“Hi.”

She didn’t hear him come in and jumped in her seat.

“It’s four thirty.”

Jess gasped and looked at the clock on her desktop. He was right, it was, and she wasn’t finished. She should cancel and finish her work because she didn’t want any trouble with the witch.

Lolly peeped around the doorframe with an eyebrow quirked. Lolly was going to make sure that she went on this date.

Jess nibbled her lip.

“You aren’t going to bail on me, are you?”

She glanced at Lolly again, who had her arms crossed over her chest now and her eyes narrowed.

Jess shook her head and closed the program she’d been using.

“Good.”

Lolly grinned and disappeared down the hall.

Jess grabbed her sweater off the back of the chair and clicked the shut down button on the desktop. James placed his fingertips lightly on the small of her back and steered her out. He switched off the lights and closed her door without missing a step.

***

James

“How long have you worked here, Jessica?” He needed to get her talking so they could move things along. His recon and planning had taken a lot of time, and now he wanted to hurry, to claim her, but properly. He really wanted this to work, and he definitely didn’t want to lose her. James believed that she was his intended mate. He believed it enough that he’d put a stop to the rest of the pack making a play for her. They’d been angry, too. It had nearly come to blows, but in the end, the Alpha in him backed them all down.

She was incredibly lovely. Jess was curvy with porcelain skin, strawberry-blonde hair, and deep hazel eyes. The emerald and copper flecks in her irises entranced him as much as the gray streaks, not to mention the way they widened at him. It took every bit of control and patience not to jump her right there. He would not screw this up. He couldn’t, because she was his future. His soul knew that. This human was his mate, his life mate, the answer to his prayers and the mother of his children. He would have her; she would be his, no doubt about it. Mine. The word thundered through his mind.

“Um, five years.” She glanced self-consciously at people she passed in the hallway and was glad that he wasn’t in uniform anymore. They would think that he was arresting her. She liked how he dressed. He wore dark blue dress pants that stretched across his backside nicely, and a gray dress shirt that fit like it was tailored.

She felt the heat of each of his fingertips on the skin at the small of her back. She felt them through her sweater, through her blouse and into her skin, making it tingle. She neared the bank of glass doors at the front of the building that led out into the plaza that surrounded the complex. He pushed the door open and held it for her.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

"Anytime,” he said close to her ear, and her body trembled. “Do you still want Chinese?”

Jess nodded and walked with purpose. Dan Dan’s was just across the plaza, and she could see it… If only the rubber in her knees would solidify. The thought of Dan Dan’s dumplings already made her mouth water. So did the way James’s fingers pressed into the small of her back just above her bottom. If he would just drop his hand a few inches and cup her— Stop thinking about that! she scolded herself.

“Good. I called ahead, he knows we’re coming.”

Jess’s brows furrowed. “Who does?” Her eyes widened.

He gave her an appreciative glance.

She liked the way he looked at her.

“Dan, of course.” He smiled at her and held open the door to the restaurant when they arrived. He waved at a small Asian man behind the bar, who hurried over. He was the man who usually gave her the takeout she ordered. He was wearing his starched white shirt, black pants and vest with his usual scarlet bow tie.

“James, good to see you. Bring your lovely lady this way.” The man slipped through a pair of crimson silk curtains that had golden dragons painted on each of them.

Jess stopped. What was back there? Why weren’t they eating at a table? She’d seen things like this on TV—lonely girl gets picked up by cute guy, gets herself in over her head and ends up in a bathtub full of ice and missing a kidney. No, no, no. Jess backed away.

“Hey…” James murmured, taking hold of her arms and rubbing up and down gently with his big warm hands. Gazing into her eyes, he said. “It’s okay. It’s a private dining room for special guests only, I promise. I asked for the VIP treatment. You’re safe with me, sweetheart. Safer than anywhere else in the world.”

Jess stared around his shoulder at the dragons.

“It’s okay, really. If you’d rather eat out here with the regular crowd, I will tell him we prefer that.”

Jess nibbled her lip and stared at the dragons for another moment until Dan popped his head back through. She wondered if the symbols down each side of those curtains said kidneys for sale in Chinese. She nibbled her bottom lip. Her face grew warm with the flush of embarrassment. She could see in his eyes that he liked it when she nibbled her lip, and he seemed to like it when she looked up at him, too.

“Young lady, come. There is dim sum and my special sauce. I made you some tea, too, just how you like it. Come.” He beckoned her and smiled.

Jess took a deep breath and braced herself. She would be brave, and if there was a bathtub full of ice waiting for her she would scream her head off to the restaurant full of people. She swallowed hard.

