The Island Of Alphas: A BBW Paranormal Romance (13 page)

Now it was Eric's turn to scoff, and he did, loudly.

"Something tells me that whatever idea you have in mind, me saying 'no' won't be the end of it."

I thought about how well he knew me already.

I sighed, sinking down into the plush couch in my living room. "Is a strong-willed woman a problem for you?"

"That depends on what said woman is going to be strong-willed about."

"Just promise me you'll hear me out and consider my idea before making a decision. That's it. Just promise me that."

Eric hesitated so long in responding I wondered if the call had dropped.

"Liz, I'm not completely clueless. I can tell what you're leading up to. The fact that you were the only one not affected by Gabriel's glowing-eye spell the other day was not lost on me. I just knew your wheels would start turning. But if you think for one moment that I'm going to let you-"

"I have a gun." I flew up from the couch and began pacing, clutching the phone. "I have a gun, Eric, and I know I can be effective with it. I grew up shooting with my dad. I used to be able to hit a target dead center from-"

"No way in hell. You must be joking. Are you actually proposing that you head out to Black Lake by yourself, take on Gabriel by yourself, and simply shoot him dead?"

"That's exactly what I'm proposing."

"And it would be just that easy, wouldn't it? Not a thing could go wrong."

"I'm not a complete idiot. I know things could go wrong. That's why I'd have backup."

"No. This is not happening."

"Just like that, huh? Just because you're the alpha, and you're saying it's not."

"Exactly. Just because I'm the alpha, and I'm saying it's not."

Breathing heavily, I stopped pacing and glared out at an expanse of sand and palms in front of the bungalow. "So are you telling me I shouldn't even bother coming to the council meeting tonight? You're telling me that I can't even share my idea with everyone else?"

"Correct. And in fact, I'm now forbidding you from coming to the council meeting, and I'm now placing you under house arrest for the evening. And do know, Liz, that you'll be under guard."

I gasped, wondering if I'd actually heard him correctly. "House arrest? Just who in the hell do you think you-"

"After the council meeting, around nine, I'll be over to visit my beautiful prisoner, and I'll be bringing Nate along with me. I've arranged to have some of my men cover our positions in the jungle tonight, meaning Nate and I will be free. And we don't intend to waste a second of our time off."

CHAPTER SEVEN

In response to what Eric had said, I sputtered for a long moment or two, literally seeing red. Beyond my living room windows, which I was still glaring out of, the sun was setting, coloring the sky in brilliant shades of ruby and dark, fiery orange.

"Oh, you think you're going to seduce me even after wholesale rejecting my idea after barely listening to it? You think you're going to get me into bed, with me being as mad at you as I am? Good luck, Eric. Good luck. I wish you well with your thoroughly pointless endeavor."

With my commitment from the previous evening to deal with Eric in a mature, rational way now all but forgotten, I fought an urge to hang up on him by hurling my phone across the room.

"Nate and I will see you around nine, Liz. I hope your imprisonment won't be too torturous until then."

He ended the call, leaving me fuming. I was mad at him for not even pretending to give my idea to take out the bear careful thought. But I was also mad at myself, because when he'd said he and Nate would be coming over, I'd instantly developed a slight fluttering sensation low in my belly, despite the fact that now I didn't want to feel fluttering of any kind in regards to Eric.

With my arms folded tightly across my chest, I paced around the living room, watching the deep reds of the sunset fade to pale peaches and yellows, then lavenders and blues. I probably paced a total of a mile or two, my feet padding on the hardwood, though the activity did little to relieve a feeling of tension seeming to tighten every muscle in my body, nor did two-and-a-half glasses of wine I had with a few bites of dinner, either.

The wine did, however, make me tipsy enough and angry enough to pick up the phone and call Eric around a quarter to nine, despite the fact that he was due over in fifteen minutes, and I knew it. I didn't care, though -- I didn't even care if he was still in the council meeting. In that case, I was just going to leave a voice mail. I just felt so angry with him that I couldn't fight a desire to tell him one particular thing right that second.

I paced around the kitchen waiting for him to pick up, taking another long drink of wine while I did so. After several rings, he answered, and I did not even say hello before launching into what I had to say.

