Page 32 of The Alpha's Protective Mate

I slide over the drinks to Jazz. “Here. If it’s about loan sharks, Gina, I don’t have any chasing after me. You know how Shelby is.”

Jazz grins. “I don’t think that’s the little tidbit she’s talking about. The one we have in mind is about to walk in.”

I lift my gaze, and I can feel the heat spread across my face as Robert Montgomery opens the door, a small, familiar puppy tucked under his arm. His shoes have drool all over them and are partly chewed.

“Good afternoon,” Jazz says cheerfully. “My break just started. Charlotte will take your order.”

“Wha-” I gape at Jazz, who shoves me—without an ounce of remorse—in front of the cash register, directly across from Robert.

“Hi.” He smiles at me, the cerulean blue of his eyes lighting up and making my heart flutter.

“Y—You brought Zeno,” I murmur, cursing myself silently for the stutter.

“I took him to work.” Robert looks proud, patting the happy little puppy on the head. “My housekeeper is on vacation right now, so I can’t leave him alone. He’s quite well-behaved.”

My eyes are drawn to his chewed shoes. “I can tell.”

He laughs. “He got bored.”

The sound surprises me. I quickly look away, trying to calm my traitorous heart. It’s not like I haven’t had crushes before. I know they simply fade away very quickly. But with Robert, it’s almost ridiculous.

Why does his presence make me feel like this?

A giggle from the side has me looking over to see Jazz grinning at me. She makes a kissy face, and I quickly avert my gaze.

“What can I get you?”

“It’s cold outside, so a hot chocolate for me and one of those meat buns for Zeno.” Robert glances in Jazz’s direction, making me wish the Earth would swallow me whole. My colleagues are having the time of their lives right now.

He’s not just a wolf shifter, but an Alpha. I shouldn’t even be looking at him, and yet here I am, feeling and behaving like a fool.

“Sure.” I pack up the meat bun and start preparing the hot chocolate.

As another customer walks in, Jazz jumps to her feet. “I’ll take your order.”

I give her a narrow-eyed look. Did she happen to forget she was on an impromptu break?

“What are you doing today?” Robert asks me.

“My shift ends at seven, and then I’m going to go home,” I reply, glancing over my shoulder at him. “Why?”

“Well…” His grin makes the scars on the left side of his face crinkle, but they don’t bother me. His scars have never stood out to me. His smile is wickedly charming even with them. “I was thinking that you owe me a meal.”

“What?” I gape at him. “But we had Chinese—”

“Yeah,” he shrugs, “but technically, it was my treat. You still owe me. I was thinking we could go today.”

I stare at him. What is he doing?

I pick up his cup and put a lid on it before placing it before him. My voice is low as I ask him, “You do remember what I am, don’t you?”

“I do,” he says simply, grabbing a sleeve for his hot cup.

“This is—Whatever you’re up to, I don’t think it’s a good idea, Robert. I don’t want to get dragged into—”

He just smiles at me. “You’ll be fine.”

“No, I won’t,” I insist. “I don’t—”

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