The Alpha Queen's Mate (Book 5 of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 14

Noelle's vibrating phone caught her attention and she sighed and stepped back from Nick when he dropped his hands. She picked up her phone, noticing that it was their pilot. "Hello Mike."

"Good morning. The plane is ready for take off whenever you are." He was way too cheery.

She was disappointed, but she knew this was what needed to happen. She needed to go to her ball, and Nick needed to go home. He didn't belong to her. "We'll be there in a little over an hour."

"Do you want dropped off in Ohio?" Mike asked her.

No. "Yes, that would probably be easiest." She glanced at Nick, who was digging in his bag for something to wear. Her eyes trailed over him and he glanced up at her.

"Okay, we'll see you then."

She disconnected the call and sighed internally. It was over. She grabbed her own bag and dug out her clothes, and glanced up to see Nick getting dressed right in front of her. She supposed they were beyond that now.

She turned her back to him and pulled off her own shirt, then began to dress, half wishing he'd stop her and take her back to bed. But he didn't and she headed over to the bathroom to run a brush through her hair. When she got back to her dorm, she'd take a shower and wash his scent off of her. She could smell him clinging to her skin.

They climbed into the car after checking out of the hotel room and headed back towards the airport. Nick stopped to grab a quick breakfast for them, then headed out to where the plane was.

The both boarded and settled down across from each other as the plane took off. Noelle looked over at Nick through her lashes. He hadn't made it awkward at all, and she was thankful for that. He actually seemed pretty relaxed as though he hadn't had his hands all over her a few hours ago.

"When are you coming back?" he asked her.

"Tomorrow, unless.." she stopped.

"You find your mate," he finished for her.

She nodded. "Then I don't know."

He grew quiet, and stared off in the distance.

She studied him, looking him over slowly, remembering the feel of his hands on her, the feel of his lips on her own. She wished there had been more of that. One kiss hadn't really been enough. The man was an exceptional kisser.

"Noelle." Nick hadn't moved.

"What?" She hadn't taken her eyes off of him. He looked so good this morning.

"You know what you're doing."

"No I don't." She was still looking at him, but the next thing she knew, he was in the seat next to her.

"You're going to get me in trouble." His gaze was on her now, his eyes flashing between a bright green and almost black with desire.

She lifted an eyebrow at him. "How?"

"Because if you keep looking at me like that, I'm going to end up taking what you don't really want to give me." He was only inches away from her now, his gaze intense as he stared at her.

She smirked at him and sat back. He was right. She needed to stop and focus on tonight. "Would that be so horrible?"

"No it wouldn't," he said quietly, then looked at her again. "I know you're aroused."

She took a small breath and swallowed. "Yes." She wanted him to touch her again.

He leaned in close to her again. "I am too." He didn't move.

That made her breath catch and she stared back at him. This game that they were playing was making her very horny. She was overly attracted to a man she didn't need to be.

This has to end though. Nick wasn't her mate. She was just lusting after him. He was an incredibly good looking unmated male who had his hands all over this morning. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't want more.

"When are you going to talk to everyone?" She asked him, changing the subject. The sexual tension between them was so thick, you could practically cut it with a knife. And while she'd found release earlier, he hadn't. She needed to stop undressing him with her eyes. She was being a tease.

"Probably tomorrow. If you're home, you can join us." He sat back away from her, breathing deeply and trying to gain back control.

"I'd like that. I would like to keep updated on all of this and help some if that's okay." She sighed. He'd probably never want to work with her on anything again after what had happened between them. She couldn't blame him either.

"I don't mind," he said easily, surprising her. "I can keep you updated on it."

"I'd appreciate that." She smiled at him, glad he wasn't annoyed with her and making it awkward between them.

The rest of the flight was fairly peaceful with Nick on his laptop, checking through his email, and her reading her book. The plane finally landed, and she stood and grabbed her bag.

Nick stood as well. "Good luck tonight."

"Thanks." She gave him a hug, and then turned. "Bye Nick. See you soon."

"Bye Noelle," he said.

She got off the plane. It would take him home before returning for her tomorrow morning. She headed across the tarmac and to her waiting ride.

Nick sat back down in his seat and buckled his belt before leaning his head back and closing his eyes. He still couldn't believe what he'd done that morning. When he'd first woken up, his half asleep mind had thought he had his old girlfriend in his bed, tucked warmly in his arms. He'd actually wondered for a moment why they were wearing clothes. But the feel of her breast in his hand had instantly aroused him and he'd decided right then he was getting sex before she left his bed.

It had taken a few moments for him to remember he'd fallen asleep next to Noelle, and it was her nipple he was playing with. Hearing her soft moans had shocked him back into reality and had him wondering how he was going to apologize for such a thing.

He'd slept rather well, but he hadn't expected to wake up with her in such an intimate position, or her positive response to it. He had seriously considered taking it much further than he had, but finding out she was a virgin had stopped him dead in his tracks and he knew he couldn't do that to her. Not that he hadn't wanted to. After touching her like that, the urge to see what he'd been touching had been very strong. And all he'd gotten the chance to do was rub his cock against her perfect bottom.

She wasn't someone he'd ever fantasized about, but he'd enjoyed their time together way more than he should have even though he hadn't had sex with her, and hadn't even found any release. The feel of her body in his hands, the way she'd responded to him still aroused him now. He wasn't going to be getting her out of his mind anytime soon. She might be fueling his fantasies for the next few weeks.

But she was Daniel's daughter, and the future Alpha Queen and he wasn't going to be remembered as the guy who stole her virginity, no matter how tempting she was. If Daniel ever found out about any of this, he'd have Nick's hide.

Speaking of which, Nick knew he needed to take a quick shower before he got home and he immediately grabbed his bag and headed into the back bedroom of the plane to do so. The flight was a short one and Nick couldn't show up at the pack house with Noelle's scent all over him. Everyone would know he'd been way too intimate with her and he could see that escalating.

He quickly pulled off his clothes and stepped into the small shower and flipped the water on. The spray of ice cold water was enough to deflate him and he quickly began to scrub himself down. He really needed to find his mate, or she her's. Otherwise..he stopped that thought, before it got him in trouble. Noelle wasn't his and she never would be.