Under Cover: A Blue Collar Alpha Romance

by Aria Cole

  “The last night I had Charlie, he was right here in my lap. He slept with me every night. I think that’s part of why I have trouble sleeping. My mom stayed with me the first few nights after the loss of my dad, but then she had to go back to real life, so she went to the pet store and picked out Charlie to keep me warm.”

  I nodded, fully understanding the importance of little Charlie McFluffer Pants now.

  “He’s been my everything ever since.”

  I did the only thing I could: I wrapped my arm around Phoebe and pulled her into my chest. “We’ll find him, Phoebe. You’ve got my word.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Phoebe

  “I don’t want to be alone tonight.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I looked up at Brody, fearing his possible laughter. I was just so tired of crying myself to sleep. Talking about my dad had been more than I could handle. I tried not to think of my father. His loss to our family was so traumatizing.

  Charlie was truthfully my therapy dog. I didn’t tell Brody that my mom had purchased him after I’d gone into a deep depression. My mom was probably sadder than I was the day we’d lost him, but she couldn’t fall apart because her daughter already had. I felt shame consume me, mixing with the fear and creating a toxic cocktail in my mind.

  “Sorry, Dick.” I swiped at my eyes. “That isn’t really your problem.” I pushed away from him to deflect all of this buried emotion. I needed something to focus on, or the weight of everything threatened to tumble down on me.

  “Stop that.” He took both my small hands into his own mammoth ones. I couldn’t help focusing on how nice it was to have such strong hands holding my own, taking control away, making me feel cared for and loved for the first time in so long.

  “Look at me, Phoebe,” he demanded, and I couldn’t refuse. “You don’t have to be alone.” His words were a lifeline, and I wanted so badly to be saved from drowning.

  “Will… Will you stay with me? Just for one night? It doesn’t have to mean anything. Nothing is going to happen—I just want someone to sleep next to.” My voice sounded so pathetic and weak.

  He dropped my hands and moved his palms to my face, so tender and warm. My eyes closed as I leaned into him, desperate for human contact. The tiny patio loveseat we were nestled together on was hardly enough for his wide body and mine, and still, we filled it perfectly.

  “I want to stay.” His words made my eyes shoot wide open.

  He smiled, rubbing his thumb along my bottom lip.

  “You’re kinda pretty when you aren’t trying to bust my balls,” he teased, and I thought he was going to do it—here and now he was going to kiss me.

  He leaned in, and then I leaned in. I positioned my body so that my boobs would graze his hard slab of a man chest. My heart seemed to beat faster than a hummingbird as he caressed me slowly and deliberately. I couldn’t help staring at his full lips and long dark eyelashes. How was it that a man could have such luscious lashes?

  He moved in closer still, and I closed my eyes, preparing myself for his touch. And then nothing. I popped one eye open and saw him staring at me with a puzzled look on his face.

  “Are you okay? Do you have something in your eye?” he asked and then whacked my back, pretty damn hard.

  “Ouch!” I jumped, rubbing the spot that his hand had assaulted. “What the heck was that for?”

  “You had a mosquito. I figured someone with your sensibilities might be allergic.” He leaned in, grazing his arm on my chest.

  I was mortified. Here I was baring myself to him, letting my guard down, and the fucker was killing some mosquitoes Well, that bite wouldn’t have stung as much as his rejection.

  I tried to turn away from him, hoping that I could hide my embarrassment.

  “You thought I was going to kiss ya, didn’t you?” He grabbed my waist and turned me, and as much as I tried to get away, his arms, like prison shackles, kept me firmly in place. I cast my face down, determined to control the tears that were starting to forge their way out of my eyes. The treachery of my own emotions made me so angry.

  “Hey,” he said, tone softening as he bent his knees to level himself with my height. I tilted my face up and caught his eye.

  “It was stupid, okay?” I stuttered, my voice shaking. “Forget I said anything.”

  “Nope. Sorry. Can’t do that.” And then he kissed me.

  And just like a sudden gust of wind, he took my breath away.

