The Alpha Dating Game(20)
No. He couldn’t fall in love with Jessica, although he was aware that he was perilously close to doing so. He didn’t think he had ever been in love before, and so he might have misread the signs. Good. Does thinking about Jessica Dent all the time constitute falling in love? No. Love involved a measure of time. One didn’t fall in love with someone on second date. He was probably in lust with her.
Yes, that was it.
He would have to restrain his urge of wanting to touch her all the time, to run his hands through her silky chestnut hair, to want to place his lips upon hers and imbibe her very essence. He would have to control the always building bulge between his legs whenever he was near her.
He would have to do all this if he was to be Alpha one day.
THE AFTERGLOW
The picnic was just as lovely as the rest of the day. Kyle had ordered a picnic basket from one of the vendors at the lakeside which catered for such occasions. They spread the red and white checkered cloth under a tree and feasted on ham and pickle sandwiches, salads and caramel custard, and washed it all down with Coke.
Jessica didn’t want this day to end. And she was elated when Kyle said casually, “What’re you doing tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?” she squeaked. Her pulse was thrumming again like a guitar’s strings. “Nothing.”
“Then we should catch a movie. Pick you up at ten?”
“Sure!”
As he dropped her off at her college dorm, he gave her another kiss that made her head spin. He had to rush off to a “family do”, but he promised to call her as soon as it was over.
She knew she would be checking her phone every two minutes tonight.
“So how was it?” Lyla gushed when she stepped into their room.
“Incredible!”
Jessica spent the next thirty minutes detailing to Lyla everything that happened. It was her turn now. She used to spend hours and hours since high school listening to Lyla talk about her dates, and now it was her turn! She could squee with the immense satisfaction it gave her.
After she had finished Lyla’s interrogation, Lyla said mysteriously, “Well, I’ve done some snooping.”
“I thought you were going out with Stuart.”
“I did, but I did plenty of snooping along way on my phone.”
“You mean Googling?”
“Yes. I Googled your boy and searched for him all over on Facebook, Twitter and Linked In. And you know what?” Lyla’s expression was crafty.
“What?”
“He’s not anywhere.”
Jessica waited patiently, and when her best friend did not say anything, she ventured, “And . . . ?”
“I’m just saying he’s a ghost! Everyone has an Internet presence these days, even you.”
“He was on the dating website.”
“Not anymore. His profile has been taken down.”
Jessica would like to think that was because he met her, which meant he was off the market. “Not everyone is on Facebook, Lyla.”
“Yes, but I should be able to find something on him. Alumni photos, blog mentions . . . you know how college kids are. There’s always a mention of someone somewhere. But there are only crickets where he’s concerned.”
“Crickets?”
“Chirp chirp chirp chirp.”
“So what am I supposed to do? Insist he set up a Facebook page?”
“No, silly. I’m saying he might not be who he says he is, that’s all. Did you ask to see his ID?”
It was Jessica’s turn to bridle. “I don’t believe you. You were the one pushing me so hard to go out with him. And now you’re suspicious?”
“I am not! I’m just saying he might not be who he says he is and you have to be careful, that’s all.”
The realization of what Lyla was going all about struck Jessica like a sledgehammer in the gut. She was stunned for a moment, and then the hurt flowered like a bleeding wound.
“You don’t want me to have a boyfriend,” she said in a small voice.
Lyla looked stricken. “Jess, that’s not true! Of course I want you to have a boyfriend! If anyone deserves to have a gorgeous boyfriend, it’s you. Haven’t I been pushing you all this while? I’m just saying ‘be careful’, nothing more! Jess . . . I only want the best for you. You have to believe that!”
Jessica shook her head. “I don’t know, Lyla. I don’t know.”
Her eyes filled with sudden tears.
“Oh, Jess!” Lyla was truly distressed. She ran to Jessica on the bed and hugged her. Jessica did not hug back. “I’m sorry, Jess. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to see it that way. I take it back. You are right. Not everyone has an Internet presence. He’s just one of those people.”