Her spirits immediately lifted. “That’s good to know. But are you okay with me not being able to commit to more than simply dating right now?”
“Of course.”
“I want to be really clear.” Beryl didn’t want to lead him on in any possible way.
“Don’t worry, Beryl. I’m happy to share your company for as long as you want me to. No strings. No promises. No marriage proposals. But I do really like you and I’d like to spend more time with you.” He shrugged. “I hope we can hang out for a good long while, but I promise not to expect forever.”
“Thank you.” Without stopping to consider whether it was a good idea, she snuggled a little closer to him on the sofa. “I really like you, too.”
Beryl believed him when he said that he understood what she was and wasn’t looking for, at least for now. They couldnotget married. After today’s meeting, she was aware that there were some Alphas in the elder population—one in particular—who didn’t think she should ever be allowed to date Jake. But Mr. Gris was easily dismissed.
Beryl was relaxed and now that she’d dispensed with the uncomfortable discussion of her failed walk down the aisle and that there was no long-term future for them, she wanted to kiss Jake again. Their first few kisses had been spectacular. A repeat was a necessity.
“Kiss me,” she said.
Jake’s easy smile slid into place. Wordlessly, he leaned closer, and did as she asked.
Bam! Spark! Every single time they touched.
And that was the wonderful way they spent the rest of their evening together. Chatting about whatever. And then kissing for a while.
Beryl had not been paying attention to how late it was until Jake’s phone rang. Naturally, they were in a lip-lock and the abrupt sound shocked her more than the spark she felt every time he touched her. They sprang apart and he fumbled with his pockets, trying to find his phone to answer it.
She pointed to the cell phone on the coffee table, where he’d left it.
He snatched it up and answered it with a harried, “Hello?”
Jake listened to whatever the caller was saying, his eyes widening further with each second that passed. “You’re kidding.” He shook his head.
Beryl surmised that the caller was not kidding.
“Okay,” Jake finally said. “I’ll be right there.”
He disconnected the call and ran his fingers through the hair she’d thoughtfully mussed for him.
“What’s wrong?” Beryl asked.
“That was Frederick. The silent alarm just went off at Dark Matter Metal & Leather. Apparently, someone broke in, if you can believe it.”
Beryl could believe it. Her immediate thought was that whoever had tried to kidnap Jake was lying in wait for him where he worked.
“Why did they call Frederick instead of you?”
Jake said, “When I was in the hospital, Frederick gave the security company his information as the primary contact because I was certainly in no condition to take care of business, literally. I forgot to switch it back to me.”
Beryl gathered her things, hating for the night to end because she’d had such a good time. She supposed she should be grateful. If they hadn’t been interrupted by a call, she might’ve just kept chatting until she fell asleep on Jake’s couch and then she might have been late for work tomorrow.
That would never do.
Right before Jake opened the front door, he took her in his arms and kissed her like he never wanted to let her go. And Beryl kissed him back exactly the same way.
“I had the best evening ever,” he said.
“I did, too,” she said, thinking he’d only had the best evening everthat he remembered.
They arrived at Dark Matter Metal & Leather just as Frederick and Alienn Sheriff Chance Hollister pulled in front of the store in separate vehicles.
Sheriff Hollister told Jake and Frederick, “Let me go in first to make sure no one’s inside and then you can come in, okay?”
