Alphas Prefer Curves

by Unknown

  “Jessica, stop. Stop. Stop! What are you doing? Where are you going?” He grabbed the backpack from my hands and we tugged it between us, me shoving clothes into it, him pulling them out until there was a mess of my things on the floor between us. “Stop, Jess, please. Tell me what’s happening. I don’t understand!”

  “Jonah?” Shannon fell into the doorway, panting. Her eyes moved between us, and then the backpack in our hands had her complete attention. “No! You can’t leave! Not because of them!”

  “No, you do not understand,” I told the intense green eyes inches from mine. “I can’t stay here with them. Neither of you understand. This is so fucked up, you have no idea. I have to leave. If you don’t want to help me get the hell out of here, I’ll walk.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Jonah said, and dumped my backpack completely on the floor. I gasped and ripped it out of his hands and threw it at him. I backed up, a caged animal in this tiny room.

  “I understand what kind of people they are, you’ve told me. I told my mom. I swear they’ll go before you do.” Shannon stepped closer to her brother who stepped closer to me.

  Jonah stopped between me and the door and held a hand up as if to catch me if I tried to run past him. “I’ll throw them into the ocean myself, Jess. I won’t let them run you off. You have to understand I can’t let that happen.”

  “My brother,” Shannon whispered, watching the intensity on Jonah’s face. It would have been a beautiful thing to see if my heart wasn’t breaking all over this cabin. If I didn’t feel like I was about to die.

  “No, you don’t, you don’t understand! After I leave here I’m supposed to go home for the rest of the summer, like every summer before this one. Except just before finals I got a call from my father. He never calls me. He tells me, No Jessica, you can’t come home. Katherine wants to knock down the wall between your room and her hobby room, so there’s no room for you. He says, Jessica, we packed up your things and you can come pick up your boxes after school is over, but we don’t have the space to store them so if you don’t come right away we’re going to have to throw them out. He says, Jessica, Katherine is pregnant. You understand don’t you? It’s very upsetting for her when you are around because you remind her of your mother. It hurts her and I can’t have her upset, not while she’s pregnant. You’re just going to have to find somewhere else to live this summer. We have to work on building a new family.”

  I gasped, feeling my panic attack growing inside me. “And I said, but dad, I don’t have anywhere to go. Where am I supposed to go? And you know what he says to me? He says, well hell, kiddo, I just don’t know. Maybe it’s time you grow up the hard way and take some responsibility for your life. That’s what he said to me.” I swallowed and pressed a hand to my mouth before something terrible came out.

  I stopped, so very aware of their eyes on me, the shock and tension in the space between the two siblings and me who would never know what it felt like to be unwanted. “I…I managed to secure space on a high school friend’s couch. He’s letting me stay until August and this vacation, these cabins. You, Shannon. Jonah. These two weeks were supposed to be amazing so the rest of the summer of being miserable and alone wouldn’t be so bad. But I can’t do that, not with them here, taking it all away from me again. This is all I had and now they get it. They always get everything! Understand, please understand. I’ve got to get the hell out of here before I start screaming at the top of my lungs and never stop.”

  Shannon pushed her brother out of the way, tears welling in her eyes, matching mine. She took my hand in both of hers. “A strange guy’s couch, Jess? Mine is better. It’s blue, your favorite color. And I have a real bed too with real sheets. They have yellow flowers. And it’s in a room with a TV and my cat. I would never let you stay with some guy. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because,” I looked at her and loved her with all my heart. “Because your mom and your sister came to see you for your birthday. Because even your sixteen year old brother calls you on the weekends to see if talk about his favorite TV shows. Because your parents invited me here and they are throwing me a party to celebrate my good grades. Because you make me feel like family and because I don’t deserve it. How could I possibly ask for more than I am already getting away with?”

  “Stupid girl,” she whispered. She kissed my cheek and wrapped her arms around shoulders.

