by Vivian Arend
Perfection and desire served up in Armani.
He stopped a foot away, pulling off his sunglasses to let her glance into his deep brown eyes, his pupils visibly dilating as he examined her.
She knew she looked good. Her slinky sea-coloured dress clung to her curves, and her five-inch heels sparkled like stardust. Her long hair was piled on top of her head in a more formal upsweep than the usual ponytail, every inch neatly in place except for the tendrils hanging on either side of her face. Diamond earrings and a simple diamond drop necklace completed her outfit.
His eyes flashed, and a low sound rumbled up from his chest and—damn it—a needy pulse struck squarely between her legs.
Alex drew in a deep breath as if about to say something. His nostrils flared, his eyes widened, and his growl dropped a notch.
She considered burying her face in her hands. Great. He could scent how turned on she was from just looking at him.
“Lara.” His voice—pure aural sex.
She stared back, the pulse in her throat beating uncontrollably. “Excuse me.”
Lara dragged her gaze away, twisted slightly to put him at the edge of her line of sight, and sent off another message.
Lara: One of you might want to put an ambulance on alert. I predict somebody’s going to get hurt.
* * *
Kaylee: What? Why?
* * *
Lara: There’s a limo here to pick me up, and it’s him—Alex—and he’s wearing a suit and even though he’s glaring, I just swallowed my tongue.
* * *
Kaylee: It would be more fun to swallow his tongue.
* * *
Amber: Kaylee! You want her to get physical with Alex? He’s always so uptight and stiff.
* * *
Kaylee: I’m giggling because I’m twelve. Uptight. Heh. Stiff.
* * *
Amber: Stop it. No sex jokes. No sex!
* * *
Kaylee: Why? I mean, why not? A bit of kissing, or more, if the opportunity arises? (Heh-arises-lol!) It’s not as if getting together with him would make them insta-mates or anything. Trust me, I know this one. Polar bears are stubborn, and the mating bond requires *both* sides to agree one hundred percent to twue luv 4ever. Remember me doing the Beauty and the Beast magical glowing routine a couple weeks ago once I came to my senses?
* * *
Amber: We can discuss this more at some future point, but in the meantime, Lara, why are you still online? Don’t you have a limo waiting?
Oops.
Lara tucked away her phone then glanced up to see Alex had folded his massive arms over his chest, thoroughly annoyed at being ignored, which was part of the reason she’d done it.
Better to have him upset than staring at her with sex eyes.
I don’t like being mean to him, her inner wolf sighed unhappily.
Just trying to protect ourselves, Lara said.
I know.
Between the two of them, they were hopelessly in lust and nearly frantic for the mate connection to happen. Although that tidbit about kissing and even having sex not being enough to force Alex to mate with her was a juicy bit of intel.
Still, physical contact was dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Even the kind she now faced as Alex held out a hand.
Instinctively, she gripped it, eyes locked on his. Both of them still standing motionless. Wordless.
Because while Lara had been mostly joking in her message to her friends, she also knew the prediction was one hundred percent true.
Someone was going to get hurt, and she was sadly certain it was going to be her.
6
Alex Borealis was in utter lust.
His bear had gone speechless for once, which was good because Alex had a feeling that if the creature wasn’t so floored, he’d be encouraging all sorts of bad behaviors. Terrible, dangerous things like lifting Lara’s fingers to his mouth for a sensual lick. That would be followed by a more thorough taste of her skin, up her arm and down her body until he’d found every honey-scented part and made her scream in pleasure.
My God, she smelled fantastic.
The golden glints in her eyes were an echo of the sweetness hovering over her, and at this moment, Alex wasn’t thinking about how she was probably up to no good when it came to his family.
He wasn’t really thinking about anything except how he wanted to take her into his arms and hold her close for a good, long time as a prelude to stripping her out of that dress and taking even longer to enjoy the next stage of the adventure.
Attend a fancy dinner, they said. It’ll be easy, they said…
A sharp tug registered on his fingers. “Alex. We need to get going.”
Good grief. How long had he stood there in a trance?
Lara edged closer, weaving as if to sidestep him.
No way. Dealing with his inexplicable lust for the woman hadn’t been on tonight’s agenda, but he was not about to allow her to see him as anything but in control.
He tucked her fingers into the crook of his arm and guided her to the limo door, pulling his charm out of the dusty attic where it had apparently fled.
“Allow me.” He opened the door, but kept hold of her hand.
She twisted to delicately place her fine bottom on the leather seat. Five trillion miles of sexy bare legs screamed at him before Lara lifted them daintily into the limo.
That one glimpse was all it took to send all available blood rushing southward. He took his time walking around the vehicle in the hopes the pressure in his cock would ease enough that he could sit beside her without causing permanent injury.
The bit of control he’d regained vanished the instant he opened the door and her scent rushed him.
He didn’t have wood, he had concrete.
Still, he settled without looking as if he had an issue in his pants. He knocked on the side of the car to let the driver know they were in position, then leaned back and stretched out his legs.
