Alphas for the Holidays

by Mandy M. Roth

  Granted, it had been a long time since she’d been with a guy. There just hadn’t been anyone she felt sufficiently attracted to.

  She quickly did the math and flinched. It would be two years come July. Where had the time gone? No wonder she was so worked up after only two minutes of over-the-clothes petting. She was hard-up for some good loving.

  Granted, she had indulged in a little solo action when the urge hit, which was pretty often, but this?

  This was different.

  She was crazed with need, like she wasn’t even herself. A dull ache still pulsed low in her stomach and her nerve-endings were lit up like lights on a Christmas tree. Did she have the strength to walk away from this man without knowing what it felt like to be with him for real?

  She found herself eyeing him hard again. He returned her gaze intently, his eyes narrowing as if he could read her thoughts. Heat sizzled through her as she realized that, despite his release, he was still very much affected by her.

  That was good.

  Exposure therapy, Mila called it. Getting him comfortable in sexually charged situations. She only wished she was a little more comfortable.

  That shouldn’t concern her, though. Right now her job was to teach Alex about a woman’s body. He seemed pretty comfy in that area, but instinct would only take him so far, and he had a delicate issue that needed to be worked out. It was her duty to ensure the next lady he was with walked away satisfied and eager for more.

  The twinge that came along with that thought unnerved her but she shoved it aside.

  “I’ll try that.” She pointed randomly to one of the bottles.

  “A tequila girl, huh?”

  “Not really, but what the heck.”

  He opened another cabinet and pulled out two shot glasses, set them on the counter and poured.

  “Sorry, no training wheels. I don’t keep lemon handy.”

  “This will be fine.”

  She picked up the glass and mentally cursed her trembling hand as the golden liquid sloshed over the sides. It wasn’t like she was scared. Nervous maybe, but also almost unbearably excited.

  Her eyes locked onto his and he gave her a wolfish grin that shouldn’t have even been in his arsenal. Suspicion reared its head again but faded fast. She’d seen him with her own two eyes. He was a nerd, clear as day. And their interaction in the living room was proof he didn’t get a lot of female attention. He had an aptitude for foreplay and flashes of charisma.

  So what? He still needed her help. And as the evening progressed she was more and more inclined to meet those needs to the best of her abilities.

  “Cheers.” He clinked his glass to hers.

  “Cheers,” she replied and sucked down her shot. Heat suffused her stomach almost immediately and she embraced it.

  Alex drank his and then stood. He reached out a tentative finger and brushed an errant drop of tequila from her chin before bringing it to his mouth and catching it with the tip of his tongue.

  A wave of desire hit her hard as she imagined that tongue on her. Her nipples tightened and Alex’s pupils dilated, keen eyes taking in every detail.

  “One more.” Her voice sounded shrill and overloud in the tiny room, making her wince.

  He took her glass and silently poured them both another.

  “To new friends.”

  “To new friends,” she parroted and knocked back the second drink.

  She set the glass on the table with a click and turned to face him, hoping the liquid courage kicked in fast.

  “Alrighty, time to get down to business. The clock is ticking and there’s a lot of work to be done. Which way is the bedroom?”

  He turned to lead the way, and she trailed behind him, noting how nicely the track pants hugged his tight bottom.

  They entered the bedroom and she was instantly struck by how impersonal it was. No family pictures, no paintings, no warmth. Come to think of it, the living room was the same way. But he did say this was his cousin’s place, and he probably didn’t want to clutter it up if he wasn’t going to stay for the long haul.

  Alex clicked on a small bedside lamp and stood, eyeing her as if unsure what to do next.

  That was her cue. She could just get out the manuals and be done with it. Could talk him through it all in a perfunctory manner. Or she could look at today as a gift for them both.

  One day to help Alex with his problems.

  One day for her to be wild, sensual and free, the way fairies were supposed to be.

