What the fuck is she doing here?

When the commotion started, people running down the hall yelling, an alarm going off, Mike had immediately headed to the common room following the foot traffic. What he’d not expected to see, or get hit with, the moment he walked in the door was an itty-bitty woman wearing red.

The red clothes were gone now, and he’d seen more than he needed.

More than he could forget.

“Who the hell let you in here?” he snapped, his grip tight on Brenda’s arm, the fabric of the white coat he’d forced on her keeping him from touching skin.

Too late to save him. The vision of her standing in only her panties and bra had burnt itself on his retinas.

“I am here on business.”

“What kind of business? The red flag waving in front of a rabid bull?”

“Where is all this hate for red coming from?” Brenda yanked her arm from his grip and glared at him. “I looked very nice.”

“You did. And very red, which is what sets off the spirit inside Peabody.”

Her expression went from angry to excited. “So he is the one possessed.”

“Very. But we’ve managed to keep it mostly dormant.”

Her lips pushed out into a pout. “That’s no fun. How are you supposed to get answers then?”

“Maybe by ensuring he’s restrained first.” Mike pushed open the door to his office and ushered her in. Only when he slammed it shut did he whirl and then manhandle her until her back pressed against the wall.

“Ooh, Grumpy. I never expected this kind of reaction from you.”

He hadn’t either. For some reason, the sight and scent of Brenda did things to him. Carnal things he didn’t like.

“What are you really doing here?”

“I told you, I had business.”

“Bullshit. The real reason.” Because no one in their right mind would send her to question Peabody. Then again, no one knew just how fucked up Peabody was.

“Would you believe me if I said I came to see you?” She batted her lashes.

He didn’t buy it for a second.

“What do you want with Mr. Peabody?”

“I think the better question, Grumpy, is why are you here? Did your angry view of the world finally get you locked up for observation? Did you lose your favorite chew toy and go into a puppy depression?”

“Did your mother drop you on your head as a child?” he snarled in her face.

“I had no mother.”

Prick. The sound of his anger deflated at her little words.

“That’s no excuse.” He moved away from Brenda and flopped into his chair behind the desk.

She peeked around, completely unfazed by the fact that a possessed man had tried to attack her. He, on the other hand, still rode high on adrenaline.

“Who’s office is this?” she asked. “Shrink? The guy who doles out drugs. The man who gives people dolls and asks them to show where they were touched?”

How about the office of a man who needed a good slap for some of the thoughts running through his mind?

“The office is mine,” he stated.

“They give patients offices?” Her nose wrinkled as she looked around.

He fought an urge to scrounge for drugs. “I’m not a patient. I work here. As a doctor.” Of sorts. The Lycium Institute catered only to the non-humans. Those that needed care from someone who understood them and knew how to contain them.

“A doctor? Do you have any idea how hot that makes you?” She stood there, hair disheveled, wearing a coat—with hardly anything underneath—tapping her chin with a finger.

Did she have any idea how sexy that made her?

If he liked humans.

And even if he did, he’d choose to like a sane one, not a crazy Thumbelina-sized vixen who threw herself into danger and didn’t seem to care.

“Why were you talking to Mr. Peabody?”

“Are you jealous?” She sat primly in the seat across from him, crossing her legs, forcing the seam in the coat to fall open, revealing lots of bare thigh.

He averted his gaze.

“If you’re implying that I’m jealous that he tried to kill you instead of me, then no, not particularly. However, as his physician, I am supposed to be in charge of who speaks to him.”

“What a lucky chance I ran into you then because he’s part of my job.”

“What job? I thought you were a secretary.” And yes, he did sneer.

“I am, but Chloe asked me to help her out on account that she’s so busy, especially now with the two boyfriends. Not that I’m not busy, too,” Brenda hastened to add.

“So busy you decided to hit the asylum for a Saturday-morning visit.”

“I wouldn’t cast any stones there, Grumpy. You’re here, too.”

“Because they pay me.”

“Who says I’m not getting paid?”

“You work for the government. They aren’t known to be generous with their overtime hours.”

“Good point.” She slouched, but not for long.

