Covert Desires

by Sondae Bennett

  Lucky for her, their food arrived at that moment, and while the waitress moved things around on the table to make room for the plates, Amber reestablished control of her emotions. Danny had an uncanny knack for piercing her protective shell.

  * * * *

  Danny stared at Amber’s eyes as she laughed when he teased her. Her rich amusement surrounded him and made him a little light-headed. Nothing like a woman who could laugh at herself. Her eyes sparkled, matching the smile on her lips. They had lost that sparkle when she’d talked about her parents, and he’d wanted nothing more than to erase whatever pain she’d been feeling. This woman called to him, as no other had before. In more ways than one.

  His gaze dropped to her mouth. Before the night was over, he would taste those lips. And when he did, he’d watch her eyes until they clouded with pleasure.

  But more than just attraction buzzed between them. He was surprised to find he actually liked her. That morning, he’d been dreading trying to get close to her, but in one day his outlook had changed. What could be bad about spending time with a beautiful woman?

  A hand slammed down on his shoulder with enough force to cause him to cringe.

  “Hey Danny boy,” his sister, Laurie, said behind him. Damn it. He should have been watching the door. But he hadn’t expected anyone to be out on a Thursday night.

  “Laurie, what are you doing here?” He turned and found all his brothers and sisters behind her. Shit. What the hell were they doing here?

  But Laurie wasn’t looking at him. She was glaring across the table, at Amber. Danny glanced between them, noting the confusion in Amber’s eyes as she caught the hostile look on his sister’s face.

  “Uh, hi guys. This is Amber, she just moved into the cabin off of Route 70,” Danny explained, hoping they’d realize he was at work and leave him to it.

  “So that’s why I hadn’t seen you here before. Danny, a word.” Her hand tightened painfully on his shoulder before she spun around and exited.

  Danny coughed to cover his embarrassment at his sister’s rudeness. A word, indeed. He had a few of his own for her. Laurie could be brash, but had never been outright rude before.

  “Amber, I’ll be right back.” He turned around and grabbed Ethan’s arm as he passed. “Be nice,” he murmured to him. Ethan never failed to put women at ease.

  Last year, Danny never would have trusted Ethan alone with an attractive woman, afraid the woman would have lost her heart to his charming brother. But since Ethan was completely devoted to his mate, Gwen, Danny had nothing to fear.

  He waited until the door had firmly closed behind him before turning to his sister angrily, but the emotion died when he saw the fury radiating off her, putting his own to shame. Wolf eyes stared out at him, letting him know just how close Laurie was to losing control. He couldn’t allow himself to get into a fight with her, because his wolf would rise to the challenge. And nothing was important enough to risk hurting her…or anyone else.

  “Why did you bring her here?”

  Confused, Danny shook his head. “We’re on a date. I thought the whole point was to get close to her.”

  “Yeah, so you can lead her away from us. Not bring her into the heart of our territory.” Laurie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, struggling for control. When she opened them again, the human was back in charge, and Danny almost breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, he’d been afraid things were about to get ugly. “I don’t think you understand the seriousness of the situation. The shifter council charged us with making sure she doesn’t get too close. What do you think they’re going to do if we fail?”

  Danny frowned. He’d never thought about it like that before. He knew this was a serious task and that the council didn’t joke around. There was a reason shifters everywhere feared them and revered them in equal parts. But the worst he’d envisioned happening was the world learning about the existence of shifters. It wouldn’t be a perfect situation, but shifters could take care of themselves.

  He hadn’t considered the council’s part in all this. He’d seen some of the devastation they’d wreaked on shifters who stepped over the line and almost revealed themselves to the untrustworthy humans. Sure, those who lived around shifters tended to know their secrets–pretty much everyone in Alpine Woods knew, humans included–but only once they’d proven they could keep secrets. And Danny wasn’t quite clear on how much the council knew about the town’s general knowledge.

  Everyone was counting on him. In more ways than he knew. He rubbed a hand over his face. Things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.

  “Next time, take her somewhere else. And not fox territory, either.”

  “I’m not stupid.”

  She just stared at him.

  “I’ll admit taking her here was a mistake, but I’m smart enough to make the connections between not bringing her here and not dragging Cody and Misty in the middle of this.”

  “They’re already in the middle of this, but I’m glad you’ve made the connection. There are lots of places in human territory you can wine and dine her.”

  Resentment welled in Danny’s chest, but for what? Maybe because this task had somehow become his alone, or because sometime between beer and burgers, he had forgotten it was just a task. More likely because whoever, or whatever, she was, he was starting to care for the woman he intended to deceive.

  Even if he ignored the instant pull his wolf had felt when he first set eyes on Amber, there was no denying the easy tension of mutual attraction between them.

  He’d been wrong when he assumed his attraction made his task easier. It only made things ten times worse. Somehow, he had to remember the end goal and keep reminding himself that there was more to her than met the eye as well. He wasn’t the only one putting up pretenses.

