Alpha's Arrangement (Troubled Fork Shifters (Book 2)) (8 page)

“You don’t need what
? You don’t need me in your life? Is that what you mean?”

“No.
That’s not what I mean. We talked about this at the bar. I told you the way things have to be for the time being. But for a reason I don’t understand, you either can’t or won’t accept it.”

“Emma, why is it so wrong I want to spend time with you?”

“It isn’t…”

“For all I know you’re up there dating someone else.” he said.

Emma stared at the phone in disbelief. Did he just say that?

Emma and Devon were on a break and if she wanted to date someone else, well, she should be able to do it. And for that matter so should he! At first, she’d been uncomfortable about the way she’d left things between them but now
, he made her angry.

Out of guilt
she’d kept the lines of communication open between them while in Silver Gulch. But this was too much and tonight was the wrong night for this crap.

Emma’s hand shook as she lifted the phone back up to respond. For a good minute, a variety of responses popped into her head but none of them seemed sufficient. She was tired of the back and forth and now, he’s come right out and insulted her.

How could he be so… Aargh!

Emma’s hands flew across the tiny keyboard as she typed
her response.

“Lose my number.
” she said.

Emma turned her phone off, slammed it into her purse, started the ignition and sped out of the parking lot. The stress had piled up and she wasn’t sure how much of it she’d withstand. The whole thing with Devon was another indicator there didn’t
seem to be relief in sight.

God, she wanted this to be
over.

As she drove along the road from the office back to Alexander’s house, she approached the burger joint he’d stopped at when she’d first come to town. The light about a block away from the restaurant turned red as she pulled up to it. Emma couldn’t help but smile when she thought about the trick he’d played on her.

Even though he was still a big jerk, he had been right about the burger.

The frickin’ thing was damn good.

Emma knew he’d wanted her to enjoy her meal and looking back on the evening, she realized it was his way to break the ice.

She felt he had a good heart.

No.

She was
certain
of it.

Somehow, somewhere he’d gotten off track. Maybe that would explain the discrepancies in the paperwork or, at least, she hoped it would. Emma needed
something
to explain it because as the car idled, she realized she faced a much, much larger problem.

She was falling for him and couldn’t pretend she wasn’t. Emma didn’t know how or when those feelings had taken over but they had.

The light turned green.

Exhausted, the only thing Emma wanted to do right now was sleep. As she pulled into the driveway, Alexander’s car wasn’t there. The house was dark. Moments later, she walked inside and headed straight towards the bedroom. Emma stripped her clothes away and as her bra hit the floor she slid in between the sheets.

At least if she was asleep, there’d be no way for things to get worse.

She wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.

***

Emma had no idea how long she
’d been in the bed before the sound of the television blared from living room and invaded her slumber. She propped herself up on her elbows.

No way.

It wasn’t possible. Was he
really
out there with the television on that loud? Alexander had to know she was in here asleep. No one was that rude.

Emma was so not in the mood, n
ot tonight. Whether she had feelings for him or not, she guarded her sleep with a vengeance.

No one got in the way of it.

Disgusted, she threw on a nightgown and walked towards the bedroom door.

Emma ripped the door open to see Alexander seated on the couch. He had his feet up on the living room table, a beer in one hand and the remote control in the other.

Emma scowled at him.

“Hey, you’re awake!” he said. “One of my favorite m
ovies just started. Have a seat, we can watch it together. By the way, did you get your reports fixed okay?”

“No, I was asleep.
You
woke me. Yes, the reports are fine and,
aaahhhh!
” she shouted as she raised her hands skyward.

Emma walked over to the couch and snatched the remote from his hand. She faced the television, turned the volume down and placed the remote on the arm of the couch.

“Now wait. I can barely hear that.” Alexander said. He picked the remote back up and increased the volume.

Emma leaned over him. “
That’s
the idea. I am trying to sleep in there.” She said as she grabbed it back and decreased the sound again.

“
Terrible
idea.” he replied as he turned it back up once more.

Emma looked Alexander in the eye. “What don’t you understand? I want to go to sleep!” she said as she lowered the sound.

“Okay. So go to sleep. Who’s stopping you?!” Alexander exclaimed as he increased the volume.

“Thanks
for your permission. Good night.” Emma replied. She grabbed the remote a final time, turned down the sound and with the device in hand began to head back towards the bedroom.

“Hey wait, g
ive that back!” Alexander exclaimed as he sat forward.

“No!” She exclaimed. Emma turned her back towards him and tried to escape into the bedroom.

“Yes!” Alexander said. He reached out and grabbed towards the remote. As he did, Emma turned and stretched out the arm that held it. She lifted the arm as high as possible to keep it out of his reach. Alexander pulled her down into his lap and they struggled with one another for control.

“Stop it, you jerk!” she exclaimed.

“Give me my remote! I need it!” he said.

As she struggled, he grabbed onto the hand that clasped the remote and pulled. Startled by his strength and aggression, Emma collapsed into him.

“No, stop it! Let me…” she said.

