Page 7 of Blizzards and Brews

“There’s a place we can stop for food on the way to your place,” she said, being just as direct as I was.

“I’ll stick around until closing,” I said, nodding once before she was off again. In her wake was another wave of her mouth-watering scent. Something else hung in the air, it was subtle like it had long faded, but bold enough I could pick it out of the rest. The caramel and marshmallow was warm and sweet, like sticky marshmallows and caramel coffee, it complemented the fresh, earthy scents the beta gave off. That was a mystery for another day.

Right now, I had other plans.

My eyes followed her as she moved around the room and popped behind the bar. The workers here had a sort of dance of their own. Just watching the way they moved in perfect synchronization, sharing smiles and jokes as they passed one another, told me they had a history.

If she was flirting with me and making plans, that was at least platonic. It didn’t matter much either way.

She was mine.

My tongue darted out, wetting my lips, as she bent over to wipe a table. As if she could feel my eyes studying the perfect swell of her ass, she glanced back and gave me a wink, putting extra effort into shimmying as she cleaned the tables one by one.

Fuck, I was hard as a rock and this was not helping.

Soon enough I was the last customer left after they helped a drunk old man to the door. The bartender didn’t come back right away and I wondered if he went as far as helping the drunken man home.

Holiday Hollow was definitely different.

“We have to lock up. Meet me outside in twenty,” the beta said as she came up to take the last glass from in front of me. “Name’s Lindsay, by the way.”

“Don’t stand me up, angel,” I said, giving her my best heated look as I ignored her given name for my preferred one.

Her breath caught and her eyes fluttered closed at the pheromones I was putting out. She didn’t act like she was affected by my scent at any point before this and I wondered if it was that or lust that had caused this reaction.

Leaving her on the edge of desire I stood and took my leave. I didn’t look back until I’d reached the door, turning long enough to give her a wink before leaving the bar behind.

It was a chilly night and I was thankful for the thick, wool peacoat I had on. I popped the collar up to ward off the cold as I leaned against the brick of the building.

Holiday Hollow was quiet this time of night, peaceful.

The city was never this silent. There was always the background noise of cars on the road, sirens, music from the clubs that didn’t close until right before dawn, and the shouting of voices out having a good time.

Here, there was a steady rustling of wind on the barren winter trees. Even the soft buzz of the lights fell away as they shut them off for the night.

I took a deep breath and couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips. I’d come here to find contracts and make a deal, but it seemed there was a lot more than I bargained for.

Not that I was complaining.

I was the type of alpha who knew what he wanted. Once I changed my mind about something, that was it. I may have only been in Holiday Hollow for half a day but I was already preparing myself to stay.

That beta was mine.

And if this was her home, then it was soon to be mine as well.

I heard the back door slam open and the clink of the dumpster before the front door opened and my girl slipped out, locking it behind her.

She glanced the opposite way before turning toward me. Her eyes lit up and damn if that didn’t send a jolt of warmth through my chest.

“You waited,” she said as if she wasn’t sure I would.

“I’m not the type to lie,” I said as I pulled her in close. My nose hit her hair and I breathed in deep, my cock hardening into stone. “You smell amazing.”

“So do you,” she said in a husky voice that had me tightening my hold. “What do you say to eating after?”

“I’ll make the wait worthwhile. I need you to have energy,” I countered, leading her to the only building still lit up this late.

She let out a huff of annoyance but didn’t argue. My hand slipped from around her shoulders down to her ass and I squeezed a handful. She let out a squeak and glared at me but I just chuckled, completely unrepentant.

---