"I think that should do it," Jo said, finally, scrutinizing her work. All his injuries had been cleaned and dressed, despite his argument and she thought she'd done quite a good job. "You can get up now."

“Thanks.” His dark eyes watched her as she washed her hands, something brooding in his stare. “You did a good job, Jo.”

“No problem.” Heat exploded in her belly as she dried her hands, watching him. He didn’t seem to know what to do, his hands curling and muscles tensing. “Is…is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled. “I just need to get another shirt.”

“Okay,” she replied. “Is there one here?”

“Upstairs,” he said, making no move to go and get it. “Sorry. That’s two shirts I’ve ruined and left here.”

She tried to smile, walking over to him. “I don’t mind,” she breathed, putting her hand on his chest and running it gently down over his stomach. “I didn’t want you to leave last night.”

Nick bit his lip, lifting his head to the ceiling. “I had to,” he said, his breathing ragged. “I can’t do this, Jo.”

“Why not?” His words stung, but she could tell that he was fighting this, for whatever reason. He wanted her. And she wanted him.

“I just can’t.”

Standing on tiptoe, Jo stretched up towards him, lifting her arms around his neck. “That’s not a reason, Nick.”

This was not a good idea. He could still smell blood and the bear was growling for more. Being with Jo last night had made him vulnerable, but for some reason, he couldn’t stay away. “I can’t be myself with you,” he tried to explain, even though her mouth was an inch away from his. “It’s dangerous.”

Her eyes flared, and he could hear the way her heartbeat picked up pace. “Maybe I like dangerous.” Taking a quick breath, Jo kissed him, hard, pressing herself up against him.

A growl ripped from his throat, as he grabbed her and spun her around, pushing her against the table. Jo could hardly get her breath as he pulled her shirt up, his hands exploring her skin underneath, barely taking his mouth from hers. Flinging her head back, she rolled her neck as he grazed his teeth down her jawline and along her shoulder. His hands moved lower, working at her jeans.

“Nick,” she breathed, tugging his head back up so that she could kiss him again. “Promise me you won’t stop this time.” She had to know, had to be assured that he wasn’t going to leave her again. Last night had been an experience she didn’t want to repeat.

“I…” His fingers stopped working at the buttons on her jeans, his arousal just begging for satisfaction but Nick knew he had to deny it. “I want you, Jo.”

“Then don’t stop,” she whimpered, leaning back against the table so that her covered breasts were close to his face.

“I have to,” he gasped, wanting nothing more than to bury his face into her soft mounds. “This isn’t right.”

His words fell on deaf ears, as Jo pulled him back down, lying along the length of the table. Her body was calling to him, and he couldn’t help but answer it. His lips and hands moved, exploring whatever bare skin was available to him. The bear was growing louder, its roar shaking him inside, but Nick chose to ignore it. His eyes glowed as he tugged at her shirt, wanting to get rid of it so there wasn’t anything between them.

“Nick,” Jo breathed, kneading his shoulders. “Don’t stop this time.”

Pain blasted through his shoulder, her fingers pressing against his injuries – and the bear exploded. With a snarl, he ripped the shirt from her body, his nails tearing her skin. His spine was bending, his muscles tensing. You can’t change, Nick!

“Ouch!” Sitting up, Jo pushed him away with a frown. “What did you do?”

Breathing heavily, Nick took a step back. Staring at her, he realized that his nails had, somehow, torn her skin. She was scratched, redness appearing just below her collar bone. Ice washed over him, his arousal disappearing immediately. "I'm so sorry," he breathed, his eyes wide with shock. "I didn't mean to."

Jo shrugged. "It’s not exactly a life threatening injury, Nick, don’t look so scared! You're a bit rough compared to my previous…." Thinking better of it, she shook her head. "It doesn't matter, though, it's just a scratch. I like that you want me so much." Her eyes darkened as she coyly beckoned him back toward her. "Where are you going? Don't you want to carry on, maybe finish what we started this time?"

Nick’s jaw worked. He wanted nothing more than to take her, but the damage he’d done was warning enough. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

"It's just a couple of scratches!" she exclaimed, jumping down from the table. "It's nice to be so wanted, I guess, so I'll take it as a compliment. We can go upstairs if you like."

He couldn’t take his eyes from the marks he’d left on her. They might be slight, but they were enough of a warning. Nick knew he had to stop, that he couldn’t touch her again. His bear had almost come right out of his skin, the pain in his shoulder enough to make him want to – need to – change. “No, I –”

Jo’s phone rang, startling them both and breaking the mood immediately.

“Why don’t you get that?” Nick said, trying to calm himself down. “I’ll maybe go and find another shirt.”

Jo smiled tightly, her eyes filling with disappointment. That was the second time he’d backed away, and she was getting tired of it. Why couldn’t he tell her what the problem was?

 

Picking up the phone, she frowned, not recognizing the number. "Hello?"

“Jo?”

Her heart sank. It was Brian. He must have got hold of a different number somehow, still mad at her for blocking his number. “What?”

“Don’t use that tone with me!” he exclaimed, his voice immediately going into that fake British, overly posh accent.

Jo rolled her eyes. “What do you want, Brian?”

Listening to him go on and on about how rude she was, how ungrateful she was that she’d been given such an amazing opportunity to go and get this client’s work for their gallery, Jo sat down heavily in one of the plush sofas. “Yes, Brian,” she murmured, resting her head back. It didn’t matter what she said, Brian was clearly angry with her and was getting everything off his chest in one go.

Nick prowled down the stairs, his careful footsteps not making a sound. Jo was leaning back on the couch, her eyes closed and strain on her face. He could hear a man’s voice going on and on, catching a few words that made his blood pump furiously. This must be her boss again. He seemed to be the only one that made Jo turn into the tense, stressed out mess that was clearly very unhappy. Sitting down on the bottom step, Nick clenched his fists, his jaw set. Jo was beginning to get upset and he didn’t like it.

“Okay, Brian,” Jo protested, weakly. “I think you’ve said enough, don’t you?”

“Enough?” Brian screeched, taking a long breath. “I don’t think I’ve said nearly enough, Jo! Am I getting through to you at all? Am I?”

“Yes, you are,” Jo replied, a lump in her throat. “I –” Her words were drowned out as he began to talk over her again.

Nick couldn't take it anymore, especially when he saw the sheen of tears in her eyes, as she blinked furiously. The guy was a moron and he wasn't going to let him speak to Jo like that. Jo needed to be strong and stand up for herself, but he could tell by the way she sagged against the sofa that she wasn't able to be right now. His hackles were rising, a rattle in his throat as he caught the words ‘idiot' and ‘ungrateful'.  Wanting to do something about it, he got to his feet, taking a breath to calm himself down.

Striding over, he snatched the phone from her hand, a dark look in his eyes. “Look,” he said, holding the phone to his ear. “I don’t think that’s any way to speak to a valued employee. Don’t call Jo back again until you can be civil. Got it?” Without saying another word, he hung up, throwing the cell phone on the sofa, stomping over to the kitchen and muttering something about coffee.