Taming the Alpha

by Mandy M. Roth

  “You were hoping I would.”

  He caught her hand across the table. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. But I have no problem waiting until you’re comfortable and ready.”

  “Really?” She squeezed his hand lightly before letting go.

  “Of course.”

  “Good. Because I gave up sex for Lent.”

  He choked on his bite of pizza. Doing the math in his head.

  “Teasing you again.” Her eyes twinkled. “I won’t make you wait several months. But you’ll have to at least go past one date. I mean, if you want more than one date.”

  Oh he definitely wanted more than one. There was something about Kim that had him thinking about more than just the sex. She was sweet. And funny. And so damn sexy. Yeah, he wanted her flat on her back, but he didn’t mind getting to know her a little bit first too.

  It was clear she was a little gun-shy with men. Probably had something to do with this ex who couldn’t seem to move on. A wave of anger rolled in his stomach. He’d find out more about that jerk later. Make sure she was safe and not worried about him.

  “You seem like a good guy. I’m glad I brought cookies to the fire station yesterday.”

  “Ah, but you didn’t know it was me then. You just thought you were flirting with some hot firefighter.”

  She blushed. “I was not flirting. I was being nice. And how could I tell you were hot with that ginormous outfit on?”

  “You wanted me.”

  Her eyes rounded and finally she laughed. “You’re terrible.”

  “At times, yeah.” He grinned, but then quickly sobered. “But look, whatever impression I’ve left you with, I want to set it straight. I didn’t ask you out tonight just hoping you’d sleep with me. We’ll take this one date at a time. Sex can be off the table for as long as you need it to be.”

  She ran her finger around the rim of her pint glass. “And when I’m ready, it can be on the table?” There was a glint in her eyes again. “Or the floor? The bed?”

  Was she trying to turn him on? He couldn’t resist joining in. “Backseat of my truck?”

  “Hmm. That could be fun. You have a deal.” She stabbed another bite of salad, giving him a considering glance. “This has been an interesting first date so far, Lucas.”

  “And it’s not even over yet.”

  He might’ve agreed not to get her into bed tonight, but he wasn’t letting her walk away without a kiss.

  Chapter Four

  The rest of dinner went all too fast. With the pressure off about whether he expected sex tonight, Kim relaxed more and just let herself have fun.

  And they did. Talking about everything and anything. Laughing, bantering, going into some deep conversations. She was happy to find Lucas challenged her mind as much as he stirred a hot need in her body.

  As they left the restaurant, she realized it was past nine. She bit back a sigh, wishing she didn’t have to be at work at seven tomorrow.

  Lucas caught her hand as they stood outside the door. “Where’d you park?”

  “In this old building that was turned into a ridiculously small garage. I doubt I’ll be able to get my car out of the parking spot, actually. I nearly had an anxiety attack getting into it.”

  “I’m really pretty good at getting in and out of tight spots. Why don’t you let me try?”

  “Mmm. Another innuendo?” She arched a brow and dug into her purse for her keys before handing them over to him.

  “Who me? Never.”

  She led him down the street to where her car was parked, glad to have him with her. It was a creepy old building and might not have a lot of people around at night.

  His fingers tightened around hers and butterflies danced in her belly. She liked the way her hand felt in his. How large and rough his hand was compared to hers. How he made her feel so completely feminine. He had to be at least ten inches taller than her five-foot-two frame.

  They arrived outside the old brick building and entered through a side door. Most of the cars had left, but then it was a Wednesday and there weren’t a lot of people out exploring the city on a cold, dark winter night.

  He clicked the alarm button on her car to locate it, and the Toyota beeped and lit up at the end of the garage.

  The closer they got, the more her heart began to pound. He would want to kiss her. She knew it without a doubt. And she wanted the kiss more than anything, but it also scared the pants off her.

  There’d been no other man in her life since Dave. She hadn’t wanted to dip back into that dating pool. She’d been so disillusioned and so angry, she’d closed herself off again.

  Until those couple of hours she’d spent with Lucas on the dance floor. He’d awakened the dormant need inside her. That desire to flirt again. To be intimate with someone. But it had only been with him.

  Several months had passed since she’d fled the club, and many men had tried to flirt, but no on had piqued her interest the way Lucas had. Until the firefighter in the kitchen—who had turned out to be Lucas. Which was still a little too crazy to believe. Fate at its finest or some nonsense.

  “Looks like it shouldn’t be too hard getting out of here.” He unlocked the driver’s door. “Climb in, sweetheart.”

  She released his hand and made her way around to the passenger side. Her pulse was just about in triple time now.

  Once she was seated with the door closed, she held her breath, waiting for him to start the engine. He didn’t.

  “I’ll move the car,” he promised softly, shifting in his seat to face her. “In just a moment.”

  “Okay.” She shifted her body too, mirroring him, and not bothering to buckle up. Could he hear her heart beating? Because her ears were darn near resonating with each thump.

  “I’d like to kiss you first.”

  Her mouth went dry. “Okay.”

  In the florescent light of the garage, she saw his nostrils flare. He reached out with both hands and cupped her face—his touch surprisingly gentle.

