Protector of the Pride (Lions of Pride Island Book 3) (4 page)

“Backward, forward, I want you,” she said, putting her hand over his member again.

He groaned. “Lucy…” Then he stood, pushing her out of his lap. Before she could protest, he scooped her up in his arms. He held her against his chest in a tight hug, and she could feel his heart beating. “Not tonight,” he said. “We should wait.”

“You should have thought of that before you gave me an orgasm,” she muttered as he walked her to the bed and set her down on it, looking down at her with something like tenderness as he watched her in the dark. She turned away from him. “Fine. Go, then.”

He walked around her side of the bed, looking at her curiously. “And now you’re pissed at me. I’m trying to be a gentleman.”

She sighed and looked up at him in resignation. He was probably right, no matter how much her body wanted to scream at him. “It’s fine,” she said. “I’m sure you won’t be able to resist for long.”

He snorted as he walked to the door. He paused for a second after opening it and then walked back to her on the bed. A chill went up her spine in anticipation, and then he leaned forward, hands on either side of her, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

Damn her body for waking up again.

“What was that?” she asked as he stepped back and walked to the door again.

“Just getting a head start on the wooing,” he said. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Let me know if you need anything.”

She just gaped after him as he shut the door. She listened to his smooth footsteps echoing down the hall.

How could he just walk away like that? Was he completely unaffected?

She growled and flopped on the bed, pulling her pillow over her head. She’d meant to tease him, and it had totally backfired. Yet she still couldn’t wait to see him in the morning.

T
he next morning
, things were oddly like usual as they worked together in the office. They’d eaten a quiet breakfast, with only a few furtive glances, and then Axel had headed to the office to work, and she’d followed after a quick perusal on her phone of some of her favorite internet sites.

She was a little bit worried about spending the day in the same room with him, but she bucked up and got herself in there.

And now they were working like nothing had happened. Trust Axel to let work take priority over everything.

Right now, he was arguing irritably on the phone with one of the dragon regions.

“I don’t have backup,” he said. “We’re spread thin. … No, I wasn’t aware of any ice plan. … The what?” He shook his head. “If I hear from the oracle, I’ll let you know. Meanwhile, are there any tigers you can borrow?” He rubbed his head. “Fine. Do that. And I’ll get in touch with the local tribunal and see what they say.” He slammed the phone down and ran a hand through his hair.

“Mainland trouble?” she asked.

He nodded, letting out a long sigh. “Sometimes I wouldn’t mind handing all of this over to someone else. If there was someone trustworthy.”

She nodded slowly. “There’s a huge burden there.”

He exhaled slowly, relaxing in his chair and then picking up the phone to dial. “I gotta call one of the tribunals and let them know about a rogue wolf problem. I hate they’re always causing us trouble.”

“It’s because their female population was hit,” she said. “That always disrupts a society in a big way.”

“Wolves are just trouble, period,” he said.

“There are some nice ones,” she rebutted.

He looked over at her. He was unbearably handsome today in a light-blue sweater over light khakis that hugged his butt. A butt she couldn’t see right now because he was sitting behind a desk.

Something like jealousy flashed in his eyes. “And how would you know?”

“I’ve worked on the mainland, you know,” she said. “I haven’t only stayed here. Unlike you, I’m not tied to it.”

“What about your family?” he asked. “Now that I think about it, I’ve never asked you about it.”

She shrugged. “Not much to tell. I’ve been in the foster system since I was young. I was orphaned as a baby. I never knew my family. I’ve done just fine on my own.”

“Orphaned? That’s heavy. You think they died in political wars?”

She looked away. She didn’t want to talk about this. When she’d gotten older, she’d gone looking for who her family was. And then quickly realized it would be better not to know.

Now she really didn’t like to think about it. They didn’t make her who she was. She’d always been on her own. She chose her own destiny; no one else did it for her with something stupid like blood.

“Why do I feel like there’s something there you aren’t telling me?”

“Probably because I don’t owe you info about anything in my life,” she said.

He bit his lip. “Fine.” His biceps flexed in his sweater as he leaned forward on the desk, flipping through a stack of papers. Then he sat back, handsome face confused. “What was I doing?”

“Calling one of the tribunals?” she suggested with a half smile.

