Home-Wrecking Alpha

Brooke

I found myself holding my breath a second longer than I should have.

What was going on with me? This guy was more Grizzly Adams than the actual Grizzly Adams.

His dark, well-groomed beard reached his chest, and his long, black hair brushed past his shoulders.

He was ruggedly handsome, but it was his incredible grey eyes that could make any woman weak in the knees.

They were the color of storm clouds just before a downpour.

His lips were curved in what I assumed was a smile, but combined with his eyes, they smoldered, holding my gaze captive.

One of the men standing next to Mr. Grey Eyes seemed to finally snap out of whatever trance they were all in.

“Sure thing. It’s this way.”

With a big grin on his face, he gestured in front of him, showing me the way.

I was more than happy to have a distraction from the large, commanding man who seemed to fill the entire room with his presence.

His gaze was a bit too intense and knowing for my comfort, and it didn’t help that I let myself get lost in it for longer than I should have.

A deep, resonating voice echoed from behind us, prompting others to resume their conversations.

Strangely, my heart skipped a beat and warmth spread through my body.

It was baffling, and for a moment, I wondered if I was having early hot flashes.

After being shown the facilities and freshening up, I splashed water on my face and pressed a cool cloth against my neck.

The boys would need to use the running water before we continued, but I wanted to linger for a moment in the surprisingly spacious restroom.

It was peaceful for now, except for the muffled laughter and loud conversations happening outside the room.

Fatigue was creeping up on me, and I was fighting hard to keep it at bay. My body and mind were starved for sleep.

Sadly, it had been like this since Mark’s diagnosis.

Sleep was a luxury.

Feeling a bit more composed, I left the sanctuary of the restroom and started heading for the front door.

The steady hum of voices in conversation made me feel more at ease about my exit, realizing that I wasn’t the center of attention after all.

It wasn’t that I lacked confidence, I just wasn’t myself.

The more tired I am, the more ridiculous my words and actions become.

“Excuse me, miss.”

Who else would venture into the middle of nowhere on a whim just for kicks? And look where it got us!

In some hidden city in the mountains, using a stranger’s bathroom because the nearest one is eight hours away.

Who else does this stuff happen to?

Suddenly, it hit me that I was forgetting my manners.

Surely, you thank the person who let you use their bathroom in their home, right? What’s the protocol for that?

Especially when it seems like they’re having some sort of gathering.

Do I just march up there and say, hey, thanks for letting me use your toilet?

And if I did that, who would I thank? They all seemed to belong there.

Well, maybe not Grizzly Adams as much as the others, but he definitely had a presence.

Just thinking about him sent a small shiver down my spine.

I need sleep.

When a hand touched my shoulder through my shirt, I jumped.

I was so lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t noticed anyone near me.

The small shiver turned into a jolt of electricity that shot from my shoulder to my fingertips.

I spun around to face the person who had stopped me and caused those delightful tingles to dance across my skin.

My mouth hung open, still feeling the energy that was radiating from where his fingers had warmed my skin through my blouse.

For a moment, all I could do was stare before my brain kicked back into gear.

“Oh, I’m so rude.”

My mind was working faster than my body. His grey eyes were locked on me, and I forced my feet to move away from him, breaking the contact.

“Please thank...uh, well...whoever let us use the facilities. I really appreciate you letting us catch our breath and use your restroom.”

I gave a small, awkward smile. “I can imagine it’s pretty unusual to have guests out here.”

His eyes mirrored the smile on his lips. It was wide, revealing a set of white teeth as he nodded at me.

“Quite unusual, but definitely not unwelcome.”

“Well, that’s really kind of you to say.”

I could feel my face heating up, probably blushing. His intense gaze could have been the reason.

One mistake led to another, and I extended my hand. “I’m Brooke Marlin.”

Before he took my hand, he looked at it curiously.

His hand moved so fast that I didn’t see it until I felt a shiver run through my body from the contact.

The blush that had started on my cheeks now spread through my body, as if his touch had branded me.

Panic started to creep in, my mind overwhelmed by fatigue and shock.

As I tried to pull my hand away, I realized he hadn’t let go.

Both his hands were now holding mine, completely enveloping it.

“Nice to meet you, Brooke.”

He said my name as if he was savoring a five-star meal.

How that could send shockwaves through me was beyond comprehension.

A small whimper escaped before I clamped my other hand over my mouth, mortified at the sound and praying no one else heard.

What was happening to me? Oh right, sleep deprivation.

Those weird things and strange behaviors that come with lack of sleep.

The sound of children’s voices broke the spell as the front door opened and my boys ran towards me.

I freed my hand from his and knelt down to catch them in a hug as they charged at me full speed.

My eldest was not a small child, and the weight of them both nearly knocked me over.

A warm hand on my back kept me from falling and sent another wave of warmth through me. I really need sleep.

I laughed at their antics, trying hard to ignore the warmth at my back.

“See these two?” I said, standing up and ruffling their hair. “They’re my greatest joys and biggest headaches.”

They both giggled as I playfully pinched their noses.

Just as they started to dart around my legs, I grabbed each one by the hand to stop them from chasing each other.

The man standing before us watched with a twinkle in his eyes and a curiosity I couldn’t quite understand.

“This is Aaron and Hayden. Aaron and Hayden, this is…”

That’s when it hit me. He hadn’t given me his name.

The towering man bent down to their level, his large frame still imposing.

“Nice to meet you, boys. I’m Slate.”

“Nice to meet—wait, what?” Hayden furrowed his brows, trying to make sense of what he’d heard. “Like the bad guy Robin fights?”

Slate looked up at me, a question in his eyes.

“Oh,” I laughed. “He’s talking about Robin, from Batman and Robin,” I explained, giving Slate a glimpse into my younger son’s world.

I squeezed Hayden’s tiny hand, coaxing him to look at me as I bent down.

“No, sweetheart. His name is Slate, not Slade. Robin isn’t after Mr. Slate.”

At least, I didn’t think so. I gave him a reassuring smile.

“Oh, I get it. But—hmm…”

He tapped his chin thoughtfully, as if pondering the world’s problems while sizing up the man before him.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

“Maybe Slate works with Robin to catch bad guys. Maybe he’s a superhero.”

I shook my head, amused at how my son’s mind was filled with superheroes.

“Yeah,” I drew out the word, unsure of where to take the conversation. “Let’s go with that.”

Slate, a superhero?

I let go of his hand and turned back to Slate, trying to see him through the eyes of a five-year-old.

The aura of power he exuded, the sense of safety one might feel around him, the strength and determination that radiated from him, and the sexual energy that seemed to flow from his very being—it all seemed to fit, didn’t it?

Wait! Sexual energy? Was that a superhero trait?

The front door creaked open, and I could just make out the shuffle of tennis shoes.

His movements were always a bit more cautious these days.

“Brooke?”

The smile on his face as I turned to him seemed brighter than before, and I felt a wave of relief.

Relief that his face no longer bore the pain he’d been feeling before we arrived.

A smile of relief spread across my face.

“Mark!” I would have rushed to him if it weren’t for the energetic boys at my side.

“Come meet Mr., um, Slate.”

As I turned to Slate, surprise flickered across his face before his eyes darkened to a deeper shade of grey.

His expression turned even darker than his eyes.

“Are you okay?”