  She closed her eyes, so nervous and eager for the next moment.

  First she felt his breath, warm on her lips, while his rough thumb gently traced her jaw. Then there was the softest, lightest brush of his mouth over hers.

  She sighed, and the tension fled her muscles as her nerves eased. He kissed her again, his lips a little firmer against hers this time.

  With a small moan, she parted her lips, and he took immediate advantage of the silent invitation. He slid his hands to the back of her head, threading fingers into her hair as his tongue delved into her mouth.

  He tasted faintly of pizza and beer, but mostly of male temptation. She touched her tongue to his and pleasure spiraled through her. Her body hummed to life, her nipples tightened and an ache stirred between her legs.

  He deepened the kiss, his tongue chartering the inside of her mouth and teasing hers.

  Oh God. She wanted more. So much more than this kiss, and she hated that she’d thrown down the limits at dinner. She hadn’t realized it would be this good. This intense. That it would leave her wanting so much more than just a simple kiss that was anything but simple.

  Lucas began to lift his head, his lips leaving hers, and she gave a whimper of protest.

  “Sweetheart, I should let you go,” he muttered. “I told you we didn’t have—”

  “Feel my sweater.”

  He blinked. “What?”

  Still aching and alive from the kiss, she caught his hand and dragged it forward, placing it on her sweater-covered breast.

  “You said it looked soft earlier,” she whispered. “Feel it.”

  He looked both stricken and painfully aroused. “Kim—”

  “Okay, I just really want you to touch my breast right now, but am not so good at articulating that.”

  He groaned. “That pretty much covers it.”

  ***

  With her words resounding in his head, Lucas cupped her full breast and lowered his mouth back down to claim hers.

 
Her lips were parted, her tongue seeking his as he discovered the shape and feel of her. Through the ridiculously soft sweater and whatever bra she had on beneath it, he could feel the hard thrust of her nipple.

  He adjusted his palm and brushed his thumb over the tip. She cried out and shifted closer to him, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders.

  The urge to push her back in the seat and recline it hit hard. The garage was nearly empty, but anyone who came in could see them.

  He couldn’t risk removing her sweater or baring her upper body. But dammit the urge to rip every article of clothing off her was pounding hard.

  Lifting his mouth, he rasped, “Tell me to stop.”

  “I will,” she promised. “Just not yet.”

  She pulled his head back down to hers, and he reached blindly beyond her seat to find the lever that would make her recline.

  He found it and pushed back her back. Still no protest, and he had a moment’s guilt as he remembered her statement tonight that she didn’t want to have sex yet.

  This wasn’t sex, his conscience argued. He would stop before it went too far. And she would stop him when she was ready, but she’d just pleaded with him not to stop.

  He leaned across the seat, pressing kisses down her jaw and to her neck, trying to ignore the damn gearshift in his side. How the fuck had he done this so effortlessly as a teenager? Fortunately the softness of her skin and light, delicate perfume numbed him to the discomfort.

  Teasing his fingers under her sweater, he discovered the softness of her belly. Then he moved higher, over her ribcage and to the underside of her breast. The bra was a slippery satin type thing, giving little barrier to the firm nipple beneath.

  He pinched it lightly and was rewarded by her gasp of pleasure. Her hips lifted off the seat.

  “Lucas,” she whispered, holding the back of his head as he kissed the curve of her breasts that peeked out from the V of the sweater.

  More. He wanted so much more. Needed to have her nipple on his tongue. In his mouth. Maybe if he—

  The car alarm that went off in the garage had them both tensing. Then came the drunken voices before the alarm was disabled a moment later.

  He glanced down at her, saw her eyes squeeze shut as she pushed him up and off her. And just like that, the moment was lost.

  “We probably shouldn’t,” she muttered, pulling down her sweater. “Not in here.”

  Lucas nodded, willing his straining dick to chill out. “Agreed. And not tonight. Let’s wait like you originally wanted to.”

  Her eyes opened again and she met his gaze. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I loved that little make out session.”

  “Me too,” she admitted and sat her seat back up. She gave a husky laugh. “Took me back to being seventeen.”

  “I was having the same thoughts.” He didn’t add how much the gearshift had become his nemesis now that he was thirty.

  He started the car and backed out of the parking spot carefully. It really was a pretty tight maneuver in here, between the posts and the wall.

  “When can I see you again?” He steered them out of the garage and toward his car that was parked two blocks away.

  “I’m free Friday through Sunday.”

  “I’m off Saturday.” Damn. But he didn’t want to wait that long. “We can eat, and go for a walk or something.”

  “Or something.”

  She slid a glance to him and judging by the heat in her eyes, he knew there was a good chance they wouldn’t make it past the next date without falling into bed. And he wasn’t about to complain.

  “Where’s your phone?” she asked.

  “In my pocket.”

  Without asking for permission, she wiggled her hand into his jeans and pulled the phone free. His dick disobeyed all orders to chill out and strained forward. Damn.

  “Not password protected, I see. Nice. Makes it easy for me to put my number in there.”

