Alphas & Millionaires Starter Set (3 page)

Well, physically, at least.

I couldn’t tell Drake why I didn’t want to have dinner with him. Losing Liam was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. After the heartbreak I’ve been through, I’ll do anything to prevent myself from ever feeling that way again. And the only way to do that is to keep men out of my life until I am emotionally ready to take the risk.

I was admiring the Chicago night skyline when a knock at the door startled me. Michael had already left for the evening, and I wasn’t expecting company. I pulled my fleece on, wine glass in hand, and peered through the peephole. My jaw dropped as I took in the view. There standing at my door was over six feet of pure perfection of a man. I managed to get the door open but didn’t realize I was staring until he asked if he could come in. I nodded and gestured him in, silently shutting the door behind him.

“Nice glasses.” His lips turned up in amusement, his eyes fixated on my mouth.

What a cocky son-of-a-bitch.

“Had I known I was expecting you, I would’ve dressed up,” I snarled back, faking a smile.
Jackass.
To avoid my lenses from fogging up, I wore contacts when I worked in the kitchen.

As he walked past me, I caught a hint of his cologne. His scent lingered in the air after he walked through the hall. It was strong and musky.  It was inebriating, actually. I stood there for a moment, eyes closed, as I soaked up his scent.

I offered him some wine and as I grabbed him a glass, my mind turned over possible reasons why he was here. I had nothing. This was a new one for me. As I handed him the glass, his fingertips slightly brushed mine. My teeth pulled my bottom lip in as I waited for him to say something—like perhaps why he was here—
in my house.

The air between us felt tense. Goose bumps appeared on my flushed skin and a shiver rippled through me. It was like an invisible yet tangible pull that I could not understand.
Why was my body reacting like this?
This feeling felt foreign, yet instinctual.

He smiled at me as he took the glass of white wine and gestured for me to sit next to him at the table. I complied and waited for him to start talking. He made me extremely nervous. My heart was beating so rapidly that I could barely grab the chair in front of me and sit down.

I tried to avoid his beautiful eyes, but they just sucked me right in like a wind tunnel. He wore a very fitted three-piece suit that looked positively delicious across his tone body.

“Like what you see?” He asked as he caught me staring.

“Excuse me?” I stumbled, shocked by his blunt comment.

“I’m admiring the view as well,” he replied, my nipples hardened under my V-neck tee. I was suddenly aware of how the fabric of my bra rubbing against them turned me on. I hoped he meant the Chicago view, but I seriously doubted it.

“You’re becoming quite the stalker,” I mocked, cocking my head to one side as I took him all in.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Drake defended. “I wanted to see you,” he replied with absolutely no regard for how inappropriate that sounded.

I’d read my fair share of lusty romantic novels in my day. Mostly when I was pregnant, and Liam was held up at school. I needed to distract myself from reality. So, I asked innocently, “For business or pleasure, Mr. Stagliano?”

“Pleasure. Definitely pleasure,” he said, eyeing me up and down.

I uncrossed my legs and was suddenly hyper-aware that I hadn’t shaved recently. “I’m sorry, I can’t help you there,” I smirked. I stood up to set my glass on the kitchen island, hoping he would read my cues. Instead, he followed behind and trapped me between the island and his rock hard muscles. I fought the urge to both push him away and lean in closer to him. His scent was riveting, and I secretly enjoyed him pressing slightly against me. I could feel the heat of his breath on my cheek as the smell of white wine wafted toward me.

Dammit, Molly.

“That’s a shame, Miss—
err
, Molly. I was really hoping to catch up.” He smiled, leaning closer to me than was necessary. I felt my palms getting sweaty against the island.

It really was a shame. Damn, he’s hot. No—hot wasn’t even a strong enough word for what he is. Mesmerizing…yes, that’s it.

“Catch up?” I asked, puzzled. “You have no idea who I am, and I have no idea who you are. Perhaps we should
know
each other first before we catch up?”

“On the contrary. I know a great deal about you.”

“And what is that, Mr. Stagliano? You know my academic standing? I’m sure you play some part in who gets to intern in your five-star restaurant after all,” I fired back in a snotty tone. I did not appreciate a virtual stranger thinking he knew who I was based on my GPA.

He smiled as if he knew I was on to him. “You would be right, Molly. But I also do an extensive background check, call references, and go all the way to your high school records.”