He grinned. “Thanks.” Just as he picked up the phone, she heard the doorbell ring to the castle. He put a hand up, tucked his phone against his ear, and stood up to get the door.

She was touched by his protectiveness. He never let her be the one to go to the door. And even with servants around, he never expected them to drop whatever they were doing and race to the door.

She heard him get the door. Then he talked to someone, and she heard footsteps head back into the office.

She looked up to see a man she didn’t recognize, in a uniform, holding a gigantic vase of flowers.

She gaped as he walked forward, asked her name, and then situated the vase on her desk.

He left, and then the front door shut, and she waited to see if Axel would come back in.

In a moment, he did, still on the phone, talking tersely with whomever was on the other line. Working with the wolf tribunals was a crapshoot. Half the time, they were corrupt and secretly involved in whatever shenanigans were going on.

There were more wolves than any other shifters out there, including cats and bears, and as such, they tended to be more involved in human society and more aggressive in making room for themselves there.

But she’d met good wolves as well.

She shook her head as Axel sat down and turned her gaze to the flowers.

So beautiful. Had she ever had flowers delivered? Well, the answer to that was yes, but it didn’t count because they were flowers she didn’t want. Flowers meant to scare and intimidate, not flowers meant to woo.

Axel had picked exactly what she would have wanted. Orange tiger lilies accented by white daisies and beautiful sprays of small blue booms. It was bright and happy and filled the room with its color and scent.

She gave him a smile as he set his phone down on the desk and leaned against it.

He eyed her sidelong. “You like them?”

She nodded, trying not to grin like a schoolgirl. “Of course. Step one of wooing?”

He nodded. “Do they work? I’ve never sent romantic flowers before.”

Nerves rolled through her at that. The first. And here they were, playing a dangerous game together. This wasn’t really romance, was it? Then why did it feel so right?

She moved the heavy vase to the other side of her desk because they were crowding her and making it hard to see Axel. But they still blocked her there.

He laughed and walked over, easily lifting them and taking them to a nearby table where she could see them, but they wouldn’t be in her way. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten such a big arrangement.”

“The bigger the better,” she said, flushing and grinning as his eyes narrowed meaningfully.

“So everything bigger?” he asked.

She nodded, feeling her blood growing hot at the thought.

He smiled, a bright expression that lit up the room. It was surprising because he was always so tense. “I’m glad you like it. I thought I would butter you up before our date tonight.”

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“Dinner,” he said. “But it’s a secret.”

She pouted. “Hm. Fine. I like surprises anyway.” But secretly, she really wanted to know. “So what happened with the tribunal?”

“They’re going to look into it,” he said, sitting in his chair again with folded arms. “But I really don’t know what we’re going to do from now on. There simply aren’t enough dragons around to patrol all areas. Especially in pairs.”

“But they have to stay in pairs to keep people from harvesting their blood, right?”

He nodded. “Yeah, they didn’t used to. But for a long time, they have. I wish they could split up. Would be useful.”

“Can they make more tigers?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said. “Messing with nature.”

“We’re shifters,” she said. “We are the epitome of messing with nature.” She grinned. “Anyway, it’ll work out. The oracle keeps track of all of these things.”

“Right,” he said. “But she doesn’t get all the angry, worried phone calls.”

“You’re right,” she retorted. “Because she has to see all of that in a vision. You think that’s easier?”

He looked over at her, gold eyes twinkling. “How did I get so lucky as to have you? You always make sense, you know that?”

She laughed. “Good, because you rarely do.”

He ruffled at that. “I make sense. To me, anyway.” He stood again. “I’m going to go upstairs and make a few more phone calls. You okay down here?”

She nodded. “Just fine. I have the flowers to keep me company.”

He looked around the room at her and then at the flowers. Then he rubbed the back of his neck. “This is weird, isn’t it?”

She shrugged. “I think it’s a little unusual.”

“I mean, you’re my employee. I shouldn’t be inappropriate. I should keep my distance.”

“It was my idea,” she said. “And remember, it’s for the greater good, right?”

His eyes narrowed slightly at that, turning a deeper shade of gold. Then he shrugged off whatever was worrying him and straightened to his usual, tall height. “Right. I’ll see you this evening, then. Six o’clock sharp.”

She nodded. “See you then.” Her body tingled, and she let out a little shiver as she turned back to her computer and tried to remember what was on her to-do list.

