Page 8 of Swipe Right on the Alpha
Dylan froze momentarily, then forced a laugh that didn’t quite sound natural. “Something like that.”
He’s hiding something,Aiden realized.But what could possibly be connected to the full moon? Some weird spiritual practice? Secret midnight hobby?
“You know,” Aiden said, stepping even closer, “if you’re trying to get rid of me, you can just say so.”
“That’s the exact opposite of what I want,” Dylan said with sudden intensity, his eyes almost seeming to gleam in the firelight. He reached out, large hands gently settling on Aiden’s waist. “I want you here. Maybe too much.”
The atmosphere shifted instantly, the strange tension transforming into something electric. Aiden’s breath caught as Dylan’s thumbs traced small circles at his hips.
“Too much isn’t something I’ve complained about before,” Aiden said, his voice dropping to a near whisper as he placed his hands on Dylan’s chest, feeling the solid muscle beneath the soft fabric.
Dylan’s pupils dilated, and something almost predatory entered his expression. “You should be careful what you offer, Aiden. I’m not always good at… restraint.”
The warning should have been a red flag. Instead, it sent heat pooling low in Aiden’s belly. “Maybe I don’t want restraint,” he challenged, sliding his hands up to Dylan’s shoulders. “Maybe I’ve been thinking about that growl in the parking lot for two weeks straight.”
A visible shudder ran through Dylan’s powerful frame. “Aiden—”
“Less talking, more showing me why you built this place with so many horizontal surfaces,” Aiden interrupted, pressing his body against Dylan’s and feeling the immediate, hard evidence of Dylan’s interest.
Whatever internal struggle Dylan had been having appeared resolved as he claimed Aiden’s mouth in a kiss that was nothing like their first. This was demanding, hungry, almost desperate.His hands slid from Aiden’s waist to his ass, gripping firmly and pulling their hips together in a way that drew a moan from both of them.
Aiden responded eagerly, one hand tangling in Dylan’s thick hair while the other explored the broad expanse of his back. Dylan was solid everywhere, radiating heat that seemed almost feverish. When Aiden tugged experimentally at his hair, Dylan broke the kiss with that same growl from their first date—a sound so primal it sent shivers down Aiden’s spine.
“Bedroom,” Dylan managed, voice rough with desire. “Now.”
“Bossy,” Aiden teased, but he was already being walked backward toward the master suite, Dylan’s mouth now exploring his jaw and neck with hungry kisses.
Chapter 5
They stumbled through the doorway, neither willing to separate long enough for graceful movement. The back of Aiden’s legs hit the edge of the bed—a massive structure that dominated the room—and he allowed himself to fall backward, pulling Dylan down on top of him.
Dylan caught himself on powerful arms, hovering over Aiden with an expression of hunger tinged with something Aiden couldn’t quite identify—concern, perhaps?
“We can stop,” Dylan said, though the strain in his voice suggested it would cost him.
Aiden answered by reaching for the hem of Dylan’s henley and tugging upward. “The only thing stopping is these clothes being on our bodies.”
Dylan sat back on his heels, allowing Aiden to pull the shirt over his head, revealing a torso that belonged in fitness magazines—broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, defined abs, and a light dusting of dark hair trailing downward beneath his jeans. A tribal-looking tattoo adorned his right shoulder, the design somehow animalistic in its flowing lines.
“Jesus,” Aiden breathed, hands reaching to explore the expanse of skin now available to him. “Do they put something in the water out here in the woods?”
Dylan’s laugh was strained as his hands moved to the buttons of Aiden’s shirt. “Your turn.”
There was something reverential in the way Dylan undressed him, each button undone with careful attention, fingers trailing over each new inch of skin revealed. When he pushed the fabric aside, his hands splayed across Aiden’s chest with a possessive touch that made Aiden arch upward.
“You’re beautiful,” Dylan murmured, bending to press his mouth to Aiden’s collarbone, then lower to his chest.
Aiden was accustomed to compliments, but something about Dylan’s sincere intensity made these words different—meaningful in a way that both thrilled and terrified him. He gasped as Dylan’s mouth found his nipple, teeth grazing with just enough pressure to send sparks of pleasure through his body.
“Fuck,” he breathed, hands clutching at Dylan’s shoulders. “More of that.”
Dylan obliged, alternating between gentle bites and soothing licks while his hands explored Aiden’s torso, learning each sensitive spot with remarkable precision. When his mouth began traveling lower, Aiden’s hips bucked involuntarily.
“Impatient,” Dylan murmured against his skin, hands moving to the button of Aiden’s jeans.
“Two weeks of fantasizing will do that,” Aiden admitted breathlessly. “Though in my imagination, you weren’t quite this built. Reality is exceeding expectations.”
Dylan paused in the act of lowering Aiden’s zipper. “You’ve been thinking about this? About me?”