The car eased away from the curb and Alex turned his attention to Lara. He’d expected her to be on her phone ignoring him or staring out the window. Shockingly, she was doing neither.
She was checking him out. Those golden-brown eyes stroked him as firmly as if she’d closed the distance between them and used her hands. Her cheeks glowed with heat, but it was when her examination reached his groin and faltered that…
No—
It was her tongue darting out to leave a faint trail of moisture that dragged him to the utter edge of sanity.
“Need something, sugar?” His voice was nearly incoherent, it was so deep and husky.
Lara took a deep breath, still staring at him even as she subtly changed position, leaning away from him in the confines of the vehicle.
Her fingers drifted along the hem of her dress.
He wanted to be the one stroking the shimmering fabric and the bare skin next to it. Wanted it so bad he swore his fur was bristling to the surface.
Alex waited, hands resting motionless on his own damn thighs.
The silence stretched between them. His hearing had gone superpowered, and her every shaky breath rasped his body with need.
Finally, she spoke, tilting her chin up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be attending tonight, or I would have found a way to bow out.”
What the hell? “Why?”
Confusion filled her eyes at his one-word demand. “Because it’s a special evening with what should be spectacular food, and now it’s going to be ruined.”
He didn’t trust her. He still wanted her more than his next breath. He wanted to know what she was up to. He wanted to take her down on the nearest surface and fuck her until they both passed out from pleasure.
Yup, conflicting emotions ran riotous when it came to this woman, but it was the unexpected slide of disappointment in Alex’s belly that hit the strongest. “You dislike me so much my presence is enough to ruin your appetite?”
Lara’s confusion turned to a frown. “Not me, you. You don�
�t like me.”
She’s worried about…you? That means she likes us!!! His bear leapt from A to Z and started picturing them in bed before Alex could protest.
He shook his head to rid himself of the sexual images bombarding his brain. Shut up now, or I will go on a vegan diet for a month.
His bear growled.
Only a few feet away from him, Lara braced as if preparing for an attack. “Alex?”
“Sorry. Bear issue. He’s being a bastard.” He was a little shocked to have blurted out the explanation so quickly.
Understanding and a wry smile softened her features and made her look playful instead of sad. “My wolf does that to me too.”
His brothers’ command to be pleasant rang loudly in his brain. Along with everything else going on that he didn’t understand, the assumption he needed the warning offered a firm place to restart the evening.
He and Lara weren’t friends, but he wasn’t certain yet that they were truly enemies. Maybe there was a middle ground?
One that involves sex? His bear offered the comment then wisely vanished.
Alex eased forward onto his elbows, taking another deep breath and soaking in her amazing scent. He took one final appreciative glance over her curves before lifting his gaze to meet hers.
“Honest truth? It’s not that I don’t like you, Lara. It’s that I might appreciate your…assets…a little more than is appropriate, all things considered.”
Her mouth opened in a small O of surprise.
He was going straight to hell for the dirty things he’d like to do to that sweet mouth.
The limo pulled up in front of the Grande Hotel and halted all further conversation regarding his bombshell of a comment.
Alex hurried around to open her door, enjoying her sexy glide to vertical. His bear agreed, rumbling happily as they stared at her legs and the killer stilettos gracing her feet.
His voice came out one step away from a growl. “I’d warn you to be careful on the cobblestones, but I bet you could climb a mountain in those sexy things.”
Lara eased closer, politely slipping her fingers around his elbow. “Another compliment. Alex Borealis, if you’re not careful, I’m going to suspect you’ve been kidnapped and brainwashed.”
He chuckled then guided her through the mass of people milling around the entrance, drawn by the cameras and lights set up for what appeared to be a film crew.
The main foyer of the building was all rich wood tones and vast spaces overhead, impressive and bold in an overwhelming display of northern architecture. Elegantly dressed couples stood in small clusters as they waited for the organizers to call them into the main room.
A familiar couple stood to one side of the door, chatting with the others. His gramps and grandmother both wore fancy duds and were obviously ready for an evening out.
Confusion struck. The chances of them being here tonight and not attending the event? Slim to none. Which meant Alex had gotten all gussied up for nothing, not to mention the lectures he’d endured from his brothers and the sexual torment during the limo ride. Either James had screwed up—not likely—or Gramps had. Again.
Fine. Everyone made mistakes, but between this one and the previous one, both of which had sent him on a collision course with Lara, Alex needed to either goad the old man or check closer for the onset of senility.
Distraction arrived in the form of a massive man lingering at the edge of the room. The behemoth seemed familiar, but it wasn’t until the man’s gaze settled on Lara and narrowed into a glare that Alex recognized him. It was one of the men who’d instigated a brawl at the Diamond Tavern the previous month and come out the loser to Lara’s powerhouse skills.
Mr. Troublemaker shouldered forward, nothing welcoming in his approach.
Lara spotted him as well, a soft curse slipping from her lips as she glanced up at Alex. Her expression tightened then seemed resigned. “Play along, please,” she murmured a second before plastering her torso tighter against his.
