Yes, Alpha Daddy

GWEN POV

It was just a few days until Christmas. I was out shopping for a Christmas gift for my roommate and best friend, April. I felt like a complete idiot for waiting until the last minute to get her a present.

How April and I were best friends was a puzzle. We were totally different-like fire and water.

April came from a very rich family. Her father spoiled her with everything. My dad might have spoiled me, too, if he had the money, but he didn't.

Like me, April was raised mostly by a single dad after her parents split up.

I also had a single dad after my mom died. But April's dad stayed single, while mine decided to get married again. That marriage was a disaster. My stepmom, Mira, left him after spending all the life insurance money he got when my mom passed away.

The biggest difference between April and me, though, was our outlook. April went through life like it was paved with rainbows. Me? If I wanted rainbows, I had to work hard to create them myself.

It was sometimes tough to be around someone to whom life came so easily. But I honestly thought April was great. She was lucky in life, yes, but she was also sweet and kind. Her sunny, happy energy was a good balance to my constant feeling of being under a cloud.

She was nice enough to invite me to her house for a few days during our Christmas break. I loved my dad, even with his terrible taste in women after mom died, but the holidays at home weren't special anymore. Not since my mom died and the women he got himself involved with took his money and ran. His holiday plans usually meant drinking with his friends.

I didn't need a fancy Christmas.

But like my dad, I hadn't really looked forward to the holiday since my mother's death. But I really needed to get away from my house and this town.

This feeling grew stronger as I walked through the bitter cold and the crowds of last-minute shoppers.

I finally reached the little paper shop I knew April would love. She always had pretty papers, pens, stickers, and envelopes everywhere. Inside, I picked up some different paper products I thought she'd like. I saw a pack of paper covered in hearts. I rolled my eyes because it was so girly, but since April loved hearts, I added it to my pile and headed to the cashier.

After paying, I put the paper products into my big purse to keep them safe from the wind and cold. Snow was supposed to fall tonight, even though it had been clear when I left home.

As I opened the door to leave, a huge man pushed past me and bumped me hard. I stumbled backward, couldn't stop myself, and landed right on my butt.

"You should watch where you're going." His voice was deep and dark. It matched his large size and bad attitude.

Even so, he held out a hand to help me up.

I swatted it away.

"I'm trying to help you up," he said.

"Why? So you can knock me down again?" I managed to stand up on my own and got a better look at this rude guy.

Money. That was the first thing I thought when I got a better look at him. He wore a suit that probably cost more than my dad's mortgage payment for five months. He had almost silvery hair that looked too perfect to be real. His green eyes watched me, and I wondered if he was worried he'd caught germs from touching a person like me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Do you really care?" I asked, fixing my purse strap on my shoulder.

His eyes showed a quick flash of annoyance. "Are you always this rude to people who try to help you?"

I stared at him with my mouth open. "You knocked me down, remember?"

He stared at me for a moment. I realized I should just leave. Why was I still standing here, looking at him?

Finally, he let out a big sigh. "Let me buy you a drink."

"What? Why?" Was he trying to be nice? Or was it something else? It couldn't be anything romantic. He had to be almost twice my age. Plus, with his smooth style and money, he could probably date any beautiful, rich woman he wanted.

"To make it up to you," he said.

"You could just say sorry."

His lips curved upward a little bit. It annoyed me that he found me funny. "I'm sorry. Can I buy you a drink?"

"That's not necessary." My phone buzzed in my purse. I pulled it out. It was a message from April.

'Going over to visit Cole. Probably won't be home tonight. Stay safe.'

Another evening alone. That was fine. I could get a head start on my reading assignments for next semester. Or I could start thinking about looking for a job after I graduate next year.

"Bad news?" the aggressive stranger asked.

"No. Just a message from my roommate."

"So, about that drink?"

I looked at him. "You sure are thirsty for a drink."

Finally, he let out a frustrated sigh and held his hands out to the side. "I get blamed for trying to help and for not trying to help."

Now he was making me feel like the bad guy? "I, uh-"

"Nolan, darling, fancy seeing you here." A woman who looked like she'd just walked out of a fashion magazine came up to him. She smelled strongly of expensive perfume.

"Just doing some last-minute shopping," he replied.

"Oh, how lovely." The woman looked at me, raising her perfectly shaped eyebrow in a way I took as disgust, before turning back to the man. "We should get something to eat and catch up."

"Sorry. I'm having a drink with . . . ?" He looked at me, waiting for my name.

"Gwen." Why was I giving him my name?

"Gwen," he repeated to the woman.

"Really?" The woman looked back and forth between us, clearly not believing him.

