Page 2 of Pucking the Enemy

The marble countertops were covered in buckets of ice filled with various cans and bottles. The options ranged from soda to beer to cute little cans of cocktails. Those caught my interest. I usually avoided mixed drinks because they weren’t worth the lecture from Seb about the closed-can policy.

The buckets were in the middle of the counter, so I had to stand on my tiptoes to lean over to search through one of them, the ice water burning my fingers as I rummaged, trying to grab the red can I could just make out.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and my body stiffened as I felt someone move behind me.

Dark, fruity rum wafted around me. Was that the stranger’s scent or just the overwhelming alcoholic smell of the party?

Either way, it smelled divine.

“Looking for something in particular?” a deep voice said from behind me.

I wasn’t a dark rum girl… but I could easily become one.

Slowly, I pulled my hand out of the bucket, sinking back onto my heels and turning to see who the voice belonged to.

Holy hot alpha.

Easily a foot taller than me, the stranger had neatly cut blond hair that was styled back out of his face. He had a pronounced jawline and an angular nose to match. Blue eyes and high cheekbones. His chest was wide, and he was clearly well built under the black T-shirt he wore.

Either this man had been doused in dark, fruity rum—which, seeing as we were at a frat party, was a possibility—or he smelled good enough to eat.

“Hi,” I said quietly, my voice getting lost in the noise of the party.

He leaned forward so his lips nearly brushed my ear. The smell was definitely coming from him. I had the momentary urge to lean forward and lick his neck, to see if he tasted as good as he smelled.

“I asked if you were looking for anything in particular, Duchess?” He repeated his earlier question, only this time, he added the nickname.

“I was trying to get a can of strawberry daiquiri,” I admitted with a shy smile. I wasn’t the quietest of omegas, but something about the sheer presence of this alpha had me feeling a bit more subdued than usual.

His face broke out into a disarming grin. “I can help you there,” he declared, leaning over to reach the bucket. The movement plastered our bodies together as he looked down at me with a smile, his eyes never leaving my face as his fingers searched around in the bucket, pulling out the can with ease and holding it in front of my face with a triumphant grin.

“Thank you.” I gently took the can from him, opening it and taking a sip. “I’m surprised they even do cocktail cans at these parties.”

“I know the guys who live here. They tend to do it for the omegas who don’t want to accept drinks that are already open,” he said, leaning down, his body still less than an inch from mine. He was invading my personal space, and if it were anyone else, I would have been irritated, but his presence was oddly comforting.

I snorted with laughter. “My best friend has a rule that I’m not allowed to drink from anything that I haven’t opened myself at parties,” I admitted, licking my lips.

“She’s a very smart woman, then,” he said, resting one of his hands on the countertop, caging me in.

I didn’t bother to correct him.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Roman, you?” The movement of his lips drew my attention to their fullness. I wanted to taste him.

“Hazel.”

“Beautiful name for a beautiful omega.” He smiled. “Though you’re clearly being neglected. No one should let a beautiful omega scramble for drinks on her own. You’re far too short for it.” Laughter danced in his eyes as he spoke, and he was obviously holding back a laugh.

“I’ll have you know, I’m five foot tall!” I cried indignantly.

He cocked his eyebrow, a disbelieving look crossing his face. “Are you sure about that? You’re practically a nugget.”

“I am!” I insisted. Well… I was close enough.

Glancing over to the right, I saw Seb through the throng of people. He was surrounded by puck bunnies in tight dresses with their hair and makeup done far nicer than I could ever do on myself. My best friend smiled at them with ease. He loved the attention. I didn’t begrudge him that, but it could be annoying when it meant him leaving me to my own devices with people I hardly knew.

Only, this time, I had someone to keep me company.

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