Instinctively, Alex wrapped a hand around her, his palm firmly planted on her lower back. When she twisted, he went with her, and the next moment they faced the belligerent shifter as if a unified front.
Considering the size of potential trouble in front of them, Alex really should’ve had more of his attention on the man, but the distraction of honey-scented skin was surprisingly strong. The heat and pleasure of contact with her bare skin scampered through him. Desire struck, along with an equal spike of adrenaline. A remote part of him prepared for a fight.
The man was nearly on top of Lara before he stumbled to a stop, eyes darting to the side to take in Alex. Assessing their close position. Definitely noticing the bared teeth Alex presented in a very fake smile.
The man glanced back and forth between the two of them before offering a frustrated growl. Then sadly, he adjusted course and kept walking out of the group and into the shadows.
Lara let out a slow breath before leaning against Alex. Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered her thanks then added, “I didn’t really want to deal with that right now.”
Usually he would have felt annoyed at the lack of fight, but for some reason, this time he didn’t mind. In fact, if this kept her pressed up against him all night, he wouldn’t mind one bit.
Turning back to the room, he discovered a fierce scowl of disapproval on his gramps’s face, his gaze fixed on the protective arm Alex had wrapped around Lara—
The scent of her skin drifted through Alex’s system and his bear rumbled happily.
Stay with wolf? his inner beast suggested.
Oh, yes, it was a wonderful idea.
The description Giles Borealis had given in passing of Lara weeks earlier came to mind. Gramps had thought the woman was a cold fish and not worthy of Borealis attention? How much would it annoy the old man if Alex stuck to her side the entire evening and showered her with attention?
As a bonus, playing dirty would give him the opportunity to keep a very, very close eye on Lara. That would probably confuse the heck out of her.
Simple and twisted. Perfect. And he could do it all while being as charming and pleasant as he’d promised his brothers he’d be.
A workable plan firmly in place, Alex leaned in close, his lips next to Lara’s ear. “There’s delicious food involved, and we both know it’s good for our businesses to present a positive face to the world. Under the circumstances, I’m happy to enjoy your company.”
7
Her grip on Alex’s arm tightened before she dipped her chin decisively.
He guided them toward the gathering, keeping Lara at his side. The group flowed in different directions as the organizers took control of the evening. And while he lost sight of his grandfather, there was enough else going on to engage Alex’s attention.
The banquet hall had been decked out with a number of small round tables with comfortable seating for four. Around the outside of the room, steaming platters of food were being placed on long tables, and the scent rising from them made his mouth water.
Every fifteen to twenty minutes, a small bell rang and everyone rose to their feet and moved to the next table on their personalized list. They loaded new plates with fresh offerings and settled at a different space to converse with new tablemates.
As dinner passed, the good food and good conversation barely dented Alex’s awareness of Lara at his side. The scent of her drilled through all his senses. The heat of her touch grew increasingly addictive, and when she laid a hand on his arm, laughing at a comment from one of their companions, Alex had to acknowledge he wasn’t suffering in the least.
It wasn’t until the final rotation that they ended up matched with his grandmother and grandfather.
Time to act it up.
Alex pulled out a chair next to his grandmother for Lara. He leaned in and pressed his lips gently to her cheek. “Relax, sugar. I’ll get us another drink.”
Her eyes flashed with something that might’ve been a warning, but she kept smiling. “Th
anks, sweetie. This is the perfect opportunity for me to ask your grandmother some questions.”
Drat. Leaving the two of them alone together wasn’t necessarily the best idea, especially since his gramps was nowhere in sight.
But Grandmother Laureen waved him off. “Go away, Alex. Lara will be fine with me.”
When he hesitated, she raised a brow, her iron backbone showing itself clearly even as she smiled demurely. The woman had put up with Gramps for umpteen years. Stood to reason she’d be as stubborn as any of them.
Lara pursed her lips and teasingly blew him a kiss. Alex rolled his eyes good-naturedly as he stepped away from the table to get them drinks.
He’d just picked up two fresh glasses of an excellent Merlot from the wine bar when he turned to discover he was on the receiving end of a very disappointed gaze.
“What are you up to, boy?” Gramps demanded.
Playing ignorant was so satisfying. “Six foot four.”
The furrow between his grandfather’s brows deepened as he glanced back at the table where Lara and his grandmother were chatting. “Care to explain what you’re doing with that woman?”
“I thought you admired her? Said she was a security expert?” It was fun to toss the old man’s words back at him.
A rude noise escaped his grandfather. “I said she was the only one of a bad lot with anything approaching a brain, but I was talking about business, not pleasure. The woman is all wrong for you. Ridiculous to see you hovering over her. She’s playing you, I tell you. Certainly would never be interested in your type, and good riddance.”
“My type?” Alex wasn’t sure if he should be amused or annoyed. “I’m a fine type—unpredictable. And of course she’s interested in me. I’m a Borealis.”