She swiveled her face towards his. In a fla
sh, an inch of electrified air was all that separated their lips. Emma labored to catch her breath as they looked into each other’s eyes. Then, without a second of hesitation or thought she pressed her lips into his. Alexander returned it with equal intensity and for several seconds, they kissed one another. All of a sudden, the awareness of what was underway thundered into her consciousness.

No, no, no!

This was not good and nothing good was going to come of it. Emma pulled away from him and leapt to her feet in an instant.

“What are you doing
!?” she exclaimed as she turned back towards him. “What are
you
doing?!?”

“Huh? What do you
mean?” he said. “You kissed me.” And with an air of total calm, he reclined into the sofa and stretched his arms out behind his head.

Emma scoffed.
“Hah! Oh, I… I kissed you?” she said. “You are trying to tell me that
I kissed you?
Is that what you are saying? I did no such thing! Why in the
world
would I want to kiss
you?
”

With a casual shrug he replied, “I don’t know why you wanted to do it. In any case, it’s noth
ing to get upset about, Emma.”

Emma felt her blood boil. His smug demeanor
incensed her. It was as if it was normal for women to fall in his lap and kiss him.

The idea of
it
irked
her.

Emma thought she must be crazy that she wanted him.

But,
she did
, and that was the part that infuriated her the most.

Irate, she said, “I am
not
upset.
Who said
I am upset? That is so,
typical
. That is such a thing that a guy like you would do and think he’d get away with doing.”

Unfazed he replied, “Well, you can say whatever you want. I’m not upset either. Actually, I kind of enjoyed myself.”

A wry smile came over his face.

“But,
I suppose that’s pretty typical.” he said. “You know, for a guy like me.”

Alexander reached for the remote and turned the volume back up.

Emma was dumbfounded. Her brain couldn’t process what had happened.

All she could manage was a few feeble steps back in the direction of the bedroom. She disappeared for several moments and then poked her head around the corner to see that he stared right at her.

“Good night.” he said as he raised his beer. “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

***

To say that the next few days were awkward would have been the understatement of the century. The only problem was that they only seemed to be uncomfortable for Emma. Alexander hadn’t said a word, made mention of or even joked about their kiss.

The good news was that her destruction of Theodore’s paperwork hadn't been the disaster she’d feared. He’d kept a copy on a portable hard drive as a precautionary measure and within a day, Emma had been able to get back on track with her work.

Even so, her progress had slowed to a crawl.

Emma wished it was because of the task itself but it wasn’t.

The truth was that she couldn’t get her mind over what had happened with Alexander and his subsequent disinterest in it.

It was close to five o’clock as Emma stared out the window.

It had been a little over two weeks since she’d arrived in Silver Gulch. Soon, things would be taking a much more awkward turn as the fake wedding date approached. Emma hoped Theodore’s plan would unfold in the time frame he’d promised since she didn’t know how much more she could endure.

“Emma?” a voice said from across her office.

She turned to see Alexander.

“You, u
m, almost ready?” he asked.

Emma shook her head. “Ready? Ready for what?”

“Today’s Friday. Remember?”

Emma stared up at him with a blank expression on her face.
“No. What’s Friday?”

“The party, hello?
” he said. “What’s the matter with you today?”

“What? Oh shit. Right, right,
it slipped my mind.” Emma said as she shuffled her papers around on her desk. “Are you ready to leave now?”

“More or less yeah, but
take your time.” He said. “We have to go home and get ready anyway.”

“Okay, I’ll be right out.” Emma replied. “Give me ten minutes?”

Alexander nodded. He walked over to her desk and stood in front of it. “Is everything alright Emma?”

“Yes.
Why?”

“No reason.
” he said. “You seem distracted, distant.”

Emma placed her palms flat on her desk and looked up at him. “It’s work stuff,
that’s all.”

Alexander leaned away from her a bit. “You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, if you say so.” He said. “Well, I’ll be out in the car when you are ready.”

“Alright. As soon as I am done straightening up in here I’ll be out.”

They arrived back at Alexander’s place after a somewhat quiet car ride
and two hours later, Emma had all but put the final touches on her makeup. She stood back and took one last look at herself in the bathroom mirror. In spite of all the chaos in her life at the moment, at least she looked good tonight.

Thank God…

Emma walked out of the bathroom, grabbed her purse and headed out into the living room.

Alexander was in the kitchen with his back to her. “You all set?” he said as he took a sip of water.

“Yep.” Emma replied. “Ready.”

He placed his glass down, turned around and froze in place. For several awkward moments he didn’t say a word to her
, he just stared.

What the hell is happening right now?

Emma figured she must have a clump of toothpaste on her clothes or maybe her brush was still in her hair. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem good. She smoothed out her dress and touched her hair with a few nervous gestures.

“What?” She
said. “Is there something on me? Alexander!”

He shook his head.
“No.” he said. “Wow, you…”

“What is it?!” she exclaimed.

“Well, I was gonna say… You, um, look incredible Emma. Stunning.”

She felt a surge of confidence rush through her. Had he said that?

Hell yes he did.

But hey
, she knew she looked good. Now was the time to make sure that he remembered it.