  “I like the way you think.” He parked her car behind his where he’d been lucky to find a street spot. This time of night, there were a lot more spots open.

  He turned to face her. “Are you okay to drive home?”

  “If anything I’m loopy off of getting felt up, not from the one beer.” She smiled and reached for the door, climbing out a moment later.

  He left the ignition running and climbed out when she reached his side.

  “Thank you again for dinner.” She cupped his face, stood on her tiptoes, and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Text me about Saturday, okay?”

  “I will, sweetheart.” He waited for her to get in the car and drive off before climbing into his own.

  He was absolutely taking a cold shower tonight.

  Chapter Five

  “Hey, how did your date go?”

  Kim glanced up from where she was sterilizing her instruments and glanced at Sheryl, the dentist she worked for. Their patient had canceled and they had a rare break.

  “It was good.” Her mind immediately shifted back to the final moments of the evening in her car, and her cheeks warmed. “Really good.”

  “Yeah?” Sheryl, a pretty divorcee in her forties, glanced up from the chart she was reading. “What did you say he does for work again?”

  “He’s a firefighter.”

  Her boss raised an eyebrow and tilted her head slightly. “A firefighter hmm? So I take it he’s cute.”

  “That’s a cliché. But, yes, he’s very attractive.”

  “Hmm.” She glanced back at the chart in her lap. “Careful with those firefighters. I heard a study on the radio that said they’re the most likely to cheat.”

  Kim stilled, not believing her boss had just thrown that line at her.

  “I mean, not that you’re ready to marry the man or anything,” Sheryl rushed to add, “and really, I’m sure it was like an opinion study, not a regulated one. Probably complete nonsense.”

  The memory of Lucas’s tacky ex approaching the table last night flitted through her mind. It had made her a little uncomfortable, but it was hardly a sign that he slept around and cheated on his girlfriends, right?

  Offering a slight shrug, Kim murmured, “It’s still so early. We’ve only had one date.”

  “But there’ll be more?”

  “Saturday. We’re getting together Saturday.”

  Sheryl nodded, pursing her lips together. “Very nice. I hope it goes well.”

  The door to the dental office opened, followed by the sound of their next appointment talking to the receptionist.

  Kim stayed busy the rest of the day taking X-rays and scaling teeth, but any moments when her mind had a chance to wander, she went right back to the comment her boss had made.

  Was there truth to that whole unfaithful firefighters bit? Because the last thing she needed was to get involved with another cheating asshole.

  ***

  By Saturday she’d managed to put Sheryl’s warning behind her. Not only had Lucas told her he wasn’t just looking to get laid, but he’d also been attentive and sweet the days leading up to their date.

  She’d come home to find flowers delivered the day after their dinner, and he’d called and texted enough to keep her in a constant state of having rampant butterflies in her belly. She’d message him about her day, and he’d share about his, filling her in on some of the exciting calls at work.

  When she pulled up outside the address for his condo, her heart was pounding and her fingers trembled against the steering wheel.

  While she hadn’t come here today with the plan to sleep with him, she wasn’t going to delude herself into thinking it wasn’t a possibility. So she’d taken her time in the shower. Shaving and washing with the expensive perfumed body wash she rarely used.

  She’d picked out a matching panty and bra set, one that highlighted her great parts and helped flatter the not-so-great parts. Then she’d thrown a black maxi dress on top of i
t and a lightweight button-up blue sweater.

  Gathering up her courage, she found parking on the street and then made her way to the front door. He answered before she could even knock.

  “I saw you parking.” He held the door open and smiled. “You found the place okay?”

  “Oh yeah. GPS is my best friend at times.” She slid a glance over him and swallowed hard.

  He was casually sexy in the jeans and T-shirt that hugged his defined chest. She stepped past him, trying not to simply reach out to feel if his chest was as solid as it looked.

  The door clicked close. “Kim.”

  She caught her breath and stopped walking, then turned to face him.

  “Come here.”

  The soft command had her mindlessly obeying as she retraced the three steps that placed her in front of him.

  He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. “I didn’t say hello the way I wanted to. Do over?”

  She managed a weak nod. “Do over.”

  His head lowered and he brushed his lips over hers in a slow, sensual motion. For one quick, tantalizing moment his tongue slid inside her mouth to tease hers. Just a quick taste that left her wanting.

  After lifting his head, he murmured, “I gotta say, not seeing you for the past few days sucked.”

  “Agreed.” She finally reached out and touched his chest. It could’ve been just to keep her balance after that kiss, but it was definitely a reason to touch him. “I think I regretted not going home with you.”

  Hunger flashed in his eyes. “Is that so? You might’ve regretted it more if you did.”

  “Maybe.” She gave a small shrug and glanced at him through her lashes. “So what are your plans for me today? Should I strip now or save that for later?” When he seemed to choke in shock she let out a laugh. “Sorry, I figured I was that obvious.”

  “I’m so tempted to say now,” he muttered as he released her. “But my self-respect tells me I need to make you hang out with me first so you don’t think I’m easy.”

  She laughed harder as he caught her hand and tugged her further into the house.

  “Let me give you a tour of my place first.”