"Sir?"
Jasper stopped in front of Jolene, not too close in case his lion wanted to take over and grab her round the throat.
"A lot of men actually like curves in women, Miss Jackson. I am one of those people. I don't normally say this out loud of my employees but I prefer shape to a woman than those who have their shirts unbuttoned to the navel and a belt that's wrongly classed as a skirt." He made a pointed look over Jolene's attire. "And it is discrimination like that that can get you fired."
Jolene stared, her mouth open. Evidently she hadn't expected Jasper to turn on her.
"What for?"
"Weight comments against a colleague. From where I come from, that's called bullying, whether it's to their face or behind their back." Jasper shook his head.
"I don't know why you don't like Cadence but if you want to say in the editing room, you'd better buck your ideas up. I don't want to hear anything unkind about Cadence Steel anymore from you or from anyone else. Or you're out."
Throughout his speech, Jolene had been looking completely stunned. Jasper could see her plan to seduce him and work her way up the ladder to a position she was nowhere near qualified for going down the drain. She had put herself on his bad side and she was slowly beginning to realize this. She closed her mouth and her eyes narrowed.
"Yes. Sir." She said with a barely contained snarl.
She turned smartly and click-clacked her way out the office, barging past Mattie as she entered the office. Mattie caught herself before she was knocked to the floor and rubbed her shoulder.
"What's her problem?"
"She wants to fuck me to get to the top." Jasper went back to his chair and sat down heavily. "Not going to happen."
"Probably a good thing. I've heard on the grapevine she's close and cosy with the wolf alpha."
Jasper groaned. That was all he needed.
"I'm glad I told her to get lost. How she expected to get anywhere with me dressed in virtually nothing, I have no idea."
"She's done it before. I guess she thought she could do it again." Mattie glanced into the main office and closed his door before she approached his desk. "You're asking for trouble."
"I don't think I am."
"Come on, Jasper. You've virtually admitted to an employee that you like Cadence in more than a professional interest. That people will pounce on. Especially sharks like Jolene Jackson." Mattie frowned at him. "You've never done that before. What's wrong with you?"
Jasper considered lying but Mattie knew him well. She could always tell when he was lying; they had known each other that long. He sighed and rubbed at his eyes.
"It's my lion. It's telling me Cadence is my mate."
Saying it in his head sounded good. Saying it out loud sounded even better. Jasper liked the idea of calling Cadence his mate. Mattie blinked and stared at him.
"Cadence? Is your lion on something?"
Jasper sighed.
"I know. She's the last person I'd be interested in, given her attitudes towards shifters but since when has our biology actually paid attention to what we want?"
"Point taken." Mattie let out a breath. "What are you going to do?"
"Keep her close. See if I can get her round to my side."
That was the plan. Jasper liked a challenge. And Cadence was a challenge. But he was confident he could do it.
"Just be careful," Mattie warned, "Or you'll be up for sexual harassment."
Jasper grinned and winked.
"Once I get her in my arms, she won't be complaining. She'll be begging."
That had the desired effect. Mattie laughed. She was a beautiful woman when she laughed. How her lion had not found its mate after all this time was beyond him.
"Ever the arrogant bastard." Mattie glanced towards the office and calmed her laugh into a smile. "I'd better get back to work. Talk to you later."
"See you, Mattie."
Mattie left and Jasper was left with his thoughts. Maybe Mattie was right. The take-charge attitude wasn't going to work on Cadence. She needed the softly-softly approach; she didn't deserve to be swept off her feet so fast her head spun. A woman like Cadence Steel wanted to be seduced in a romantic way.
Jasper had never done it before. It wasn't in his nature to be gentle.
He had a feeling he was going to fail miserably.
Chapter 3: Twice in One Night
It was dark when Cadence finally finished her work and shut down her computer, her laptop going into her bag. Everyone else had gone home long ago, even Mattie who was known to burn the midnight oil.
The only person in the building was who still there was Webster, the blinds closed but Cadence could see the light coming from underneath the door. He was working late as well. Probably to keep an eye on her and make sure she did as she was told.
After that meeting in his office, Cadence had had to go to the bathroom and lock herself in a cubicle. Just being in Webster's presence had done things to her body that were overwhelming. If she had been there any longer, she would have either hit him or kissed him. Either of those actions would have got her fired.
It was scary as hell that she was attracted to a brash, rude man who probably didn't know the meaning of respect when it came to women. They were the type of people she kept away from.
Maybe this intense attraction was the reason why.
Cadence shrugged into her coat and shouldered her bag, fingering her keys in her pocket as she left the office. After working furiously on that article Webster wanted for the last two days and getting it as polished as she could, she had barely been able to work on her own research. Whatever she had found in her break she had saved onto her laptop for later. There were several websites and sources she could work with.
This book was going to be a big hit once she completed it.
Cadence was still thinking about her book when she entered the employees' parking lot. Her mind was focused on what to work on first as she took her keys out and fumbled for the fob.