  My body went limp, my muscles to Jell-O. I was too taken aback by the intensity of his lips against mine that I lost all awareness of any other piece of my body outside of his mouth pressed to mine.

  “You know,” he said, his lips still on mine, “normally when you want someone to kiss you the way you obviously want me to, you kind of put your hands on them. You really are making this more awkward than it needs to be.”

  I could feel his lips turning up into a smile.

  “What makes you think I want this?” I asked with a pout, and his smile turned into the bark of a laugh.

  “Oh baby, you want it…” He pushed his lips onto mine, and this time I managed to wrap my arms around him, opening my lips so he could invade my mouth. The tip of his tongue darted to meet mine. I had no idea that a kiss, a simple kiss, could feel like this. When it ended, he pulled us back up and peered at me. I wasn’t sure what he wanted, but in that moment, I would have given him anything.

  “So, your place or mine?” he asked.

  “Huh?” It was all that I could manage, my mind still a fog from that kiss.

  “Where are we spending the night? Your place or mine?” he asked again.

  “I would be fine with either, but I’ve been leaving Charlie’s favorite meal outside every night, hoping he comes back.”

  I’d been leaving a tiny bowl of freshly cooked chicken at both the front door and back every night, and I was glad Detective Dick’s question had just reminded me to refresh Charlie’s nightly meal.

  It hadn’t been touched since the night he left, but I couldn’t give up hope.

  “Of course.” Brody smiled sweetly, the pad of his thumb brushing the edge of my hairline and sending a tendril of flames through my veins. “My king-size bed is pretty tricked out at my house though.”

  I frowned, thinking maybe that would help me sleep. I only had a puny little twin.

  “We could leave Charlie’s food out. I’ve got a motion-sensor recorder on my phone. We can leave his food out, and if anything triggers the sensor, the light and recorder will flip on and notify me, and we can be back here in a few minutes.”

  “Glad to hear you’re a smart girl living all alone.”

  “Charlie’s usually a pretty good watch dog, but my mom insisted on security when I moved in, just to be safe.”

  “Perfect.” His tone lowered an octave, the feel of it settling straight between my thighs.

  Anticipation crept into my mind.

  Detective Dick was a bit of a catch.

  “Let’s get Charlie’s food set out and then head to my place. And because I’m a gentleman, I’ll even sleep with my clothes on, on top of the blanket.”

  I groaned inwardly, suddenly disappointed that Detective Dick was turning out to be such a gentleman.

  “Don’t look so bummed that this isn’t a naked sleepover,” he teased.

  My eyes rounded, mortification icing my veins. His laugh followed down the hall after me as I angled for my bedroom for a pair of pajamas to bring to the Detective’s house.

  “Maybe next time, then!” I called, just to shock him, a thrill of pleasure running through me at just the thought.

  ***

  When I woke the next morning in a strange bed, I realized it was the first time I‘d gotten a complete night’s sleep since Charlie had run away.

  I wasn’t sure why last night was different, until I adjusted my arm and felt my fingertips graze a hard slab of muscle.

  I gulped, suddenly aware of this beautiful, hot-blooded man beside
me in his bed.

  Last night felt like a fairy tale, but now here he was, in the flesh and still making my tummy flutter.

  I couldn’t deny that maybe I’d gotten such a great night’s sleep because I’d been next to the detective. You’d think that after that kiss, he’d have tried to put the moves on me once settled in his bed last night, but just like he’d promised, nothing.

  He’d let me fall asleep in his arms, holding me tenderly.

  Without wanting to wake him, I slipped out from the bed quietly, in search of the nearest bathroom. The last thing I needed was him to see what a hot mess I was first thing in the morning.

  I slipped inside the first room I came across and screamed.

  “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m used to ladies going wild for this bod.” A man was naked, completely naked, and shaking his junk for me in the bathroom. Not a single thing left to my imagination. He didn’t seem to have any shame either, because he made no attempt to cover up, just stood there with a lopsided smile on his face.

  “What’s happening? Phoebe, are you okay?” Brody ran into the bathroom. “What the fuck, Connor?” he roared and threw the guy a towel.