Well, if that wasn’t creepy.

“So then you knew I wasn’t married?” I managed to ask, wedging out of his trap. His body was intoxicating me, and I could feel my heart racing as he inched closer into me.

He laughed, amused by my speculation. “You would be right. I needed an opening,” he admitted.

“What ever happened to
hello my name is
…?” I questioned, getting another glass of wine.

“That’s too predictable. I like to stand out.”

Oh, trust me Drake, you stand out.

“Well, you do stand out in my kitchen…” I stopped as I realized Stella was sluggishly walking in the, room, rubbing one of her eyes.

“What is it, sweetheart?” I asked as I knelt in front of her.

“I’m thirsty,” she mumbled as she rubbed the other eye, slowly tilting her head all the way up to see the strange man standing in her kitchen.

“Okay, baby. I’ll get you some water.” I filled her cup and led her back to bed. I was sure Drake was not expecting that.

Well, maybe he knew with all the background crap, but still, he was probably surprised.

I walked back expecting Drake to have bailed, but astonishingly he was pouring himself another glass, waiting patiently for my return. I smiled and downed the rest of my wine.

“She’s adorable.” He beamed. “Looks just like you.”

“The love of my life,” I said with pride. I hadn’t thought of introducing Stella to another man before. I had been so focused on school and raising her, it had never even crossed my mind.

“Well, Molly,” he said, dragging out each syllable of my name. “It was a delight to see you and Miss Stella. I shall leave you to the rest of your night.” He gently grabbed my hand, closed his eyes, and kissed gently down on my right hand. My whole body quivered as his lips gracefully touched my skin.

He swallowed the rest of his wine down and escorted himself to the door. “Have a lovely evening,” I said as I followed, waiting for him to leave. He nodded and out he went.
Have a lovely evening?
He was definitely causing sudden brain damage.

The next morning, I help Stella get ready for school and asked Michael to drop her off at school. It was only my second day of interning, and I decided to take a little more time getting myself ready. Another look in the mirror and I was finally pleased with my appearance. If Drake traps me in the freezer again, at least I will look good when I tell him to
fuck off
.

Or to take me right then and there.

Still flustered with him showing up at my apartment last night for no real reason, I was determined to get some answers today. What does he want and why me? I’m not particularly special in any way. In fact, I still have stretch marks proving I carried a child for nine months. However, I was not ashamed of my appearance. With my long, naturally wavy brown hair and brown eyes, I was the spitting image of my mother, with a petite five-feet-four inch frame.

Still unsure of my feelings regarding his intrusion, I argued with myself the entire way to class. I was positive he would use me for a catch-and-release game, but part of me hoped he was genuine. Drake was the first man I’ve felt anything for since Liam. I sounded crazy. I’d just met him, but somehow it felt different. 
He was different.
Part of me wanted to run and push him away, but the other part urged me to go along with it.

Mr. Cooper had us working in groups today. He made it fun by allowing us to compete. It was a way to allow us to feel comfortable in the kitchen and to interact with our peers. I wasn’t the competing type, but I was grouped with one other woman and three men, so it would be fun to show off my skills.

“Oh geez, excuse me!” I squealed as I felt a hand brush down my back. I was smacked against a hard chest trying to keep my stance.

“No problem,” he grinned, as I stood there looking like an idiot. I quickly backed up, nodding my apologies and continued walking toward the counter.
Ugh, I need to watch where I’m going.

“Brad. My name is Brad. It’s nice to meet you,” he greeted, catching up to me with his hand out.

“Molly. Nice to meet you Brad,” I responded shyly. I couldn’t look him in the eyes considering my breasts were just smashed up against him. He was in my group after all, but we hadn’t even exchanged names.

We continued our project and happily finished first. It felt amazing to know my skills and knowledge could finally be used in a real, state-of-the-art kitchen.

Proud of our accomplishment, we decided to grab a drink after class. I quickly texted Michael to make sure he could pick Stella up at 3:45. I needed some sort of social life since I only socialized with a four-year-old and my roommate—who was often busy writing or hooking up.

Michael had been my lifesaver ever since Liam’s death. He would lay with me in bed while I cried myself to sleep, and get up with Stella to feed or change her. There were days I could hardly get out of bed, and Michael never complained or rushed me to ‘get over it’. He would bring Stella in bed with me and let me snuggle her until we both fell asleep. I would wake up hours later with Michael putting her back in her crib or staying up to play with her. If it weren’t for Michael, I honestly don’t know where I’d be. 