  She was already getting loose and languid from the drinks, and this man made her feel all kinds of sexy. The unfiltered heat of his gaze along with that shy, wary smile was a total turn-on.

  She had to hand it to Mila. The C.A.S.T. method was working out pretty niftily, even without the shoes.

  They faced off on opposite sides of the bed. “You’re awfully far away,” she murmured softly, the tequila giving her that last ounce of confidence she needed to be bold.

  He wouldn’t make eye contact with her as he crossed the room but his confident, almost predatory gait made her shiver. Strange how he exuded sensuality, but only in short bursts. When it was there, it was truly something to behold. It was strange that no other girl had seen it before now and tried to train him properly.

  “Lesson two—”

  “Lesson two? What was that in the living room?”

  “Right. I kissed you. That counts, sort of. But now you should kiss me. Most dates will expect you to be the one making the first move. You gotta have a move ready for them. So, what do you got, Alex?”

  Chapter 6

  Oh, how I wish I could show you.

  Alex eyed the gorgeous woman in front of him and contemplated how to play this.

  Should he out and out try to blow her mind the way she was blowing his and hope their chemistry was enough to get her to stick around once she realized she’d been misled?

  Or continue the Alex Nelson routine and fumble around a bit? Let her teach him a thing or two and hope it somehow resulted in a chance to finish what they’d started.

  His instinct was to go with the former, but he was hardwired a certain way, and couldn’t undo the years of training that compelled him never to break his cover.

  “Here goes nothing.” He bent down and zeroed in on her lips, but didn’t tilt his head. Their noses banged together and she pulled back, chuckling.

  The humiliation of the charade was almost worth it to hear that laugh. It zinged through him like a crisp pint of beer, fresh from the tap, and he found himself thinking of ways to make her do it again.

  “Only do that if you’re trying to break her nose. Here,” she said, reaching a hand to his chin, angling it for him. “Now try.”

  He leaned down, steeling himself against her scent, and pressed his lips to hers. Despite the overwhelming urge to crush her to him, he kept his hands firmly at his sides.

  His body on high alert, he waited to see what she would do next. She pulled back a few inches.

  “You’re going to want to put your hands on her.”

  Indeed. “Where?”

  “Hips are a good start. Or you could touch her face, put a hand in her hair. Be creative. Just remember to be gentle early on. We’ll talk about…other options later. For now, think of things that might make her shiver.”

  Thinking of “other options” was making him shiver.

  He lifted a hand and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, trailing a finger down her cheek. All the while, he never took his eyes from hers. He continued down and with the lightest of touches traced the fullness of her lips with his thumb. Her mouth parted and she let out a breathy sigh.

  Alex’s already-hard cock expanded as he racked his brain for ways to make her sigh like that again. Dipping his thumb in, he caressed the tender inside of her bottom lip and couldn’t help but think how the wet, smooth skin would feel against the head of his cock.

  Almost as if she’d read his mind, she nipped him, sending a bolt of need straight to his gr
oin. He slid his damp thumb from her lips, skimming lightly over her jawline, down the side of her neck. He paused there, his sensitive fingertips drawn to her fluttering pulse before continuing down past her delicate collarbone to the enticing split of her cleavage.

  Holly’s breathing grew short as he made patterns on her skin, caressing the tops of her creamy breasts, sucking in a curse as her nipples tightened into points under the lace of her bra.

  Slow, take it slow.

  He purposely bypassed her nipples, continuing down to rest his wandering hand on her nearly-bare hip and giving it a squeeze.

  “Like that?” he asked softly.

  She nodded, the elegant column of her throat working as she swallowed hard before answering.

  “Yesss.”

  Yesss.

  “Can I try the kiss part again?” He made sure his lips were close enough to hers so that they brushed together as he spoke.

  Holly nodded almost imperceptibly.

  He touched his mouth to hers, sliding the tip of his tongue between her lips, a shallow lick, before retreating.

  Her fingers were locked on his forearms in a vise grip.