Nothing ever seemed to keep her spirits down. Just like nothing would keep his dick down. He’d sat down behind the cover of his desk for a reason.

“So, what can you tell me about Mr. Peabody?” She leaned forward, and her jacket gaped. Being a man—and part wolf—he couldn’t help but look.

It was a prime directive. He liked what he saw.

A little too much.

He focused on her question. “I can’t tell you anything about Mr. Peabody because of doctor-patient privilege.”

“Even if I say pretty please?” She batted her lashes.

“No.”

“But I’m working on his defense case.”

“And I’m working to keep him from killing himself or others. Guess what trumps you?”

“You’re impeding justice.” She jumped to her feet and slammed her hands on his desk.

“And you’re trouble. I don’t want you coming back here.”

“I might have to if I have more questions.”

“Then visit a library.”

“You can’t stop me from finding out the truth,” she threatened, leaning over his desk.

The coat gaped wider, showing off the vale between her breasts, tempting him…

I could lick a path down to those tiny little panties and…

He half rose to meet her until they were almost nose-to-nose before growling, “Oh, yes I can stop you.” He had to stop her. Had to make her leave. This attraction he had for her was madness.

“Bet you can’t stop this.”

Before he could guess her intent, she’d grabbed him by the hair and yanked him close.

Her lips, soft and tasting faintly of lipstick, pressed against his.

Shocked, he couldn’t move as her mouth slanted over his, nibbling and sucking. Teasing him with soft kisses.

The tip of her tongue parted the seam of his mouth, and he might have rumbled as she deepened the caress. Brenda somehow ended up atop the desk, on her knees, her arms twined around his neck.

And his hands?

They slid inside the coat, encountering soft skin, and lush curves.

Pure madness.

Unadulterated pleasure that made him want to howl and stamp a foot.

He couldn’t help but touch her, cup the fullness of her ass, let his tongue dance with hers in a frantic embrace that saw him breathing hard.

Sanity returned for a moment.

He pulled away. “We can’t do this.”

“Yes, we can.” She cupped his face. “Kiss me.”

An order he knew he should ignore. Instead, he dove onto her mouth.

With her already mostly naked, it was all too easy for him to slide a hand under the elastic of her panties, to reach in and cup her mound.

To touch her.

Feel her wetness. Her heat. Her desire.

…for me.

He couldn’t help but stroke her, slide a finger back and forth across her wet slit, hearing her moan as he caressed.

A part of him knew what they did was wrong.

He couldn’t have explained why or how it was wrong, though. How could it be wrong when it felt so good?

He dipped a finger into her damp sex, feeling the molten, wet heat, the muscles of her channel squeezing him.

He inserted a second finger, and her mouth left his to tease the lobe of his ear, her voice whispering a husky, “Yes, yes.”

Yes, this was how it should be. His fingers pumping in and out of her, thrusting and pushing, her body riding them with wild abandon until, with a small cry, she came, the sweet ripple of her orgasm squeezing his fingers so tightly.

How would it feel to sink his cock into that blessed heat?

Before he could remove all the garments standing in their way, she pushed away.

“Goodness, Grumpy, that was an unexpected delight.” Her smile and flushed cheeks bemused him.

Perhaps that was why he couldn’t react when she slid off his desk and tugged the coat closed while moving to the door.

He gaped at her. “Where are you going?” They weren’t done. His throbbing cock screamed for relief.

“Weren’t you the one who said I should go and never come back?”

“Yes, but that was before…” Before he’d lost his mind. Before he’d touched her.

Before he’d made her come on his fingers.

“Is this your way of asking for a thank you?” She cocked her head. “Thank you.”

“That’s it?” What he really wanted to scream was, what about me?

“I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble at work. Tell you what, when you’re done for the day, if you want, give me a call or pop by my place.”

“I’m busy.”

“Whatever. Your loss.” Her gaze dipped down, and she couldn’t miss seeing the erection tenting his slacks. Looking back at him, she winked before sashaying out the door.

Meanwhile, he slumped back into his chair.

What the fuck just happened?

I just finger fucked Brenda. A woman who was off-limits. A woman he didn’t even like.

Perhaps Peabody’s possession was contagious.