Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
brEE
“What are you doing here?” she whispers.
His smirk doesn’t falter. “Protecting you from unwanted attention. Isn’t that obvious?”
You’re the unwanted attention, she wants to snap, but knows she shouldn’t.
Cole did her a favor.
“How did you know his name?” she asks suddenly.
“Hmm?” He places his elbows on the table and leans his chin on his hands, watching her, amused.
“You called him Eugene. How do you know his name?”
“Unfortunately, everyone knows who that man is.”
Unable to hold his intense gaze, she stares at her notebook as she clicks her pen nervously.
“Well, thanks,” she says. “But um, I’m okay now.”
She pretends to go back to her notes, but she can still feel him watching her .
She shifts uncomfortably in the booth, her shoulder still tingling from his touch.
“Husband, you said? Where’s he at?” he asks softly.
When she looks up at him, his lips are pulled into a thin line.
She swallows. “He’s back home.”
“Of course. And he let you come to Green Woods all alone? He didn’t insist he accompany you, so people like Eugene don’t torment you?”
“You mean people like you ?” she snaps, and he raises an eyebrow.
“You’re a terrible liar,” he says. “I’m not sure how you made it this far as a journalist.”
He’s goading her and enjoying every minute of it.
She’s sure he has an Omega somewhere, so why is he giving her so much attention?
“Look, I really appreciate you helping me out,” she says. “I’ve heard some awful rumors about him, and I’m grateful you?—”
“Oh, like he killed his wife?” Cole cocks his head slightly, his mouth curling into an almost smile. “Is that what you heard?”
“Yes,” she mutters, her face flaming.
She doesn’t know what he finds about her that’s so amusing, but she wishes he would stop looking at her.
“He did kill her,” he says nonchalantly, shrugging.
“What? How do you know that?”
“The same reason I just know you don’t have a husband. And that you weren’t lost this morning and accidentally ended up in the basement of a prison,” he says. “It’s just common sense, really.”
He looks at her expectantly, but Bree shrugs and goes back to her notes, hoping he’ll leave her alone .
But he stays, and even steals a sip of her tea, earning him a death glare from her.
The nerve .
“Let me take you out to dinner,” he says, placing the cup back on its saucer.
Her heart skips a beat, certain she didn’t hear him right.
“What did you say?” she asks, placing her pen down.
“Dinner. It’s a meal usually had after lunch, often in the evenings.” He raises a sculpted eyebrow.
“I know what dinner is, Cole ,” she snaps, her heart thumping wildly as panic courses through her veins. “But why?”
“Can’t a husband take his wife out to a nice dinner?” he jokes.
The words pierce her heart with a cruel reminder of how lonely she’s been.
“That’s not funny.”
“Fine. How about because you owe me ,” he says simply.
Her eyes widen in disbelief. “Excuse me?”
“You owe me for saving your ass this morning and protecting you from the town drunk,” he deadpans.
“You terrified me this morning!”
“The sheriff showed up after you left. I was outside the building and told him a stray cat must have triggered the alarm.”
Her brow furrows. “Really?”
Why would he do that? He had no reason to cover for her.
He nods, an errant tuft of hair falling into his forehead. “Really. Besides, I’d like to redo my first impression with you.”
She bites her lip. “You can’t redo a first impression.”
The corner of his lip quirks. “Try me. ”
He grabs her cup again and purposely takes a long sip, locking eyes with her.
“Drinking my tea isn’t going to make me say yes. Have you ever thought of asking before you take something?”
“Of course. It doesn’t mean I will.”
“Wow,” she breathes. “That’s an insane way to live.”
“Whatever you say, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart.
Her inner Omega perks up at the term of endearment. A flush creeps up her chest and her cheeks flame.
He notices and smiles, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
Along with his Alpha scent, he’s almost irresistible.
“I really am just here for this article,” she tells him. “I’m really not looking for…I don’t need to…”
Her voice trails off as Cole watches her.
C’mon, just say it .
“I’m not in Green Woods to make friends. Or otherwise.” She blurts out.
Even though he’s gorgeous, clever, and pure Alpha , she’s leaving in less than a week and never coming back.
Entertaining the idea of wanting something more is out of the question.
Forever.