  Jonah lowered himself to the edge of my bed, pried my hips away from his sister, and pulled me close. He rested his face against the fabric over my stomach and inhaled all of me. “Stupid, stupid girl. Because I’d let you anywhere near some strange guy’s couch on principle.”

  “Jess!” Shannon gasped and put her hands across her abdomen. “He’s touching your stomach! And you’re letting him!”

  “Yeah,” I said, shaking my head in amazement at both of them. “I am.”

  She beamed. “I knew it was only a matter of time, Trixie.”

  Jonah raised an eyebrow at us. “Trixie?”

  “Never mind.” I touched his hair and he stood, captured my chin in his hand. He kissed me lightly on my mouth.

  “You two should have told me,” Shannon chided. He took that moment to slip out of my hands and head for the door. “Where are you going? I approve! Really! Don’t go, Jonah!”

  “I’ve got two people to throw out of my house. If she tries to take one step out of this door Shannon, knock her out.” Shannon and I glanced at each other and raced after him into the dark trees and up the path toward the main house. The party at the beach had thinned, but many people were still drinking under the stars. Mr. and Mrs. Silver were gone. So were my parents.

  Jonah took two stairs at a time up to the front door, stalked inside, and followed his parent’s voices to the back breakfast porch. Shannon and I trailed behind, clutching each other for protection.

  “Where are they?” he demanded as he burst into the room. They jumped and turned to Jonah.

  “Who, darling? Shannon and Jessica?” Mrs. Silver started to point toward us huddling in the doorway, but he cut her off.

  “No, Jessica’s parents. I want to throw them out personally.”

  Mr. Silver stepped out to meet Jonah halfway. “Sorry, Jonah. I’m afraid I’ve already done that. I had no idea, Jessica, forgive us. I thought a lovely girl like you would have parents to match. They were very excited to drink my champagne, sleep in my beds, take my boats out on the ocean. They were surprised I even knew your name and the things they said when I threw them out...I can’t even repeat them. You deserve better.”

  Jonah turned, reached for my hand, and I took it. Our secret was out anyway. He pulled me to his side. “She has better.”

  Mr. Silver looked between us, appraised his son. “Yes, she does.”

  Mrs. Silver came in for a hug. A future of hugs spread out before me. There were worse things, I supposed.

  How long? I wondered. Jonah was serious and intense and I didn’t know if that meant when he grabbed hold of something, it was forever or if he burned all-consuming before burning out.

  “If you can stand it, we have one more surprise and I promise, this one will be worth it. We were just waiting for you to return. Come. Come!” She produced a glass of champagne practically from thin air, filled my hand with the delicate flute, and pulled Shannon after her through the doors to the back deck. We followed, Jonah’s fingers threaded through mine.

  The dark sky over the water spread out before us. We took our places at the railing of the deck, Jonah behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pressed his palms against my stomach. I shivered pleasantly and pressed myself against him.

  “I hear they like animation in Japan,” Jonah said and the feel of his voice shivered my whole body. I smiled and pressed into him because we matched so well. “Well figure something out, Jess. I promise. Tonight,” he whispered against my ear. “Every night.”

  The sky exploded with color and sound, rockets of golds and reds painted the night stars. I gasped
, jumped, but Jonah only tightened his hold, pulled me into the space between his arms and kissed my neck, kissed the gasps and cries from my throat. Shannon clapped and squealed, reached for them like she might pluck the dazzle of light from the sky.

  Every night. I could live with that.

  The Billionaire’s Curvy Guide

  The Diamond Hearts Resort Series

  Danielle Duncan

  Chapter 1

  Zoe Mariani no longer felt nervous waiting for a new guest to arrive. Since taking the Guest Personal Assistant job at the Diamond Hearts Resort two months ago, she'd quickly gotten the hang of things. And this new guest was a single man–they were the easiest to take care of, usually asking for no more than lift tickets and the occasional room service. No problem.

