Claimed By Her Alpha by J.E. Cluney

20

Everly.

* * *

Dray drove me around town, telling me stories of his childhood and of the people here. It sounded like they were a giant family with how well he knew most of them.

We pulled up out the front of a bakery, and the waitress cleaning the tables called out and waved to him.

He was quick to move around the car and open up my door, his hand sliding around my waist as we walked inside the building.

His public affection made my heart beat crazily, and I couldn’t help the rush of blood in my cheeks.

“Have I told you how damn sexy you look? Beautiful too, but that ass in them jeans, fuck, you’ll make any guy hard,” he murmured into my ear as I tried to focus on the various pastries in the display cabinet.

Heat throbbed in my core at his words, and I eyed him from under my lashes, scrunching my nose up at his devious smirk. The little shit was trying to get me all hot and bothered on purpose.

“Wait here, I’ll be back,” he said as he gave my ass a soft squeeze, following it with a peck on the cheek.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I said softly as he left the bakery, and I smiled at the cashier as she focused on me.

“So, Dray found himself a woman, about time he settles down,” she remarked as she cocked her head at me.

“Everyone seems to know everyone in this town,” I joked as I glanced over at the couple seated to the side. They weren’t paying us any attention though.

“Small town,” she said with a shrug. “Can I get you anything? On the house too.” She gave me a bright smile and a wink.

“Oh, um, sure. Chai latte please, and I’ll grab one of the brownies. I can pay,” I said sheepishly, but she waved me off.

“Relax, Dray’s family owns a fair chunk of this town, and he’s always looking out for us. I owe him for fixing the pipes out back. He may seem all business, but he’s handy too. Used to be a mechanic until he bought his place in town, then he got into investing and such like his father,” she said as she started up the coffee machine.

Well, that was news to me. He hadn’t mentioned anything about being a mechanic, but knowing he was handy like that was good.

“So, you know him pretty well then?” I asked as I took her in. Emily was on her name-tag, and she looked around my age, with sharp brown eyes and bleached blonde hair.

“We went to school together here, it’s not a big one. He was only a few years ahead of me, but you get to know everyone like family,” she said, her gaze flicking over my shoulder. Her lip curled up, and she winked at me. “And he’s clearly got quite the thing for you. Don’t let him go, he’s a good one.”

I frowned as I turned around, a smile spreading across my face as Dray returned with a bouquet of flowers.

“Flowers for the stunning lady,” he said sweetly as he offered them to me.

“They’re beautiful, thank you,” I murmured, taken aback by the public display, although it did make me giddy with joy. No one had ever done anything like this for me before.

“The lady asked for a brownie and chai, so I’ve added it,” Emily said.

“Thanks, how’s your mother doing? She sort out a new car yet?” he asked, his gaze only flicking away from me for a moment.

“Yep, got a nice new Volvo.”

“Perfect, I’m glad to hear it, my order ready?”

“You already ordered?” I frowned as Emily offered me the takeaway chai.

“Yep, made my special order before I picked you up,” he said, his smile snagging my curiosity.

“Here you go, treat her right,” Emily said as she pulled a picnic basket out from under the counter.

My eyes widened at the sight, and my heart squeezed as he accepted it.

“Now, how about I take you on an official date?” he said sweetly as I juggled my chai and flowers.

I was lost for words as he took my bouquet to free my hands, and I just smiled happily. Damn, this man was making me all kinds of crazy.

How could he go from fucking me senseless to being so sweet?

He took me back out to the car, placing the flowers and basket in the backseat before holding my door open for me.

“What are you doing?” I asked once we were in the car.

“Showing you how you’ll be treated if you accept me,” he said simply, and I just narrowed my eyes at him.

“Accept you? Aren’t we just seeing where things go?” I said as I swirled my cup absently.

“Well, I figured we’d have a proper discussion over a nice date. There are some things you need to know,” he said, his voice dropping as his smile fell.

My stomach lurched at the change. I knew it was all too good to be true. Let me guess, he had a kid with another woman? Hell, maybe he was married and hadn’t divorced yet.

Then again, surely Emily would’ve given me the heads up. But not all women were trustworthy, I knew that all too well.

We drove in silence as I mulled over what it was, he needed to tell me.

“Where are we going?” I asked softly, hating the uncertainty that had settled over me now.

“There’s a lookout over the town, my father used to take me there,” Dray said, his eyes focused on the road.

I settled back into my seat, knowing he wasn’t going to tell me anything until he was ready.

What had I gotten myself into?