Then they were out of her hand and flying across the air as she was grabbed from behind and lifted off her feet. Her bag went flying and Cadence hit the wall with her shoulder, slumping to the ground and landing on her side. The tarmac scraped at her hands and she barely managed to stop her head hitting the ground. The tension jarred down her neck and back and Cadence felt like she was ready to pass out.
Someone grabbed at her hair and yanked her upright. Tears in her eyes from the pain, Cadence tried to push the hand away but it held tighter as she was pulled closer to her attacker. His breath was hot on her neck, smelling of cigarettes and rancid meat. Cadence flinched and tried not to gag.
The shifter's mouth brushed over her ear with a low growl.
"Back off, little girl, if you know what's good for you."
Cadence bucked away and struggled but the grip in her hair tightened. She screamed, hoping that someone would hear her. The parking lot was underground but there had to be someone about. Someone should be able to come to her rescue.
Sure enough, a door banged open somewhere and there came the sound of running footsteps.
"Hey! Let her go!"
With an animalistic snarl, the shifter let go of Cadence, dropping her head abruptly, and took off. Cadence closed her eyes and waited for the world to stop spinning. A second longer and she would have passed out.
Footsteps came towards her and Cadence tensed as they stopped beside her, unable to stop shaking. Maybe the shifter had frightened away her would-be rescuer and had come back for another go. She felt him kneel down and touch her shoulder. She whimpered and flinched away.
"Cadence. It's me, Jasper."
Webster. He was here. For once in the two days Cadence had worked for him, she was relieved he was there with her. She relaxed and the shakes calmed.
She felt strong hands at her shoulders, moving her gently up until she was sitting with her back against the wall. Webster crouched before her, his shirt undone at the neck and no tie. He must have come straight
from his office without reaching for his jacket. He was breathing heavily, clearly trying to calm a fury that threatened to overflow the worry in his face.
"You okay?"
"I think so." Cadence's head hurt like hell. Then she looked around wildly as a thought came to her. "My bag. My keys. My laptop was in my bag."
She made to stand up but Webster held her firmly in place.
"No, you're not going anywhere. Stay here and get your wits back and I'll find your things."
Cadence wanted to argue but she was too sore. Even keeping her eyes open hurt. She decided to listen to Webster for once and stayed sitting, leaning her head against the wall as Webster stood and walked away.
Her head hurt like crazy. The crown felt like it had been ripped out. She reached up and touched the top of her head, wincing as the part she prodded throbbed. It also felt a little sticky. Lowering her hand, Cadence saw blood on her fingers. The bastard had ripped at her head hard enough to draw blood.
Webster came back, her car keys in one hand and her bag in the other.
"I did open your laptop to check it was still working. The screen isn't cracked but I can't say about the hard drive so you had better..."
He stopped and growled. Startled, Cadence looked up. Webster was staring at her bloody hand, fury written across his face. Cadence shrank back, her heart beating faster at the look in his eyes.
"He hurt you."
He was only angry because she had been injured. Cadence relaxed and wiped her hands on her jacket.
"I'm fine. It's nothing."
"Nothing? Cadence, you've got blood in your hair." Webster's nostrils flared. "I'm going to kill that bastard."
Cadence wondered what she had done to deserve this show of emotion. Whenever Webster was around her, he was cold and distant, sometimes just ignoring her altogether. To have this sort of fiery passion at the sight of her in pain was something completely different.
And not entirely unpleasant.
"I said I'm fine, sir. Just leave it." She got her legs underneath her and slowly stood, her knees screaming. They must have been scraped on the ground as well. "I'll just get home and get into a hot bath. That'll clean out the wounds and soothe my nerves." She held out her hands. "Now, can I have my things, please?"
Webster didn't look happy but he handed her bag and keys over without argument.
"Where's your car?"
Cadence pointed to the only one left in the row opposite them.
"That one."
Webster looked at her car in stunned amazement.
"You drive that? The registration says it's got to be fourteen years old! It looks like it's about to fall to bits."
Cadence bristled. She was very attached to the old banger and not even her sexy, arrogant boss was going to say anything bad about her little car.
"It gets me where I need to go." She said coldly. She shouldered and bag and pressed a button on her fob. The car bleeped and unlocked. "Now, if you'll excuse me?"
"Where do you live?"
Cadence stopped dead in her tracks. She wasn't sure if she had heard him correctly.
"I beg your pardon?"
Webster reached for her keys.
"I'll drive you home."
Cadence felt his fingers brushed against hers before she pulled back, holding her keys behind her back.
"No. Absolutely not."
No one was touching her pride and joy. Certainly not this man. He wouldn't be able to get behind the wheel even if she did trust him.
Webster sighed, looking at her like she had a few screws loose.
"Cadence, you were attacked and you have a head injury. I'm driving."
The thought of being in a car with this man in close quarters had Cadence's palms sweating. Her pussy also started to throb. It liked the idea of being in close quarters with Webster but Cadence didn't. If only her body and her brain could work in sync.
Then she saw Webster's nostrils flare again and his eyes travelled down her body. A low growl that sounded strangely like a purr emanated from his lips, sending shivers down Cadence's spine. It was as if he could smell her arousal.
