Page 36

“Warm shower or cool?”

“Warm.” A cold shower reminds me of my plunge in the ocean, when the contrasting temperature stabbed my feverish skin with painful pins and needles.

“You got it.” He pushes up his sleeve and reaches around the glass panel to turn on the shower. Water rains from overhead like he’s turned on a downpour instead. Droplets glitter on his forearm as he turns to me and asks, “Do you want privacy?”

I shake my head sharply. “I don’t want to be alone.” What’s wrong with me? First Tyler, and now Alden?

“I don’t want to leave you.” He smiles, a little sad around his eyes. “In fact, I think it would physically hurt if I had to.” He cups my cheek, stroking his thumb beside my mouth. I fight the reflexive urge to suck it. He kisses my forehead, then pulls back and takes off his shirt.

“Um, oh my god. You’re so hot.”

He laughs, hands pausing on the top button of his pants. “That’s exactly what you said when I sent you a shirtless photo.”

“Yeah, but it could have been a photo from ten years ago.”

“I’d never misrepresent my abs.” He smiles fondly, then sobers, watching my face as he unbuttons his pants and tugs the zipper down. He doesn’t waste time, doesn’t tease, and slides his pants and his boxers down. His cock springs free, long and thick, though not as intimidating as Tyler’s.

Good. I don’t really want to be torn open by a massive knot, thank you very much.

“You’re staring,” he teases.

“So are you.”

He takes my hand and leads me into the shower, then hugs me from behind.

Every hair on my body lifts. I push back against his cock. “Please.”

He clicks his tongue. “Soon.”

I huff a whine.

“I know, sweetheart. Trust me, I’ll make it fast.” He presses me against the tile, long arm reaching to grab the shampoo. “Close your eyes.”

Listening is easy when I’m in heat, so I do as he says. A cap opens, then his fingertips massage my scalp. “Your hair is beautiful.”

I hum my gratitude, eyes still closed, giving myself over to my other senses. I tilt my head back, resting it against his chest, and my muscles start to relax. His hands leave me, and I open my eyes to find a detachable shower head in his hand. I close my eyes again and let him rinse me, then exactly as promised, he doesn’t linger, doesn’t tease me. He claims and cleanses every inch of my skin in less than a minute, everywhere except my hole and aching dick.

“You’re mean.”

“Me? Never.” He spins me to face him, then holds my gaze as he lowers to his knees.

My cock bobs with each beat of my pulse, and I’m about to complain that he’s definitely very mean when his hand wraps around my length, stroking me gently as he nuzzles his face up the center of my thigh, and brushes his lips against my cock.

“Mm. I smell him here.” He inhales and moans. “You two smell so damn good together. Did my best friend get to taste your pretty cock?”

I tense, then nod.

Instead of anger, he practically purrs a low, grizzled moan, and rubs the head of my cock over his lips. He pulls back. “I want to taste you here too.”

I rest my head back against the tile. “Where have alphas like you been all my life?”

“Waiting for you. Those alphas didn’t deserve you.”

It might sound like a pick-up line, but my alpha has no game.

He roams soapy hands over my ass and kneads my glutes, fingernails trailing toward my crack. Then he nuzzles his lips against my cock and sucks me into his mouth, surrounding me in ecstasy.

I don’t even recognize the sound I make. If he weren’t holding me, I would melt to the floor. His eyes never stray from mine as he flutters his tongue against the underside of my cock, holding me in his throat. He washes the back of my thighs and between my cheeks, looking up at me like I’m a god or something.