He put his arm around my shoulder. The touch felt warm and firm, a strange feeling from the cold air.

"Really. Shall we?" he asked me.

I must have been dreaming because I nodded and let him lead me out the door.

GWEN POV

Once we were out on the sidewalk, Nolan took his arm away. His small burst of anger I noticed from before was completely gone. Now, he just looked calm and focused.

"Would you like something hot or cold?" he asked, his deep voice smooth.

I stared up at him, confused by the sudden normal question.

"The drink?" He lifted one dark eyebrow. It was a small movement, but it somehow made him seem a little dangerous. "Are you sure you're alright? You didn't hit your head when you fell, did you?"

"I'm fine," I said quickly. I needed to know why he'd hurried us away. "But why didn't you want to go eat with Ms. Shapy?"

The words fumbled out of my lips before I could stop them.

His lips curved up again. This time, the smile was bigger, like a flash of moonlight. It made the green in his eyes seem to glow. "Because she's Ms. Not My Type," he said, his voice dropping slightly.

"You don't like her?" I asked, feeling a type of bravery and fear. He honestly seemed like the kind of man who would like that kind of polished, perfect woman.

"Women like her can be okay sometimes," he said, but he looked at me, not her, and his strange look made my skin tingle. He nodded across the street. "How about that place? They have excellent hot chocolate, if you want something hot."

I looked across the street at a bar. It was one of those expensive, fancy places I'd only ever seen from the outside-a world away from my life.

He sighed, a low sound. "Come on. Don't make me a liar to Sandra. She'll be looking at us right now."

I laughed a little, imagining him making excuses to that woman we had just seen inside.

"Really? That's her name?" I muttered to myself.

"Really." He held out his arm in a polite, old-fashioned way. "Gwen, it's freezing. Let's get you inside before you turn into an icicle."

I looked at the bar again. Going in there felt like stepping into his world-a world of old money, dark secrets, and perfect tailoring. But going home to my empty, cold apartment felt worse.

"Fine," I said, trying to sound a little annoyed, but I couldn't hide the small smile that gave me away.

Ten minutes later, I was still trying to believe it. Instead of microwaving a cheap dinner alone, I was sitting across from the man who'd knocked me on my butt. I was sipping a glass of warm, rich red wine. It tasted like velvet. Nolan had a glass of dark scotch and soda.

"Tell me something, Gwen," Nolan said, leaning forward. His eyes had a serious, intense look, like a hungry beast watching his prey. His voice dropped to a low, smooth tone that felt private, just for us. "Do you believe in fate?"

I almost choked on my wine. "Fate? Like destiny? What does that have to do with you knocking me over?"

He chuckled, a deep sound in his chest. "Everything. It puts you right in my path. Now, tell me about yourself. What do you do when you're not falling in front of strangers?"

"I don't think so, Nolan." I remembered the woman at the shop calling him that name. He didn't seem like Nolan. He seemed more like a Mark or a Tyler-names of people who stepped on money and power.

"Okay. No sharing of personal information. I like that, too. Strangers in the night sort of thing." He watched me, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips.

I shrugged and sipped the most excellent glass of wine I had ever tasted. Nolan had insisted on ordering it for me. It had cost more than a full bottle of my usual brand. "Are you regretting not going with Ms. Shapy yet?"

"Not at all. Believe it or not, I'm enjoying your company. More than I thought I would." He picked up his drink and stared into the dark liquid, but his focus was still on me.

I shook my head, feeling brave again. "You're right, I don't believe it."

"The fact that you're still here," he pointed out softly, "suggests that maybe you don't mind me as much as you're pretending."

I shrugged again. "The wine is fabulous."

He smiled then, a full one, and it was breathtaking. This man could have any woman he wanted, perfect or not, so why was he here with me? Pity, I supposed.

"I thought you'd like that," he said, his smile never fading.

I had to admit he was right. Not just about liking the wine, but also about not hating his company. We didn't talk about our personal lives-no jobs, no family, no real history-but we still found topics to chat about that kept the conversation lively and interesting. He talked about cities with impossible names and places I'd only read about. It felt like talking to someone much much older, someone with secrets that stretched back decades.

"You've seen a lot of the world," I observed.

"Some of it," he agreed, his eyes distant for a moment. "I like places that still have wildness in them. Mountains, deep forests. Where things are still rough and untamed."

"I've never really traveled," I confessed. "Just small trips. My grandmother always told me the world was too dangerous for a girl like me."

