Nerd's Badboy Alpha novel Chapter 17

My morning starts as it usually does. Alarm clock, drag carcass out of bed to shower, change to school uniform, eat breakfast under disapproving glare of Aunt Ruffia, and walk out the front door to head out to school. Except this morning, I find Alex Royce waiting for me with his shiny black truck.

He didn't call me last night, but I did get a text that said, "Everything cool" and that was it. I texted back for him to elaborate, but he didn't respond.

Now here he is, leaning against his truck, resplendent in his private school uniform. Strawberry-blond hair neatly cut and parted to the left, clean shaven, straight white teeth, and broad shoulders: a picture of that Captain America perfection that's just a little too much to endure in the morning. Ugh.

"Hey, Fluffy!" He puts his hands on my waist and lifts me like I weigh no more than a puppy and kisses my forehead before setting me back down. "How was your night? Did you sleep well?"

Is this really the same Alex Royce who stalked the halls of Ridgewood Academy looking fierce and unapproachable with his pack of similarly beautiful friends who ruled the school? Just two weeks ago, I wouldn't even have dreamed of him saying hello to me, much less picking me up from home to take me to school.

I get into his truck and instead of him saying "Seatbelt" to remind me to put it on like he usually does, he reaches across my body, grabs the seatbelt, and buckles it for me before kissing me on the temple.

"I like what you did with your hair this morning, Melvin. You should do it that way all the time."

I give me a weird look. It's in the usual French braid, since my hair gets unruly when I leave it free. "It's how I do it every morning, Alex."

He reaches over to pinch my cheek. "Then keep doing it, Melvin. It looks great."

I clear my throat. "So, what did you and my uncle talk about last night? I'm guessing he didn't tell you to stay away from me."

"Nope. I told him the situation. He agreed to postpone your engagement until after your high school graduation. He even called the Beta over and we all agreed that it would be the best course of action."

I peek at him from the corner of my eye, but he is concentrating on the road. "Thank you. For caring. No one has ever really looked after me after my parents died. I'd always felt... extraneous."

He glances at me and reaches over to pat my hand. "Well, Melody Gabrys, you matter. You matter to me, anyway. I would definitely miss you like I miss Chewy if you weren't around anymore."

I gasp and smack his arm. "You are a beast."

He laughs and captures my hand to kiss it. "Yes, I am. You love it."

"Well, while you're pretending to be my boyfriend at school, aren't I standing in the way of your dating life? Aren't there girls at school that you like or something? I thought you had something going with Serenity Highstaff."

He chuckles and shakes his head. "Are you worried there's a jealous she-wolf waiting in the bush somewhere, ready to spring and take your heart out? No. As for that thing with Serenity, we went out in junior high. That's it. Are you jealous?"

I scoff. "No. Why would I be jealous?"

He pokes me in the rib. "Because you like me and you love kissing me."