“I understand. No strings attached,” Cole says, gesturing with his hand. “Purely, just dinner. You’re here by yourself, and it can’t be enjoyable to eat alone every night.”
He has a point.
Still, she can’t shake the feeling that something is… off about him.
“Besides,” he adds, sensing her reluctance, “we could discuss your article, if you want. If you need someone to bounce ideas off of,” he says.
His eyes soften, and the enticing waft of his scent makes her mouth water .
It’s what makes her nod.
“Okay,” she says, smiling lightly. “If you insist.”
“Oh, I definitely do,” he purrs. His scent intensifies, and a delicious chill runs down her spine.
“We have reservations tomorrow at eight in Elmwood,” he adds, and her eyes widen.
“Sorry—what? You already made the reservation?”
“Of course,” he says. “I made it after we met this morning.”
Alarm bells blare in her head, louder than the ones in the prison.
“And what if I had said no?”
He chuckles. “You tried to, and it didn’t work, did it?”
She gapes at him. He just shrugs.
No Alpha has ever paid her this much attention. Sure, she’s been asked out before, but she was never coerced into having dinner with someone.
She imagines her mother would be thrilled.
And judging by the way Darlene is waggling her eyebrows from the counter, Bree’s pretty sure the barista is, too.
“I heard Elmwood just had two gruesome murders,” she says. “I don’t know if it’s safe.”
There’s a pause, then he clenches his jaw.
“Do you really think I’d let anything happen to you?” he asks softly, a shadow crossing his features.
I don’t know. You give me emotional whiplash.
She shakes her head. “I just?—”
“No one will hurt you, as long as you’re with me. No one ,” he growls. His scent grows spicy with intensity, delicious and terrifying.
She shivers, struck by his sudden mood change. “Great,” she says.
Despite her fear, a part of her is delighted with his possessiveness .
Her inner Omega purrs like a cat, pleased that she’s found someone that wants to protect her.
“So. We’re agreed, then,” Cole says. “Dinner, tomorrow.”
She nods. “Sure.”
“And don’t even think about paying,” he adds, the mischief returning to his face. “Unfortunately, I didn’t reach the café in time to cover your lunch, but Darlene knows that everything you purchase is under my card now.”
Her heart skips a beat. “Why would you do that?” she demands, half flattered, half appalled.
“Why not?” He tilts his head slightly. “You’re out here by yourself, doing great journalism. The least someone could do for you is cover your meals while you’re here.”
She can’t tell if he’s mocking her, and it infuriates her. “I’m perfectly capable of paying for my own food,” she snaps.
“Of course you are. It doesn’t change the fact that you don’t have to, now.”
Impossible, infuriating man .
“Look, Cole,” Bree murmurs, fidgeting with the sleeve of her sweater. “I don’t know why you’re doing all this, but there’s really no point. I’m leaving at the end of the week. I don’t know what you’re getting out of this.”
“My reasons are my own, sweetheart,” he says, watching her play with the fabric of her sweater. “Would you believe me if I told you it’s because I simply want to?”
Sweetheart.
Bree shakes her head. “No.”
“Well, then it’s a moot point. I’m used to getting what I want, and a little bit of your stubbornness isn’t going to stop it from happening. It’s endearing, actually.”
She scowls as he chuckles. “See? It’s all worth it just to see that look on your face.”
She rolls her eyes, but her lip quirks, the ghost of a smile forming .
Cole’s demanding and unpredictable, to say the least.
He’s also not bad to look at, and he smells delicious .
Maybe one dinner with him won’t be so bad.
“Fine,” she concedes. “It will be nice to go somewhere besides the café for the next few days.”
“You’ll find life is much easier when you agree with me,” he replies, smirking.
Her phone buzzes with a text, and she unlocks her screen to check who it’s from, but he reaches from across the table to snatch it out of her hands.
“What the hell?!” she cries, loud enough that customers turn to look at her. “What are you doing?”
“Texting myself,” he says. “So, I have your number.”
He does it quickly, then hands the phone back to her, which she takes with a look of indignation. “You could have just asked ,” she hisses.
“Sure, but you would have made it difficult, and it would have taken me at least ten minutes to get it out of you. This way was faster.” He pulls a sleek black phone out of his pocket and checks the screen. “Perfect.” He gives her a wicked grin.
