Enticing Their Mate (7 page)

Oh, no. Was he a buyer for the women?

“Gentlemen,” the giant said, “Come with me.”

Okay, maybe he wasn’t here to buy the women. Riley froze as if he, too, knew the man, but then glanced her way with a hunger in his eyes that nearly undid her. Whoa. Even when he was scowling, he exuded sex appeal.

“Who are they?” Amy whispered as she slid next to her.

Sarah slapped a hand over her chest. She wasn’t used to having another nurse work with her, but Amy was still on the old eight-hour schedule. “You scared me.”

Amy looked over at her and smiled. “Sorry. I was staring too hard at those men. All I can say is wow.”

Sarah twisted toward her. “You aren’t supposed to drool. You’re with Russ.”

She shrugged then grinned. “There’s always room for one more.”

Just then Russ rounded the corner and stalked toward them, and Sarah hoped he hadn’t overheard his girlfriend’s comment. “Gotta get back to work,” Sarah said.

Needing to regroup, she headed to the eastside room, where Nancy was located. When Amy had come into work two hours ago, Sarah had told her the bad news about the twelve-hour shifts. While Amy wasn’t happy, she didn’t seem all that upset. She’d said that Russ’s hours would probably be extended because of Darnell’s departure and that she liked working when Russ was around. It must have occurred to Amy that with the addition of the three men, the guards’ schedules might change.

Until Sarah finished her shift in two hours, Amy would be there to take care of the other five women. Not having to rush between the rooms, even for one day, would be nice.

Less than thirty minutes after her Riley sighting, the door to the women’s room opened. She thought it was Amy, but when she turned around, Riley was coming toward her, and her pulse shot up.

He glanced around the room, probably to check out the location of the cameras. Four had been installed today. Without moving her head, she motioned with her eyes to each of them.

She straightened her shoulders, pretending to be put off by a guard coming into her domain. “Can I help you with something?”

“Just checking the place out.” He smiled and her heart zinged. “The truth? You looked a little lonely when I came in.”

That comment threw her for a loop. Was this Riley, her fellow agent, or a fake guard who was trying to mislead Statler? She cleared her throat, not willing to discuss whether she was lonely or not. “What do you want?”

“You,” he whispered.

Me?
Lust pooled between her legs. He’d said the word so softly that a mic wouldn’t be able to pick up the sound. What was his game? The last time she’d been with him, he’d acted like he didn’t even like her. Or was this another acting job, like the one in the convenience store? She didn’t dare pose the question in here.

Sarah would have turned away from the cameras, but they seemed to be everywhere. Riley slipped a hand into his pocket and leaned close. Her breath caught in her lungs at his nearness, and while his power and raw manliness excited her, she had a job to do.

He reached out and stroked her arm with a finger, and she couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted to. Goose bumps skittered across her skin, but whether it was from excitement or a bit of fear she didn’t know. When his hand reached hers, he slipped something square into her palm, and the puzzle pieces fell into place. It had to be the antibiotics. He understood that if Statler had seen the exchange, one of them might be killed.

The door quickly opened. “Sarah, could I—oh. Excuse me.”

Shit. Her world spun as a few terrible scenarios raced through her head. Less than an hour ago, she’d acted as if she didn’t know the three new guards. Think. What had she said to Amy? Her mind blanked.

As if he could see the panic screaming across her face, Riley turned around, glared at Amy, then bent down and kissed Sarah.

Holy shit.

S
arah’s rigid discipline of remaining calm under extraordinary pressure collapsed for the second time in three days. Not only was she stunned, she had no idea if she should be wrapping an arm around Riley’s neck and a leg around his waist, or would it be better to push him away and act as if she’d never met him? Amy remained in the doorway with her mouth open.

Do what you want and lie about it later
.

When Riley dragged his tongue along the seam of her lips, all rational thought disappeared. She’d woken up a few times during the night and dreamed about this exact moment. Ah, hell. She did what her body demanded. She kissed him back.

