Page 5 of Alpha Geek

“This is Amelia Fields, the agent assigned to your case and your personal security. I think you two will get along famously.”

Amelia felt blood rushing to her cheeks as Tripp smiled a warm, sparkling smile at her and held out his hand. She felt like a girl with a crush in middle school, too bashful to speak out of fear of looking like an idiot.

“It’s wonderful to make your acquaintance,” Tripp said, the light-honeyed tinge of his hazel eyes swirling like a steamy dessert.

Amelia held in the urge to giggle and held out her own hand to him. She shook it firmly, keeping her own expression courteous and sweet despite the desire scorching through her like a wildfire.

She instantly thought about all the ways she would ravage him. The thoughts become so vivid, so crude, that she had to squeeze her legs together to keep herself in the present moment.

“So I, um …” Amelia tried to speak over the music, stumbling on her words. “Nick tells me you’re a big climber.”

She didn’t want to let go of the handshake but did just before things got awkward. Tripp slid his hand back into his pocket, standing tall and broad, that charming smolder still shining over his sharp features.

“I like to think so,” he replied. “I’ve done the five other highest summits on Earth, but I wanted to save Everest for last.”

He intrigued her with more than just his dazzling good looks. Nick took the opportunity to make his departure, clapping them both on the shoulder before bidding them farewell.

“Well, I better get going. Got some kids waiting at home for our bedtime routine.”

Tripp and Nick shook hands once again, and he gave Amelia a brief shake of her own. She narrowed her eyes at him, hoping he could read between the lines of her civil goodbye.

She squeezed two fingers together a bit tighter than the others, and Nick grunted gently.

“Say hello to them for me,” Amelia muttered softly.

Nick gave her a knowing grin, then left as swiftly as he had arrived.

Then, they were alone in this gigantic mansion surrounded by what felt like hundreds of people. And, for one of the first times in her life, Amelia felt blindly out of control. It wasn’t a savory sensation.

Yet, looking at Tripp seemed to soothe her tension. She assumed that it was the entire mate factor that caused that.

She kept her hands in front of her clutching her purse as he leaned into the shell of her ear. In her heels, they were nearly the same height, with her standing a few inches above him. His warm breath tingled the depths of her pores, firing through her body like an electric current that settled once more between her legs.

“Let’s go somewhere a bit quieter,” he said.

Amelia rubbed the back of her neck as she nodded, her fingers brushing sensually over her nape, then down the front of her exposed chest. She teased at the opening of her cleavage as he walked ahead of her, and she followed the forest-like scent of his musk. They found themselves in a hallway away from the main ballroom area, black-and-white photographs lining dark cherrywood walls.

“So, is this your first security job with the company?”

Amelia felt her knees wobble as she shot her head in Tripp’s direction.

“Yes, it is,” she replied hastily. “Is it that easy to tell?”

Tripp had gotten them both a drink as they passed by the bar. He swirled his glass around as he smiled, looking cool and collected with his hand in his pants pocket.

“Not particularly,” he replied. “But Nick said we’d get along wonderfully, so I’m trying to investigate why that exactly might be.”

She pursued her lips as they moved down the hallway, the music fading, her ease of conversation a comforting cool breeze.

“I grew up in Alaska as a snow leopard and a general climber. I did it for years until I moved here to get my business degree. But it’s something I’ve always missed.”

Tripp stopped walking abruptly, then placed a hand on Amelia’s arm. He looked at her, eyes blazing with admiration.

“You grew up in Alaska as a climber?” he said, bursting with energy. “God, how on earth were you able to leave that?”

Amelia licked her lips, unintentionally bringing his attention to her mouth. She could tell him the whole truth, which her shifter self was inclined toward, or she could leave it for now. She had just met him, and it was pointless to share sob stories so early on.

“It wasn’t easy,” she said, turning to begin walking again. “But there aren’t many opportunities out there for business, so I gave it up.”

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