Curse of the Alpha: The Complete Bundle Read Online Free PDF Page A

than anyone suspected.
    He wished Ainsley’s dad were still around. Michael Connor would know how to handle all of this. He always did.
    They stood in silence for a moment.
    “I guess I should go. I need coffee, and I have to see Charley about getting the house on the market.” She let out a sigh that would’ve escaped normal ears.
    “You must miss your dad so much.” The words were out before he had a chance to think. He could tell Ainsley wasn’t as okay with everything as she pretended to be. Tears welled in her beautiful eyes.
    What an asshole.
    “It’s just, I know it’s tough.” He tried to recover. “My parents have been gone for a few years now and…”
    “Oh, Erik.” A shocked look crossed Ainsley’s face. “I had no idea. I’m-”
    “To Florida.” He cut her off. Could he possibly mess up this conversation any more? “My parents moved to Florida when my dads military pension kicked in. And I had to deal with clearing out their old place.”
    “Oh. I thought you meant…”
    They stared in awkward silence for a moment, Erik unsure what to say next. Then Ainsley laughed. It was a full, throaty laugh that made him think of church bells, and Erik thought he might do anything in the world to hear that sound again.
    “Can I walk you over?” Erik asked, feeling relieved.
    Ainsley shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m fine.”
    They both smiled. He wanted to hug her, but it felt too intimate and she probably didn’t want his sweat and dirt all over her dress.
    “Listen,” Erik said. “I don’t want to offend you, but are you staying in the house alone?”
    “Yes.”
    “Ainsley, everyone in town knows who you are. You might get unwanted visitors.”
    “You think there’s anyone who wants to be an alpha so much they would tie me up and tell me to think about mating?”
    “I think there are plenty of men who would try to convince you in a nicer way.”
    He bristled at the idea of the other young wolves in town, and what they might do to try and work their way into Ainsley’s good graces. The thought made him want to punch someone.
    Why?
    He had no claim to Ainsley. Why did seeing her again after all these years make him feel like this? Most likely it was an aftereffect of what had happened, or almost happened, between them a few minutes ago. But Erik thought it might be something more than that.
    He sensed Ainsley stiffen at his words. Whatever it was, she felt it too. And she obviously didn’t like it for some reason.
    “Well, unfortunately, my parents are dead and I’m not married or anything, so I’m going to be by myself in the house until it’s empty. Don’t worry. It won’t be long,” she said sharply, then stormed away.

Chapter 9
    A insley felt Erik’s eyes on her as she marched away.
    Who did he think he was, anyway?
    Treating her like she was some little girl, all alone in Mommy and Daddy’s house, in need of protection. Ainsley Connor was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She certainly wasn’t about to start taking life advice from someone who howled at the moon in his spare time.
    Still, Ainsley thought about Erik’s wide shoulders, straining the seams of his t-shirt. She fought the temptation to turn around for another look.
    By the time she got across the overpass her head had cleared a little. Erik was a total hunk, but at the end of the day, he was not really her cup of tea. Her parents had been wrong.
    She passed the bookstore and the yoga studio and saw that the storefront next to the train station had changed hands again. Its awkward triangular shape had hosted an endless parade of boulangeries, cheese shops and frozen yogurt parlors. It looked like it was now an independent coffee shop – that was promising. She glanced at the sign. “Edible Complex.” Ugh. Hopefully their coffee was better than their sense of humor.
    Ainsley decided to risk a cup, and maybe just a little something sweet to go with it. She pushed open the door to a wave of cool air,