by A C Warneke
“It wasn’t Kerry, was it?” Sophie asked softly. “Lexi, I want you to be careful.”
“I always am.”
“No you’re not,” Sophie chuckled. “Is he looking at you now?”
“Yep,” she said, lifting her eyes and meeting molten silver. Her breath caught in her throat, “And he looks pissed.”
“He looks turned on,” her aunt quickly surmised.
“Yep,” Lexi nodded. “That, too. I’ve gotta go; talk to you later?”
“Of course.”
“Bye, Sophie,” Lexi said, hanging up the phone. Straightening a few papers on the desk, she took a moment to compose herself, fully aware of the intensity with which Duncan was watching her. Unable to bare the scrutiny any longer, she sighed and met his eyes, “Look, Kerry came in here while I was….”
“In more ways than one,” he rasped, starting to walk around the desk towards her. She knew that look – wanted it and feared it – so she took off in the opposite direction. Keeping pace with his advance, she debated internally about what it was to be a Siren and if it was okay to let him catch her.
“Well, there is that,” she admitted. She caught her lower lip, moving as he moved. “I sometimes have that effect on men.”
“I’ve realized that,” he practically growled. “You seem to be having that kind of effect on me.”
She laughed in spite of herself, “I doubt you’d lose control like that. I mean, come on, have you ever come with just a look?
“Not yet but if you keep looking at me with those green and gold eyes of yours I might,” he murmured harshly, his eyes darkening.
“Uh huh,” she breathed huskily. Hormones were bouncing off the walls and crashing into one another. As long as she didn’t sing then the lust was honest; she just had to figure out how to break through his shell to get to the hot, juicy center. She really needed to get out of there before she did something stupid, like rip her dress off and offer her body to this man. "Can you come now?"
He took a deep breath, his eyes closing briefly before he looked at her once more. “Not yet but right now, it wouldn’t take much.”
“Really?” she asked breathlessly, putting her hand over her chest. She wasn’t surprised at how fast her heart was beating or how hot her skin was. She grinned up at him, “Does this mean you’re going to break a few rules today?”
“Nope,” he said simply, advancing once more. She didn’t move.
She squeezed her thighs together to ease the ache that was building there; it only seemed to exacerbate the problem and she let out a little strangled sound of her own. It would be so easy to find the antidote in his arms but she wasn’t going to do that. “If you’re not going to play nicely than Go. Away.”
“I intend to play very nicely,” he rumbled, taking another step and prowling closer. And she realized that she hadn’t countered the last three steps and he was within a hand’s reach of grabbing her arm if he chose. "As I said earlier, I can't seem to go away. Are you wet?"
A pathetic whimper came from the back of her throat and she coughed to hide the fact that he was driving her mad and that she was very wet. “Why are you doing this?”
“You were talking about making a man come without physically touching him,” his voice was rough and his eyes gleamed dangerously, the silver depths almost predatory in their intensity. “I was wondering if I can do the same thing since it won’t be breaking any rules.”
“I should hope not,” she said frantically, clasping the edge of her desk with her hands as her knees turned to water. She was on the other side now, her back towards the door. “If you can make a guy come….”
“I want to make you come,” he breathed, his lids heavy as he looked at her. “Lexi, let me make you come.”
“If you touch me you’ll be breaking your rules,” she said, feeling the pressure building between her legs. God, if he would just leave, she could take care of it herself. In private. At this point, it wouldn’t take much. “Besides, I’m sure you have more… pressing matters to deal with.”
“None that I can think of right now,” he murmured, putting his hand over hers, sending a jolt of electricity and awareness through her body. Stepping behind her, he pressed the lower half of his body against her and she was able to feel exactly how turned on he was. Her groin started buzzing in anticipation. “I want to….”
“No,” she said before he could finish that statement. Unfortunately, her voice failed to convince her that she wanted him to stop. She squeezed her thighs tighter, feeling the edge of orgasm creeping closer. His fingers danced over her hand, coming to a rest on her stomach. Involuntarily, her eyes closed and her chest heaved with each breath she took. “I want you too much for you to be doing this to me; please, Duncan.”
His hand skimmed over her stomach, stopping at the hem of her suddenly too-short dress. His fingers brushed the top of her thigh as he stood behind her. She could feel the heat and steel of his erection pressed against her back as he whispered in her ear, “Please stop or please continue?”
He asked her that before and she asked him to stop. And then proceeded to suck his finger into her mouth. Had Ashley not been in the other room dressing, she would have welcomed him into her body. Now, there was no outside distraction and if he was willing to bend the rules if not outright break them, who was she to refuse? His fingers were just a hair’s breadth away from easing her suffering. “Touch me, Duncan.”
“Lexi,” he said, his fingers moving over the outside of her panties and she knew what he would feel: moisture and heat. And if he did that just a little harder, she’d fall apart. “You make me want to toss all of the rules away."
“Duncan,” she breathed, her eyes closing as the tips of his fingers pressed against her. Her legs gave out and she was grateful when his arm came around her waist, supporting her weight, as his fingers pressed closer. His body radiated heat against her back and she arched into it, into his warmth.
