Read Online Alpha's Arrangement (Troubled Fork Shifters (Book 2)) by Gabrielle Demonico - Free Book Online Page A

instant.
    “What are you doing !?” she exclaimed as she turned back towards him. “What are you doing?!?”
    “Huh? What do you mean?” he said. “You kissed me.” And with an air of total calm, he reclined into the sofa and stretched his arms out behind his head.
    Emma scoffed. “Hah! Oh, I… I kissed you?” she said. “You are trying to tell me that I kissed you? Is that what you are saying? I did no such thing! Why in the world would I want to kiss you? ”
    With a casual shrug he replied, “I don’t know why you wanted to do it. In any case, it’s noth ing to get upset about, Emma.”
    Emma felt her blood boil. His smug demeanor incensed her. It was as if it was normal for women to fall in his lap and kiss him.
    The idea of it irked her.
    Emma thought she must be crazy that she wanted him.
    But, she did , and that was the part that infuriated her the most.
    Irate, she said, “I am not upset. Who said I am upset? That is so, typical . That is such a thing that a guy like you would do and think he’d get away with doing.”
    Unfazed he replied, “Well, you can say whatever you want. I’m not upset either. Actually, I kind of enjoyed myself.”
    A wry smile came over his face.
    “But, I suppose that’s pretty typical.” he said. “You know, for a guy like me.”
    Alexander reached for the remote and turned the volume back up.
    Emma was dumbfounded. Her brain couldn’t process what had happened.
    All she could manage was a few feeble steps back in the direction of the bedroom. She disappeared for several moments and then poked her head around the corner to see that he stared right at her.
    “Good night.” he said as he raised his beer. “Don’t let the bed bugs bite.”
    ***
    To say that the next few days were awkward would have been the understatement of the century. The only problem was that they only seemed to be uncomfortable for Emma. Alexander hadn’t said a word, made mention of or even joked about their kiss.
    The good news was that her destruction of Theodore’s paperwork hadn't been the disaster she’d feared. He’d kept a copy on a portable hard drive as a precautionary measure and within a day, Emma had been able to get back on track with her work.
    Even so, her progress had slowed to a crawl.
    Emma wished it was because of the task itself but it wasn’t.
    The truth was that she couldn’t get her mind over what had happened with Alexander and his subsequent disinterest in it.
    It was close to five o’clock as Emma stared out the window.
    It had been a little over two weeks since she’d arrived in Silver Gulch. Soon, things would be taking a much more awkward turn as the fake wedding date approached. Emma hoped Theodore’s plan would unfold in the time frame he’d promised since she didn’t know how much more she could endure.
    “Emma?” a voice said from across her office.
    She turned to see Alexander.
    “You, u m, almost ready?” he asked.
    Emma shook her head. “Ready? Ready for what?”
    “Today’s Friday. Remember?”
    Emma stared up at him with a blank expression on her face. “No. What’s Friday?”
    “The party, hello? ” he said. “What’s the matter with you today?”
    “What? Oh shit. Right, right, it slipped my mind.” Emma said as she shuffled her papers around on her desk. “Are you ready to leave now?”
    “More or less yeah, but take your time.” He said. “We have to go home and get ready anyway.”
    “Okay, I’ll be right out.” Emma replied. “Give me ten minutes?”
    Alexander nodded. He walked over to her desk and stood in front of it. “Is everything alright Emma?”
    “Yes. Why?”
    “No reason. ” he said. “You seem distracted, distant.”
    Emma placed her palms flat on her desk and looked up at him. “It’s work stuff, that’s all.”
    Alexander leaned away from her a bit. “You sure?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Okay, if you say so.” He said. “Well, I’ll be out in the car when you are ready.”
    “Alright. As soon as I am