Alphas for the Holidays

by Mandy M. Roth

  “Logan!”

  He rolled his eyes at her reprimand. “I took her coat and shoes off. But I am going to have to take the more of her clothing off to get her warm, Mother. You know that.”

  “Okay, okay. Just be a gentleman about it.”

  Another snort from his father and Logan was regretting calling his parents

  “Get her in a tub of warm water or in the shower. If that doesn’t wake her up some, you might need to try and get her to a hospital. She should at least start mumbling if you stick her under hot water. Do you know how long she was outside in the cold?”

  “No. Maybe a half-hour before I found her. Maybe more.” Her car had still been warm when he’d touched the hood. He knew his mother was more worried about hypothermia than the concussion at this point, so was he.

  “Thanks, Mom. I’m going to warm her up now. I’ll call you later and let you know what’s going on.” Of the three McCall brothers, Logan was more of a homebody, which was really ironic considering Logan’s reputation as a killer playboy.

  He put down the phone before his mother could ask the next question Logan knew was on her mind.

  Yes, this woman he’d found in the snow was his mate, but he didn’t want to share that information with anyone else just yet. Hell, he didn’t even know her name.

  He debated his best course of action. Even if she did start to wake up, there was no way he was going to let her get in the shower or tub by herself. And, he really did need to warm her up. She wasn’t shivering and that was what worried him the most.

  Jogging to the bathroom, he turned the hot water on. He thought about running a bath, but he certainly didn’t trust himself to have her ass pressed against his cock when he’d have to climb in behind her to keep her head above water. It was going to be torture enough to have her curves pressed against him as he held her under the warm spray of water.

  He breathed a sigh of relief when he returned to the bedroom, and he saw she hadn’t rolled off the bed. She had turned over again, so that was a good sign as well. Once undressed, he pulled the cover from her. She offered a little resistance that made him feel a whole lot better about her condition. She seemed to be waking up. Reaching beneath the large, oversized sweatshirt she wore, he found the fastener of her jeans and pulled them from her hips. He smiled at the pink and gray kittens covering the white cotton of her panties. Cute and cuddly. Definitely not the feelings the underwear was inspiring in him. His cock hung at half-mast down his thigh. A natural and inevitable reaction from being so close to his mate.

  He could hear his mother’s voice in his head—something no grown man wants to hear when they’re undressing a beautiful woman—telling him to be respectful. For a brief moment he considered leaving on her underwear, knowing, if she did gain consciousness, it would be easier to explain what was happening if he didn’t strip her completely naked. But he didn’t. He couldn’t put her to bed with wet underwear so either way, those panties had to come off. He tried not to think of the added bonus of seeing her perfect curves. That was just ungentlemanly.

  Gently lifting her to a sitting position, he realized there was really no way to pull the shirt over her head and not chance hurting her. With a shrug of his shoulder and a silent promise to buy her as many oversized sweatshirts that she wanted, he flicked out a claw and cut through the fabric. In seconds it was off her body, leaving her dressed in her kitten decorated panties and white utilitarian bra.

  With a deep breath, he flicked open her bra and cut the straps so that it fell away from her body. He quickly averted his eyes from the creamy, white mounds. He caught a glimpse of brownish tips and thick nipples. It took considerable control not to bend his head and take her in his mouth right then. But he couldn’t. Could he? His wolf pushed him to do just that—taste their mate.

  His claws still out, he slit the sides of her panties and pulled them away.

  “Fuck,” he whispered to himself when her pussy was revealed to him. The curls protecting her femininity were neatly trimmed and he’d bet his last dollar that if he spread her legs, he’d find the rest of her pussy bare and baby soft. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

  Clenching his fists at his sides, his claws digging into the palms of his hand, he strove for control. He now sported a full-blown hard-on, and his wolf was trying to tear its way past his control for dominance.

  He bent and lifted her, loving the weight of her in his arms. “Okay, sweetheart, time for a shower.”