  “Again?” he breathed.

  “Again.”

  His heart pounded against his ribs as he kissed her. Again, he flicked out his tongue to lave her bottom lip then tugged with his teeth before slipping into the warm cavern of her mouth.

  She inched closer to him until their chests were touching, the hard points of her nipples branding his rib cage. The contact made him ache to get closer, to bury himself in her.

  He tightened his hand on her hip and felt the softness of her thighs against his. He was powerless to resist. Unable to stop himself, he closed the gap between them with a decisive thrust then stilled to savor the sensation.

  Wedged against her bare stomach with only his track pants and a scrap of lace separating them, he imagined how easy it would be to yank his waistband down, clutch that heart-shaped ass in his hands and lift her onto his swollen cock. No need to lie down, she was so small, he could work her up and down with ease.

  Was that her muscles quaking or his?

  Remember who you are, Mr. Nelson.

  He dropped his hand from her hip and pulled away.

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. That was good. Next time you want to make a move, that’s a pretty good one. Now lesson three.” Her voice was low and intense, her breathing erratic.

  He tried not to stare, but with her eyes bright, bottom lip swollen and nipples still hard, it wasn’t easy. Without a doubt, he was going to love lesson three no matter what it was. In fact, three was his new favorite number.

  “We can do this by the book, with the drawings and a lecture, or I can show you.”

  “Show me,” he croaked.

  She gave him a thousand-watt smile.

  “Let’s take some of your clothes off. Just the shirt for now.”

  He stalled for a moment, playing bashful, then reached for the hem of the t-shirt and yanked in over his head, tossing it on the floor. The track pants did little to hide his arousal.

  Holly made a low humming sound in the back of her throat and he pursed his lips to keep from grinning. Humming was good. If he could keep her humming and sighing, he’d be a happy man.

  “You’re in ridiculous shape,” she murmured. “Why would you ever wear those silly clothes?”

  He didn’t answer. Partly because the question was rhetorical, partly because he didn’t want to lie any more than he already had.

  Her gaze raked his body, pausing on his cock. The thick head pulsed, like it was aware of her scrutiny and silently calling pick me, pick me!

  She wet her lips and he followed the path of that little pink tongue. Was she imagining her mouth on him the way he was?

  Stepping forward, she placed her hands on his pecs, palms grazing his nipples. “I’m going to touch you now. You need to get used to the feel of a woman’s hands on you.”

  Her small, soft hands roamed over his chest. She ran the pad of a thumb over his nipple and he groaned as his balls tightened in response.

  “Does that feel good?” she whispered, her warm breath fanning his neck.

  He didn’t trust himself to speak, so he nodded.

  “Know your body, embrace the feeling. It’s a beautiful thing, but so many people rush through. Savor every touch.” She pinched his nipple and his pulse thrummed.

  He was hypnotized by the look of concentration on her face. Their gazes met for a moment before he broke the contact.

  She ran a hand down his stomach, stopping to toy with the drawstring of his pants.

  He held his breath.

  “I’m not going to touch you there yet, Alex. I know you think you want me to, but I promise, it’s better this way. It’ll make it easier for you to hold out.”

  He nodded stupidly.

  She splayed a hand over his abdomen, just an inch away from his dick. Slowly, she circled him, kissing his collarbone, then his shoulder, moving until she stood behind him. Using his shoulders to balance herself, she stretched to her tiptoes and pressed her lips to the base of his neck as her nipples brushed against his bare back. Lowering herself an inch at a time, she continued to kiss a path down his spine.

  Squeezing his eyes shut, Alex tried to focus only on the sensation as she drifted lower, her breasts caressing his back, her hands slipping off his shoulders to grip his hips. She didn’t stop the sensual assault until her mouth reached the waistband of his pants. Then she straightened, flattening herself against his back, wrapping her arms around his abdomen and sinking her teeth into the back of his shoulder.

