Page 4 of Alpha Geek

Amelia.

The name sounded lovely on his tongue, and he held a hand out to the goddess before him, knowing already that he was going to have to keep himself together.

THREE

AMELIA

Amelia felt something happen in her body the moment she laid eyes on Tripp. She had arrived with Nick just before eight after she insisted on going home for a bit to spruce herself up. Nick insisted she looked wonderful, and they engaged in some playful banter while she returned to her apartment, changed her blouse, and curled her hair ever so slightly.

Her excuse was that she didn’t get out much, which was completely true. But Nick maintained that knowing look, the one that captivated women with its mystery and intention.

She thought about that look the second she felt something burst inside her, something fragile yet powerful in its pull. Like a dying star inside her, projecting a truth only shifters knew about and could try to express to their human counterparts.

She snapped her neck in Nick’s direction, eyes wide as Tripp waved them over.

“What are you doing?”

Nick cocked an eyebrow, that smug look a whisper on his lips.

“What are you talking about?”

Amelia turned away briefly, tilting her head to meet Nick’s eyes. She already found it difficult to look at Tripp directly with his athletic build, wild, raven-black hair pulled back into a tasteful bun, and tortoise-shell spectacles adorning his handsome face.

Amelia knew he was her mate without having to walk up to him, catch his scent, or speak to him. It was the instinct of every shifter that went beyond attraction. It was going to make it nearly impossible for her to reject the assignment.

“Is that why you asked me to do this?” She glowered at him, hissing through the dance music that thumped around them. “Is this the result of the matchmaking rumors everyone is talking about?”

Nick tilted his head back at her, the smile on his face making Amelia want to slap it off.

“I don’t know why that keeps happening,” he replied. “But to answer you, no, that is not why I wanted you in this case. You are the best one for it, I promise you.”

Amelia watched as Nick waved back, his teeth glimmering under the stark fluorescent lights.

“You can back out now, though, if you want,” he said out the side of his mouth. “This is your last chance.”

His eyebrow raised once more, and Amelia wanted to bolt. Her rational brain knew it was going to make her task of taking care of some random millionaire a shit load more complicated if he was her mate. She was already tied to him and was going to protect him no matter the cost.

Even if he was just some lowly human.

Amelia crossed her arms and let out a grunted sigh.

“You know I can’t refuse,” she replied.

“You can do anything you want, Amelia,” Nick said, meeting her eyes one last time. “I can assure you of that.”

Amelia wanted to scream at him, but soon enough, Nick was walking in Tripp’s direction. She turned back, feeling her palms getting sweaty, her body engulfed with hot arousal the closer she drew to the impeccable specimen. Feeling that kind of animalistic attraction suffocated the part of her that was massively irritated with Nick and the way everything had played out.

“I’m so glad you could make it,” Tripp called out.

God, he’s pretty.

He was far more athletic looking than she had assumed, for which her own limited imagination was certainly to blame. She would have guessed that most rich boys living off their father’s inheritance would be lanky, thin, and weak enough that a stiff wind would knock them over. Tripp, though, was strong in a wiry way. His muscles weren’t overly bulky, but he was clearly fit enough to participate in all of the adventurous shenanigans the photographs lining his walls claimed he had.

“It’s great to finally meet you in person,” Nick said formally, holding out his hand.

Amelia stood there, polite and still, smiling at Tripp in a way that she hoped wasn’t outstandingly creepy. It was easier as a woman, of course, but she still felt her eyes drawn to scan his body, to search for bumps and bulges she could, hopefully, one day, analyze with her mouth.

Jesus, get it together.

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