This festival is going to be spectacular.”
As I head to my truck, I can feel her watching from the window. Three days ago I was treating her like a tactical objective. Now she’s asked me to be part of something that really matters to her.
Sadie Quinn just took the biggest step she’s taken in years toward trusting someone with her dreams.
Time to prove I’m worthy of that trust.