The Alpha's Saviour

Chapter 13

HAYLEY POV

           Wow. Just wow. I stay out on the porch for a good five minutes trying to work out what on earth just happened. When I heard the truck coming into the drive, I just assumed it was a delivery driver from the hardware store with my next load of supplies, but when I realized who it was, I felt butterflies in my stomach like a teenager with their first crush in high school. I had seen his picture printed beside mine in the local paper and had been drooling over it all week. I’m ashamed to admit this was on top of turning the thank you card which he sent me over and over again in my hands as if it was my very first valentine’s day card. Is it possible to fancy someone’s handwriting? Was it possible that the card smelled like him? Yes, I sniffed it, and even I am embarrassed at my behaviour for that one. I was acting like a crazy woman, getting obsessed with a man I didn’t even know, but then there he was, and I knew I had been dead right all along. He was a man worth being obsessed about. As he climbed out of his truck, wearing dark jeans, work boots and soft white shirt rolled up to reveal strong, tanned forearms, my heart leapt. He was all firm muscles and confidence as he walked over to me with a warm smile that would make any sane woman melt, and I knew this was the finest specimen of a man I was ever likely to see. Dark brown hair that curled a little bit around his ears, chocolate brown eyes with fleck of gold that seemed to be lit from inside. Strong cheekbones and full lips that I just want to bite. Holy crap. I had tried to keep it together as best as I could, but he must have seen me blushing when I said he looked good. I mean he did look great, the man is hot, hot, hot, but I hadn’t meant to say it out loud.

           His offer to give me some free labour to help with the house was tempting, and while I didn’t want to take advantage, it was going to take me a long time to do the work by myself. And there was no harm in getting some quotes for the rest was there? Plus, I didn’t really think his mother would take no for an answer. It was probably all her idea anyway. The real bonus of course, was that I might get to see this gorgeous man again. As we wandered around the house, any time he was close to me, it was as if there was a heat, an animal magnetism there between us, and his gorgeous manly smell made me want to throw myself at him and climb him like a tree. And I don’t think it was all just me as I definitely caught him checking out my ass and legs in the kitchen. When he had grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to him, I felt tingles running across my fingers and palm, and I forgot how to speak for minute as desire like I have never experienced before rushed through me. His brown eyes had all but disappeared as his pupils widened and I knew it wasn’t just me who felt it. And as he spoke kindly about looking out for me, I heard how sincere he was and those feelings morphed from head spinning desire to something more, wrapping around me like a hug. How amazing would it be to have a big strong man like this looking out for you all the time? But that was getting slightly ahead of myself, or massively ahead of myself really. All he wanted to do was repay me for what I had done, not marry me. It was pathetic that I was so unused to a man doing something nice for me that I was reading all sorts of things into it.

           What surprised me most about Cooper though wasn’t how handsome he was, but that he didn’t act like the good-looking guys I was used to from living in the city. He was confident but not cocky. He listened intently to my ideas and made notes as we went about what I wanted, making suggestions here and there but not criticizing anything I had planned. He spoke very little about himself, mainly trying to sell me the town as Leila had and to find out more about my job and what I had been doing since I arrived. It was easy and comfortable, and he had a wicked sense of humour to boot. No wonder everyone in town loved him. Once the tour had finished, he hadn’t lingered, just said his goodbyes and that he’d be back in touch. I longed for him to touch me again after that first time, and when our hands had grabbed for the doorknob at the same time, my legs got weak at the knees. I never thought swooning over a man was an actual thing, but I had never had a reaction to anyone like I did with Cooper. I was still in shock when he drove away, and I felt sad as his beat-up old blue truck disappeared around the bend. I have officially lost my mind, but maybe losing myself with Cooper Jones for a little while wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.