  He groaned, the raw, almost violent sexuality of the bite a perfect foil for the sweetness of the gentle kisses leading up to it. His cock stiffened and pulsed as she sucked the flesh pinched between her teeth.

  Everything in him clamored for more and he fought to remain still beneath her busy hands and mouth. Her hand swept over his hip to lay flat on his stomach. She followed the narrow strip of hair from his bellybutton downward and he held his breath, hoping, praying she would continue.

  She did, cupping him through the stretched cotton, and then squeezing the partially exposed head of his cock. A bead of hot come dripped from the tip and he growled deep in his throat.

  “Mmm,” she moaned against his shoulder as she rubbed her thumb over the silky liquid that had escaped him. A second later, she released his cock and then stepped back.

  “Turn around, Alex.”

  He did and noted the frantic beat of the pulse in her neck, the lusty gleam in her eyes.

  “Nice. You’re doing very well. Now it’s your turn to touch me. I’ll tell you what feels good, all right? Where do you want to start?”

  Chapter 7

  She’d expected another hint of nerves or some hesitation, but he reached out and, with a flick of his fingers, unclasped the front of her bra. It sprang open and she drew in a quick breath.

  He didn’t touch her, he just looked, his eyes growing darker, the muscle in his jaw tensing.

  “Lovely,” he murmured.

  She waited for him to reach out then, but he remained still.

  “Run your hands over them now.” His voice was low and hot, and moisture rushed between her legs. “I want to see you touch yourself.”

  She lifted a hand to one breast, cupping it gently. Alex’s face grew more strained. He liked what he saw. She gave a squeeze then released her breast to run her fingertip over the peak. He actually groaned then and she shivered.

  “Like that?” she asked.

  “Just. Like. That.”

  She let her head fall back as she pinched and teased, letting the sensations and the knowledge that Alex was watching envelop her.

  She didn’t hear him move closer, and jerked in surprise when his hands covered hers.

  “Let me try.”

  He replaced her hands with his own, cupping her breasts. His strong, warm hands covered her entirely and she whimpered a
s he tested the weight of her.

  “You feel amazing.” He ran his thumb over each pointed tip and she shuddered in response, the touch sending waves of pleasure to her center. “So sensitive. I love that.”

  Taking her hand, he stepped back and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her to stand before him, so that his face was level with her chest. Then, he flicked out his tongue, swiping her nipple in a long lick.

  “Mmm.”

  Again, he licked her before drawing the tight nub into his hot mouth and sucking, so soft, so gentle she wanted to beg him for more.

  She clutched the back of his head, urging him closer, wordlessly begging him to increase the pace.

  He pulled back. “There’s no hurry. It’s better this way, I promise,” he mimicked, a mischievous glint in his eye.

  He leaned forward to pinch her nipple between his teeth and she jerked. It hurt but in the best possible way. He laid his hand low on her belly and resumed his task, drawing on her nipple, faster and harder as the seconds ticked by, nipping and sucking in turn.

  A sweet tension pooled between her thighs, tightening her stomach, setting her muscles quivering as she waited for him to touch her where she needed it most. Desperate, she took his wrist and laid his palm directly over the lace of her underwear. The warmth of his hand seeped through and she groaned.

  He released her nipple with a pop and she struggled to remain unmoving as he squeezed and massaged her overheated sex.

  “You’re so wet.”

  He ground the heel of his hand against her and she arched closer.

  “Please,” she whispered, the blood rushing in her ears almost as loud as her voice.

  “If I put my fingers inside you, that’s not against your rules, is it?”

  Pushing the thin scrap of lace to the side, he slipped two thick digits into her folds, teasing her with a shallow thrust before retreating and eyeing her in askance.

  “No.” She swallowed hard, trying to think clearly, which was no easy task when her body was desperate for the invasion of those fingers again. “I mean, yes. No, it’s not against the rules. Alex…” He was torturing her, and doing a fine job of it. What a quick study he was.