"Why would you do that?" Dante's eyes narrowed even further. "He's not your responsibility. He's there because of choices he made."
She sighed. "I just … Wolves are pack animals, Dante. We're not loners. We want our own kind around us, especially when we're sick or injured." She leaned toward him, trying to make him understand. "Barry's not exactly an alpha male. He'll have a hard time of it. The effect is not only physical but emotional, too."
"And that's your responsibility how?" When she shot him a glare, he held up one hand. "Look, I don't mean any disrespect. I think what you offered to do says a lot about the kind of woman you are." His tone suggested he wasn't sure if he should admire her or call the men in the white coats. "But I … " He leaned forward and took her hands in his. "I for one am glad he declined your offer. I don't want you to be in pain."
He was the sweetest man ever. She'd known a lot of good men, but none had even come close to making her feel the way Dante did. Tori got mutant-sized butterflies in her stomach when he was near, and everything seemed brighter and full of hope when she was with him. With him, she felt like she was living, not just surviving like she'd done just about all of her life. She squeezed his fingers. "That means a lot to me, that you feel that way."
"I appreciate your compassion, honey, I do."
Her heart jumped at the endearment he didn't seem to know he'd used. He also didn't seem to realize his thumbs were sweeping over the pulse points of her wrists.
But she had noticed the action. With every sweep, her pulse skittered, her breath came faster, and everything feminine deep inside her softened with desire. With a soft moan, she leaned into him and pressed her mouth to his.
His lips opened beneath hers, his low groan lost in her kiss. He stroked his tongue along hers, tasting dark and all male. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer.
He trailed a path to her ear, giving her lobe a light nip, not hurtful but enough to send a shock of arousal jolting through her.
"Dante," she moaned. She shifted her position, draping herself over him, flattening her breasts against his broad chest. She ignored the steering wheel digging into her rib cage. The small amount of pain was worth getting close to this man again.
With an oath, he wrapped his hands around her upper arms and lifted her off him. He set her gently on the passenger seat. His breathing came hard and fast, chest rising and falling. "Wait."
"Wait for what, Dante?" She stroked her fingers down his cheek, but he stopped her. She whispered, "What if you're about to pass up something beautiful, something right, because the timing doesn't fit your schedule?"
Regret, stark and sharp, passed over his face. "I really like you, Tori. But I have so much on my plate right now, with a job that isn't exactly a forty-hour-a-week thing, and my sister … " He blew out a breath and pressed her palm to his face, holding it there. "That's not entirely it. I … I'm afraid of losing you. If I fall in love with you and then you get killed by some other pret … "
Her breath hitched. "You're not alone in this, you know. You also cnowth= do dangerous work and could get killed on the job."
"Yeah, you're right." He held her gaze. "One thing I know for sure, the first time I make love to you is not going to be in the cab of my pickup."
She smiled, a slow build up to a full-fledged grin. "You are such a gentleman. What if I want it to be right here, right now? What if I'm ready to see what you look like naked?"
He shook his head even as his eyes darkened with desire. "You say the most romantic things." When she didn't laugh, he said, "Not here, because … "
"Yes?"
"When I have you stretched out under me, I'm gonna take my time."
A shiver wracked through her. She had to admit that Dante was right about their bad timing. However, she couldn't stop her mind from thinking of the possibilities when they did find someplace private. She swiped her thumb across his sexy lower lip. "I can't wait," she murmured. She withdrew her hand from his and opened her door.
"Why don't you come over Monday night after you check on Barry? Lily's going out with friends. I'll fix dinner and you can bring the, uh, thing."
Her mind went blank for a moment, then she started sorting through all kinds of items he might be meaning by "the thing" before she finally landed on the rift device. "Oh. Right. The thing." She smiled again. "I actually have a council meeting, a sort of meet and greet for new prets in town, at seven. Is five o'clock too early to come over?"
He shook his head.
In a throaty voice she murmured, "I'll see you then." She climbed down from the cab of his truck, grinning at his mingled look of desire and dismay. It wasn't often Dante MacMillan could be knocked off his stride. She couldn't wait to do it again.
Finn leaned against the corner of the building and watched Tori get out of the human cop's truck. Things had been getting interesting, and for a minute he'd thought they were going to make out right there in the parking lot. Not only would it have been entertaining, it would have given him something to throw into Tori's face whenever she got too big for her britches. But to his disappointment they hadn't.
"So you're also a voyeur," a lilting voice said from behind him. "Good to know."
He turned his head and looked at Keira as she walked up to stand beside him. "I spy on people only when it might lead to something useful."
She cast him a sidelong glance. "Do you play Peepin' Tom much, then?"
Finn shrugged. "I lurk. That's what I do." He shifted his position, leaning his back against the wall. "And just what do you mean by ‘also a voyeur'?"
Her smile was a slow dance of pure wickedness. "Oh, you've quite the reputation." She drew one finger down his shoulder, leaving a trail of sparks he could feel even through his clothing. "Playboy. Ladykiller." Her expression sobered. "Ne'er-do-well."
"Oh, a ne'er-do-well, really?" He crossed his ankles, bearing his weight on his heels. Shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, he said, "Now you're just flattering me."
"Do you think so?" Keira reached into her purse and pulled out some sort of plastic hair clip. Holding it between her lips, she lifted her arms and gathered her long hair up off her neck, then fastened it. Stray strands fell around her face, curling in the humidity of the approaching dusk. Without thinking he reached out and scooped several strands behind her ear.
She drew in a startled breath but her expression didn't change. "You have an odd opinion of yourself then."
He made note of her reaction and determined some day cine. , and someday soon, he was going to get that reaction from her again. "I'm a demon," he said, figuring that was explanation enough. He glanced around the nearly empty lot. "What're you doing here?"
"Oh, meeting new people." She gave a dainty shrug. "Gettin' the lay of the land. You know." She moved a little closer, tilting back her head to look up into his face. "I'm findin' that Scottsdale's an interesting place."
She didn't know the half of it. He heard a car start up and peered around the edge of the building to see Tori's tiny piece of tin she called a car pulling out of the parking lot. For God's sake, who ever heard of a werewolf driving a Mini Cooper?
Not him. As much as he hated to leave Keira's side, he had to keep an eye on Tori and her family. He'd been hearing things, things that surprised him and piqued his interest. He turned back to Keira. He hated to bail on this gorgeous woman, but he needed to see what Tori was up to. He had reports to file, and the lord of demons didn't like to be kept waiting. "I've gotta go, sweetheart. Catch up with you later?"
"Sure." She adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. "You know she has her eyes on that detective, don't you?"
"Who?" He frowned. "What're you talking about?"
"Tori."
"I'm not … " He stopped. "It's complicated. And not what you think."
The lifting of her eyebrows was both regal and skeptical.
"Seriously." Finn pulled his keys out of his pocket. "I'll see you."
"Sure."
He felt her gaze on him as he walked around the back of the club to his motorcycle. As he pulled on his gloves, he watched her walk toward a neon-green Beetle. He scowled. What was it with the women around here? His frown lightened when she went past the Volkswagen and unlocked a black BMW M3. He admired her choice of vehicle-it was small enough for good maneuverability yet had a big enough engine for excellent acceleration.
He made sure she got under way before he left the parking lot and headed after Tori. Something was going on in this town, something not good, and he had a feeling she knew what it was.
Chapter Eleven
Things were quiet for the next couple of days. Dante and Tori handled a few minor skirmishes here and there, both of them glad that things seemed to be calming down. Even the attacks in quadrant four had stopped. Tori hoped the rogue was finished but her instincts said otherwise.