Page 14 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate

That made me hopeful.

The tip of her button nose wiggled. Choppy bangs tickled the edges of her lashes when she blinked, but she didn’t seem very bothered by it. She rested her elbow on the table and ruffled her hair, turning the red-auburn chin-length bob that was perfectly brushed into a sexy pixie girl mess. Short, almond-shaped tan nails done with a rich red ombre finish on the points dragged my attention wherever her nails went—to her chin, along her jawline, down her throat.

She inhaled sharply. “You must think I’m a robot or something.”

“Computing massive strings of data at lightning speed? Yes, I do.”

She focused on me without moving her head, giving me such a sharp glare from a downward angle that it made her wide eyes seem like vivid sunflowers. “Do I look like a professor?”

“With a pair of glasses, you would.” A growl rumbled in my throat, one that tingled right down to my legs as I pictured Robyn in glasses and a secretary outfit. “That would be kind of sexy.”

She rubbed her temples. “Don’t hit on me.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Don’tcall me that.”

I was tempted to wink, to tease her until she was red in the face and giggling from the jokes. I wanted to soften these angular edges that kept me from getting to her most sensitive parts. At the same time, this rough exterior challenged my influence and made me want to prop her over my lap. The things I wanted to do to her were too loud for the present location.

But all in due time.

I smiled at her and motioned to the papers. “What do you think?”

She neatly tapped the pages together. “It’s a sound argument. Your test results show healthy blood and functioning. Your STI panel is negative across the board. You work closely with your community. You’re free of drugs. You barely drink…”

“I’m a good match.” I pointed to the ceiling. “And I’m great with kids. You should see me with my niece.”

My eyebrows rose. “Your niece?”

“She’s a baby, but she’s super cool.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded emphatically. “We get along great.”

“Babies are easy.”

“No, they’re hard work. Don’t gaslight me, Babe.”

She snarled, “Don’t call me babe.”

“Alright, sorry.” I held up my hands. “Sorry, I’ve clearly come at a bad time.”

“Any time is a bad time with you.”

My spirited excitement dimmed. “You don’t have to be mean, Robyn.”

“And you didn’t have to leave me high and dry for three years.”

The floor above my head creaked. A few minutes later, I heard the distant click of a door. Water rushed through the pipes in the wall as the muted sound of a toilet flushing. I held my breath while watching the unmoving ceiling, staring at the popcorn-painted white with my lower lip stuck between my teeth. Had her daughter heard us arguing?

Once all was quiet again, I returned my attention to Robyn. She was staring at the table with a defeated look, a thin lock of hair clinging to the edge of her mouth. I reached across the table to push it behind her ear. Just when I completed my task, she looked into my eyes—explosive planets of yellow with gold and honey hues dazzled me like twin suns.

I stroked her cheek. “I’m sorry about that, Robyn. I should have called you, but things got busy.”

“You mean when your last batch of wares got you caught.”

I shook my head. “Actually, Bill turned me away. He said he wanted to clean himself up.”

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