  The sole guest at the check-in counter left, and Zoe's friend Hannah–the head desk clerk–leaned toward her. “You know you don't have to meet them at the counter.”

  “I know. And I know you're going to tell me sometimes they're late and I could be waiting for hours. It's not a problem. I think meeting them at the beginning makes the whole experience that much smoother.”

  “Are you trying for brownie points?” Hannah said.

  “I just want to do a good job.” Zoe didn't want to let Hannah down. Hannah had gone out on a limb to get Zoe the job at a time when Zoe was in real trouble. She owed it to Hannah to do the best job she could.

  An attractive man with dark hair and impeccable clothing walked through the outside doors into the wide gold and silver-toned lobby. Without missing a beat, he turned and headed toward the check-in counter.

  “Must be your guest,” Hannah said.

  “Must be.” Zoe straightened her jacket and stood a little straighter. She waited until he got close, then smiled widely at him.

  He smiled back, his face instantly brightening, his brown eyes sparkling. His gaze slipped down and up her body, quick as a flash, then settled on her face.

  Zoe swallowed. He was hot. So far, the only hot men she'd had to take care of had been very married and thus easy to stay away from. But not him.

  It didn't matter. She was there to do a job. Zoe held out her hand. “You must be Bastian Marks?”

  “I am.” He took her hand in his but instead of shaking it, he squeezed and held on.

  “I'm Zoe Mariani, your Guest Personal Assistant.” She tugged on her hand and he let go reluctantly, making her slide her fingers slowly from his grip. “I'm at your service. Anything I can do to make your stay more pleasant, just ask.” As soon as the words–said many times to many people–left her mouth, she realized how they might sound to the single man standing in front of her devouring her with his eyes. Her cheeks immediately grew warm.

  “You're making it more pleasant already.” His eyes stayed on her face.

  There was no way he could miss her blush. Zoe inwardly cursed her pale skin.

  “Can I check you in, Mr. Marks?” Hannah said.

  “Of course.” He gazed at Zoe while he pulled his wallet out of his pocket, then handed his credit card to Hannah.

  Zoe usually walked her guests to their rooms. There was no reason not to do that this time, even if he was the most delicious thing she'd ever seen and he apparently already thought she was on the menu. She picked up the guest folder she'd prepared for him then walked around the counter and stood to the side while he finished checking in.

  As soon as Hannah handed him his keycard, Zoe said, “I'll lead you to your room and we can discuss any needs you might have along the way.” Damn it, even that sounded like some sort of veiled sexual come-on.

  And by the sly smile on his face, he was thinking the same thing. He fell into step beside her as she headed across the lobby. “I've been here before. I don't remember having a personal assistant.”

  “It's new.” She stopped in the elevator bay and hit the 'up' button. “Diamond Hearts is always looking for ways to better serve their guests.” Considering their guests ranged from wealthy to dripping-in-cash, a temporary personal assistant to guide them toward additional expenditures and keep them happy and pampered seemed like a win-win.

  He stepped a little closer to her than was necessary. “You're adorable when you blush.”

  Oh, boy. Even the understated cologne he wore was super-hot. She took a step back. “I hope I haven't given you the wrong impression, Mr. Marks. This is a strictly professional service.”

  The smile slipped off his face. “I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. I find you attractive. Is there a rule against your getting involved with the guests?”

  No, but that didn't mean it was a good idea. “It's highly frowned on. Please. I need this job. I don't want to step out of line.” Even for someone as scrumptious as him.

  “Understood.” The elevator dinged and then opened. “And call me Bastian, please.” He held his hand out toward the elevator, clearly expecting her to enter first.

  At least he wasn't one of those rich people who figured the servants should follow six paces behind. Zoe boarded then hit the button to hold the door while he walked in. She then pressed the ‘three’ to get to his floor. She needed–and wanted–to change the subject quickly. “You said you've been here before? Are there particular things you're planning to do this visit?”