“Where to, Blakely?” I asked the other woman in our group. She led us down to a tavern I didn’t recognize. Blakely was in her early twenties, with beautiful, thick blonde hair that swept her shoulder blades. She was extremely chatty but seemed sweet enough.

The last girlfriends I really had were during my first year of high school. It was before I met Liam, and I was still doing gymnastics on the weekends. We used to try on each other’s clothes and walk to the mall after school. I haven’t had girl time since Liam and I got serious in our sophomore year.

“To kicking ass on our second day!” Brad cheered with his beer held high. The rest of us clinked our glasses together and took a drink. Brad was next to the other two men in our group, checking the game, while Blakely and I stayed in the booth.

“So who do you think has the best ass?” Blakely asked me as we watched the men bend over the bar.

Well, she’s blunt.

I laughed at her forwardness. She seemed like she probably enjoyed living the single life. She was beautiful, after all, but I sensed she had low self-esteem. I suspected that was the result of being used for sex.

“Hmm… Brad has a hot body, but Anthony has a pretty fine ass,” I responded, giggling at how ridiculous I sounded.

“I don’t know… Micah is pretty hot,” Blakely said while licking her lips, enjoying the view in front of us.

We continued drinking and laughing. Then, from the corner of my eye, I saw the tavern door open. A tall, stunning Drake Stagliano stepped in, looking completely out of place. My laughter died as my jaw dropped open. Blakely noticed and quickly turned around to see the handsome figure sit at the bar. Her eyes widened in surprise as she turned to look at me.

“Oh…my…God,” Blakely whispered.

“Oh, dear God….” I mumbled back to Blakely, trying to hide my crimson red cheeks.

“Isn’t he dreamy? No wonder every girl wants a piece of him. I mean, seriously, how much would it cost to have him for one night?” Blakely blurted. I’m not sure if she was speaking to me or just thinking out loud.

I spewed my beer out as she continued talking about him and wanting to take him home. “Oh my God, Blakely!”

If she only knew…

“What? Don’t pretend you don’t see what I see, Molly. That man is gorgeous!” she said, biting her lip, and continuing to drool over him.
She had a point.

“Obviously, the man is good looking,” I admitted, rolling my eyes toward her. “But I’m sure his ego is big enough that you don’t have to keep staring.” I looked back at him. “Or drooling.”

Brad, Micah, and Anthony walked back to the booth, and Brad squeezed in next to me. He casually wrapped his arm around me and took a swig of his beer, laughing with the other guys. He squeezed my shoulder as he smiled down at me.

This was getting uncomfortable. And awkward.

I rolled my eyes at Blakely as she winked at me. Brad was a nice looking guy and he had a beautiful smile, but him sitting so close to me was incredibly unsettling. I could only imagine how we looked from afar—
like a couple.
I tried to break out of his grip, but he pulled me in tighter.

I looked up at him while he spoke casually, glancing to see if Drake was looking at me. His eyes caught mine, and he raised his brows at me and winked. I looked away, knowing I needed to leave before this got any weirder.

“Sorry guys, but I have to go. Stella will be heading to bed soon, and I want to see her before she falls asleep,” I said casually, gesturing to Brad to allow me out of the booth. I gave him a hug, hoping Drake was watching, and told the rest I’d see them all tomorrow. I grabbed my things and headed for the door, not looking in Drake’s direction.

This was so confusing.

I don’t know why I would want Drake to see me hug another man or why I would want to give Brad the wrong impression. This whole thing was messing with my head.

I started walking toward my apartment while trying to flag a cab. I had three beers, and since I was feeling light-headed, I didn’t feel comfortable walking home in the dark. Fortunately, a cab pulled over. I grabbed for the door handle and tripped—nearly face-planting on the cement. Before I could, a strong arm reached for me, saving me and my face from an abrupt stop.

Shit, I’m a klutz.

I thanked the person for catching me before realizing Drake was the one whose arm had stopped my fall.

God, he’s even more gorgeous up close—if that were even possible.

“Miss Woods, are you all right?” he asked with a concerned look, continuing to hold me close.

Why was he so close to my face?

Walk away…walk away….

“I’m fine, thank you, Mr. Stagliano. Just…clumsy,” I mumbled.

