Sired to the alpha

11

Josh leaned back in the booth, swirling his iced chai latte like it was fine wine, his smirk practically tattooed onto his face. “So, are we going to talk about it, or are you just going to pretend I didn’t see Ryker storm into your changing room yesterday like he was starring in some sexy daytime soap?”

I froze mid-sip of my iced coffee, nearly inhaling it. “What are you even talking about?” I managed, doing my best to sound indifferent.

Josh rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. Don’t play coy with me. He went in there, the curtain shut, and then you came out looking like you’d just run a marathon or taken a ride on the Ryker Express. What gives?”

“You’re delusional,” I said, taking another sip of my coffee to hide my flushed cheeks.

“Delusional? Sweetheart, I’m a gay man at a Forever 21. My senses are sharper than a bloodhound’s. I saw it. I felt it. The s****l tension could’ve knocked over a rack of overpriced leggings.”

I glared at him. “You’re making this up in your head.”

“Oh, I wish I were. But the evidence speaks for itself. Ryker is all dark and broody, you’re glowing like a damn light bulb, and let’s be real—he doesn’t give ‘mall boyfriend vibes.’ So spill. What happened in that changing room?”

“Josh, nothing happened,” I said, trying to sound convincing.

Josh leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. “Evangeline. Babe. Honey. Bestie. You do realize lying to me is pointless, right? I’ll figure it out, and when I do, I’ll drag the truth out of you in the most embarrassing way possible. Do you want me to reenact my theories in public?”

“God, no!” I hissed, glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention to us.

“Then start talking,” he said, sitting back smugly.

I groaned, resting my head on the table. “Josh, you’re impossible.”

“And you’re avoiding the question. Did he kiss you? Did you kiss him? Was there, like, accidental nudity? Oh my god, is he secretly some kind of bad boy millionaire? Because he looks like a bad boy millionaire.”

I lifted my head to glare at him. “You’ve officially lost your mind.”

“Sweetie, I lost my mind the day I realized straight girls will tell their gay best friends everything. Now, quit stalling and give me the tea. Was it hot? Did he say something dramatic like, ‘I couldn’t stay away’?”

“No,” I said firmly.

Josh’s grin widened. “But it was hot. I knew it. Did he, like, pin you to the wall? Did he growl? He seems like a growler.”

“Stop saying growl!” I hissed, my cheeks practically on fire now.

“Oh my god, he did, didn’t he?” Josh gasped, his hand flying to his chest in mock horror. “He growled, and now you’re blushing so hard I’m genuinely worried you’re going to combust. Evangeline, this is the best day of my life.”

I buried my face in my hands. “You’re the worst.”

“And yet, here I am, sitting across from you, dragging your spicy little secret out into the open. Lucky you,” he said, winking.

I peeked at him through my fingers. “Josh, I swear, if you ever bring this up again—”

“Bring it up? Babe, I’m going to immortalize this moment in our friendship scrapbook. I’m going to text you growling emojis at random times just to keep the memory alive.”

I groaned. “I hate you.”

“No, you love me. And I love that your life is turning into some hot romantic drama.”

“It’s not a drama,” I said firmly, though I wasn’t entirely convinced myself.

Josh smirked, leaning in again. “Oh, it totally is. And don’t worry, I’ll be here every step of the way to make sarcastic comments and ask inappropriate questions. Speaking of which—does he, like, have abs? I bet he does.”

“Josh!”

“What? It’s a valid question!”

I threw a balled-up napkin at him, and he dodged it with a laugh. “Relax, babe. Your secret is safe with me—for now. But if he shows up again, I’m officially giving him a nickname. Something hot and mysterious, like ‘Tall, Dark, and Broody.’”

I shook my head, sipping my coffee. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re glowing,” he shot back. “Just remember, if this turns into a dumpster fire, I’ll be here with snacks and sarcastic commentary. That’s what best friends are for.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, even as I tried to push the memory of Ryker’s hands on me out of my head. Josh was impossible, but he was right about one thing—this was starting to feel like a drama I wasn’t ready for.

