“Hey. You doing okay out there?”
“Yeah. It’s quiet so I’m taking a smoke break.”
Margery frowned. “You don’t smoke.”
Sarah snorted. “Fine, I’m staying back here until you go talk to that gorgeous vampire. If you don’t make a move, I will.”
Margery’s claws extended at the thought of her packmate going after Rex. To her annoyance Sarah just laughed.
“You’re so easy,” she muttered, heading for one of the walk-in coolers, chuckling under her breath.
Taking a deep breath, Margery willed her claws back in and decided to stop being such a coward. As she pushed open the swinging door she nearly slammed into Rex who was coming back into the kitchen. They both paused, watching each other. Shifters had a higher body temperature than vamps and humans but right now his body heat might as well be a freaking volcano. With him so close and that addictive scent teasing her, it took all her self-control not to lean into him and take what she wanted.
Her mouth felt as if it was filled with cotton but she figured she should be the first to speak, especially since he’d been nice enough to help. Not that she thought his intentions were noble. He clearly wanted to get into her pants.
And her wolf clearly wanted him in them. If she was being honest with herself, she did too.
She fidgeted with the front of her apron, hating that she was so rumpled. “Thanks for helping out with the early crowd.”
His gaze flicked to her mouth as she spoke, those dark hazel eyes of his glowing for a moment. Taking her by surprise, he reached out and cupped her cheek and jaw in his powerful hand. She was too stunned to pull away and when he swiped his thumb across her bottom lip her nipples actually tightened.
“You have a little icing here,” he murmured, his voice pure seduction. Like the richest, most decadent piece of chocolate cake.
“Thanks.” When she was stressed she tended to eat. If it wasn’t for her crazy high shifter metabolism she probably wouldn’t eat so much, but her nerves were frayed so she’d been snacking like a rabid wolf. On instinct she flicked her tongue out, moistening her bottom lip. She could almost taste him, knew he’d be dark and spicy.
Rex groaned as he dropped his hand, his gaze never wavering. “Are you working all night?”
She nodded, struggling to find her voice again.
“I’m sorry about making you feel vulnerable last night.”
His words were like ice water splashing her in the face. She stepped out from their intimate enclosure in the doorway and into the shop. “You didn’t.” Out of instinct she glanced around but the place had cleared out. For now. She knew in another hour or so it would fill up again and they’d be busy for at least two more hours after that until the normal morning rush. Business always came in spurts like that. Not that she was really focused on any of that now.
To give herself something to do, she went to one of the cash registers and typed in her code to run the current report. Yeah, because right now her mind was totally on sales. Rex was practically glued to her as he followed, though he wasn’t actually touching her. He leaned against the glass counter, inches from her; a demanding presence that refused to be ignored. She wanted to smack him or kiss him, she couldn’t decide.
“Then I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I would like to make it up to you.” His darkly delicious voice rolled over her, making other parts of her tingle. The male was a menace.
“That’s not necessary.” Her words came out all high-pitched, like some nervous cub.
“I think it’s very necessary.” The seductive note in his voice made her glance at him.
Immediately she wished she hadn’t. Her gaze zeroed in on his lips and damn him, he gave her a disarming half-smile because he clearly knew the affect he was having on her body. “What do you want from me?” The question came out as a whisper.
“You really want me to spell it out?” He cupped her cheek again, but this time she could feel the strength and dominance thrumming through him, an out of control beat that made her entire body tingle in an erotic awareness. Just imagining what he would do to her, how he’d touch her—and how she could touch him made her overheat with need.
She swallowed hard and tried to tell herself to pull back from him. She should…for some reason. But she couldn’t make her body respond to the mental command. Feeling almost possessed she leaned closer to him, inhaling his addictive scent as she fantasized what it would be like to kiss him. Even last night when he’d smelled like sweaty humans there’d been an underlying earthy smell. Not in the way that shifters scented, but more crisp—and no less erotic for it. It made her wolf crazy for this male in a way she’d never experienced.