“You need to be more careful. Especially if you’re going to be drinking,” he scolded. He leaned forward, just barely grazing me and grabbed the door handle, gesturing me into the cab. I rolled my eyes as I turned my head and climbed into the cab that was impatiently waiting.

“Yes, I will. Thanks, again.” I could feel the heat coming off him. It was so intense, I felt intimidated just being near him.
I needed to hold it together…

I sat on the far side of the seat, expecting him to close the door, but instead he got in and sat down beside me.

What the hell?

He noticed my puzzled expression as he told the cab driver where to go. “I hope you don’t mind? Since we’re heading in the same direction, after all,” he said slyly.

“Sure,” was all I was able to say, practically holding my breath. We continued sitting in silence until my phone rang out in a chorus of
My Life Would Suck Without You.

I answered and heard Stella’s tiny voice on the other end. “Hey, baby. I’ll be home soon, okay? Tell Michael to save me some dinner. Love you, too.”

“Kelly Clarkson fan?” he asked smugly.

“Not by choice.” I snorted.

He frowns. “Who’s Michael?”

I looked up at him, trying to read his expression. “My roommate.”

“Boyfriend?” His jaw ticked.

“No.”

“Good to know,” he said with confidence.

I could hardly focus around him, but I wanted answers. “So what was your reason for stopping by last night?”

“I already told you,” he replied smoothly. “I wanted to see you.”

I furrowed my brows as I tried to understand what that meant. “Why? We don’t know each other.”

He cleared his throat, shifting eagerly in his seat. “But I want to know you.” His tone softer, more genuine this time.

“I’m flattered, Mr. Stagliano, but I’m not interested in getting to know you.”

He furrowed his brows and parted his lips to speak, but I cut him off before he could.

“Or
anyone
, for that matter,” I clarified. The truth was I hadn’t been interested in dating anyone since Liam. It’s been almost four years since he died, and I still feel like I’d be cheating on him. I knew that sounded ridiculous to many people, but getting my career off the ground and taking care of Stella were my only priorities.

Part of me wanted to smack myself for telling him I wasn’t interested.
Was I?
And the other part wanted to straddle his lap right then and there
.

“Well, Miss Woods, I just want to know you as a friend,” he assured me—
unconvincingly
, of course.

“Fine, Mr. Stagliano. What do you want to know?” I sighed, meeting my eyes with his.

“What is your favorite position?” he asked, with a straight face.

Christ, what did he just ask me?

Stunned, all I could do was give him a wide-eyed look as I replied, “Excuse me?”

“In the kitchen,” he replied. “What is your favorite position in the kitchen while you’re cooking?” he clarified, although I was sure he wanted to rattle me.

“I love working with desserts and sauces. I like being able to make food desirable and appealing. It’s like art – but with food.” I gave a little smile, hoping that was a satisfying enough answer for him.

“Desirable and appealing,” he pondered aloud. “That’s intriguing.”

Finally, the cab pulled over in front of my apartment. “Thank you again, Mr. Stagliano, for catching my fall.” I reached for the handle and swung the door open.

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Woods.” His face was dark and intense. I nodded and stumbled out.

* * *

“Michael! Have you seen my wallet?” I asked, panicking.
No, no! Of all days to be late and my wallet is MIA.

“No, sorry, honey. Did you look through your purse and coat?”

“Yes, three times already! It’s gone!”
Where the fuck did it go?
“Guess I’ll need to call my bank and credit card companies.”

“Don’t forget you’re picking Stella up today. I have a hot date,” Michael reminded me as he walked into the kitchen, pulling his shirt over his head.

“Yes, I know. Hot date, huh?” I asked, curiously. Michael was a player, but as long as he didn’t bring his accomplices to the house, I didn’t care.

“Troy. He’s fun. If it doesn’t go too well, I’ll be back by nine.” Michael approached me and tenderly kissed me on the forehead goodbye.

“Stella, let’s go, honey!” We left and practically ran to a cab.

Of all days to be late and without my wallet…it was a good thing I had a secret stash of cash in the house for emergencies.

“Welcome, Miss Woods. Glad to see you’re finally joining us today,” Mr. Cooper scolded, looking annoyed. I was fifteen minutes late and as much as I tried to sneak into the kitchen, I was busted.

“I apologize, Mr. Cooper. It won’t happen again.”

“Are you all right?” Blakely turned around with a concerned look.