"You underestimate me in all possible ways. You underestimate my strength, and you underestimate my bravery."

There was a long pause.

"Are you finished?"

"Yes."

"Well, I'll respond by saying-"

"Oh, and you also underestimate my desire to help people I care about, like the people of this island. I like the people here, Eric. I've made friends here. I care about the people here. You underestimate my desire to help solve problems and eliminate threats to everyone's happiness and safety, instead of just sitting around like some wilting tropical flower."

"Done now?""Yes.""Well-"

"Is that who you were expecting I'd be when you brought me here? Some wilting tropical flower? Some droopy, fragile hibiscus just wilting away in the hot sun?"

"Just exactly how much have you had to drink tonight, Liz?"

"Right, because I must be intoxicated to call out the alpha of the community about anything."

"So, you haven't had anything to drink at all, then?"

"Please don't avoid my question. What were you expecting when you brought me here? Were you expecting some fragile, wilting flower?"

"I'm beginning to think that whatever I was expecting, I got a lot more than I bargained for. Which...isn't necessarily a bad thing at all. It's just...you're a different experience, Liz."

"'The Liz experience.' I'm a theme park now. We can sell tickets."

"So, you've had a full bottle of wine, then?"

"You underestimate me on every possible level."

"That may be the case. In fact, I'm beginning to think that might be true. However, regardless, it's my job not only as alpha of this community, but as a man who cares about you, quite deeply, as I'm beginning to realize, to protect you and keep you out of harm's way. And I intend to do that. Whether you like it or not."

He paused, and I found myself temporarily out of retorts.

"Nate and I are nearing your bungalow. We'll be at your front door in about a minute."

He hung up, and I set my phone on the kitchen counter, head spinning a bit, realizing that because I hadn't had much for dinner, the wine was having quite an effect on me. It was probably making me more upset with Eric than I might have been otherwise, that I knew, though at the same time, I wasn't really sorry. At that moment, buzzed as I was, I also was not apologetic about the probably bratty and immature tone I'd taken with him. My level of irritation wouldn't
let
me be sorry. My level of irritation made me feel as if he deserved a few more very sharp comments.

Deep in thought when he and Nate arrived, I jumped a mile when one of them, probably Eric, I assumed, knocked on the door. I took my time walking over to answer it, deciding along the way that maybe I wouldn't answer it right away. That was simply because I recalled that I'd basically told Eric that I'd be immune to all attempts to seduce me. And now, with more fluttering in my stomach, I was wondering just exactly how long I'd be able to back up my strong words.

I leaned against the doorframe and waited, wondering if there was any possible chance that Eric and Nate would just go away, sparing me from any additional stomach fluttering. Knowing Eric and knowing that he wasn't the type to give up easily, I should have known he'd definitely knock again, and within seconds, he did.

Somehow, I just knew it was him doing the knocking and not Nate. It wouldn't have been an alpha move at all to let one of his pack members knock. That was just not Eric.

He knocked yet again, a little louder this time, and I still didn't answer. Part of me was steadfastly determined not to let him seduce me, though another part of me knew I couldn't hold out, and didn't really want to hold out. But I was angry with him, and I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of giving in to him, despite that what was currently happening, him and Nate visiting me to share my bed at once, was what I'd fantasized about.

Eric knocked again and spoke loudly enough for me to hear him through the door. "Please let us in, Liz."

"Or else what? You'll huff and puff and blow my little house down?"

"Funny, but not exactly. We'll just let ourselves in through one of the at least dozen open windows around the house."

Knowing he could and would actually do just that, I reluctantly opened the door. "Hello, Nate. Eric, I believe we've already spoken enough tonight that a hello isn't even necessary. And besides, since I'm such a weak little flower, I think I should eschew your hello in favor of conserving my meager strength."

Eric's full lips twitched with something too closely resembling amusement for my taste, and I turned heel and began stalking through the foyer to the kitchen.

"The two of you may come in for a drink if you'd like, but after that, I'm going to bed. Alone."

They followed me into the kitchen, where, standing at the island, I poured scotch into two glasses and wordlessly gave one to each of them. Then I picked up my wineglass and took a sip, discreetly surveying them both over the rim. They were both dressed casually, in jeans and t-shirts, the outlines of their similarly chiseled chests visible through the thin fabric.