“I won’t let anything hurt you,” James murmured in her ear, and her fingers curled into tight fists. He smiled and placed his hand against her back again. It was as if he could sense her fear. He encouraged her without being pushy, and she liked that about him. She steeled herself, took a step, then two, and went through the curtain.

“It’s lovely.” She smiled. There was a small half-moon booth with a round table. More of the silk with the golden dragons painted on them surrounded it, except these were much larger. The booth could only hold two. Jess slid into her seat. Dan put a red linen napkin in her lap and one in James’s lap. Jess studied the dragons that were closer now, until dishes clattered not far away and she jumped.

James chuckled and gave her hand a squeeze. She realized now that they were in the kitchen, ringside actually, where they could watch. A group of curious chefs watched them, and some smiled, nodding.

“Dan is our host for the evening. He’s the one who seated us, the owner.”

Jess nodded.

Dan brought two bowls of soup, wonton. Jess loved the soup here. It wasn’t your typical soup with just dumplings, meat slivers, and spring onions. This had water chestnuts, shrimp, and mushrooms. This was heaven. She sipped the delicate broth.

“How long have you been a police officer?” Jess asked.

He looked surprised at the question.

“Sorry, maybe that’s not my business,” she hedged.

“No, no, it’s fine. You’re so quiet that it surprised me that you asked, but really, it’s fine. You may ask me anything. I went to the academy right out of college, so five years now.” He finished his soup. “Did you go to college?”

“Yes, I went to Mason.”

He nodded. “Hmm, local girl, huh? Are you from here?”

She nodded. “I came here from Nevada a while ago. I’d had enough of the desert and the dry heat. I wanted to feel grass under my feet.”

Dan brought a platter of dumplings. “Shrimp, vegetable, and pork.” He winked at Jess. “My special sauce for you, young lady, and my hot sauce for you, Lieutenant.” He put the small bowls down on the table beside their plates.

Jess stabbed a pork dumpling and dipped it in the soy and sesame sauce. She closed her eyes and relished the flavor. There was something intoxicating about his sauce. It was only soy and sesame, but it was delightful on her palate. She felt James watching her enjoy it and heard him shift around in his seat. Plates clattered nearby, and her eyes snapped open. Two of the chefs were watching her, and James cleared his throat. It got them back to work.

“You like the dumplings,” James said. It wasn’t a question, and she blushed with embarrassment. The dumplings always made her nearly orgasmic. She swore to Lolly once that they put an aphrodisiac in them. Lolly thought that was hilarious because they had no effect on her. Her kryptonite was chocolate cake. That was probably more normal than Dan Dan’s dumplings, but Jess couldn’t help it. They were superb and her eyes always slid closed when she ate them.

“I’ll do just about anything for these.” Jess dipped a shrimp dumpling and stuck it in her mouth. Her eyes slid closed again.

“Good to know,” James said huskily. “That’s very good to know.” His voice went dark and smooth like good caramel. Her eyes went wide as the tremor rushed through her. The dimple flashed at the corner of his mouth, and his eyes changed colors again.

Her eyes narrowed. Was she getting sick? People could not change their eye color.

“You’re very beautiful.”

Jess blushed and stared at the dumplings.

“You don’t take compliments well, do you?”

She shook her head.

“I’ll have to teach you that.”

Her luminous hazel eyes rose up to meet his once-again dark blue ones.

“Don’t worry, it’s an easy lesson.”

“Next we have Mongolian beef for the lady and beef with broccoli for the gentleman. I brought pork-fried rice, too. Enjoy.” Dan smiled and gave them a half bow.

“How is that? I’ve never had it,” James asked.

“Oh, please taste it. Dan’s is the best.” Jess speared some of the beef and held it up to him. When he took it in his mouth, she smiled. “See? It’s good, right?”

He nodded. “The best.”

When she lifted a piece to her own mouth, his eyes flashed. They finished their meals, and Jess sipped the tea that tasted like apricots and jasmine.

Dan filled a large insulated cup with it and put a lid on it for her.

James led her out with his hand in the small of her back again. When they neared the parking structure, he slowed.

“I’m parked on the third floor. Where are you?” He smiled at her.

“Over there.” She pointed to the small Honda Civic that she drove. It wasn’t new or old. It was clean, though, and not dented. But it was nothing special, just like its driver, she thought. She wished she could point to a flashy red sports car, but nope, just the Civic. Its safety record was admirable, as was its carbon footprint. “What do you drive?” she asked, hoping to keep him hanging around for a few more minutes. He was nice and she was hoping that maybe he would kiss her goodnight. The date had gone well, she thought, and she wanted to spend more time with him. He had a fascinating smile and nice eyes. He seemed to have a reassuring air about him, and she felt safe with him the way he said she would. She wondered briefly what his lips would feel like on hers.

