Page 20 of A Baby for the Firefighter
That moment, I had absolutely no doubt that he would have. “And then what?” I asked. “Would you have told me off?”
“Oh, absolutely.” His eyes gleamed with amusement. “And then I would have dragged you back home and...” He trailed off as heat entered his gaze, ratcheting up my nerves.
“And?” I prompted, because I couldn't deal with the anticipation. He smelled so alpha right then. Like all the things I wanted, and all the things that scared me. I couldn't move, torn between my desire to be with him, and my desire to run from every alpha who got close.
Dean wasn't just any alpha, though. He was my friend. I'd known him since we were children. I wasn't scared of him. I didn'twantto be scared of him.
So when he leaned in, I didn't stop him. No, I closed my eyes and focused on the feel of his lips on mine, on the way my heart fluttered at the contact, pumping adrenaline through my veins. Kissing Dean was beyond exhilarating. I felt like I was about to jump off a cliff and like I'd just won the award for best photographer at the same time. I felt like I was standing at the edge of something terrifyingly beautiful—something that would change my life forever.
And then I opened my mouth to him and took the plunge.
The way Dean kissed me wasn't the way alphas usually kissed me. There was nothing aggressive about it, nothing threatening. Just the feel of his lips and his tongue, brushing against mine and making the fine hair on my neck stand up.
This was...nice.Better than nice. I was in freefall, and I never wanted to land. I wanted to lose myself. But then I caught another whiff of his scent. I could feel myself respond to it, could feel that need to submit, to beclaimedrise up in me. Heat rushed though me and my head spun with all the things I wanted this alpha to do to me, and I had to... I had tobreathe.
I thought I could deal, but it was too much. Too fucking intense. I’d never reacted so strongly to anyone.
“Are you alright?” Dean asked as I broke away from him.
“I'm awesome.”Super awesome.“Just had too much to drink.”
“I see.” Dean gave me a sympathetic smile, then he put an arm around my shoulder. “C'mon, I'll take you home. We can talk tomorrow.”
Talk, right. I laughed, and hoped the sound wasn't too hysterical.
God, I needed help.
9
Griffin
It wasSunday morning and I was going to die. At least, that’s what I felt like waking up and remembering everything I’d done the evening before. In the semi-darkness of my bedroom, I fumbled for my phone and called my brother.
“Eliiii,” I whined into the phone as soon as he picked up.
“Griff?” He sounded sleepy. “What's wrong?”
I glanced at the clock on my phone. It was barely past six. No wonder he sounded like he'd just rolled out of bed. For a second I felt sorry, then I went back to being miserable. “I think I'm going to diiiiie.” Okay, maybe I was being a little melodramatic, but on top of my love life problems, my head felt like it was going to explode. Goddamn alcohol. I was never going to drink again. Ever.
“What's going on?” My big brother seemed a little more awake now. “You sound like that morning after your 21st birthday.”
“It's woooorse.” Maybe not the hangover, but everything else. Although to be fair, on the night of my 21st, I'd also made out with a guy. That hadn't ended well either, but at least with that guy, there hadn't been anyfeelingsinvolved.
And dear God did I have feelings now. All the feelings.
“It's six in the morning, bro, go back to sleep. You're going to be fine.”
“No, wait, I need your help.”
A moment of silence, then, “What do you need me to do?”
“You told me to tell you if... uh... I had a problem.”
“Yeah, but I didn't mean a hangover. What did you evendolast night?”
“I crashed Dean's date. You know my friend Dean? With the cupcakes.”
“You crashed his date?”