  “Maybe some skiing or snowboarding, and of course dining at your amazing restaurants.” His eyes stayed on her. He may have eased up on the seduction, but his gaze still tracked her as though watching prey.

  Zoe couldn't stop the goosebumps erupting over her body, nor the desire to step a little closer to him. But damn it, the last thing she could afford was to have something go wrong with her job.

  The elevator dinged before she had the chance to do anything stupid. She quickly led the way down the hall toward his suite. “I can arrange lift tickets and restaurant reservations for you. Just let me know what you need and when.”

  When they reached his door, she gripped her folder while he slid the keycard into the lock. She normally went into the suite with the guests to make sure everything was as it should be, but she just couldn't this time. As soon as the door clicked open, she held the folder out to him. “Here's information about all the events and amenities available right now. My contact information is on a card inside. Call or text me anytime. Not just for tickets, either. If there's any problem or issue, let me know and I'll get it fixed. I'm available twenty-four/seven.”

  His eyes held hers for a long second, and she just knew he was refraining from saying something. Her damned cheeks heated up again.

  Bastian smiled. “I'll keep my distance. But that blush sure is cute.” And with that, he pushed open his door and disappeared.

  Zoe watched the door swing shut behind him and swallowed hard. Taking care of him would be a challenge. Maybe not quite as much of a challenge as the family of six who had expected her to play nanny while their own nanny went and skied, but still. She not only had to keep his hands off her for the entire two weeks of his stay...she had to keep her hands off him.

  Damn.

  ***

  Bastian heard the door closing behind him and resisted the urge to turn around for one last look. His new, temporary personal assistant was exactly his type--curvy, sexy, a little bit demur. He wanted to respect her wishes and keep his distance, but at the same time, he wanted to pursue her, win her, have her.

  And he didn't see why he couldn't. What was it she had said? Fraternizing with guests was “frowned on.” So he'd make sure they were very discreet. If no one found out, there'd be no harm done. And he knew she was interested. Those adorable blushes gave her away.

  First, he needed to see her again. And as she was his personal assistant, that shouldn't be too hard. He'd ask for her help with something, and get to know her in the process.

  Bastian sat down at the small table in the room and flipped through the folder Zoe had given him. He'd already planned to ski, and getting that set up probably wouldn't afford him more than a phone call with Zoe. He needed some
thing more--something that would require a face to face meeting.

  Then he got to the last page where Zoe had neatly typed out all of her contact information. In addition to phone numbers and email, she had noted where she'd be at certain times of the day, most notably when she'd be manning the concierge desk in the lobby. He didn't even need an excuse–he just needed to be passing through at the right time and stop by to talk to her for a few minutes. Perfect.

  Her time at the desk started in an hour. While he waited, his luggage arrived and he settled in to his room.

  An hour and five minutes later, he exited the elevator and strolled across the lobby. As scheduled, Zoe sat at the concierge desk talking with an elderly couple. He stopped at the desk and waited for them to finish.

  The couple left and Bastian leaned his elbows on the desk. “Hello again.” He smiled.

  “Hello, Mr. Marks.” She smiled warmly but professionally. That would never do.

  “Call me Bastian. Having a good day so far?”

  “Very good. Is there something I can help you with?”

  Oh, cold. She definitely wanted to keep this formal. “I was hoping you could recommend a good restaurant. Maybe somewhere out of the way where I wouldn't run into people from the resort.”

  “Oh–okay.” She leafed through some papers on the counter in front of her.

  “Someplace you like to eat,” he added.

  “Mr. Marks–”

  “Bastian. I have quite a few things I'm going to need help with during my trip. I thought we could discuss them at dinner. And just so no one got the wrong idea, I thought we'd go someplace out of the way. I have no desire to get you in trouble.”

  She sucked in her breath. “I see what you’re trying to do, but I really can’t. Like I said earlier, I need this job and I owe it to the people who gave me a break to do as good a job as I can.”