  The shower enclosure had filled with steam, and he stepped inside, making sure the water hit him first. He’d only been guessing at the temperature. Realizing it was too hot, he lowered her feet to the floor so he could free one hand. A couple of quick adjustments and it was time to warm up his mate. His thought of the many ways—and positions—he could use to warm her.

  His shower was fitted with six showerheads and could easily fit four good-sized adult male shifters inside the spacious interior. He eased her gently under the warm spray, gradually turning her until the water was falling down on her back. Within minutes, her body was shivering, and he sent up a prayer of thanks. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, stopping just short of the curve of her hips, mindful of his mother’s reprimands in his head.

  Oh, how he wanted to take advantage of this moment. Show her the pleasure he could bring her.

  He rubbed along her arms, her thighs, anywhere he could touch her while still keeping her snug against him. As predicted, his cock stayed a firm ridge of want between them. Pain laced the chuckle he gave when she snuggled closer. “That’s it, baby. Let me get you warm.”

  Her hair was already wet so he squirted some shampoo in his palm and gently washed the thick mane falling halfway down her back. Tilting her head, he rinsed it, put in conditioner and rinsed it again. He had enough experience with combing out his nieces’ hair to know you needed to use conditioner on hair that long.

  He placed an arm firmly around her middle as he turned her to face the spray from the showerhead. He poured body wash in the palm of his hand started to wash her off. Down her sides, her legs. Her front. Wherever it was appropriate. For now.

  As he bent down to rub down her legs, she started to cough.

  He’d moved her too far under the spray, and some of the water went down her throat and she began to cough. Shit, he was drowning his mate in a shower. He turned her around as he pulled her out of the stream. Smoothing the hair from her face, he asked. “Are you okay?”

  She raised one of her small hands and covered her mouth as she continued to cough. She blinked rapidly. “I think so.”

  “Good.” He reached out and turned off the water. “It’s time to get out.”

  “Get out? Of where? I’m all wet. Are we swimming?”

  “Not hardly, babe.” He chuckled again and lifted her up into his arms. Damn, he really could get used to picking her up and carrying her wherever she needed to go. “What’s your name?”

  “Katie,” she answered promptly, and then her brow wrinkled in confusion. “And who are you?”

  “Your knight in shining armor?”

  He put her on her feet and wrapped the towel around her while grabbing another one. He wrapped it around his waist and took a third to sponge up the water from her hair.

  “This is some first class resort,” she mumbled as she tried to help him dry her hair. “I don’t remember asking for swimming lessons, though. I’m not even sure if I knew there was an indoor pool.”

  Logan couldn’t stifle his laugh this time. “We didn’t go swimming. I’m just trying to dry you off before we go to bed.”

  That popped her eyes open wide. “I get to go to bed with you? What about Brad?”

  Logan went very still. “Who the hell is Brad?”

  Katie continued to rub her hair with the towel. “My boyfriend.”

  Her shoulders drooped as if she remembered something unpleasant. “Or he was. Isn’t he here?”

  Shit, Logan thought. Was some foolish man out in the snowstorm? As much as
he’d like to leave the bastard outside to freeze to death, he knew he never could.

  Logan took her by the shoulders and led her over to the small bench next to the vanity. “Katie, I need you to concentrate for me. Did you drive here with Brad?” It hurt him just to say the other man’s name.

  “I… I… I don’t know.” Her voice shook with concern.

  “Sssh, it’s okay.” He brushed the hair back from her face, taking care not to touch the bruised flesh at her temple. “Just close your eyes and concentrate. When you got out of your car, before you fell down, was anyone with you?”

  She sat before him, her eyes closed as he’d asked and a deep frown line between her brows. “No. Brad didn’t come with me. I came here by myself.”

  “That’s great, sweetheart. Why did you think he was here with you?”

  “We were supposed to come here together.”

  “To McCall Resort?”

  “What?”

