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CHAPTER FIVEJaycee
Jaycee watched as he walked around the front of the car and got behind the wheel. He looked confused for a moment as he looked for a place to put the key, finally finding it and starting the car. He adjusted the seat a bit so that his legs weren’t as cramped as they appeared when he first sat. She watched with interest, not sure what to make of it. He was easily six-foot-three and well built. Even in the crisp white shirt and jeans he wore, he gave off that vibe of a corporate drone, but the bits of what appeared to be a large tattoo drifted up above his neckline. She found herself wanting to see the rest and not just because of the tattoo itself.
“I gave my driver the night off.”
“I see.”
She wondered why he hadn’t adjusted things on the way over or remembered where the key went but didn’t ask. There was something about him that was a bit overwhelming. She knew from experience that part of it was just that he was an Alpha and despite lying about being a Beta, she still reacted to him as the Omega she truly was. Being submissive toward his kind was coded into her DNA and, no matter how much she fought it, her body reminded her of this when in close quarters with one.
“Okay, off to dinner then,” he told her, putting the car in drive and pulling up on the sidewalk with a jerk. “Fuck.”
Jaycee tried not to laugh as he put the car in reverse and backed off the sidewalk in front of the parking space and then out onto the rounded entrance behind it. Hopefully, his driving wasn’t going to be this bad all the way downtown and back. Her mother had warned her about the dangers of online dating, but she’d thought there were crazy men to fear, not horrible drivers.
Fortunately, they made it to the restaurant with the usual question and answer session behind them...and zero casualties. He was actually quite personable, but a bit of an enigma. He seemed a little uncertain of himself, which was uncommon for an Alpha. It was only when talk turned to work that he seemed to slip free of his reservations and bestow the more dominant presence she’d come to expect from his kind. Settled into their seats, which seemed to be secluded in an unoccupied portion of the restaurant, they fell into more conversation over wine and appetizers.
“I’m a venture capitalist by trade but I’ve started to dabble in a bit of real estate,” he told her.
“Really? My company is a real estate developer.”
“Company? I thought you were a student?”
“No. I mean, I was, until recently, but I just started an internship with NIH.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked at her.
“Nasteau? Which partner?”
“The CFO. Gary Nasteau.”
“Wow. I’d have never pictured that.”
“Why?”
“Nasteau usually doesn’t hire female interns.”
“Really? Why not?”
She knew the answer already, just from what the human resource manager had told her and the faces of the other women in the office when she encountered them and told them she was his new intern. She could see them distancing themselves or pitying her almost instantly. It was clear that Nasteau wasn’t a fan of women and had only hired one as his new intern because he’d been forced into it, most likely a diversity hire he’d been opposed to, which was what the warning from Marilyn Stutt had been about. He was going to try to break her, make her cry - prove she couldn’t do a man’s job.
“Because he’s a dick,” he laughed.
“We’ll see.”
“I suppose, if he gets too rough on you, you could just shift and eat him.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He snickered and looked at the server, who was bringing their food. Chicken, walnut, and apple salad with balsamic dressing for her and a rare steak with steamed broccoli and wild rice for him. Between bites of food, the conversation turned to more personal matters.
“Why is a girl like you out looking for Alphas on a dating site?” he asked.
“Well, like I told you, I’m new in town. I don’t know how else to meet other wolves here other than just taking my chances at smelling one on the sidewalk or in the grocery line.”
“Fair enough. I guess I hadn’t considered that. I’ve gotten so used to living in a blended setting.”
“Have you always lived here then?”
“Yes. My pack owns the corporation I work for. I’ve been with them since I graduated college.”
“So, what’s a successful city wolf like you doing on a dating site? You don’t seem like the type who’d have any trouble finding a mate in the city.”
“Well, I’ve not exactly been on there looking for a mate,” he said, shrugging.
“I see. So, just a fling then?”
“Honestly? Up until now, that’s been the case, but I’m looking for maybe a little more.”
