The Alpha Dating Game(19)

All the books she had read on being kissed by someone flew out of her mind’s window. Because this was unlike anything she had ever read. The sensation of being held by someone with such intimacy was astounding. She had never felt such a connection with anyone before. And this was just kissing. She marveled to think what it would be like if they went further.

His tongue explored the landscape of her mouth. It was sensuously erotic. Hungrily, her tongue inched forward past his to plunge into his mouth as well. He tasted of chocolate, actually, and she realized that was probably what he had for breakfast. Hot chocolate. He really did have a chocolate fetish.

She didn’t want to leave his mouth, but they both had to come up for air. Wordlessly, they kissed again. And again. Until she found herself pressed with her back against the ground with the blades of prickly grass flattened by her body. He was on top of her, still ravenously kissing her mouth, and the sides of her mouth, and then her chin, the line of her jaw, and her neck. It was all so delicious and warm that she never wanted it to stop.

But he stopped.

He raised his face up sheepishly.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“No, it was great.” Her breath was catching in her throat. “Don’t stop, please.”

“No, it was wrong of me. It’s only our second date. I shouldn’t have pounced on you like that.”

No one has ever pounced on me in any way except for the stray cat at home when she thought I was trying to steal her fishbone!

He got up on his elbows. After a moment’s hesitation, she got up too. Her heart was pounding. Did she do something wrong? Did he kiss her, and find that it wasn’t to his liking?

He’s going to dump me now, she thought in dismay.

But he helped her up instead. He was smiling, and he brushed away the stray blades of grass which were stuck on her clothes and forearms.

“D-did I do something wrong?” she said, unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

A strange look came over his face, and his features softened. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong, Jessica. We didn’t do anything wrong. I just didn’t want you think I was moving too fast, that’s all.”

“You’re not . . . moving too fast.” She licked her lips. She had applied a light pink lip gloss over them today but that was all kissed away now.

He gave her his hand. “Let’s go over the hill and down again for our picnic, shall we?”

She took his hand gladly. “Yes.”

Together, they trekked upwards again. And Jessica was dangerously aware that she was in the midst of falling violently in love on the second date with this wonderful, unpredictable man.





MUSINGS





As Kyle walked Jessica down the hill on the long trek to the other side, he was aware of the beating of his own heart.

What’s the matter with me?

He had only meant it to be a chaste preliminary kiss on her lips, a prelude to what would come. He had wanted to lure her in with it – a promise of further temptations to come. But what shocked him was his own reaction to her.

He already knew he liked her more than he should. He liked her looks, her sweet and shy personality, her self-deprecating way of looking at things which made her seem so humble and yet so ‘help-me’ lovable. He was also berating himself for thinking about her all night until he barely slept for the turmoil and conflict which raged inside his head for what he must do to her.

I should choose someone else.

But it would be cowardly and unseemly if he should walk away now. His father had already seen her profile and declared her a suitable candidate, with a few caveats. It would be very unnatural if he went up to his father and said, “I think I’ve changed my mind about this candidate. I’m going with someone else.”

It wasn’t exactly a job hiring.

Time was running out. Plump and tempting virgins who have come of age were not exactly plentiful. Jessica as a candidate was as good as they got.

Besides, what would his brother say? Kyle could imagine the sneer on Caleb’s handsome face. “Chickening out, brother? She got to you, didn’t she? I knew you didn’t have what it takes to be Alpha.”

What it took to be an Alpha. That was exactly the point, wasn’t it? A certain amount of ruthlessness mixed with compassion and the overpowering need to put the clan above everything else, be damned with the rest of the world.

Did he have what it takes to be Alpha? Did he really want to be Alpha?

He should not ruminate about such things, of course. Being the future Alpha was his birthright as the eldest son of the Atreides first family. The eldest sons have held this position for centuries as they accumulated their wealth. The Elders have insisted that the arcane rituals they performed were essential to this wealth and continuation of their clan, and everyone did not question them. At least openly. It was like challenging their very religion and way of life itself.