To my horror, I immediately thought about running a hand up and down each of their chests at the same time, and I forced myself to look away from them.

After draining at least half his scotch in one gulp, Eric used his glass to gesture to my slightly more than half-empty wine bottle on the island. "I'll admit that I underestimated your restraint when it comes to wine."

He was making fun of me. Or, at least, that was the only way I could see it at the time. He was making fun of the little speech I'd given on the phone.

Glaring at him, I curled my hand around the stem of my wineglass hard enough to break it. "Would you mind turning to face the wall while you finish your drink, Eric? I'm afraid I'm in no mood to see your face right now." Primarily because, with the golden glow from a small tabletop lamp on the island, it was too temptingly handsome.          

With his perfectly-shaped mouth twitching with amusement again, he set his scotch glass on the island. "You don't want to see my face right now? Well, this can be easily arranged, even without me turning to face the wall. Nate, maybe if you could restrain the prisoner's hands for just a second."

Not liking the sound of that at all, I quickly turned my gaze to Nate. "Don't you dare do what he asks. Don't you dare go along with him. He thinks he can seduce me, even though I'm angry with him, but he is so...." I gave my head a quick shake, realizing that I'd been about to say
hot
. "Wrong."

With his dark gray eyes twinkling, Eric snorted. "Well, if you're so sure you're not going to fall for my seduction, then what's the harm in indulging me? You said you didn't want to see my face anymore, so I'm trying to make that happen. Just let Nate take your hands for a moment, and then you can continue to resist my seduction all you want. All while not having to look at my face."

Irritated by the fact that Nate's eyes were now twinkling just as much as Eric's, I took a last sip of wine and set the glass on the counter. "Fine, Eric. The two of you can take my hands, my feet, whatever you want, so long as I don't have to look at your handsome face anymore." While a sudden touch of heat rose to my own face, I closed my eyes briefly, gritting my teeth. "Ugly. Your ugly face. That's what I meant to say."

He and Nate stifled chuckles, though not very well.

Seeming to be fighting a grin, Nate came around to my side of the island and gently but firmly pulled my hands behind my back. "I'm not exactly sure what Eric has in mind, but he
is
my alpha, so I have to do what he says. Sorry, Liz."

I snorted, trying to muster a glare. "I'm sure you are."

The feel of his touch on my bare skin instantly made my knees weak, as did the feeling of having my hands restrained, even gently. The heavenly, woodsy, clean scent emanating from his chest, which I was now catching a few whiffs of with him standing so close, wasn't exactly helping to strengthen my knees, either.

Pulling something from his back pocket, Eric came around to my other side. "Glad I happen to have one of these in my back pocket. And don't worry; it's fresh from the laundry. I haven't used it to mop sweat from my very unattractive brow yet. Had no idea how handy it would come in tonight to help spare you from the sight of my ugly face."

I saw that what he held in his hand was a red bandana, but soon I didn't see anything.

He quickly folded it a few times and blindfolded me with it, speaking in a low, husky voice while he tied the ends in a knot at the back of my head. "There. Nate and I will leave this on while we spend some time kissing you and touching you. Then, when we feel like you've been thoroughly kissed, we'll take it off before we leave, since you've made it crystal clear you're not going to fall for any seduction tonight."

Eric paused, and I felt a whisper of his warm breath on my earlobe, which made a slight shiver ripple through my body.

Pulling me close to his hard chest, he spoke again in a throaty growl. "Though, of course, feel free to change your mind."

            *

With Nate still holding my hands behind my back, Eric immediately began kissing me, and my resolve to not be seduced lasted all of about a tenth of a second before I began kissing him back, reveling in the feel of his full lips against mine. When he soon intensified the kiss, parting my lips and plundering my mouth with his tongue, Nate released my hands and began exploring my body with his own hands, moving them from my hips to the gentle curve of my stomach to the fullness of my breasts.

There he stopped to circle my nipples with what felt like his thumbs through the thin material of my sundress and sheer bra, making me whimper with pleasure while still kissing Eric.