Josh was sitting across from me in the coffee shop, leaning on the table like he was about to hear the juiciest gossip of his life. His iced chai latte sat untouched, which was saying something because Josh never ignored his caffeine.

“Alright, Evangeline,” he said, his grin widening. “Enough with the coy, mysterious act. You’re going to give me all the dirty details right now, or I swear to God, I will stand on this table and start yelling about how Ryker—”

“Okay, okay!” I cut him off, hissing. “You’re such a menace.”

“Correct. Now spill.”

I sighed, fiddling with my straw before leaning in. “Fine. But if you ever bring this up again, I’ll kill you. Slowly.”

Josh clasped his hands together like he was in church, eyes alight with excitement. “Babe, I’ll take this to my grave—right after I live vicariously through you.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at my lips. “So, I was in the changing room, minding my own business, trying on this cute little top…”

Josh raised an eyebrow. “Define ‘cute.’”

“Josh.”

“Sorry, sorry. Continue.”

I took a deep breath, my cheeks already heating up. “I try it on, realize it’s not for me, and as I’m taking it off, he just…storms in. Like, out of nowhere.”

“Wait, hold on,” Josh interrupted, holding up a hand. “You’re telling me Ryker walked into a Forever 21 changing room like it was his personal boudoir? Did he knock? Announce himself? Or did he just—”

“Just walked in,” I said quickly, trying to get to the point before Josh went on another tangent. “He didn’t say a word at first, just slammed the curtain shut behind him, and before I could even process what was happening, he—”

“He what?” Josh leaned forward so fast his elbow knocked his drink, sending chai latte splashing onto the table. He didn’t even notice.

I lowered my voice. “He pinned me against the wall.”

Josh gasped so loudly half the coffee shop turned to look at us. I shot him a warning glare, and he mouthed sorry, though his grin only grew wider.

“Go on,” he whispered dramatically, as if we were in the middle of a soap opera.

I sighed, biting my lip. “He had one hand on my waist, the other braced against the wall next to my head. And he was close, Josh. Like, ridiculously close. I could feel his breath on my neck.”

Josh clutched his chest like he was having a heart attack. “Oh my God. Did he say anything? Tell me he said something hot and dramatic.”

I hesitated, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks again. “He said… ‘You drive me insane.’”

Josh’s jaw dropped, and he slapped the table. “SHUT UP. He did not! That is so cliché but also so hot. I’m obsessed.”

“It gets worse,” I muttered.

“Worse? Babe, this is a 10/10 so far. How does it get worse?”

I looked down at my coffee, stirring it nervously. “He…um…kissed me.”

Josh let out a high-pitched squeal, clapping his hands together like an overexcited toddler. “And? And?”

I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. “And it wasn’t just a kiss. He—” I dropped my voice to a whisper. “He bit my lip.”

Josh’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “I knew it! He does growl, doesn’t he? Tell me he growled.”

“Josh, I’m not answering that.”

“Oh, he growled,” Josh said, practically vibrating with excitement. “This man is out here starring in his own Fifty Shades of Forever 21, and you’re the lead actress. I’m so proud of you.”

I glared at him, but my lips twitched into a smile despite myself. “You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re living my dream,” Josh shot back. “So what happened next? Did you, like, rip his shirt off? Did he—”

“Josh,” I hissed, cutting him off. “We didn’t…you know.”

“Babe,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “You hesitated. That means something happened. Tell me. Did he touch your—”

“Stop!” I said, laughing despite myself. “It wasn’t like that. It was just…intense. He’s intense.”

Josh sat back, crossing his arms with a satisfied grin. “I’m calling it now. You’re going to end up in a full-blown relationship with this guy. Mark my words.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re glowing,” he shot back. “Again. Honestly, it’s blinding. Tell Ryker to dial it down next time, okay?”

I couldn’t help but laugh, shaking my head. Josh was impossible, but he made everything— even my awkward, chaotic, and very personal encounters—feel a little less overwhelming.