“Let me do this,” he whispered in her ear, his breath hot against her skin. Without waiting for an answer, he slid a hand over the top of her panties and against her skin. Parting the folds of her sex with two fingers, he slid a third into her, gathering wetness before rubbing her clit. Her body was rubber in his arms as he pushed her over the edge and she moaned when she came.
He changed the rhythm of his fingers, pushing deeper, circling slowly, pressing against her core. Within moments, her body was quaking with release and she was pushing against his hand to experience… everything. A low groan of pure pleasure escaped and she wasn’t sure if it was her or him that made the sound.
“My God, Lexi, that was exquisite,” he whispered, bringing his fingers up and tasting her orgasm. His eyes closed in ecstasy as his lips wrapped around his flesh. “Fuck the rules, Lexi; I want to bury myself in you… I want everything.”
She made a sound, unable to form coherent words just yet. He still held her, but his free hand was fumbling with his zipper. In a few moments, she was going to be… Where? On her desk? She glanced at the top of her desk and realized that there was too much stuff and the noise would sound an alarm. Maybe the floor? That was hardly satisfying – she had no idea what was on the floor. Maybe up against the wall….
Suddenly she realized that he was no longer fumbling with his pants. Instead, he was breathing heavily, raggedly, his forehead pressed against her shoulder. And she knew he was struggling to regain control. “Lexi, what are you doing to me?”
“Nothing yet,” she said softly, pressing her behind against his penis, hearing him groan.
He laughed harshly. “Then why do I have so little control around you?”
“You’re still dressed,” she said even as rational thought was trying to break through. She didn’t want to be rational just yet; she wanted sex. “I’d say you have very good control.”
“It’s not good enough,” he said hotly.
When she turned around to face him he was struggling to pull himself back from the edge, his nostrils fl
aring as his eyes burned through her. Desperate and mindless with lust, she hummed a few notes and watched as his eyes darkened. He stepped forward and cradled the back of her head in his palms as he bent his head, as his mouth hovered over hers, “Lexi.”
“Duncan,” she breathed, letting her hands stroke his ribs beneath his jacket and over his shirt. She was amazed at the lack of guilt she felt; if humming got her into his arms it would be worth it. Afterwards, once he returned to his senses, she would feel guilt, but now… Now she just wanted to feel his lips on hers. His skin was so hot beneath her fingers and she could just imagine how hot it would be against her skin. If she wanted to be entirely selfish, she would sing, bend him to her will until he was naked and….
The door burst open and they leapt apart as Kerry came bounding into the room, wearing a fresh pair of pants and carrying a steaming Styrofoam cup. Grinning and apparently oblivious to the discomfort of either Lexi or Duncan, he handed her the cup, “I brought you a cup of coffee, Miss Darling; is there anything else I can get for you before I head home for the day?”
“No,” she laughed stiffly, her eyes drowning in tears of denied pleasure as she watched sanity descend on Duncan. The wildness disappeared beneath a suit of civility and she was disappointed to see it go. Taking the cup in one hand and running the other over her face, she murmured, “Thank you, Kerry.”
“Mr. Tremain,” he beamed, disappearing as quickly as he appeared, leaving a disaster in his wake.
Lexi looked up at Duncan and saw the familiar tic in his jaw and she knew he was angry with himself. But when he saw her eyes glistening, he stepped forward and tenderly brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, wiping the tears away. Bending his head, he pressed his forehead to hers, “I have to keep my distance from you, Lexi; if I don’t I won’t be able to forgive myself.”
She offered him a watery smile, placing her hands over his, “I wish things were different.”
“So do I,” he breathed. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply, a soft, almost-purring, sound came from the back of his throat. “I lose my mind around you.”
“I find mine.”
His eyes darkened a moment before he pushed himself away from her. Straightening his tie, he spoke through clenched teeth, “Have this month’s article on my desk by Thursday; I want to read it before you give it to the editor.”
With that, he turned around and stalked out of her office, leaving her oddly fulfilled and strangely bereft. Her desire for him was stronger than ever.
*****
Duncan stormed down the hallway, Lexi’s smell clinging to him and filling his senses until he was tempted to turn around and finish what he started. What she started, damn it. All that talk about making men come with a song and a smile and then that pink scrap of material pretending to be a dress and all of those damn pheromones crowding the room until all he could smell was Lexi. Lexi and her heat, Lexi and her sex, Lexi, just Lexi. He was definitely going mad.
No, it wasn’t her fault. After he had seen her at the copy machine he had stalked back to his office to regroup, putting on the veneer of a civilized man. And then coming up with a flimsy excuse to track her down and ask her something, he didn’t even remember what. She looked up at him with those green and gold eyes and he was lost. Even if he intended on not breaking his rules, his damn rules, he knew that he was going to break every last one. He was going to claim her in that office and then drag her back to his lair and keep her there.
Had that buffoon not burst into the office when he had…. He should be thanking the poor, hapless fool instead of consigning him to the depths of hell for interrupting.
Lexi was a temptation he could not indulge in, no matter how much he wanted her. And God, did he want her. A lot. He was never going to last another day in the same building with her, let alone several weeks, and as much as he hated to admit it, avoiding her was just not working. It would be a simple matter to deal with the magazine from one of his other offices; why was he torturing himself by remaining so close to Lexi?
