Watching him, I absorbed the intense focus on his body and the way his forearm flexed as he played. All the skin from his wrist to his elbow was black—one single, daring tattoo. It matched the thick black rings he had around his thighs and the interlocking circles which ran down his spine.

I closed my eyes, listening, unbelieving someone wrote a song for me.

The melody lifted and turned, becoming joyous and large, filling the room and echoing back on itself. Rylan’s eyes were closed in concentration, and I watched him as the song scaled itself back to the first melody again, this time with a small shift in key. Both melancholy and hopeful, it ended with a questioning note.

We both knew what the question was, but neither of us said it.

I stood up. “That’s incredible, Ry.”

“I like it when you call me Ry.” He smiled. “It makes me think you’ve already chosen us.”

He put the guitar down just before I pulled him into a hug. His face pressed into my stomach, and he held me there between his legs. “I’m sorry.”

“Why?” He laughed once. “I know this isn’t easy. Especially for you. But I’m not going to pretend I don’t want you to stay, Esme. I’m not afraid to tell you that.

“You can tell me it hasn’t been long enough to be sure or that I don’t know you well enough, and every excuse you give me, I’ll call bullshit. I’m not even an Alpha, and every instinct I have is telling me you’re pack. You’re meant to be here with us. There’s nothing—” he broke off and pulled back to look at me. “There’s nothing I could learn about you that would make me change my mind.”

I swallowed, both awe and terror clinging to my chest. The good kind of terror. Like when you were standing on a diving board knowing you would be okay, but stepping off still made your insides scream. “Not even murder?”

“Not even murder,” he whispered.

We stayed there, staring at each other for a long minute. His eyes were a warm brown which reminded me of brownies, and his blond hair just long enough for me to sink my fingers through. He had a little stubble on his face which scratched deliciously.

“What should we do tonight?” He asked.

“I don’t know.”

Rylan stood without letting me go, so now he towered over me and I was still in his arms. “There are plenty of things we can do that are things, but also, we can do nothing. Of all the rest of them, I’m the movie guy. I’ll always be happy chilling with a movie and cuddling.” Slowly, he ran his palms down my spine. “And whatever happens after that? Happens.”

“You mean where you fuck me?”