Page 46 of Unexpected Alpha's Claim

“Damn it,” I cursed.

All I had wanted was to enjoy a drink beside the roaring flames. I’d learned since moving here that watching them leap and lick the walls of the fireplace was one of the most relaxing sights I had ever seen. Alas, with a drifting mind and a heart full of doubt, starting a fire turned out to be much too difficult. All I had to show for my efforts was a singed thumb and an empty matchbox.

Frustrated, I tossed the now empty matchbox into the fireplace. Maybe it would inspire the logs to burn like I wanted. Then I remembered that there was another box of matches in my car,so I walked out of the house to the car. I wanted to have them to hand just in case I decided to have another go at lighting a fire later.

I leaned in through the driver’s side then remembered I’d put them in the glove box. I had to crawl in to get into that the little compartment, but they were where I’d left them. I got out, but as I closed the door, I heard a similar sound echoing it.

I quickly glanced around and spotted Raul. He had parked on the street in front of my house and was standing beside a black pickup truck. He didn’t see me at first, staring intently at my front door then striding up the sidewalk towards it with a bouquet in his grasp. The light from my living room illuminated the bouquet, and I saw that the flowers were lilies. That brought a smile to my face.

Just like last time. Only, this time, my ex isn’t here.

He was halfway up the steps, still focused on the door when I decided to let him know I wasn’t inside. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this. I was still angry at him. Angry, hurt, or, well both. He was either going to trust me or he wasn’t. And if he wasn’t, then there wasn’t going to be an us.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight,” I said, a good neutral statement.

He stopped dead in his tracks and turned with a look of surprise on his face. An easy smile turned on, which then faded when he met my own, more serious gaze. He motioned with the flowers before pulling them closer to himself.

“Because of the way we left things yesterday?” he asked, knowing the answer before he spoke.

“Yeah,” I said, nodding with regret.

“Yeah,” he said, raising the flowers and then dropping them to his side. “Me too. Look… I’m…”

I waited for him to finish the sentence, but when he didn’t, I finally broke.

“Yeah?”

He raised his eyes until they met mine. We stared at each other for a long moment while my heart beats raced faster and faster. His mouth opened then shut but I couldn’t take my eyes off it. His lips, the memory of how they tasted, the way they felt, was burning in my thoughts.

“I’m sorry, Monica,” he said.

The words were so soft it was barely more than a whisper, but I heard them. They roared into my head and burned through the anger and the upsets. He shook his head, then held out the flowers. I took a step closer, inevitably drawn into him as if he’s the gravity well of a planet and I was caught in his orbit.

“If I’m being honest,” I said, reaching out and taking the flowers. “I think I should have stayed at least a little bit longer.”

“Heh,” he puffed, letting go of the flowers. He watched as I raised them and took a deep inhale. “You were right to complain. I should have been more forward, I should have trusted you.”

The scent of the lilies filled my nostrils. The delicate, sweet floral was heady in its way, and as I inhaled again, there was a hint of spice with a touch of something citrusy. I closed my eyes to enjoy them, letting the fragrance clear my head as much as anything.

“Yes,” I agreed, but I smiled as I said it. “You should have.”

When I opened my eyes, he’d come even closer. We’re inches apart and the flowers were in very real danger of being crushed between us.

“Monica,” he said my name in that deep, husky, breathy voice that made my knees weak and reason fly at the sound of it. “I’m sorry, I?—"

“Apology accepted,” I interrupted, a smile bursting upon my lips. “Come on, come in.”

He blinked, taken aback by the sudden mood change, but how could I stay mad at him? I didn’t want to be mad, I wanted to fuck him. That’s right, careful, prudent, prudish me wanted to fuck this man like there was no tomorrow. Feelings, emotions, and hurts be damned, I wanted what I wanted.

I lead the way into the house, consciously putting a little extra sway into my step just in case my intention wasn’t already clear to him.

“Mon, there’s something else, too,” he said as he stepped into my living room.

I sashayed on through to the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers.

“Yeah?” I asked over my shoulder.

He followed me into the kitchen, stopping in the doorway to lean against the jam. He crossed his arms over his chest.

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