His erection made an indentation in her stomach and the sexual heat slammed into her so fast her breath caught. This was ridiculous. A man had never had an effect on her like this before, but then again, she’d never met a man like him—or Jay.

He broke the kiss. “Tonight? My place?”

How was she supposed to answer that? “Sure.”

He grinned, and as he headed out, Sarah stuffed the medicine in her pocket. Amy rushed in. “You’ve been keeping him a secret?”

If she believed that, Sarah would go with it. “Riley and I worked together at the old lab for a while. He was only there for a few weeks, but the sex was amazing.”

Amy grinned. “You go, girl. Word of advice, though. Be careful when Statler’s around.”

“Don’t tell me he caught you and Russ doing the nasty?”

“Almost. Russ can sense another werewolf a mile away, so we were able to move apart in time.”

“I’ll be sure to keep our relationship professional at work.”

“Smart. I came in to ask if you’d look at Belinda. She’s been having some abdominal pain.”

“That’s not good.” Right now, Sarah needed to make sure Amy didn’t suspect anything.

When she entered the other room, Belinda was holding her stomach. If Sarah had been held captive, she’d have faked an illness, too—anything to get out of there—but if Belinda was acting, she deserved an award. Shit. She hoped it wasn’t a burst appendix. Belinda would die without medical care.

“Where does it hurt?” The answer wasn’t going to come as a surprise.

“My stomach.”

“When did it start?”

“After I ate.”

She asked her a series of questions including the level of severity. As Sarah stood to find some medicine, she noticed Belinda’s wrists were bleeding from the restraints. “I’ll find some bandages, too.”

With each step, her hatred for Statler built. It didn’t matter that he’d stocked a small storage room with whatever medications she and a few others had been able to bring with them when the General had seized the lab. Statler was still uncaring and nasty.

The storage room was at the end of the corridor—the same hallway that housed Statler’s office. Walking quietly, she stepped inside the tiny room and scanned the shelves. After she gathered the bandages, she looked for something to help soothe Belinda’s stomach, hoping it was a case of indigestion.

The door behind her clicked open and she spun around, her heart nearly bursting.

“What are you doing here?” Someone would surely miss Riley and come looking for him. Thankfully, there were no surveillance cameras in the five by eight storage closet, but that didn’t mean they could stay in here and do wonderful things to each other’s bodies.

“I’m sorry if I upset you in the other room. I knew Amy was attached at the hip to Russ, and I didn’t know how to explain being so close to you.”

Well, that deflated her ego. “No problem. I told her that we dated at the lab.”

“I’m guessing Amy didn’t work there?”

“Right.”

Now that he’d said his peace, she thought he’d leave, but he just stared at her. Then as if she was watching a slow motion movie of someone transforming into a wolf, his incisors grew and his scruff darkened.

“Riley?”

*     *     *

Riley shouldn’t be there, but the moment he sensed Sarah was near, it was as if someone else had taken over his body. He’d always prided himself on being able to control his heart rate, his facial expressions, and his ability not to shift, but he’d never been tested like this before. Sarah did something to his equilibrium, and if he wasn’t careful, he could end up taking down this entire operation.

Because his kind only found their mate once in their life, he didn’t have any experience with this sort of thing. Jay seemed excited that Sarah was both of their mates, but there were too many pitfalls. Eventually, she’d find Jay easier to be with and then she’d tell Riley to take a hike. It was the story of his life.

Riley wasn’t strong enough, though, to walk away. If he could be with her just one time, he might be able to get her out of his system. One touch, one kiss, and then he could move on. Jay could pursue her and all would be good.

He cupped her shoulders. “I lied. I kissed you because I couldn’t help myself.”

Letting a woman know exactly what he was thinking probably wasn’t smart, but the hurt emanating from her eyes cut him deep.

