Baiting Him (How to Catch an Alpha 2)

After my body feels like a limp noodle, I get out and towel off. I want to get into bed, but my stomach growling as I put on my nightgown forces me to leave the room and go to the kitchen, taking my empty glass with me, along with LeFou. I dump my leftover Chinese food into a bowl and heat it up, then make myself comfortable on the couch and eat while I watch a crime show on TV that I probably shouldn’t watch when alone in a place that’s not my own in the dark of night.

After I’ve finished eating and am completely freaked out, I let LeFou out onto the patio when he goes to the door, hitting it with his tiny paw and demanding out. I wait for him to come back in, then carry him with me to the bedroom, shutting the door and then locking it for good measure. I leave the bedside lamp on after I get into bed, and LeFou forces his way under the covers, then settles in against my stomach. I pet the top of his furry head as I look around and notice that, besides the expensive furniture, the room is bare. There isn’t even a single piece of art hanging on the gray walls.

Hearing a noise, I jump, and my heart starts to race. “It’s probably just a neighbor,” I tell myself, but I jump again when there’s a squeak. Feeling overwhelmingly out of place, I flip back the blankets, making LeFou jump. “Sorry, boy. I can’t sleep here. We’re going down to my place,” I tell him before I get out of the bed.

He jumps down and circles my feet as I go to the dresser. I find a pair of flannel sleep pants, along with a long-sleeved cotton T-shirt, and put both items on over my nightgown. Once I’m covered, I grab my cell phone and pick up LeFou. I open the door and peek out just in case someone has snuck in to murder me. When I see the coast is clear, I hurry to the kitchen to get my keys, then run to the front door like someone is chasing me.

When I make it into the brightly lit hall, I let out the breath I’ve been holding and go to the elevator. Once I’m locked in safe and secure in my space, I get into bed and send Gaston a text letting him know where he will find me and LeFou in the morning. My cell phone rings a moment later, making me jump, and I roll my eyes at my craziness, then slide my finger across the screen and put my cell to my ear. “Hey.”

“Are you okay?” he asks as I lean back against my pillows while LeFou explores my room.

“Yeah. I just freaked myself out and wanted to be in my space.”

“How’d you freak yourself out?” he questions, and I notice I don’t hear the sound of music in the background, which makes me curious about where he is right now.

“I somehow ended up watching a crime show, and obviously that wasn’t a good idea.”

“I see.” There’s no mistaking the smile I hear in his voice.

“So, I’m fine. I’m just a dork.”

“An adorable dork.”

“Glad you think so,” I say, wondering if I’ve ever been this happy before. “It’s really quiet. Are you still at the club?”

“Yeah, I stepped into my office when I got your text. Now I’m sitting at my desk, wondering how pissed Luke would be if I called him in to cover for me.”

He told me about his best friend, Luke, last night after I asked who was taking care of his business while he was taking care of me. I was surprised to find out Luke already knew about me, since in most of my previous relationships that didn’t happen until things were kind of serious.

“Probably pretty pissed, if he’s home with his family,” I say quietly.

“You’re probably right.” He sighs, sounding aggravated. I know I shouldn’t like that he is frustrated right now, but I still really like that he wants to be here with me. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m sure. Now that I’m in my space, I’m good, and after LeFou finishes sniffing around and comes to cuddle with me, I’m going to go to sleep.”

“Now I’m jealous of my dog,” he grumbles, making me laugh. “Glad you’re finding this funny.”

“It’s a little funny,” I tell him through my laughter.

“You’re not the one sitting here wishing away time, baby,” he says softly, and then his voice changes as he calls, “Come in,” so I know he’s not talking to me.

I hear a woman’s sultry voice say Gaston’s name, but I can’t make out what she’s saying with the music that is now playing in the background. “I’ll be there to help you in a second, Georgia,” Gus tells her, and a second later the music dies. “Sorry, baby. I gotta go. I’ll see you in the morning.” I want to ask what he’s helping sexy-voice Georgia with, but before I can open my mouth, the phone goes dead. I pull it from my ear and stare at it for a second, then drop it to my side table.