It was hard to think knowing she was going to see him again. That she was going to be wooed by a king.

* * *

A
xel called
his brother Cain a while before he was supposed to go down and get Lucy for their date.

He stared at his closet, puzzled as to what to wear. It wasn’t a casual date, but for some reason, it felt wrong to just wear a typical suit.

“Hello?” a husky voice answered. “Axel? What’s up?”

Axel took a deep breath. “I’m going on a date.”

“Whoa!” Cain exclaimed. “Seriously? The oracle finally found a mate for you, then? About time.”

Axel sucked in his cheeks. “No. I’m taking Lucy out.”

“Lucy… as in your secretary?” Cain sounded genuinely shocked and hesitant. “Um, isn’t that dangerous?”

Axel was quiet at that. It
was
dangerous. And so unlike him. He couldn’t explain why he was still doing it when that was the case. But he was.

“I’m not going to question you because I’ve never known you to be reckless, but just be careful, dude.”

“I’ve always been careful,” Axel said, feeling frustrated. “Maybe I’d like to be not careful for once.”

“Look, I know the rest of us were reckless, so you didn’t get to be, but honestly, recklessness is overrated,” Cain said. “I never would have been reckless, picked the career and all of the dangerous things I did, if I had known how much more blissful peace was.”

“I’m glad you’re happy,” Axel said. And he was. He’d been more than happy that both of his brothers had perfect mates picked for them that made them practically glow with contentment. But both of them had lived more than he had. Neither of them had his hang-ups or responsibility.

Neither of them was basically incapable of wooing a woman. Though he was doing a good job so far. So why was he still going along with this? He felt uneasy about his motives for a moment but then brushed it aside.

He deserved to be reckless for once, and Lucy wanted it as well.

Cain sighed on the other end. “Look, I get it. I’ve seen how Lucy looks at you. I’m honestly not surprised. I’m just not sure how she talked you into it.”

“How she looks at me?” Axel asked, stunned.

“Like the sun rises from your ass,” Cain said, laughing. “And you look at her that way, too.”

“Don’t be crude,” Axel said. “I’ve only looked at her as an employee.”

“Doesn’t seem that way now, does it?”

Axel put a palm over his face. “I don’t know why I called you. This is a mistake.”

“No, no,” Cain said. “I’m sorry. What is it you need? Help with your date?”

“What do I wear?” Axel said, feeling stupid even as he said it.

“Oh,” Cain said. “Right. You probably only have suits and stuff, right?”

Axel nodded, then realized Cain couldn’t see him. “Right.”

“Yeah, that’s not good for a date. What are you doing?”

“Dinner,” Axel said.

“Where?”

“I’m making it,” Axel replied.

“Uh-oh,” Cain said.

“What do you mean uh-oh?” Axel asked. “Cook assured me the dish I’m making is suited to my abilities.”

“Nothing is suited to your abilities. You could make charcoal with an Easy Bake oven.”

“I don’t appreciate you making light of it. I’m going on a sexy date with Lucy, and I’m going to charm her with my cooking prowess.”

Cain was laughing so hard that Axel was tempted to hang up, but he didn’t because he still needed his brother’s help.

“Well,” Cain said between laughs. “On the plus side, you can wear an apron to cover your stuffy outfit.”

“This was a mistake,” Axel said.

“No, no, I’ll help you,” Cain said. “There are some clothes in the guest bedroom I stayed in last. I always leave some stuff there. Some of the stuff might even have tags on. I always buy fancy stuff just in case there are meetings or official business or something. But even my fancy stuff will be business casual for you.”

Axel sighed. “So?”

“So go grab something from there. Put one of the high-end jackets over a nice tee and some jeans. You can deal with jeans, right?”

“Yes.”

“Good, then you’re set. But, Axel?”

“Yes?”

“Think about letting someone else cook.”

“I can cook fine,” Axel said tersely. “In fact, I need to go start now if I’m going to be able to be ready on time for her to join me.”

He heard his brother snorting with laughter as he hung up the phone and tossed it on the bed.

He rolled up his sleeves and walked down the hall to his brother’s bedroom. Sure, he’d been a bad cook when they were growing up, and sure, he hadn’t had a lot of experience. But this was different. He was cooking for Lucy. That would work out, right?