Page 25 of The Denver Alpha

I nod, taking his cue and quietly stepping back from the rest of the group as we exchange mischievous glances. Tobias reaches for my hand, taking it in his as the two of us slink away unnoticed, him leading me out of the clearing and into the thick of the forest.

My heart beats faster with every step.

He’s holding my hand.

We’re going off to be alone.

This is totally it, right?

He’s definitely gonna kiss me.

It’s not like I’ve never been kissed before, but I’ve yet to be kissed properly. My first kiss was a disaster because neither of us knew what the heck we were doing. It was with Justin Carver, but he bragged about it after and Jax wound up beating the crap out of him, so he never tried again.

My next kiss was during a game of spin the bottle, so nothing about it was special or romantic. It was with Anthony Delano, a boy who had a thing for one of my close friends- and he looked like he wanted to run away when the bottle landed on him, so it was more awkward than anything.

Embarrassingly enough, my third and final kiss was a sloppy, drunken one at a bar with a guy whose name I don’t even remember. I don’t really recall how it started, but it was cut short when he stumbled backwards and threw up all over his shoes. Needless to say, it wasn’t exactly a love story in the making.

And there you have it- my great wealth of experience with boys. A few uncomfortable kisses that didn’t mean a thing. It’s not that I’m a prude, it’s that I’ve never really had the opportunity to explore my sexuality. Until now. Without my brother scaring off every guy in a fifty-mile radius, I’m free to do what I want. To flirt with who I want. To kiss who I want.

“Wanna sit?” Tobias asks, nodding toward a large, overturned log on the side of the path.

“Sure,” I breathe. I raise my cup to my lips and take another sip to hide the way my smile falters, my nerves getting the best of me. I don’t even know why I’m so nervous- I’m a strong, confident woman, damnit! My lack of experience shouldn’t mean a thing if Tobias likes me, which he clearly does. Why else would he have led me out here under the guise of taking a walk? It was obviously an excuse to get me alone, one I was all too eager to take him up on.

Swallowing down a big swig of beer, I sink down onto the log next to Tobias, crossing one leg over the other and trying my best to appear nonchalant.

“So what do you think of Denver so far?” he asks, scooching closer until our thighs are touching.

I shrug a shoulder. “So far, so good,” I say. “The packhouse is amazing. And I like the people.”

“Oh yeah?” Tobias probes with a smirk. “Anyone in particular?”

“Real smooth,” I snort.

He starts to lean in closer and I lift my drink to my lips again in a panic, gulping down the rest of my beer.

Ugh, why am I freaking out? I want this, right?

But suddenly I’m not sure.

My wolf is agitated, pacing and thrashing deep inside of me, pushing against my consciousness. I’m not sure if it’s because we’re out in the woods and I haven’t let her out to run in a while, or if she’s being defensive since my nerves have gone haywire, or something else entirely- she’s never cockblocked me before, but I suppose there’s a first time for everything.

“I like you, Juliet,” Tobias drawls, his lips at my ear, his arm sliding around my waist.

And that’s the thing- I like him too. So screw whatever issue my wolf is having, I’m doing this.

I turn to look at Tobias, smiling softly as I take in the curve of his lips, the shadow cast beneath his jaw. “Then kiss me.”

He doesn’t need a clearer invitation than that. Tobias grins and leans in, his lips brushing against mine. I close my eyes, ready to melt into the kiss and…

It just feels wrong.

All wrong.

And I have no idea why.

Tobias’ lips move against mine, his tongue parting them.

I try to stay in the moment, try to just lose myself in the way it feels. My tongue strokes softly against his, my hand reaching up to cup his jaw. He tilts his head for better access, pulling my body in tighter to his. With one arm wrapped around my waist, the other slides up my front, fingers grazing over my breast.

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