She balks at his audacity.
For a ridiculous moment, she imagines him meeting her mother, his arrogance and playfulness on full display.
Carol would be absolutely thrilled that this man is giving her daughter this much attention.
Not just a man…but an Alpha .
Not a Beta. Not someone barely interested in her, that would prefer to split a dinner check or not bother to step in if someone was harassing her.
She stops that train of that immediately.
“So, why are you in Green Woods, anyway?” she asks instead. “You stick out just as much as I do. ”
Cole tilts his head curiously and remains silent for a moment too long.
She thinks he’s not going to answer her question.
“I’m visiting my family,” he finally says, his voice soft. “I’ve been waiting to see them for a long time.”
His eyes are gentle and warm, and it makes him look younger.
It’s breathtaking, and she hates it.
Why can’t he just answer a question like a normal person?
“Well, then what were you doing, wandering around in the prison?”
He shrugs. “I guess I just got lost.” His familiar half smile is back, and she knows he’s not going to tell her the truth.
“That’s a lie,” she counters.
He arches an eyebrow. “Is it?”
“Of course it is.”
He shrugs. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out in time, Miss Journalist.”
She shakes her head and scoffs. “I don’t understand you.”
He just grins again, and she drains the last of her tea, careful to not touch the same place his mouth was.
She needs to get out of here. She can’t believe she agreed to dinner with him, and the longer she inhales his scent, she’s not sure what else she may be amicable to.
She slams her notebook shut and places it in her bag. “Well, I’m going to?—”
“I’ll walk you out,” he says as she stands from the booth.
“You really don’t need to?—”
“I insist.”
As he stands, she’s swarmed by his scent again, delicious and welcoming.
It envelops her like a warm hug, and she almost loses her footing as he walks her toward the door. He holds it open for her, like a true gentleman, and she murmurs her thanks .
Her mother would be thrilled.
It’s hard to stay frustrated at him when he looks and smells like everything she could want in an Alpha, though.
You’re leaving soon. Get a grip.
“Hey. How did you know which car was mine?” she asks, as he leads her to her car.
Her question doesn’t face him. “What was that?” The amused expression is back on his face, his full lips pulled into a slight smirk.
“My car . I didn’t tell you which car was mine.”
“Deductive reasoning. It was between a pickup truck, an old sedan with an Elmwood license plate, or your little grey hybrid.” He motions to the other cars parked around her, as if the answer was obvious. “Which one doesn’t belong here, I wonder?”
Still…
“Can you please stop trying to make me feel stupid for one second?” she huffs.
His face falls. “My apologies. I don’t think you’re stupid at all,” he says, his eyes softening. “In fact, I think you’re quite the opposite.” He reaches out and tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “I find you endearing, Breana,” he says lowly, and she lets out a sigh at his touch.
Snap out of it!
He pulls his hand back and gifts her with a genuine, soft smile that makes her heart beat wildly in her chest. “I’m looking forward to our dinner tomorrow. I promise I’ll be good company.”
He’s so close that he blocks out the sun and his handsome face is all she can see.
“Drive safe,” he murmurs.
She swallows and nods.
Then he turns and heads back into the café .
She stands next to her car in a daze, wondering what the hell just happened.
His scent is faded now that the wind has shifted downward, and she can finally think with a clear head.
What the hell did she agree to?
She met him this morning, and now she’s going to let him take her to dinner?
I find you endearing, he had said.
She’s not endearing.
She’s a mess with enough issues to make even the most patient man run screaming.
“What just happened?” she mutters as she opens her car door with a shaky hand.
Stumbling into the driver’s seat, she pulls out her phone, reading the text from earlier.
It’s from Darlene.
Who is that?!
She debates how to respond.
She certainly can’t tell Darlene how she met him.
His name is Cole. He’s taking me out to dinner tomorrow.
Her phone buzzes immediately.
What?? Give me all the details right NOW.
She sends another quick text, promising to tell Darlene where she’s going once she finds out the name of the restaurant, when a thought hits her.
No one calls her Breana. Ever.
She never even told Cole her name.
The unsettling feeling from before returns.
She’s going to have to cancel her plans with him.