  “Nothing, just a little inside joke. Now tell me why he didn’t come with you.”

  She bowed her head. “Because I caught him in the supply room at the hospital fucking another nurse.”

  Logan froze at the hurt in her voice and vowed if he ever saw the other man he’d knock his teeth down his throat without a second thought.

  He leaned into her and lifted her chin with his finger. “You know what, beautiful. I’m glad he didn’t come with you.” Not giving himself a chance to second guess if it was too soon to make any sort of move on her, he leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to hers. “I’m damn glad he didn’t come with you, Katie.”

  Seeing her hurt was the last thing he ever wanted. But he knew if she had come here with a man, he would have had to use all his control not to put him six feet under.

  She was his mate.

  As he was bent over her, he checked out her pupils. He was relieved to see they were both equal and reactive. If she had a concussion, it was slight. He’d wake her up and check on her throughout the night. Lord only knew he wasn’t going to get much sleep himself, lying next to her. The most important thing right now was to keep her warm.

  He released his hold on her face and straightened to his full height, towering over her. He was encouraged to see that her eyes darted to the front of his body and the slight tent to his towel. At the moment, there wasn’t as much to check out as there had been in the shower when her body had been pressed so close to his. His anger at her ex-boyfriend had burned away his arousal.

  “Umm,” she started to talk, then licked her lips, drawing his attention to the plush full bottom lip.

  “What, sweetheart?”

  “Why am I wearing a towel?” She fingered the top of the towel and Logan had to admit he wished she’d just loosen the knot and let it fall from her body.

  Her voice held a slight quiver, and he realized she was regaining full function of her faculties once again. And she was getting scared.

  “You had an accident, Katie. I found you out in the snow.”

  She shivered as if just the mention of the storm made her cold. “I don’t remember.” She looked up at him as if he had all the answers. Luckily he did.

  “I’m going to dry your hair now.”

  “Okay.”

  Logan took a comb and gently ran it through her thick hair before picking up the hair dryer from a decorative basket on the shelf. Another added touch from the decorators no doubt. It took him about fifteen minutes, but he finally had her hair dry enough to suit him. She’d sat beneath his touch quietly, but he knew the questions would be coming soon.

  “Let’s get you dressed and in bed.”

  “Shouldn’t we get undressed to go to bed?”

  “Oh, sweetheart, you are going to be the death of me tonight.”

  Katie heard the big man standing by her side groan and felt like she was just waking up from a really weird dream. A romantic dream, but weird just the same. The side of her head was hurting, and she was starting to shiver uncontrollably.

  Not to mention that a man who had stepped right out of her most fantasized fueled dreams was standing right in front of her wearing nothing but a towel. Impressions of smooth tanned flesh popped into her head along with an image of a very aroused man.

  “Oh, my God. We weren’t swimming, were we? We were—you were—oh, my God, I was in the shower with you!”

  “Now don’t panic. I told you, you had a little accident. I found you in the snow.”

  “But, but—”

  “That’s enough.” Logan didn’t want her getting hysterical before he got her dressed and under the covers. He picked her up and strode back into his bedroom, depositing her by the built-in chest of drawers in his walk-in closet. He made sure she could stand on her own before he opened the top drawer and drew out the first soft shirt he found. Opening the next one down, he pulled out a pair of pajama pants. “Can you put this on by yourself?”

  When she nodded slowly, he thrust the t-shirt into her hands and walked out of the closet, the pair of pants in one of his hands.

  Again, Katie just stood there. Some of the memories from earlier that evening were starting to return. She remembered making it to the cabin Brad had rented—on her dime—and being impressed he’d had such good taste. She remembered the walk around the garage after she’d discovered the key hadn’t worked but after that, nothing. Oh, wait. She’d tripped on something under the snow and then nothing. She must have fallen and hit her head.

  That, in no way, explained the dark haired man waiting for her to come out, wearing nothing more than—she shook out the piece of clothing he’d given her—wearing no more than a soft, short sleeved t-shirt.