  “Whoa, bro! She’s cute. You did really well first time out the gate.” Connor extended his arm for a fist bump.

  “Dude, she doesn’t want to see your little cock flapping in the wind. Cover the fuck up!” Brody slapped Connor’s arm away.

  “I may not be as long as some, but this is seven inches, and it’s got the girth of a Coke can.” He shook his hips again. “Ladies prefer girth to length.” Connor wrapped a towel around his waist.

  “Umm. I’m just going to wait for you in the bedroom,” I said to Brody and ran out of the bathroom, feeling a little more traumatized than when I’d walked in and suddenly more familiar with the family jewels than I ever imagined I’d be.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Brody

  “You’ve got to get your own place, little bro.” I stood in my kitchen, taking in my still dripping wet brother.

  “Funny, you say that now.” Connor gestured to Phoebe, spoonful of Connor’s favorite sugary cereal at her lips. Hell, if I hadn’t been awakened by her shriek and my nudist-ass brother, she’d be eating my bacon and eggs and waffles right now. “Mama is gonna love this, by the way. She’s gonna eat this shit up!”

  “What?” Phoebe asked innocently.

  “That Brody finally, finally brought a girl home!”

  “This isn’t what it looks like, not exactly.” I glanced at Phoebe and then back to my brother. “Not yet, anyway.”

  “Oh, I'm pretty sure this is exactly what it looks like.” Connor had his phone out and was tapping away a message to someone, presumably our mom.

  “Connor!” I roared, lunging for the phone.

  “Guys, guys!” Connor threw his arms out. “Cuddle up close. The entire family’s gonna want photo evidence.”

  He snapped a picture and then dodged out of the kitchen.

  “Fuck, he’s not gonna make this easy.”

  Phoebe held a hand over her mouth, hiding her quiet giggles.

  “First time, huh?”

  I shrugged, nailing her with my eyes. “I’m a lot of things, but liar isn’t one of them.”

  She hummed, eyes twinkling up at me.

  Hell, I wanted to kiss her, really fucking kiss her in a way I didn’t think she’d ever been kissed.

  Phoebe stood then, crossing the kitchen to deposit her empty bowl into the sink.

  I closed the distance between us, acting on instinct and anxious to feel her against me. I closed her in my arms, placing a kiss on her forehead. “It was torture watching you sleep all night and not being able to touch you.”

  She grinned, fingertips tightening at my waist. “That doesn’t sound creepy at all, Dick.”

  I grinned, enjoying the way her tender body felt melded to mine. She made me hot in places I’d never really much thought about before now. Something about the need to protect her overpowered all my other senses.

  “Honestly, I spent part of the night monitoring that app on your phone to see if there was any activity at your house.” I traced my thumbs across her cheekbones, delighting in the way she came alive like a hot wire under my fingers. “There wasn’t. But also, Connor’s right.” I cradled her face in my palm. “My mom is going to love you. Another woman she can bust my balls with.

  “And I can’t think of any better to introduce to my mother.” I kissed Phoebe with slow and aching precision, sucking at the tip of her tongue softly. “Do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner at my mom’s house, Phoebe Wells?”

  A slow clap carried across the kitchen.

  “Connor!”

  “Didn’t know you had it in you, bro.” He patted me on the back, wide grin enough to make my blood boil. “I got it all on camera. Mama is gonna have names for those grandbabies picked out by the time you get to dinner.”

  “You fucker,” I gritted, Phoebe only cracking into laughter in my arms.

  “So what’s it gonna be, Phoebe?” Connor pushed his phone in close, video camera rolling again. “Are you checking yes or no? Inquiring minds are dying to know—”

  I swiped his phone out of his hand and flipped it off.

  “Maybe I’m not the only crazy one. I would love to meet your mama, Dick.”

  Connor’s eyes lit up, slapping me on the back again and swiping his phone. “Congratulations, bro. One step closer to second base. Proud of you.”