“You couldn’t?” She glanced to the door, her gaze never leaving his face. “I’m honored, but we shouldn’t be here together.”

While those words came out of her mouth, her hands fiddled with the lapel on his shirt; she was contemplating undoing the buttons. She must be as affected as he was by this magical pull between them, though how that was possible he didn’t know. Sarah was a human, and her kind didn’t have the same draw to another as werewolves did, but he wouldn’t complain.

“That may be, but since we are here—together and alone—I see no reason not to taste you again.” This need went beyond mere desire. His whole genetic makeup demanded it, almost frightening him in its intensity.

She closed her eyes, slid her palms around to his back, and slightly parted her lips. If that wasn’t a sign she wanted him, he’d let Statler kill him. Not wasting another second apart, he drew her near and inhaled her crisp scent as he pressed his lips to hers. Their tongues entwined like lifelong lovers, and the idea that one touch would be enough evaporated.

His hands found their way to her round butt, and as he cupped each of her luscious orbs, his claws extended at the thought of driving his dick into her dark sweetness. Her chest expanded and contracted with each breath as if being with him was overwhelming her, too.

She broke the contact and looked up at him with a combination of lust, fear, and need. “What if someone comes looking for you?”

“Don’t worry. Clay and Dirk will warn us if trouble is brewing. Besides, Statler took off a while ago.”

That was a relief. “What about Russ?”

“I’m sure he’ll understand. He seems like the type who enjoys a willing woman.” He prayed all this talk about being caught wouldn’t give Sarah second thoughts.

Second thoughts?
Look who was talking. Riley had intended to merely steal a kiss—nothing more. Yet, he couldn’t stop now. He delved into her sweet mouth and his dick nearly sprung from his pants. His urge to mate had turned him feral, and his teeth sharpened.

She jerked. “What was that?”

He ran his tongue along his sharp fangs, concentrating on retracting them. “I’m sorry. You bring out the best, or maybe it’s the worst in me. The wolf inside me wants to claim you. I can’t explain it any other way.”

She smiled and dragged her hands up his chest. “I wouldn’t mind if you want to find a little release.”

Her words were like the most powerful drug. “Oh, yeah?”

Riley’s eyelids began to droop as he leaned over and nabbed her earlobe between his now retracted wolf teeth. He might have been able to last a little longer if Sarah hadn’t reached between them and unzipped his fly. A soft growl started in his chest and then turned into something closer to a howl.

“Woman, you have no idea what you’ve done.” She drew in her bottom lip and he nearly lost it.

“Whatever it is, I hope it prompts you to move fast. I’m dying here.”

He swore the lights flickered a happy shade of go-green in the tiny room. When he slipped the material over her head, he had to pause and soak in the marvel of her body. Full, lush tits spilled out from a leopard print bra, and he tossed her top on the shelf behind her.

“Were you expecting me?” he said with probably too much awe in his voice.

“I don’t kiss and tell.”

Riley didn’t want to let this woman get under his skin, but he had the sinking feeling it was already too late. For the next few minutes, he’d love her with every ounce of his being, and then he’d walk away.

Once she and Jay hooked up, she’d no doubt be happy. Jay was a good man who grew up with a family who loved him. He’d know how to deal with all the ups and downs of dealing with a permanent relationship.

Riley pushed her bra up over her tits, and had no doubt that his eyes had turned golden with lust. His mouth watered and his fingers itched to touch all of her. As much as he wanted to savor each perfectly formed nipple, he needed her naked.

“I want to see all of you before I take you,” he said, his words sounding like they’d tripped over sandpaper.

“I’ll help. It’ll be faster.”

“Yes. Faster.”

While she was stepping out of her scrub bottoms and then sliding down her panties, he had to turn to the side to avoid becoming too entranced. He shoved down his jeans and briefs then retrieved a condom from his wallet. As much as he wanted to take her bareback, not only would it be less messy, he couldn’t chance impregnating her.