“This is the life!” Jo exclaimed, relaxing in the bath. The cabin was incredible and she’d decided to make good use of the bathtub. She’d been more than a little surprised to find bubble bath stashed away in a cabinet, wondering if perhaps this was where either Tom or Nick took their dates. The thought of Nick having a girlfriend made her heart sink. There was no reason why he wouldn’t, Jo admitted to herself, sinking further into the water. Just thinking about him brought heat to her face…and to her core. Closing her eyes, she thought about the strong, lean body she’d caught a glimpse of, imagining what it would be like to have him here, with her….right now.
Pushing the image away, Jo forced herself to think about something else, allowing the water to soak into all her tired muscles. This was the only good thing about her trip so far. Determined to enjoy her few days, she'd even gone so far as to block Brian's number. Their recent conversation had made her angrier than she'd ever been before with him, wanting to throw the phone to the floor and stamp on it for good measure. She'd not been able to put up with his ridiculous accent, hanging up on him while he was still talking. She'd unblock him after she'd met the client, of course, but Jo knew that Nick was right. She shouldn't let him treat her like that! When she got back, there were going to be some changes. Either that or she'd quit.
The water was cooling. Getting out of the bath, Jo dried her hair and dressed quickly. Opting for her sweats instead of another smart outfit, she paused for a moment, wondering what Nick would prefer her in. Would he get the wrong impression if she opted for her sweats? A slow smile spread across her face. Maybe she wanted to give the wrong impression! And perhaps just a tiny bit of make-up, since the dark shadows under her eyes were never attractive. A slight fluttering in her belly as she thought about Nick warned her that she was already far too caught up with him. Admitting to herself that she certainly wasn't a ‘one-night stand' kind of girl, Jo couldn't help but think that perhaps for Nick, she could make an exception. Just once.
Waiting for him to come back was sweet torture, as her thoughts drifted casually over what it might be like to be with him. He was strong, aggressive almost, and Jo was surprised to find that didn’t put her off. In fact, she quite liked it. The glint in his dark eyes when she’d talked about her boss had both thrilled and terrified her, catching the way his hands had gripped the steering wheel.
Startled by a knock at the door, Jo pressed a hand to her cheeks as she got up, hoping he wouldn’t guess the way her thoughts had been turning. “Hi, come in,” she said, noticing the way his gaze flicked over her and a slight smile played around his lips. “I hope you don’t mind, I already opened the wine.”
“Glad you did,” he replied, running his hand through his hair, his jaw tightening. “Fancy getting me a glass?”
“Sure.”
Letting out a long breath, Nick dumped the food on the table and clenched his hands around the top of one of the chairs. He could smell her excitement already, and it had almost thrown him completely. What had she been thinking about? Him? Them, together? The bear was already growling, almost demanding that he take her. The red stain around her lips had been a punch to the gut, and he had to force the bear down. It’s wine, not blood.
“Thanks for getting dinner.” Handing him a glass, Jo walked back to the kitchen and rummaged through the drawers until she found some plates and cutlery. “It smells amazing.”
The bear grew quiet, waiting for him to make a move on Jo. She was different now, relaxed and happy. He liked her happy. "Best takeout in town!" he replied, laying out their food.
Sitting down at the table, Jo smiled awkwardly as he refilled first her glass. “It feels a little strange, if I’m honest, making myself at home in a stranger’s cabin.”
“Not at all,” he replied with a grin. “I hope the bath helped.” She used a mixture of essential oils and pheromones.
Jo paused, her fork halfway to her mouth. “How did you know I had a bath?”
Oh. "Uh…your hair is still a bit damp and I figured you'd prefer a bath over a shower. Especially after the day you had," he fumbled, seeing her relax. Why aren’t you being more careful? You can’t give yourself away.
“Right,” Jo laughed, feeling even more ridiculous. It wasn’t as though he had a camera in the cabin or something, watching her – although that idea… Forcing her mind back on the food, she picked up a cracker. “This place is amazing,” she mumbled, working through the sudden awkwardness. “Do you, uh, bring other people here?”
The corner of Nick’s eyes crinkled as a hint of laughter filled his gaze. “If you’re asking if I have a girlfriend, the answer is no.” His strong hand cradled the wine glass gently, swirling it around before taking a sip.
“I wasn’t asking that,” Jo protested, barely able to take her eyes from him. “It’s just such a beautiful place, I thought…” She closed her eyes briefly, aware that he was still smiling at her. A surge of desire mingled with embarrassment confused her even more. She tried covering it by bringing the glass of wine to her lips.
Fighting the urge to reach across the table for her, Nick sat back and tried to relax. He could hear her breathing quicken and caught the way she licked her lips just once too often. Shifters don’t touch humans. You’re too strong for her. Clearing his throat, he tried to change the subject. “Do you enjoy your job?”
“Mmm,” Jo mumbled, non-committal. “It has its good points.”
“Except for your boss,” he quipped.
“Yes, exactly!”
He watched her steadily for a moment. “Then why not leave? Quit?”
A sigh left Jo's lips as she put her glass down on the table. "Believe me, I've been thinking about it." Returning his smile and ignoring the way her stomach turned over at the piercing darkness that suddenly filled his gray eyes, Jo turned the question back on to him. "Have you always been a mechanic?"
“Yes, most of the time,” he replied, deftly spearing a piece of chicken. “Tom and I, well, we always planned to start a place of our own.”
“You seem very close,” Jo commented.
He snorted. Shifters have to be. “We share a special kind of bond, I guess. We’re good friends as well as brothers, so it just seemed the right thing to do to set up a business together. The land this cabin is built on belonged to our dad, but we had to buy the mechanics.”
“That sounds great,” Jo commented, quietly. She wondered what it would feel like to be content with her life, to be happy. All she had was work and any free evenings were spent alone in front of the television, making her way steadily through a bottle of wine. Hoping that this evening would be different, Jo let her gaze slowly travel up Nick’s body as he got up to clear the dishes.
A short time later, glass in hand, Nick studied Jo quietly, as the light from the fire flickered over her face. She was watching the flames steadily, one elbow on the edge of the sofa, her head resting on her hand. Her legs were curled underneath her and the nearly finished glass of wine was held lazily in her other hand. She was the picture of relaxation but the bear knew better. Now and again, she’d glance at him, her breath coming a little faster if their eyes met. Her hand was scrunching her hair over and over again, which was probably something to do with trying to get a hold on what she was thinking.
She wants you.
Nick shook his head, stretching back into the armchair. He couldn’t touch her. She was too delicate, too fragile. He needed a shifter to mate with, not a human. Humans were weak, shifters were strong. So why are you still here?
He couldn’t leave, not now. The urge to have her was too strong, despite the warning in his heart, despite the rules. His breath coming faster, Nick eased himself out of the chair, took the glass from her hand and sat down next to her, watching the way her pupils dilated as she looked at him.
“Nick?”