Ella had been stunned to silence when she stepped out the apartment's front door, coming face to face with the compelling man. He stood in the doorway of his place, casually leaning against the wood frame.
Ella froze midstride, in her hand-me-down Burberrys, nearly falling off the heels. The pumps brought her up to five six, but she still only came eye level with the top of the dark stranger's bare chest.
The beast of a man wore a long-sleeve plaid shirt, which hung open. The expanse of sun-kissed, taught muscle, dusted with a smattering of hair, led to washboard abs. Ella followed the thin trail of hair from his bellybutton, until it disappeared beneath the waistband of his jeans.
The mouthwatering sight instantly sent a twinge of desire careening through her. A startling heat pooled low in Ella's stomach.
Her eyes shot up to the man's face, to find a sardonic, all-knowing smile, twisting the corner of his mouth. His honey brown eyes twinkled with amusement and something wild. The man was stunning and he knew it. He was also bad news. That much Ella quickly discerned.
Ella quickly tamped down on the unbidden attraction. She pasted on what she hoped was an unaffected smile, said hello, then took off to catch the train back into the city.
Just the memory of meeting the rugged man caused goosebumps to rise, and her nipples to pucker. The fact he rode one of those iron horses, only added to his roguish aura. The motorcycle, like the man, was a work of art, powerful and lithe. The man was just as stunning as she remembered. She'd hoped it was just her imagination.
Ugh.
Ella knew she should step away from the window, instead of staring like a peeping tom. Her neighbor ran a hand through his wind-swept, black hair, attempting to tame the wild mess that curled over the collar of his worn leather jacket. His angular cheeks and broad chin were covered with a day's worth of stubble. Ella wondered what it might feel like, scraping against her skin, as he kissed her.
Ella couldn't help but watch the way he moved, stalking up the sidewalk with predatory grace. His black jeans showed off the sculpted muscles of his thick thighs. Ella gawked at the way they molded to his crotch. He certainly wasn't lacking in that department.
For the love of all that is holy. You don't even know his name. Don't get ahead of yourself, Ella. You know all this can ever be is a fantasy. There was no way she'd ever be with a man like this, or any man for that matter. No sense torturing herself.
Ella recalled her few feeble attempts at making out in high school. Just kissing had worked her up enough that all hell broke loose. Over the years she'd gotten a grip on her quirky nature, but still, strong emotions made her volatile. There was no way she'd risk hurting, or even killing someone with her curse, just because she got horny.
Though, that didn't keep Ella from quickly moving to stare out the peephole, as the sexy biker made it to his door, across the alcove. The towering, shadowy man paused with one hand on his doorknob. He turned around slowly and looked at her door. His golden stare pinned hers, even though there was a door in the way.
Ella froze, barely breathing. He couldn't possibly know she was standing there. A flush rose to her cheeks, at the notion she'd been caught.
Still, she couldn't turn away. Even distorted by the viewer, his eyes were striking. He had the kind of intense gaze that laid a person bare.
Ella debated opening the door to say hi, and maybe learn his name. Or maybe she'd make small talk and ask where he'd been for the last week.
You suddenly opening the door wouldn't look weird at all. Besides, he's not for you.
Ella frowned as she backed away from the door slowly. It would be nice to have a gorgeous man to come home to. Someone to share her dreams with, and to soothe away the worries when they gnawed at her.
"Nope, no whining. Things could always be worse," Ella rallied, as she headed into the bedroom. "You know what I need? A long hot shower," she commented to Wright.
Ella blushed as she thought about the pulse feature on the retractable showerhead. It might not get her mind off the eye candy next door, but it would give her a measure of relief.
Wolf
Wolf wore a rakish grin as he kicked his door closed and shrugged off his leather cut. The curvy number that moved in across the hall had been spying on him. He scented her sweet perfume the moment he walked up to the building.
His sister told him the sophisticated little brunette was interested in renting the place, while he was in Mexico. Char had been hesitant to rent to an Outsider, since Wolf lived next door, but he'd laughed off his sister's concern. It's not like he was a youth anymore, unable to control his inner beast. Plus, as much as he loved his pack, he enjoyed a bit of space, too. Having an Outsider next door would give him breathing room.
Of course, this particular Outsider might provide a bit different diversion than Wolf originally planned.
The memory of the little brunette standing in the alcove, wearing a tight, high-waisted, pencil skirt, accentuating a full set of hips and lush ass, made Wolf want to groan. The way her heated gaze had traveled down his chest to rest on his crotch, tempted him to shove her against the wall, hike up that refined, yet enticing skirt, and grind his pelvis against the vee of her thighs. Resisting the urge to tug the clip out of her severe bun, just to watch her tawny tresses fall in a halo around her pale flushed cheeks, had been an exercise in patience.
Just as Wolf thought he caught scent of her delicate musk, beneath her natural fresh perfume, it was gone. The little thing had stiffened up and her eyes darted up to meet his. There was fire in those hazel depths, but she smothered it.
Wolf wondered, with a chuckle, what would it take to loosen up his straight laced little neighbor?
He walked into his bedroom, unstrapped the piece holstered at his side, and set the gun on the dresser. He kicked off his boots, shucked his pants and t-shirt, then launched himself into bed with a groan.
"Oh, I missed you," Wolf spoke adoringly to his king-sized mattress.
Weeks of sleeping in an SUV and shitty Mexican hotels, while searching for his buddy, Trip, had done a number on Wolf. Although Trip wasn't a brother by blood, his inner beast adopted the male as if he were one of his pack. Wolf had grown quite close to several members of the Reapers M/C over the last few years.
The Reapers weren't just a fellow motorcycle club, but a band of feline Shifters. In the old days, wolves and wildcats were at each other's throats. However, in this modern era, Shifters had to work together to keep Outsiders from discovering their existence.
Wolf's cell rang, and he debated not answering his sister's call. But since Char held down the fort when he was away, he figured he best not piss her off. Her bark was not worse than her bite, both stung like a bitch.
"Hey Char, I'm back."
"Good. Glad you made it home safe. You ready to hear what those dumbass cousins of yours were up to?"
"They're your cousins too," Wolf countered.
"Uh, uh. Not today. I'm ready to strangle Vick and Tony. They're supposed to be setting a good example, keeping the rest of this rabble in line. Not raising hell. At least not in public."
"What did they do?" Wolf scrubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw, dreading the reply.
"Those numb nuts got into a fight at a bar, over some bitch." Char wasn't being mean when she called the chick a bitch. She just meant the woman was a canine Shifter, instead of an Outsider or some other breed. "And they did it in front of a bunch of Outsiders."
"Fucking hell. Did they shift?"
"No, but their growling and carrying on sent people fleeing."
"Don't tell me anymore." Wolf closed his eye, ready to smother himself with the pillow beneath his head.
"Oh, but it gets better. Since no one wanted to stand up to those two betas; the meatheads didn't realize, until it was too late, that the cops had arrived. Guess who got to spend a night in jail?"
"Son of a … " Wolf clenched his fists.
"Oh, no, no, no, dear brother, I have more. After the curs made bail, they both showed up at the clubhouse. Tony accused Vick of scratching his bike during the brawl, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, the clubhouse is trashed."
"Is that all? Please tell me that's it."
"I think so."
"Thanks for the 411. I think."
"Oh, wait. I almost forgot. Your new neighbor is already about to default on her rent. You've got a meeting with her tomorrow at four. Good to have you back. Bye bye," Char said cheerfully before the line went dead.