This was ridiculous. They were human beings, not animals. He couldn't smell her arousal.
And he wasn't going to take charge in that manner of his again.
"My head is fine." She snapped and stepped round him. "Leave me alone."
"Cadence..."
"Go away!" Cadence felt like her head was about to explode and the last thing she wanted to do was be in close confines with this man. "You may be my boss during working hours but you are not in charge of me now. Leave me in peace. You can be cruel to me later."
"Who said I was being cruel?"
Cadence realized what she had said. Closing her eyes, she sighed and turned to face him, opening her eyes to see his bewilderment.
"Sorry, sir, that was uncalled for. I've been managing on my own for years. I think I can handle a few more days alone."
Saying it over the years hadn't bothered Cadence before. Until now. Now she just felt lonely. Which shocked her; she hadn't felt lonely before.
She needed to find a one-night stand and get laid. Maybe sex would take her mind off her loneliness.
Webster pursed his mouth. He was clearly still not happy but he didn't argue with her, shrugging sharply.
"Suit yourself. But be careful."
Cadence grinned and wiggled her fingers before turning away and walked towards her car.
"I'm always careful."
#
As she drove home, Cadence began to wonder what had happened between her and Webster. Something had happened in the parking lot that had charged the air between them and Cadence's skin was still tingling from the electricity.
This frightened her. Webster was not a man she should be remotely interested in. He was the opposite of what she looked for in a man. Rich, cruel, disrespectful, cold. Unfortunately, he was smoking hot and Cadence had been shuffling about in her chair the past two days trying to ease the ache between her legs.
Her pussy had taken on a mind of its own since that first meeting. It seemed to be ignoring Cadence's messages that Jasper Webster was all wrong.
It was hell when your brain said one thing and it was sensible and practical but your body was ignoring good sense and wanted a good time. And it seemed to sense that Webster would give it a good time. Cadence felt her body temperature crank up and turned the air conditioning on high. She gripped the wheel and told herself to stop being so stupid.
She was a junior reporter, he was a billionaire and, for a time, her boss. That was unethical right there. No way was she jeopardizing her job for a roll in the sheets. Not for him.
Getting home without any problems, Cadence pulled into her space and got out, reaching in for her bag. She was coming out and shutting the door when she was shoved into the side of her car.
Her ankle went underneath her and she collapsed to the ground with a yell. She caught sight of a thin man wearing a black hoodie up over his head standing over her before darting away between the cars.
There were no guesses as to who he was. Another shifter. Cadence could recognize the rank stench a mile off.
She was sitting up when a shadow fell over her, blocking the light from the street lamp. Looking up, she squinted and saw Webster standing over her, his hands on his hips. From what she could see of his face he looked amused.
"'I'm always careful'. Really, Miss Steel?"
Cadence growled.
"Are you following me, sir?"
"I told you I wanted to make sure you got home okay."
Cadence grunted. She had a major headache coming on and wanted to get inside.
"I'm beginning to think you got those guys to attack me so you could pretend to play hero."
Webster raised an eyebrow.
"You haven't got a high opinion of men, have you?"
"Not all men. Just you." Cadence tried to stand but her ankle screamed at her. "Ouch!"
Webster was
kneeling beside her in an instant. Cadence swayed as his sudden movement threatened to knock her over.
"You okay?"
"It's just a twist." Cadence rubbed at her ankle, which said it wasn't happy with how it had been treated. "I'll be fine."
She didn't know what happened next. One minute she was sitting on the ground, the next she was up in the air in Webster's arms. She squealed and hung onto his neck.
"What the hell are you doing?" She squeaked.
"You are not walking on that foot."
Crouching back down, Webster retrieved her bag and locked up her car, ignoring her protests. Then he managed to put Cadence's bag onto her lap without dropping her and carried up towards her apartment building. He nodded at the security keypad.
"Get us in and I'll carry you up."
Cadence typed in her code and Webster pushed inside, striding towards the stairs. Cadence tried to get out of his grip.
"We have an elevator." She pointed towards the lift as they passed. "I can go in there."
But Webster held onto her tighter.
"No chance. All the way."
He went into the stairwell and climbed to the fifth floor. Cadence held on, knowing better than to argue right now. She tried not to lean her head on his broad shoulders or take in his masculine smell. It was powerful and her body couldn't take it.
She needed to get out of his arms before she started nibbling at his neck.
After what seemed like an age, Webster reached her floor and Cadence found her keys, stopping him as they started to walk past her apartment.
"This is me." She glared at him. "You can put me down now."
"Okay."
Webster let her legs go first and Cadence slid down his massively solid body. She gasped when she felt something harder than the rest of his muscles prod her in the stomach but she couldn't bring herself to move away. He was turned on. Big time. For her.
Cadence didn't know whether to kiss him or run the other way. His reaction to her frightened and aroused her. She swallowed.
"Aren't you exhausted? You carried me up all those stairs. I'm really heavy."
Romance: The Lion's Chosen Mate: BBW Lion Shifter Romance Standalone (Hunky Shifters Book 1) Page 3
