If he could have reached over and buckled my seat belt, I had a feeling he probably would have.
It was a nice change to be taken care of. I’d always been independent and raised to never take shit from anybody. But at the end of the day, I was an omega, and sometimes it was kind of nice to feel small next to these big alphas and deltas.
It was nice to know that I didn’t have to face the world alone.
He quickly walked around the truck and climbed in, starting the car. Older country music played through the speakers as soon as he turned the key.
He looked surprised when I started singing along to a familiar song.
“I could tell you that my mom loves this music so I know it well, but I have a feeling that wouldn’t help our case.”
“You just did.” He let out a groan and shook my head. “You’re nothing but trouble, little bat.”
“You like it,” I teased, turning up the music and singing louder.
He buckled his seat belt and took off out of the arena parking lot, navigating through North Crossing. The sun was setting now, painting the sky pink.
“It’s pretty here. I like it,” I noted as I watched the landscape go by. The downtown was adorable and honestly the perfect size. The sunset backdrop made it look cozy and inviting. I couldn’t wait to see it around the holidays with all the lights and snow.
The arena was definitely one of the biggest selling points, but there was also a plethora of small businesses, shops, craft stores, and an entertainment complex that was always packed.
The main diner was downtown, but he drove right past it, heading toward the pier. North Crossing was a Great Lakes town with everything centered around the water.
I hadn’t had a chance to come out here and appreciate the lake. I’d been too busy settling in and starting my new job.
When I saw Lakeside Diner, I knew it would be my favorite, too.
The outside was decorated with old fishing nets and colorful buoys. Even the building itself seemed to be made of faded wood. It definitely had character.
“Wow, I love this,” I said as he parked. The air smelled fresh and, thankfully, we were far enough down from the marinas that it didn’t smell like fish.
That or the scent of food chased it away.
Hayes climbed out and hurried around to open my door. He held out his hand again, helping me slide out. With the platform heels I wore today it was probably for the best.
At least he didn’t want to go somewhere fancy. I’d stick out with the outfit I’d chosen. Baggy ripped jeans, a band tee, platform heels and a messy bun wasn’t exactly fine dining attire.
Hayes’s attention flickered to my exposed shoulder. The off the shoulder shirt showcased far too much unblemished skin. This morning when I put it on I couldn’t help but imagine all the bite marks I’d be showing off when we were all ready.
Hayes had on a team polo and fitted jeans tonight. We looked like complete opposites, but after seeing him at the resort I knew our styles matched far better outside of work days.
Instead of leading me inside, he backed me into the truck. My back hit the cool metal and my palms spread out against it as if that would keep me from losing my composure.
The rich, robust scent of coffee, cacao, bourbon, and sweet cream was so strong that I felt like it was buzzing through me now like a true coffee fix. There was an undercurrent of alpha musk that made my head spin.
I blinked up at him, shocked by how forward he was being after holding back for so long.
“I’ve realized that I adore that smart mouth of yours, little bat.” His voice dropped lower. “You’re full of fire, and I like that more than I can put into words.”
He stepped closer. My heart was pounding so hard now it was making me dizzy. Or maybe that was him being this close, smelling this good.
“I’d like to work toward making you mine. Making up for my bullshit mistakes and showing you that I’m the kind of alpha your pack needs.”
He leaned in to say the last part. So close that I swore his lips were about to claim mine.
“I just wanted to make my intentions clear.”
Then he was gone so fast that cool air rushed in, making me shiver. I blinked hard, still plastered to his truck, trying to process what the fuck had just happened.