  * * * *

  Something had changed. Amber noted it the minute Danny and his sister Laurie reentered the pub. The rest of his family had gathered up their plates and beer and moved them to a big booth in the corner that must have been made for giants, because even with the three huge men and the four women, there was still room for Danny and Laurie.

  His siblings had been quick to explain that the woman who had dragged Danny outside was nothing more than a sister. Even concocting some story about why she was mad at him. Not that she believed them. It had been too easy to spot the lie on the petite blonde’s face as she’d explained it all to Amber. Now they sat in awkward silence, waiting for the two to return. Some of his siblings were making an effort to be friendly. Others didn’t even bother. The undercurrents were heavy here.

  As the pair made their way to the booth, Amber studied first Danny’s defeated expression he tried so hard to hide, and Laurie’s smug one. Dislike for his sister was instant and deep. Whatever she’d said to him had really burrowed under his skin.

  Moments before, she and Danny had been having a good time. Sure, she’d been questioning him, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t been appreciating the way his eyes had lit up when he talked about his business or his family. Or the way his easy smile had warmed her belly. All in all it had been the best date she’d had in…maybe ever, even if it was under false pretenses.

  And whatever this witch of a sister had done had not only killed the mood, but broken his spirit.

  The smile Danny gave her as he sat down lacked the warmth of the previous ones and didn’t meet his eyes. His thigh brushed against hers before putting space between them. Curiosity pulled at her. What was going on?

  “Everything okay?” she asked as he sat.

  “Of course.”

  Lie. He was good, she’d give him that. But she was better than most at reading people, and she’d spent the past half hour analyzing his responses. Yet, she couldn’t exactly come right out and demand to know what had happened. This was his family and his business. Amber bit her lip to hold back the interrogation she was dying to launch. A normal first date would leave it alone and let him and his sister sort it out.

  Amb
er threw a glare at Laurie when she squeezed into the booth opposite them. Didn’t mean she had to like the bitch. The other woman glared right back. Obviously the dislike was mutual.

  She studied Laurie’s mean demeanor and the muscles hidden under her long sleeved t-shirt. Clearly, the woman could put up a fight, but she wasn’t trained by the agency, and she’d probably never had to use her skills in a real life situation. Amber could take her. And if she ever had the opportunity and motive, she’d prove it.

  Jason, Danny’s brother-in-law…wait, that wasn’t right. Brendan, the tall gorgeous one sitting next to the curly haired brunette on the end was the brother-in-law. Jason was the eldest of Danny’s siblings. All of the men were tall, dark, and handsome; it was hard for her to tell them apart. Jason cleared his throat and drew the attention to him.

  “Those burgers look good, but I’m in the mood for nachos. Anyone else?” Clearly he was trying to diffuse the tension between Laurie and her, even though he’d been glaring in her direction moments before.

  Danny glanced nervously between the two, making Amber realize her mistake. Here she was trying to seduce information out of him, and she was relishing the thought of picking a fight with his sister. Not the most solid plan she’d come up with, but something about the woman rubbed her the wrong way. Thinking that the woman was trying to tear Danny away from her awakened some primal cavewoman response.

  Stupid. Danny was a job, nothing more. Worst case, she’d find another person to show her around town, since she’d already ruled him out as a potential unfriendly. But the thought of losing Danny made her stomach jump unhappily. If she played it cool now, she might be able to salvage the damage the woman had done. She couldn’t let this get to her, or wedge a gap between her and Danny.

  Amber smiled at Jason, who watched her closely, a scowl still on his face. The vibe he projected wasn’t as antagonistic as Laurie’s, but was cautious and still bordered on the edge of unfriendly. The sort one would give to a rattlesnake while hiking.

  Were his siblings just trying to look out for Danny? Their reactions seemed a bit extreme. She’d think that kind of attention would be stifling. How had the rest of them ended up married, if their siblings were this judgmental?

  If she were a weaker woman, she would have left an Amber-shaped outline in the door as she ran away.

  Smiling at the eyes around her, varying from wary to downright hostile, she leaned into Danny’s side and put her lips next to his ear.

  “I think I understand why you’re the only one in the welcoming committee.”

  * * * *

  Danny jumped when her lips caressed his ear as she spoke, the warmth of her breath heating his flesh and sending wicked thoughts careening through his mind. Under the table, he hardened. Thank God he’d already put his napkin on his lap, providing some cover. He didn’t want to imagine Laurie’s response if she saw that.

  He glanced around at his siblings. With their wolf senses, they would have picked up her whispered words.

  Mixed reviews, if their expressions were anything to go by. Some, like Jason’s and Laurie’s, seemed to grow darker; others, like Ethan and Brendan, appeared to lighten. A couple struggled with grins. But he focused on the scowling faces, experiencing for a moment what she must be feeling, surrounded by a group of people who, for seemingly no reason, disliked her. After all, she didn’t know that they knew why she’d moved here.

  A laugh bubbled up, and he felt her smile against his ear as it spilled out. Turning his head, he caught and held her gaze.

  “Not a very welcoming bunch, huh?”

  She shook her head, causing tendrils of hair to fall into her face.

