God. I wanted this man. Pure and simple. There was no logic to it. No rhyme or reason. Just utter carnal lust. He stirred something deep inside of me. All danger and sex appeal. What's worse, he was abundantly aware of the effect he had on everyone around him, I guessed. But now, while he was lost in troubled thought over Foster's paperwork, I could watch him with abandon. His focus diverted.
Then, it wasn't.
Bas slammed down the last page and sat back in his chair, hooking his hands behind his head, and he let out a sigh as he looked toward the ceiling. Again, he let out that low, rumbling growl and another thought slammed into my brain unbidden.
I wanted to see his wolf. What would it be like when he shifted? Would it be gory and brutal like you saw in the movies? Or would it happen so fast my eyes wouldn't register it? Would he be Bas Lanier one second, then a fierce wolf the next?
Bas's eyes flashed, locking with mine again, leaving me feeling exposed to him. He narrowed his and again that hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth like he could read my thoughts or know what I look liked naked.
He unhooked his fingers from behind his head and slowly rose from his chair, moving around his desk with lupine grace. Almost as if I were his prey and he meant to stalk me. I had a dark flash of what it might feel like to submit to him. The instant I thought it, heat flared between my legs, my body answering the question my mind just asked.
Yes. Oh, yes. I would like to know what it felt like to give myself to him. I blinked hard and rose slowly to my feet. I had to get out of here. Staying in a room alone with Bas for another second might make me do or say things I'd regret later. He had some pull over me I couldn't explain, but it was the kind of thing that could ruin everything for me. He was the job. That's all. No matter how sexy he looked in his tailored suit, I'd worked too hard, had too much at stake to risk going down this path. I wasn't my mother.
"Is there anything you'd like me to tell Mr. Thorp or Congressman Foster? Any notes you have for them?"
Bas kept moving toward me. His fingers trailed along the edge of his desk and I saw his eyes change. The pupils narrowed to pinpoints and the irises went pale blue, lined with black.
Wolf eyes. Feral. Dangerous.
A moment ago, I'd fantasized about what it might be like to see his wolf. I had a feeling I was about to get at least part of my wish.
"Abby, there are a lot of things I'd like to say to Dale and Foster. But, if Dale thought he could send you over here to distract me from what he's trying to do with that bill, he's made a mistake. A grievous one."
What? Me? Oh, God. I'd done a poor job of hiding how much I liked looking at him. But then, a different truth slammed into place in my mind. Dale. The minute he said it, I knew he was right. Dale played me. Damn his werewolf eyes. My blood boiled again, but this time it wasn't from naked lust, but deepening anger.
"Look, I have no idea what games you and Dale like to play with each other. Whatever . . . pack bullshit goes on between you. But leave me out of it."
"Pack bullshit? I promise you, Dale Thorp isn't part of any pack of mine, Abby. I wouldn't have him."
"Fine. Whatever. I'm really just trying to do my job. Is there something specific you want me to tell him, or was that pretty much it?"
Bas took another step toward me. Then another. Then he reached out and pulled me toward him. My skin flared hot where his fingers grasped my upper arms and rested on my shoulders. My knees went weak and my focus rested on the curve of his mouth as he tilted his head toward mine.
Then he kissed me.
The world was heat and light. Fireworks went off behind my ribcage, sending tingling heat straight down to my toes. I drowned in him. Starved without him. It was as if I'd just been injected with straight adrenaline and my heart started beating for the first time.
Logic. Time. My reason for being here. Everything seemed to fly out of that glass window for those few seconds when Bas held me and his lips touched mine. But, this wasn't a fairy tale. Even though my loins waged a war against my brain, it wasn't a fair fight.
I pressed my palms flat against Bas's chest and pushed myself away from him. Gasping, I touched the back of my hand to my lips.
"Stop!"
Bas reeled away from me. His eyes, still wild, went wide with shock as he took a staggering step backward until he leaned against his desk, his chest heaving. He touched his own hand to his mouth and looked at me.
"Who are you?" he asked. "Where did he find you?"
My heart started to beat a normal rhythm again, and this time, my blood heated with a touch of rage. As unsettled as I'd been by his touch, it seemed Bas was having a similar reaction. Whatever he meant to do when he kissed me, he'd come away with more than he bargained for. But, his question angered me.
"Find me? Is that what you're running with Dale Thorp? Some sort of sick werewolf escort service? Sorry. This isn't what I signed on for."
"What? No. Fuck." His eyes flashed shock then maybe a little bit of horror like he wanted to take his words back. Good. But too late. I'd already let things get wildly out of control. I could only hope Bas's apparent regret for kissing me would be enough to keep him from causing me any trouble back at the office. At least, not any trouble I wasn't about to rain down on my own.
I grabbed my messenger bag and threw the strap across my chest, making a shield of it across my body. But, Bas kept his distance. His eyes filled with concern, and his fingers trembled where he ran them across his lips again. I didn't know him. But the last few minutes had shaken him, badly.
"So thumbs down on the legislation, I'm guessing."
I stormed toward the door and grabbed the handle.
"Abby wait. Shit. I'm sorry."
I put up a hand. "No. I get the gist of the situation. You made it crystal clear."
He could have stopped me. My heart raced knowing just exactly how much he could have stopped me. But somehow, I knew he wouldn't. I just needed to put some distance between us so I could figure out what the hell I should do next.
I walked out and blew past Curtis at the reception desk. He rose to his feet and held up a pencil, his mouth gaped open. I put up a hand toward him as I headed for the grand staircase at the end of the hall leading back down into the main store. I didn't want to risk standing and waiting at the elevator and giving Bas another crack at me. I flew down the stairs and hustled my way past store clerks and customers on my way to the front exit.
I didn't hear Bas behind me, but the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end just as I reached for the main door leading to the parking lot. A whoosh of air lifted the strands of hair at my temples as his hand came down over my shoulder and opened the door for me. I whirled on him, practically tripping over my feet.
"Abby, I'm sorry," he said, his eyes pleading. "You're not who I thought you were."
My heart dropped to my shoes. I curled my fingers into a fist at my side to keep from reaching up and brushing that same lock of hair out of his right eye. What was happening to me around this guy? I knew I couldn't stick around to find out. He was dangerous. Deadly. And yet, he made things shift inside of me I couldn't explain.
"Is that how it works between you and the congressman? He finds girls to send to you. Keeps you happy so you keep him happy?" I wanted to hurt him. I don't know why. But, I didn't trust or understand what was happening inside of me when this guy got near me.
He reeled back as if I'd slapped him, then his eyes flashed dark again and he set his jaw into a hard line.
"I can assure you, I don't need Foster or anyone else to find girls for me, Abby."
I realized I'd been standing there with my mouth hanging open. I clamped it shut. A different kind of rage flared inside of me at his words and the insinuation behind them. The thought of Bas Lanier with any other girl made me want to rip her eyes out. Why? I had no claim on him. Had just rejected him myself.
"Abby." He tried again, his words softer this time. With a gentle hand on my arm, he moved me out of the door and into the vestibule between the outer door and the one leading into the store. We were starting to draw attention. A few of the sales clerks looked up from scanning merchandise, and two customers looked me up and down as they came through the automatic doors and headed into the store.
"I think you better stick with Miss Winslow," I said. Damn if that didn't lift the corners of his mouth in a smile. I blinked hard against the memory of what that mouth felt like against mine and the promise of what it would feel like on other parts of me.