Nolan's face darkened, and for a second, I saw something fierce... like a red flash in his eyes. It was a sudden, intense heat, like looking into a fire. "Your grandmother was right that the world is dangerous," he said, his voice low and serious. "But the danger often comes from what you can't see. And for a woman like you, you need someone strong to stand beside you."

"And you think you're that person?" I asked, challenging him, but my voice was shaky.

He leaned across the table, his scent-a blend of expensive cologne, old leather, and something earthy, like pine and wet sand-filling my senses. "I know I am. If I chose to keep you safe, nothing would ever touch you, Gwen. Nothing."

The intense energy between us tightened, making it hard to breathe. The air felt charged and completely heavy at that moment.

"That's a big promise," I whispered.

He just gave a slow, confident nod. "I keep my promises."

GWEN POV

Three glasses of fabulous wine later, we left the bar. As soon as we stepped outside, we found heavy, wet snow falling in big, sloppy clumps.

"Ugh. My old car won't make it home in this," I groaned, thinking of my beat-up jalopy.

Nolan looked up toward the dark sky, letting a few wet flakes land on his face. He didn't seem bothered by the cold, only thoughtful. "I can drive you. My car is built for this kind of weather."

"Nah. It'll be okay. I'll just drive slow." I started to walk toward the parking lot.

He stepped quickly in front of me, blocking my path with his solid body. "That's not good enough," he said, his tone turning into a command I felt deep in my bones. His hand reached up and gently pushed my hair from my face, his fingers brushing over my cheek. The contact sent a bolt of pure, unwanted thrill through me.

Our eyes locked. His green eyes were darker now, almost a deep amber in the low light, and they held a weird intensity. He let out a low, nervous-sounding laugh, though his eyes looked anything but nervous. "I find myself not wanting the evening to end, Gwen."

"Funny. Me neither," I heard myself say, and I realized I had said it out loud.

His gaze dropped to my lips, and his face was so close I could feel his breath-warm and smelling faintly of scotch-on my skin.

"Why are you looking at my mouth like that?" I asked, my voice thin.

"I've been looking at your mouth all night," he admitted, his voice rough. "I've wondered what it would be like to taste your lips. I've wondered if you taste as sweet as your fear smells."

"My fear?" I squeaked, confused and suddenly terrified. That couldn't be true, how could he even tell?

"Yes. You have a scent, Gwen, a very strong, sweet scent. A scent that makes me want to pull you close." He paused, before speaking yet again. "I suppose I seem like an old ogre to you."

I swallowed, the intense wave of energy between us almost hurting. I knew what lust was, but this felt like something else entirely-a deep connection to a perfect stranger. And he was perfect. And a stranger.

"No. Not an ogre," I managed.

He laughed again, a dark, rich sound. "But old?" He pressed his finger over my lips, silencing me. "Don't answer that. The snow is getting heavier. I'm going to taste you now, Gwen. Right here."

"Okay," I breathed, completely lost.

And just like that, his lips settled on mine. A sudden, wild heat blasted through me, stronger than anything I'd ever felt. My body felt like it was standing in the middle of a hot summer day, not freezing on a snowy night. I moaned as his lips swept over mine. They were soft at first, but his kiss grew firm, then demanding, like he was staking a claim. His arm banded around me, pulling me hard against his body. I gasped at the feel of his erection-hard and significant through both our coats and layers of clothing.

"I'd like to get you on your ass again," he murmured against my lips, pulling back just enough to look into my eyes, which were wide with desire. "Only this time, without those clothes. And with your permission."

My lower body clenched hard in a silent, powerful 'yes, please.' I gripped his expensive coat, feeling like my world was spinning away. I knew I shouldn't go with this man and let him have his devilish way with me, but I couldn't seem to stop the words.

"You think it crazy?" he asked, his lips trailing along my jaw, making it impossible to think.

"Well . . . uh . . ."

"We could get a room in the hotel over there. Wait out the storm. We could have room service dinner and that's all, or we could engage in more carnal activities," he suggested, his green eyes glowing in the dark.

"I am hungry," I admitted. Warning bells were clanging in my head, but they sounded very far away.

"Then let's get you some food. And maybe a little something else." He led me down the street to a nearby hotel. It was nice, but not overly flashy.

He booked the room, and we were silent as we rode the elevator up. The only sound was the soft ping of the doors and the pounding of my own heart. Nolan opened the door and let me in.

He walked over to a small table by the window. "Here's the menu. Would you like to eat now?"

I didn't know what came over me. I would never have done this on a normal day, I had foolishly agreed to follow a stranger into a hotel room.

He stood there in his perfect suit, his silvery-dark hair glistening from the melted snow, and his mouth smiling at me-a mouth I could still taste on mine. At that moment, I knew that food wasn't what I wanted. It was him.