  Gently, he brushed them back. It would be so easy to forget his task and hers. To lose himself in this woman. Too easy. As much as he hated to admit it, he might be over his head. Because he feared it was already too late.

  Chapter 3

  “Do you ever get restless, being around your family all the time?”

  The question startled Danny as they walked back to his car. Despite some reservations, they had stayed with his siblings throughout their meal and for a bit of dancing afterward. After a rocky start, he’d thought emotions had leveled off around the group. All in all, everyone appeared to have a good time. But now he wondered if he’d misread something. Or if he’d missed something important.

  “Did someone say something to you?” he asked, concern building.

  “No, it’s not that…”

  “Then what do you mean?”

  She withdrew her hand from his, a loss he regretted even as he allowed her to retreat.

  “Forget I asked,” she mumbled.

  He stopped, stepping in front of her so they were face to face. “I want to know what you meant.” He wasn’t angry, just confused.

  “Well, all five of you live in this little town, you own the company with your two brothers, and even here, they’re all meeting to hang out. I’m just curious if you ever feel…claustrophobic.”

  Danny’s gaze drifted away from Amber to the bar behind her. Until she’d asked the question, he’d never really given it a thought. His siblings weren’t just family, they were also pack and best friends all rolled into one.

  But he could see how someone who wasn’t connected in that way, who didn’t feel the pull of pack bonds, might question the closeness.

  He needed to think about this some more. When searching for a mate, he’d known he would have to look outside the pack. Mostly because he knew everyone in the pack and none of them were right for him. But he hadn’t considered what he would do if his woman thought the connection between him and his family was strange. In his mind, he’d pictured his family welcoming his woman with open arms. Which was night and day from what had gone down tonight. Clearly his family and Amber hadn’t gotten off on a great foot.

  What was he supposed to do now?

  Danny shook his head hard. What was he thinking? Amber wasn’t his mate, and it didn’t matter whether his siblings liked her or not. She was an agent trying to learn their secrets and use them to the government’s own end. And Danny was only gaining her trust so he could lead her astray.

  For a moment, another moment, he’d forgotten what this was. Not a date with a pretty girl, but a way of getting closer to the stranger in their midst. Keeping tabs. And no matter how much he wished otherwise, that was all this could ever be. She’d always be a spy, and he’d always be the man keeping her from doing her job.

  Now he just had to remember that. Easier said than done, with the attraction buzzing between them. His wolf kept trying to get loose from the cage of control he kept around it. And they were all in trouble if that happened.

  * * * *

  What the hell was she doing? Amber had no idea what possessed her to ask a question like that. She might as well have waved a giant banner that read, I don’t like your family, dump me now. Stupid, stupid. Especially because, no matter what her job was, she honestly liked Danny and didn’t want to hurt him.

  Now, the question hung awkwardly in the air between them. Her parents had always warned her that her mouth would get her into trouble. But she’d thought her job and her training had rid her of that little problem. After all, her mouth had never compromised a mission. Before now, that was.

  Yet here she was, asking Danny why he spent so much time with his brothers and sisters. His freaking family. Just because Amber had never spent that much time with her sister, didn’t mean she could judge others who did.

  The crazy thing? She hadn’t meant to be judgmental. Had just wanted to understand something she had trouble grasping. But judging by Danny’s silence, she’d seriously insulted him.

  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” Stupid, stupid, stupid.

  “No, I’m just thinking.”

  Amber held her breath while waiting for Danny to gather his thoughts. She wasn’t in the clear, yet.

  “It’s hard to explain, but they’re more than just my family. It’s not as if I can
’t do something without them. I don’t need their permission for anything, but I value their opinion, and I know whatever advice they give me, is not what they think is best, but what they think is best for me. It’s rare to trust someone to give you that kind of advice, you know?”

  She thought about what he said, remembered all the advice and support she’d gotten in the past year. Some had questioned her ability to do her job, but not one had asked her what she wanted. None had asked her what was right for her. And not one had thought about her when doling out advice.

  To have someone watching out for her that way… A stab of envy tightened her gut. Even though they weren’t the most likable bunch in the world, she still wished she had more people like that in her life.

  “I understand. And I think you’re very lucky,” she told him.

  His breath left him in a whoosh, and his shoulders sagged. Visible relief. “For a minute there I thought you were asking me because you didn’t like them, or because you thought it strange.”

  “No, of course not.” She hastened to assure him. Then, a devil possessed her. Even as the agent side of her urged her to bite her tongue, Amber grinned and said, “Well, except your sister.” Without doubt the worst of the bunch. Although most of the others had warmed up to her as the evening wore on, Laurie kept her distance. Something Amber was grateful for. Because after the first impression, Amber wasn’t ready to cut her a break.

  Laurie should realize how lucky she was to have a brother like Danny, not drag him outside and mentally beat on him. But no matter how obvious the mutual dislike was, she shouldn’t put Danny in the middle.

  As soon as the words left her mouth, Amber wished she could pull them back. She cringed as she waited for his response.