Page 3 of Alpha Theo

I refocus my attention back to the lines of code I’ve been trying to perfect for a new tracing program I’ve been working on, my temperature rising in annoyance. Erin chats quietly with Theo for a few minutes, then turns him loose to wander around the room.

He stops at Carly’s desk first, planting himself behind her chair and leaning in to say something. She laughs loudly, tossing her head back toward his hard abs. She’s obviously flirting- no joke’sthatdamn funny.

Ugh. Surely Carly’s not dumb enough to fall for the Theo charm? She’s been with the IT unit for two years longer than I have, and she’s probably my closest friend on the unit since we’re the closest in age. She’s a tall, waify brunette- conventionally attractive, but not what I’d necessarily pin down as Theo’s type. She’s pretty quiet, conservative. Some may say mousy.

I don’t know why their interaction bugs me so much. Maybe it’s because Theo seems like a predator, Carly like prey. I get back to work, tuning Theo out as he continues making the rounds. It almost works, too- ten minutes later, my fingers are dancing across the keyboard again as I fall back into a groove.

I try to keep my eyes focused on my computer screen as I feel Theo prowl up next to me, his presence large, looming. I don’t look up as he leans in, slapping a big palm on my desk.

“You’re the new girl, right?”

He knows damn well who I am.

We’re from the same pack. Our fathers are friends. I’m the same age as his sister and used to hang out with her at his house. My twin sister recently found out she’s mated to one of his best friends. Myidenticaltwin.

It’s laughable now to think of how I used to have a big crush on Theo when we were younger, before he flew the coop after he graduated from high school. Before I paid attention to the rumors of his womanizing ways and before he covered his body with tattoos and so much hard-earned muscle.

I dart my eyes to him, then back to my computer screen. “Theo.”

My hands fly over my keyboard. “How’s Quinn?”

“Riiiiight, that’s where I know you from,” Theo muses, continuing the facade. “My kid sister.”

My eyes roll so far back in my head I can practically see my skull.

He leans closer. He smellsgood- woodsy and masculine. “So how are you settling in with the nerd herd, kid?”

“It’s Brooke,” I grind out, fingers still typing furiously.

Somehow, he takes that as an invitation- Theo grabs for a chair from the conference table behind my desk, dragging the legs across the floor loudly as he pulls it closer. He sinks down onto it, leaning back and kicking his feet up on the edge of the desk. His big motorcycle boots land with a thud as I silently curse his presence.

“So, what are you working on?” he asks, pulling a small bag of pretzels out of his jacket pocket and tearing it open. I turn to stare at him as he pops one in his mouth and starts chewing.

“You shouldn’t be eating in here,” I grumble. “Not around all the equipment and computers.”

He chuckles, popping another pretzel into his mouth. “My bad. Wouldn’t want to offend them.”

I heave a sigh, turning back to my computer and trying to resume my work.Trying, because Theo’s very presence is a distraction.

I can feel him peeking over at my monitor, watching me.

“Those aren’t even real words,” he comments, mouth full of pretzel.

“It’s code.”

“Code for what?”

The keyboard clicks under my fingers. “A program I’m working on.”

“What kind of program?”

I sigh, stop typing. “Why do youcare?” I ask, shooting him a sideways glance.

“Just trying to get up to speed.” He flashes another one of those gorgeous smiles and damnit if it doesn’t give me pause. How can someone that good looking be soinsufferable?

I go back to typing and get approximately one and a half minutes of work in before Theo speaks up again.

“Want some?”

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