CHAPTER EIGHT

“Hey Allie, I want to apologize about the other day again,” Duke says as he leans against the entryway to the small kitchen at ‘7 Days’. “I didn’t know you’d be coming to my office with your idea then. I didn’t mean to surprise you.”

Surprise me? It was more than a surprise. Watching Duke as he transformed into his panther had been a huge shock but it was thrilling at the same time. “It’s all good,” I say softly, “I’ve just never seen a shifter transition before.”

“You seemed to be ok with it,” he says.

My mind flashes to that sense of awe I’d had as I’d rubbed his soft panther fur. Focus on the task at hand Allie, I tell myself. “I’m super glad that corporate decided to give us more time.” I say trying to change the subject. I open the fridge and pull out a carton of eggs. “I’m glad you’re here to help. We have a lot of baking to do.”

The day after I accidently saw Duke shift into his animal, I told him about my idea to bake goods and sell them at the gym, and he had thought it could really work. He’d explained our idea to corporate and they had given us another month to turn things round. But I wasn’t thinking about corporate right now. As Duke walks into the kitchen and stands near me, I feel butterflies in my stomach. I’m not sure exactly when and how it happened, but I went from not wanting to share air space with the man to not being able to stop thinking about him, and looking forward to seeing him everyday. It was so weird.

“Grab that mixing bowl, please,” I point to an upper shelf.

“And what did you think?” he asks as he reaches for the metal bowl. Though his question is casual, there’s an edge to it.

“What did I think about what—corporate giving us more time?” But I know what he’s asking. He is more than curious to know how I feel about seeing him transition.

“What did you think about watching me transition? And by the way, those doughnuts look decadent. They’re huge.” He jerks his thumb towards several trays laden with the jumbo-sized doughnuts I’d baked and decorated earlier in the day while he was training his last few remaining clients in the gym.

“Thanks. It’s a new recipe. I think each one will feed two people.” I’m kidding, but they really are a big size. Now that the gym has finally closed for the day, the two of us are going to make even more goodies, including brownies, cookies, and muffins, to go along with the jumbo doughnuts I’d made earlier. We plan to sell them to our current clients and use them for the next open house. I look at the counter. It’s covered with ingredients; flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, eggs, assorted spices, nuts, and chocolate. I’m in heaven.

I crack an egg into the bowl. “It was…um, well, interesting.”

“Oh yeah,” he murmurs as I crack and add another egg.

“Ok, it was amazing,” I admit.

“I’m glad you thought so,” he says smugly.

“Don’t be getting all conceited on me,” I tease him. “Now, pass the flour.”

He eyes the bag. “Brown rice flour blend?”

“It’s gluten free,” I say as I measure out a few cups and add it to the bowl, “lots of people today want gluten free because gluten makes them sick.”

He cocks his brow.

“You know—foggy brain, inflammation, achy body, rash…”

He nods his head. “I always tell my clients to eat whole, real food—fruits, veggies, lean protein.”

“Well, some of them may be gluten intolerant. You should learn more about it.”

“How about schooling me Allie?” he asks, his voice husky. He is right behind me, so close I can feel his hot breath on my neck.

“Ok,” I say, moving away from him. My knees feel a little weak. What the hell is wrong with me? “Now we, ah…need to add some sugar to these. I like to use the real stuff—in moderation, of course.”

“Of course,” he growls.

I add a little sugar to the bowl. I’m turned away from him and can’t see his face, but I can feel his eyes burning into my back. A deep breath escapes my lips as he moves to my side. Before I can say anything, he dips two fingers into the mixture in the bowl, takes a scoop, and licks the goop off his hand.

“What!” I gasp as I turn towards him.

“So delicious,” he says, eyeing me.

God, his eyes are so green. They’re gorgeous, and those long, dark lashes…

“So very delicious,” he repeats.

I can’t help but shiver. I’m not sure if he’s talking about what he just licked off his fingers or me, but I have my suspicions.

“You can’t do that!” I shake my head, “you can’t dip your finger into the batter like that.”

“Why not? It looks yummy and I wanted a taste.” His eyes flick up and down my body, and now there’s no mistaking what he really wants a taste of.

I swallow hard. “Your hands aren’t clean.”

“I washed them right before I came here. And I bet a lot of bakers taste test what they’re baking.”

He’s right. I try not to, but I am constantly tasting and testing. “Well,” I sniff, “it has raw eggs in it. You could die from that, you know. Lots of people die from eating raw eggs.”

“They do?” He cocks his brow.

“Well, I did read about one guy that did…though I think he ate twenty-eight of them. But I’ve always heard that you shouldn’t eat raw eggs.”

“I’m a shifter,” he moves closer to me, “it’s gonna take a lot for me to kick off—a lot more than eating a few raw eggs.”

“Well, um…you just shouldn’t do that.” I start to turn away, but he puts his hand on my shoulder and turns me back towards him. He towers over me. Even though I’m a big girl, I feel petite next to his enormous, powerful frame.

“You’re always telling me what I can’t or shouldn’t do. But what if I can’t help myself?”

My eyes widen. “Wha…what do you mean?”

“I mean that I want you Allie. You’ve told me I can’t have you. But I know in my heart…in my gut, that you’re my one true mate—my forever mate. I can’t stop thinking about you. And I think you think about me, too.”

I let out a deep breath.

“You just don’t want to admit it.”

God, he can be arrogant…but he can be nice too. And he’s right. I find myself thinking about Duke often; his handsome face, those gorgeous green eyes that seem to be tattooed on my brain, his muscular body that gives new meaning to the word sexy...but so what? Just because I find him attractive and nice sometimes doesn’t mean I want to be with him.

“I…I…”

“Tell me, Allie. Tell me you have never thought about me…tell me you have never thought about us…say the word and I’ll go away.”

I bite my lower lip. “Ok, ok. I admit I find you attractive.”

He grins broadly.

“But that’s it,” I say firmly.

He cocks his brows. “You mean you don’t like me, even a little bit?”

“Yes, I like you a little bit. I mean…you can be an arrogant ass, but…you can be kind of sweet sometimes, too.”

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s true. He’s grown on me, and I’ve realized much of his abrasiveness is just his cover to keep from getting hurt.

“You think I’m sweet…like this brownie stuff?” he asks as he moves to thrust his fingers into the batter again.

“Duke!” I laugh as I lurch forward to swat his hand away from the bowl on the counter. But as I lean forward, he grabs my hand and presses my body next to his.

“Allie…” his voice is a throaty, sexy growl.

And then his lips are on mine, kissing me hard and deep, and I just can’t resist. My body melds closer to his as his tongue finds mine.

“I need you, baby,” he rasps.

His mouth finds my neck and he plants wet kisses along the tender flesh. My breath hitches as one of his hands touches my left breast and he rubs the mound through the fabric of my shirt. Even with my top on I can feel my nipple perk to attention. My pussy clenches and starts to drip. This feels so good.

“Fuck, your scent is driving me crazy.” He massages my breast harder and presses his body closer to mine. I can feel the hardness of his shaft.

“Stop…” I murmur weakly. I can feel this ferocity coming from within him…and I know, I think we both know, that soon we won’t be able to stop at just kissing and fondling.

He pulls away, frowning. “Do you really want me to stop? Just tell me and I will.”

I shake my head. “No, I…no please don’t stop…”

He growls as his lips find my neck again.

I am so frigging weak…but God, I want him so fucking bad!