Page 5 of The Bookseller and the Alpha
He said something. I know he said something. His voice was deep, slightly rough and it sent a shiver through my whole body. His lips were moving, so I knew he was talking, but I didn’t hear what he said. Rational thought faded away. I forgot what I’d said. I forgot my own name. All I heard was his voice. That voice. It promised things… it promised champagne, chocolate and naked bodies on satin sheets. It promised scorching kisses, and earth-shattering orgasms. My eyes shut, and my body responded. Nipples pebbling. Cheeks flushing.
My brain turned back on and my eyes snapped back open as my cheeks flamed.Oh. My. God. Did I just go there?I keptmy eyes down. All he did was talk to me and I just about burst into flame. I could see the headline. Woman dies of spontaneous combustion! I heard my own heavy breathing in the space between us, as if I’d been running and couldn’t get enough air. He filled the doorway. Not just his body, but the force of his personality. I could feel his gaze on me. It was hot. Scorching hot. He hadn’t stepped into the shop but the space already felt crowded. The air was heavy, full of tension.
I straightened my spine, scrambling to find something sensible to say.I could do this. I could make conversation.He’d tripped, I’d seen it. “Are you all right?” There. Something safe.
Then I stumbled backwards, unbalanced by Pompy, who was doing her best to wiggle her body past my legs to get to Hot Guy. Pompy took advantage of the gap I’d provided and pushed past me, allowing me to take another step back, giving me some much-needed space, away fromhim. Pompy launched herself at Hot Guy’s legs, her stumpy legs barrelling her forward and the moment was broken.
Chapter 4
Luc
MINE!Beast roared inside my head. The bolt of lust he sent straight to my cock made me stagger and I nearly tripped over my own feet.What the fuck? This was bad. Very, very bad.He’dneverresponded to any woman I’d dated, never shown any interest. If I thought about it, I’d convinced myself he’d given up, that the years he’d spent chained in the prison I built for him had weakened him beyond the chance of ever breaking out. He shouldn’t be awake, let alone have any power to push his emotions onto me.
I’d been so wrong.
He’d been waiting for the right person. Waiting in the darkness. Waiting for his mate. Well, that wouldn’t be happening. She was mine. Mine. Not his.My mate,I told him.
I had thought Calypso was pretty when I saw her photograph, but her photo hadn’t done her justice. Calypso was the most glorious woman I had ever seen. She was perfect. When I had first started to speak, she had shut her eyes for a long moment, her long eyelashes sweeping down to cover her beautiful eyes, then they opened wide. Her cheeks were flushed a gentle pink. Even with dark circles under her eyes, showing she hadn’t slept well, her eyes were soft as moss, the pupils large andlimpid. Her lips were plump and lush. I wanted to kiss away her cares. She wasn’t tall, I’d have to bend my neck to kiss her. Or better yet, I’d lift her off the ground, and bring those kissable lips up to my mouth.
Her hair was tousled, already half fallen out from the bun she’d tried to pin it into. A thick curl lay on her shoulder, inviting me to touch it. She would look like this after I made her come, after she screamed my name with my cock buried inside her. Somehow, I just knew it. My gaze dropped from her face to her torso. She was plump, just the way I liked a woman, with a shapely butt outlined by tight jeans. The curve of her breast was outlined by the shirt she wore, the top button undone and showing just the hint of a lacy bra. My mouth went dry and I almost groaned as my brain short circuited, showing me an image of her in my bed, wearing nothing but that pink lacy bra and panties, her hair a dark halo around her head. I imagined reaching out and grabbing a fistful of her hair, until she arched her back towards me in submission, crying out my name as she came.
Mine,insisted Beast again. I pulled my shields up so quickly that my teeth almost rattled.Stop that.I told Beast.You aren’t running this show.
I noticed several things at once. One I was still standing in the doorway like an idiot. Two, I had been staring. Again, like an idiot. Three, the woman in front of me was frowning at me, biting her lower lip. I could do that for you, I wanted to say. I clamped my lips together so the words didn’t accidentally spill out of my mouth. I already looked like an idiot. I didn’t need to be a creep as well.
You need to say something, Beast said.Tell her she is our mate.
My shields weren’t working. How was he getting through? Somehow I didn’t think that telling her that my Beastand I thought she was our mate was going to make it better. Still, Beast was right, I did need to say something.
“Are you all right?” Caly’s voice was deeper than Electra’s, and something inside me hummed in response, almost as though she had strummed me like a guitar.
Whatever you’re doing, Beast, stop it now. I can’t think while you’re pumping me full of lust.
I’m not doing anything.He almost purred with satisfaction.This is all YOUR reaction to meeting your mate. Your body knows it. I know it. Just your brain hasn’t got the memo yet.
But right then, Calypso stumbled backwards, as a small dog barrelled through her legs. I took a half step forward almost like we were dancers, or puppets connected by an invisible thread. This time I did reach out my arm, but only in an effort to grab hers and steady her. I wasn’t going to pull her body against mine to see how her curves fit against me, I swear. A small stumpy body collided against my shin. Hard. Stopping me in my tracks.
Calypso regained her balance, standing just out of arm reach, her chest heaving, breasts straining at her shirt. I tore my eyes from her and towards my leg.
A distraction. Thank all the stars.
“Who’s this?” Bending forwards, I scooped up the dog scrabbling at my leg.
Her face was cute in the mashed-up way of all French bulldogs, and her entire body wiggled with joy as my arms came around her, lifting her up.
“Hello there…” I paused, holding her still to read the name on her collar… “La Pompadour. You’re doing a fine job of guarding your owner. Protecting her from intruders.”Pompadour’s method of protecting her owner involved copious kisses on my chin, which was as far as she could reach.
Chapter 5
Calypso
After an awkwardly long silence, I found my voice, although it didn’t come out quite right. “I’m sorry,” I gasped, still breathless. “She doesn’t usually do that. You can put her down.”
“It’s fine,” Hot Guy said, his voice rumbling over the sound of Pompy’s desperate little grunts as she tried to reach his face. “I love dogs.”
“Um, okay. If you’re sure. I don’t know what’s come over her. Truly. She’s normally much better behaved.” My face, already hot from my wicked thoughts about this man and what he could do to me (with me,yes please), burned more fiercely, this time with embarrassment at my dog’s bad manners.
“Calypso, I’m happy to hold her. Look, she’s settling down.” He was right. Pompy had nuzzled into his shoulder and looked like she was about to pass out from happiness.