“I have a big SUV.” He grinned. “Boys like their trucks, but I like a little comfort in mine.” He put his hands in his pockets. “Are you free for dinner tomorrow night?” His dimple flashed and his eyes crinkled at the corners. She liked that.

“Uh no.” She looked down at the oil-stained cement.

“No?”

She shook her head.

“Oh. Well, okay, maybe I’ll see you around, then.”

Her brows knitted tightly together.

“Good night, Jessica.” He strode to the stairwell and went through the door.

“Wait,” she said softly as the door closed. Okay? This was no different from her last date. David the mechanic from Transportation. He was shy, almost as shy as she was, but very nice-looking. He’d taken her out once, didn’t kiss her, and never called again. She doubted she’d ever hear from James again either. Why did they ask her out in the first place if she was too hideous to kiss goodnight? This was a bad idea. Damn that Lolly, she should’ve backed out the way she wanted to in the first place. Jess went to her car, started it, and left the garage.

***

“Shit, that was harsh. She wasn’t interested at all and was afraid of being there with me.” James slapped the steering wheel with the flat part of his hand. She’d shut him down without a blink. Uh no. She may as well have said “Hell no!”

“Shit.” He slapped the wheel again. Why the hell not? Was dinner that bad? Was his company terrible? Maybe that comment about her not talking much had set her off. What was she afraid of? He’d put her at ease at the restaurant, hadn’t he? Maybe he was losing his scenting ability. Shit. He wanted her, bad. She belonged to him. He felt it in his soul. Shit, shit, shit.

He’d eased her anxiety at the restaurant when they first arrived. Something had freaked her out, but he calmed her. He’d felt her fear subside once he’d put his hands on her and comforted her. Sure, he’d nearly come when she fed him then ate off of the same fork, but she didn’t know that. His wolf noticed, though. As far as the beast was concerned, she’d accepted him. It was just a small matter of a bite to him now. But in the garage when he asked for dinner tomorrow, she’d said no and he sensed anxiety again. Why? They’d had a good time.

He needed to find a way around whatever bothered his beautiful girl. He’d spent countless hours bird-dogging her, doing research on her, filling in all of the pieces of her existence. He’d left no stone unturned when he’d gathered every personal detail of her life. It wasn’t typical behavior for a wolf, but it was for a cop. The need to know every detail of every minute of her life. That was the cop in him, and the wolf didn’t mind either. He was patient and would continue to be patient for her. Neither he nor the wolf wanted to mess this up. She was his mate and she was human. He would be diligent, patient, and treat her like the delicate flower that was Jessica.

“Fuck!” he screamed at the windshield and slapped the steering wheel again, fighting his shift. He was going to lose control right here in the garage if he didn’t calm down.

“You okay, Lieutenant?” Freddy, his sergeant and pack mate, was calling through the glass of his driver’s side window. Freddy was tall, wide, and filling the window with his bulk. Most male wolves were large, but Freddy was huge and powerful. James proudly called him friend since he was also calm, sympathetic, and funny as hell.

James pushed the button to lower the window. “Yeah, just having a pity party.” He grinned. “Remember the girl that I told you about.”

Freddy nodded. Of course Freddy knew who Jess was. The whole pack knew who Jess was, because the whole Jess episode nearly brought the pack to its knees. He waited for James to continue. “I took her to dinner and I thought that we had a good time, but when I asked for dinner tomorrow she kicked me to the curb.”

“I thought you said she was submissive. That doesn’t sound submissive to me. Usually they have a hard time with confrontation. You should ask her again, press your suit.”

James shrugged and blew out a breath.

“I came to ask a favor. Can you cover me tomorrow second shift? Seeing how you aren’t busy.” Freddy grinned and James nodded.

“Great, thanks. I owe you. My girl wants to go to the movies.”

James nodded and smiled softly.

“Give her another shot, Cap. Maybe you misunderstood her.”

“You and Charlie have a great time.”

Freddy winked and gave him a knowing glance. He deserved some R and R. They all worked hard as officers and on the whole Jessica thing. He owed them all.

“Thanks. See you later.”

James raised the window and watched Freddy walk away. Lucky SOB. James drove slowly down the three floors, hoping that she was gone already because he couldn’t face her rejection again. He needed time to sort this out in his head. She would be his, one way or another. He was the Alpha, damn it.