Sitting behind his desk, sinking into his large leather chair, Gage watched Addison step into his office, barefoot and clad in jeans and a loose cardigan he couldn’t help but think of unbuttoning. She gave him a tentative smile that made his bear purr and growl impatiently.

His mind began to race as to why she was there. Hadn’t she told him she would be busy with work? That was why Gage had buried himself in paperwork as well, making sure his finances were in order and that everything was ready for the next season.

Perhaps she was having an equally hard time staying away from him as he had staying away from her? A man could dream.

“Hey,” he said, getting to his feet. “Is everything all right?”

“Fine, fine,” she replied with a wave of her hand. “I was just getting a glass of water and I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere… Anyway, I saw your light on and thought I’d say hi.”

As far as excuses went, it wasn’t the best, but Gage played along. He didn’t really care what had brought her there, all that mattered was that they were together again, their scents mingling in the small room.

It took all of Gage’s self-control to not walk over and scoop her in his arms again, but he didn’t want to push it. If Addison felt like she needed an excuse to come and see him, that might have been taking it too far.

“I’m glad you did,” he smiled.

“So I’m not disturbing you or anything?” she asked, closing the door behind her.

“You’re not,” he replied. “And even if you were, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to tell you,” he added.

Addison smiled at that, walking over to perch on his desk. Her gaze moved around the room, which was pretty bare except for the filing cabinet in one corner and a map of the ranch hanging on the wall above his desk.

Gage sat back down, studying Addison. She stretched out her legs as she leaned on the desk, her hair falling in a loose braid down her back. The smell of her reminded him of how amazing it had been to taste her.

She tilted her head at him, her bright green eyes narrowing.

“I’m not imagining you flirting with me, am I?” she asked.

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“Am I doing that poor of a job?” he asked. “Or was that kiss we shared so lukewarm it gave you doubts?”

A flush crept up her cheeks as she shook her head.

“No, no, definitely not,” she quickly replied. “I don’t even know why I said that… I guess I just like to be sure of things, to a fault. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Come on,” Gage said, pushing himself away from the desk and patting his thigh. “Come sit and let me paint you a clear picture.”

He could hear her heart start to thud against her ribcage as she considered his offer, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. Did she not know that drove him crazy? His blood already pumping, he waited as she slowly pushed herself off his desk and walked around it, wordlessly sitting down on his lap so that her feet rested between his.

Wrapping an arm around her hips, Gage looked at her, admiring the delicate planes of her face. If it was clarity she wanted, he was happy to oblige. Why not lay his cards on the table? She was his mate, after all, so there was no need to play coy. He didn’t want her to doubt his attraction to her, ever.

“We’ve just met, I know that,” he started, as Addison blinked at him, her expression giving nothing away. “But I feel like I can make some judgments. You’re smart as hell, clearly. You have a passion for what you do, and you work hard to be fearless. And then there’s the fact you’re gorgeous, and I can’t stop thinking about kissing you again.”

“Gage…” Addison started, but he cut her off.

“Nope, not done yet,” he said, making a grin tug at the side of her mouth. “I’ve had you stuck in my mind since I first saw you. I hope it isn’t too much to admit that I’ve been undressing you with my mind since you walked in here, but that’s exactly what’s been happening.

“So, in conclusion,” he said with exaggerated flourish, “I am indeed flirting with you, Addison.”

Her throat worked as she sat still in his lap, her gaze darting between his eyes and his lips.

“Thank you for… clarifying,” she said quietly.

Gage chuckled to himself, shaking his head. Sometimes, he thought he could tell exactly what was going on in Addison’s head, and other times, he hadn’t the faintest clue. She had wanted to know how he felt, and now she did. The question was, what was she going to do with that information?

“You’re very welcome,” he replied, his hand on her hip, her body pressed close to his.

She took a deep breath, seeming to gather her thoughts. He got the feeling she needed to always express herself as precisely as possible, so he waited, unsure of what exactly she was going to say.

“I’ve been thinking about you, too,” she finally admitted.

“You have?” he arched a brow at her.

There were things he knew without her telling him anything, things he was aware of thanks to his shifter senses. Like the fact her pulse had been steadily getting faster ever since she knocked on his door, or that her breathing was growing more uneven. Then there was her scent, the most telling clue of all, now clearly tinged with arousal.

Emboldened, Gage trailed his hand up Addison’s arm, gently tugging at her cardigan. It gave way easily, sliding off her shoulder. He leaned in, kissing the exposed skin. Addison shivered, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

“I thought you were only undressing me with your mind,” she said.

“That was before I had you on my lap,” he replied, unbuttoning the top button of her sweater.

“You interrupted me, you know,” she remarked. “I was going to say that I didn’t come here just to say hi.”

“Oh?” he replied, working the second button loose. “Are you telling me you lied, counselor?”

“I’ve been known to, on occasion,” Addison said.

Tugging at the rest of the buttons, Gage kissed his way up her shoulder to her collarbone and then to her neck, making her arch her back. Having her so close, his arm around her as she squirmed in his lap was the most satisfying torture.

He never wanted it to end.

“I don’t know how smart it is but… I couldn’t stay away,” she sighed, as he pulled her cardigan off altogether, revealing the white tank top underneath.

She wasn’t wearing a bra, and the hard nubs of her nipples were clearly visible through the thin cotton fabric. Cupping her full breasts in his hands, he nibbled and sucked on Addison’s neck, enjoying the way her body writhed under his attention.

His cock twitched, hard and aching against his jeans, his hunger for her taking over. When she moaned aloud, he couldn’t help but pull her fully onto his lap, leaving her legs dangling off either side of the chair.

Their mouths met, her lips easily parting for him, their tongues rubbing together in a slow, sensual rhythm. Gage couldn’t get enough of the feel of her all around him, her skin hot and the sound of her heartbeat loud in his ears.

All mine, something inside him growled.

And in that moment, he knew he would do anything to keep her.