  “Hey, Phoebe, why do you call him Dick?” Connor asked, popping a few dry pieces of cereal into his mouth. The question seemed to make Phoebe smile with a hint of amusement twinkling in her eyes.

  “’Cause the first time I met him, he was a real asshole,” she said as she looked up at me.

  “Yeah, that totally makes sense,” Connor agreed.

  “You really need to start looking at rentals.”

  “Sure thing. Gotta make way for all those nieces and nephews I’ll soon have.” He was whistling as he walked away.

  “I apologize. He’s definitely the wild one in our family.”

  “He seems sweet.” Phoebe shrugged, relaxing against me.

  “I don’t know about that. So…my shift at the station starts in an hour, but I can be a little late if it means a morning make out session with the prettiest girl I know.”

  Her blush bloomed crimson, creeping its way down her neck and disappearing into the cleavage of her V-neck. I kissed her again, hands roaming her waist as we settled against each other, lingering like teenagers making out for the first time. I guess we sort of were.

  Her hot little fingers gripped at the cotton of my shirt, sending my stomach into tightly wound knots, imagining the way she might squirm against the sheets of my bed when I sank into her body for the first time.

  My cock throbbed, irritation settling in my balls like barbed wire.

  “Whaddya say to coffee before work?” I backed away, needing a breath of air to control myself around her.

  She nodded, eyes still hovering on mine.

  “Aw, don’t do that to me, Phoebe.”

  “What?”

  I nipped at her ear and replied, “Look at me like you’re ready for me to make love to you slow and deep.” I sucked at her neck, leaving the faintest bruise. “Like you’re desperate for me to make you cum on my tongue.”

  She licked her lips, eyes wide and glued to mine.

  “Whatever we do, you’ve gotta go get some more clothes on, or I’ll violate every gentleman’s code I aim to live by.”

  She nodded, huffing softly, “Okay.”

  She ducked out from under the cage of my arms, and I missed the feel of her body against mine instantly. I grabbed her hand, spinning her back into my arms. “But first, just one more kiss.”

  And then I bent her over and kissed her in the way a man should a woman.

  Like I might die, I was so starved for her touch.

  Soft little moans panted past her lips that made my balls tingle.


  “Heaven help me with you, Phoebe Wells.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Phoebe

  “You really need to get something hotter,” Kelsey my best friend—my only friend—stated while rummaging through my closet and dumping piles of clothing on the floor.

  “Why aren’t you leaving them on the hanger?” I asked, irritated as I picked up every piece of clothing off the floor.

  “Don’t pick those up. Those all need to be donated to some grandma living in Iowa.” She ripped the purple sweater with puppies out of my grip, looking at it and then at me in disgust. “Why the heck would you even buy this ugly thing?” she asked.

  “It was a Christmas present from Charlie,” I said, pulling it out of her arms and putting it on.

  “No, Phoebe, it was a Christmas present from yourself. Charlie can’t shop in the ugly dog sweater store.” Kelsey’s words, which normally would have made me laugh, brought tears to my eyes.

  “Oh, Phoebe, I’m so sorry. We can keep the sweater.” She gently removed it from me and laid it down in front of the two of us. “It’s actually fashion forward. I mean, they wear much crazier things during New York Fashion Week.” She chugged back her wine, making me snort-laugh. I loved Kelsey. We were nothing alike, so we shouldn’t be friends, but here we were in my closet, her looking like a fashion model and me looking like a grandma from Iowa.

  “Thank you, Kelsey,” I whispered, touching the fabric and longing for my baby to be in my arms while I wore it.

  “You’ll find him, Phoebe. Besides, you now have that hot little detective wanting into your pants, and we all know that men will do anything when they want into a woman’s pants.”

  I smiled at her brazen nature. Kelsey was wild, but she had a heart of gold. When she met the right person, she was going to make him very lucky.

  “Oh, I found it!” Kelsey shrieked, pulling out an outfit. It was an almost sheer-looking black camisole—very simple but very skimpy.

  “You know I’m meeting his mom, right?” I enunciated, making sure she didn’t miss the word mom.