Alexi Bandnin, number eight for the New Haven Foxes and a man I kissed a year ago, and I can’t seem to get it out of my head.
It was one kiss, one drunken night, almost a year ago. Yet, his voice does something to me, and I can’t help but to hide from him anytime we’re all in the same place.
“Fuck, Hank,” I tell the Newfoundland like he has all the answers. He doesn’t understand as he just drools on my jeans. “What do I do?”
“Dr. Blake?” I hear his voice and look up from Hank’s head. There he stands, looking as gorgeous as ever in casual gray pants and a tight black T-shirt. I stand up to my full height, and I have to look up at him. I hate how much I like that,that I like an Alpha.
I mean, I don’t like him, like him. But who can truly blame me? He’s tall, muscular, has dark brown hair with graying edges. His beard is salt and pepper, and he even has all his teeth currently. He’s so fucking hot it’s unbearable. Literally, I can’t bear to think about the kiss and how I felt when it happened. No kiss has ever made me feel that way. Charlotte would say it’s because I only date safe Beta boys—men—I’d have no problem leaving in the dust. But kissing Alexi, I knew that if it went any further there would be no coming back.
“Alexi.”
“Did you decorate for the party?” he asks, and I nod my head. “Smart, beautiful, and she throws her best friend a party.” I’m thinking of my escape route when Katie runs right into Alexi’s legs. He grabs her by the calf, holding her upside down high in the air. Fuck, it’s so attractive to see him play with a child. “And what are you doing,ptichka?”
Katie starts making tweeting noises and flapping her arms like she’s a little bird. I’ve got to get the fuck out of here before things get any more endearing.
“Uncle Lexi, let me down!” she screeches.
I swallow. “Uncle?”
He flips her, tossing her in the air for a moment before letting her down. Katie goes around the room collecting balloons and acting like a bird. Alexi shrugs his shoulders and looks at me expectantly. “She likes me.”
Yeah, what isn’t there to like? He rubs his fingers through his hair, and I remember the one time my hands were tangled in it, and I swallow thickly.
“Are you coming to any of the games this season?”
“Maybe,” I say, knowing how hard it is to do anything with my schedule. But how convenient it is to admire him from afar while he’s on the ice. This stupid crush is bullshit.
“Work has you busy?” he asks, and it’s the first time I can sense that he doesn’t feel as confident as he appears. He’s shifting his weight from side to side and stuffs his massive hands in his pockets.
Now I’m thinking about his huge hands and how he cupped my face like I was something precious when we kissed.
Red-fucking-alert. I’ve got to get out of here. I scan the room before answering his question.
“Residency is hard.”
“But you enjoy it?” he asks with an arch of his brow.
“Um, yeah. Of course. I’m going to check on Charlotte.” He looks at me like he doesn’t believe me but says nothing as I skitter away like a scaredy-cat.
I nearly tumble over a pregnant Charlotte as she smirks at me.
“Piper, I say this with love. You’re being such a little bitch right now.” I grab the cake out of her hand and shove a huge bite in my mouth.
“Fuck off, Charles.” She laughs as I stuff my face with the grocery store cake that is dry as fuck, feeling overwhelmed. I’ve been in such a dry spell, and just being around Alexi has stirred something inside of me.
“He wants you too, you know.”
Oh, I’m well fucking aware, and that’s the terrifying part.
CHAPTER2
I’m a patient man, but I think I’ve lost the battle of wills when it comes to Piper. I’m ready to make a move—again—whether she’s ready or not. She basically couldn’t get away from me fast enough as soon as she saw me walk into the party.
But I know she’s not running because she’s not interested.
Honestly, I don’t know why she’s running from this. All I know is that I’ve never actively wanted someone so badly. When I met her years ago, I thought she was beautiful but didn’t think a female Alpha would ever be of interest to me. But as I’ve become closer to pack Hodges and got to know her, how strong, loving, and talented she is, I’ve become a bit of a man obsessed.
Last New Year’s Eve is something I can’t get out of my head. She wanted that kiss just as badly as I did. It might have taken a few too many glasses of champagne for her to lower her inhibitions enough to accept the kiss. But she was just as needy for it as I was. She tangled her long fingers in my hair and moaned against my lips.