Because she consumed him and he wanted to be near her, if only to experience the sweet torture of not allowing himself to touch. Because even as he tried to figure out the most efficient way to avoid temptation, his libido was figuring out ways to bump into it – hell, crash into it full force. He wanted her desperately.
Claim her,
“No,” he said out loud, startling one of his employees. Squeezing his hands into fists as his wolf taunted him with something he could not have, he bit out, She’s a human; I’m a wolf. It would never work out.
You’re the Alpha, the wolf's seductive words whispered in his head. The rules were made for you to break; claim her.
No.
CLAIM HER!
The wolf’s demanding roar startled him and he jumped. Glancing around the room, he noticed several sets of eyes staring at him. Scowling, he met each pair of eyes until their owners nervously went back to work and he prowled back to his office, ignoring the secretary as she tried to hand him some messages and slamming the door behind him. He didn’t need this right now; he didn’t need any of this. He had an erection that refused to go away and the scent of Lexi clinging to his fingers. If he didn’t find some semblance of sanity soon he was going to succumb to madness; he was going to fight his wolf to claim her for his own.
Chapter 9 (Thursday/Friday)
The eighteen year old mouse followed the gorgeous lion as he pinned flyers up all over the quad, quietly taking them down as soon as he looked away. Alexandra was sure the gorgeous man was going to turn around and catch in the act of undoing all of his hard work but she had read the flyer and she desperately wanted to be the one who answered the ad. She hated living in the dorm; her parents had allowed her to attend the state university but they refused to allow her to have a roommate.
Well, she had decided to take matters into her own hands and when she overheard the two gorgeous guys from her photography class talk about taking on a third roommate, she had immediately perked up. For some reason, she was utterly fascinated by the bartender and the artist and learning that they wanted a roommate....
It was the perfect opportunity. As long as they didn’t take one look at her and laugh her out of the house. As soon as she returned to her lonely dorm room that afternoon she had called the number and made an appointment to meet with them the next day.
Wearing a plain white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans, hoping to look like an ordinary college coed, she stood on the front step and knocked on the door, nerves and excitement battling in her stomach. If they didn’t answer, she was going to be sick all over the pot filled with dirt but no plant. When the door opened, her jaw dropped to her chest; the one with sandy blond hair was standing there wearing only a pair of boxers, rubbing his bare chest. His hair was standing on end and he looked as if he had just rolled out of bed. “Yeah?”
“I’m here about the room?” she squeaked, taking in the naked expanse of skin.
“Cole!” he called out, letting the door slide open the rest of the way while never taking his brown eyes off her, “You’re victim is here!”
She took a step back, her eyes widening in her head, until the nearly naked man smiled, a warm friendly smile that dimpled. “Come on it; can I get you anything to drink? Soda? Gin?”
“Um, a glass of water would be great,” she replied meekly, entering the masculine domain and leaving the safety of her world behind.
“It’s odd but you’re the only one who has shown any interest in rooming here,” he said as he led her further away from the life she had known. Glancing over his shoulder, his eyes sparkled with amusement, “Why is that, I wonder?”
“I have no idea,” she lied, offering a tentative smile to hide the fact that she was lying.
He chuckled, “I think some enterprising little mouse pilfered all of our flyers.”
The other one bounded down the stairs at that moment, wearing a purple velvet smoking jacket and no pants. His golden brown hair hung loose around his
face as he beamed down at her and clapped his hands together, “Our little thief. What a pleasure it is to make your acquaintance. Do you think I might have the flyers back?”
She felt the heat scalding her cheeks as she dug into her bag and pulled out the flyers, reluctantly handing them back to the men she had stolen them from. “I figured I’d save you the trouble of letting someone else move in only to discover they were not compatible.”
“As if you’re compatible?” Dima asked dubiously, glancing at her squeaky clean image. “With us? Sweetheart, you’re as wholesome as apple pie.”
Her cheeks flames hotter but she stood her ground, “Just because I don’t chase after anything in a skirt doesn’t mean I’m not compatible. In fact, it might do you some good to have someone like me to… to add balance, or something.”
“Or maybe we could corrupt you instead.” Dima said, waggling his eyebrows. Nudging Cole’s shoulder, he leered at her, “We could share her….”
“Oh, please,” she waved her hand through the air, pretending to be brave when her heart was pounding in her chest, begging her to shut up. “The two of you couldn’t handle me.”
Cole’s laughter wrapped around her, embracing her in its warmth, “I think if anyone can make Dima a better person it would be you. But I’m afraid there’s no hope for me.”
“There’s always hope,” she said gently, patting him on the arm, not knowing at the time that he was teasing her. Or what form his teasing would take.
“I’m afraid not,” he sighed, untying the sash of his smoking jacket and letting it fall to the ground until he stood before her, completely naked.
Her eyes widened impossibly in her head as she saw her first nude male and she didn’t know where to look. In desperation, she looked at Dima, whose wicked grin was the only warning she had before he dropped his boxers and they both stood before her, naked as the day they were born but decidedly much more manly.