He tilted his head to the side, reading my silence easily. "Want to work up an appetite first, Gwen?"

I nodded, unable to speak.

He strode over to me, his movement suddenly quick and fluid. His eyes were now fully predatory, burning amber in the dim room light. He maneuvered me back toward the large bed. "I told you I was going to knock you on your ass again. And I'm not going to be sorry about it this time."

"Uhh, okay." I stumbled over my words.

He pushed me gently back onto the bed. I bounced twice, which was definitely not sexy. A fresh wave of nerves hit me. I'd never done this kind of spur-of-the-moment hookup before. And I wondered if he'd still be attracted to me once all my layers of clothes came off. I wasn't a size two like the shapely lady. I was what my grandmother called thin-figured, and I wore plain, simple underwear.

He began to undress me, slowly and carefully. But as my shirt came off, I immediately crossed my arms over my plain white bra. He arched his brow. "Problem?"

"I'm not shapey," I whispered, embarrassed.

"Goddess," he breathed, a word that felt like a prayer on his tongue. He let me lie there, covering myself like a silly, scared girl. "I'm dying to see your tits, Gwen. You have a body that should be worshipped."

A wave of hot arousal shot through me from his simple words. I pulled my hands away, and his hands immediately took off my bra. Moments later, I was completely naked and felt completely exposed. He sat back on his knees, his intense gaze taking in every part of my body.

I shifted nervously. "If you don't like what you see-"

"You're joking, right?" He didn't let me finish. His fingers brushed over my nipple, making it instantly ache with need. He leaned over, pulling it into his mouth.

"Oh!" I gasped as a shockwave of pleasure tore through me.

"Fucking hell. This is going to be spectacular," he muttered against my skin. He stood, taking his suit jacket, shirt, and belt off, but he left his pants on.

"What about-"

"First, I'm going to taste every inch of your delectable body and make you scream with pleasure. Then I'm going to claim you. Are you okay with that?"

"Ah . . . yeah . . . okay."

He cocked his head to the side, his green-amber eyes studying me with a strange seriousness. "Are you new to this kind of thing, Gwen? Hookups? Or sex in general?"

"What?" My brain felt fried, and I couldn't keep up the conversation.

"Are you nervous because you've never slept with a stranger, or are you nervous because you're a virgin?" he asked simply.

My breath hitched. I had let a total stranger lead me to a hotel room because my body was burning up with lust, when I had never, ever been with a man before.

"Hookup," I managed, quickly. He didn't need to know I was a virgin.

"Okay. Good."

"What if I were a virgin? Would you have stopped?" The question popped out before I could stop it.

"Only if you told me to stop. I'd just be more careful," he said, his voice soft but firm. He arched his brow, a silent challenge. "Do you want to change your answer, Gwen?"

I shook my head. I didn't know why I lied to him. Maybe I was embarrassed that at twenty-one, I was still untouched.

"Okay, then. It's time for me to feast."

The minute his lips were on my skin, all my nerves and concerns vanished. There was only sensation. Each touch of his lips or hands sent sparks of electricity racing through me. I felt like a spring being wound tighter and tighter, preparing for release.

I might have been a virgin, but I knew what an orgasm was, and I knew what the pressure building in my lower belly meant. But touching myself was nothing-nothing-compared to being touched by Nolan.

He pushed my legs apart, settling his large body between my thighs. A last-second flicker of nerves broke through.

What if I was messy or weird down there? I tried to move but he held me captive.

"Relax, Gwen," he ordered, his voice suddenly gravelly. "And hold on. Because I'm going to make you scream my name."

I had just a moment to catch my breath before his mouth was on my core, doing the most unexpected, glorious things to me. I grabbed his head with one hand, a desperate, instinctive movement to make sure he never stopped. My other hand gripped the sheets as reality spiraled away.

There was only pressure, building, building, building, until it exploded. I screamed, a loud, raw sound that felt ripped from my soul, and my body flooded with pleasure. It vibrated. It shuddered. It was the most amazing feeling of my life. I finally understood what the big deal about sex was.

He trailed his lips up my body as I lay there, completely boneless and spent. "You taste fucking fantastic," he said, his words thick with desire. "You smell like what I imagined."

"Really?" I whispered, still dizzy.

"Really." He stood, and his intense eyes never left mine. He was completely naked now, and I saw power in his body that was truly wild, cords of muscle, dark, scattered hair, and a raw, powerful maleness that stole my breath.

"Now, I'm going to use my cock to mark that sweet pussy until you can't scream no more."