  Realizing the towel she had on was damp and not doing anything for her shivering, she untied it, using the ends to finish drying off. Flashes of other memories flew through her—big strong hands running along her thighs and hips.

  You are such a dunce, Katie, she thought to herself. How could she have thought she was wet because she’d been in the swimming pool? She’d been buck naked in a shower with a man who made her wet in a whole different way.

  Tugging the shirt over her head, she pulled her hair from the neck. Wincing, she realized she had a lump the size of a robin’s egg near her left temple. When she was done, she folded up the towel and draped it across the end of the chest of drawers.

  Alright. This was it. No more putting it off. She had to face the man outside sometime. Face the man who had seen her, touched her. And in all probability, judged her curvy body. And her damn goofy behavior.

  Touching her temple again, she reasoned that she couldn’t be held entirely accountable for her behavior. She had received some type of blow to the head. That could make anyone’s behavior loopy.

  Loopy, huh. Loopy was adding salt to your coffee because you weren’t paying attention, not standing under a spray of hot water in the arms of a gorgeous man thinking you were having a swimming lesson. That wasn’t loopy.

  That was every woman’s fantasy come true.

  Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the closet to find him turning down the bed. He was dressed in a pair of pajama bottoms that outlined his ass to perfection.

  “Come here,” he ordered, and her first instinct was to obey instantly. His voice was deep and smooth and made a woman want to fall to her knees—for a lot of different reasons. The image of an aroused cock floated through her mind. Damn it, what had she missed during that shower?

  “I’m still not sure what happened.” She let herself smile just a little. If he’d been a woman, she would have said he sighed in exasperation. As it was, he sounded like he sighed in annoyance. Same emotion, different sexes.

  “Come here, please.”

  Oh, now that that had her toes curling. And her legs obeying him.

  Damn, betraying legs.

  She stopped when she was in front of him—a safe three feet away. Another sound and she was yanked forward, onto his lap as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

  “I want you to
know that nothing happened. And that I would never do anything to harm you. Ever.”

  For some unfathomable reason, Katie believed him. He pulled her closer, and she allowed herself to melt into him just a little bit more.

  “You apparently came to the wrong house, attempted to get inside and fell down and hit your head.”

  “Straight into the rabbit hole it would seem.”

  He smiled. A set of even white teeth that reminded her of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood.

  Then it hit her what was so different about this man. “You’re a shifter, aren’t you?” One of her small hands flew to her mouth as if she had offended him and wanted to take back the words.

  Logan didn’t take offense, even though she looked as if she was having visions of him eating her. Which he was. Just not in the way she probably was. No, he was thinking of spreading her round legs and exposing her pussy, of letting his wolf take over and really eating her out.

  Oh, yeah, his wolf agreed with him, growling.

  “I am. I’m a wolf shifter. Now tell me about yourself, Katie. What’s your last name?”

  Katie looked at him a little suspiciously. “Why do you want to know?”

  “My mother told me to ask you questions about your life. You have a concussion.”

  “You called your mother and asked her how to take care of me?” Katie had to admit her insides melted just a little at this confession. For a man who appeared so in control to call his mother and ask advice on how to treat a hyperthermia and possible concussion victim was sweet. It meant he wasn’t as prideful as some men she knew who would let you bleed to death before they’d ask for help.

  Yes. She was talking about Brad. As the weeks had gone by, she’d discovered he wasn’t as kind and caring as he’d appeared that night in the ER. Not for the first time since she’d left Chicago, Katie thought maybe the nurse in the supply closet had done her a favor.

  “I didn’t want to do something that would make your condition worse.”

  His arms tightened around her again, and that made her realize she was sitting on his lap dressed in nothing but a t-shirt that barely covered her rounded bottom. Nothing else. No underwear. It also made her realize that the only thing separating his cock from her pussy was his thin knit pajama pants.