Aidan wasn’t surprised that Emma didn’t make conversation on the way to the radio station or during the drive back to the hotel. He couldn’t expect to be her favorite person after he’d asked Nadia to the book event and forced Emma to confront the harsh reality of his situation. His heart ached for her, and also for himself if he were honest, although he loathed the concept of self-pity.

For a moment there in the coffee shop, when Nadia had mentioned her Uncle Lenny, he’d wondered if he’d been foolish to reject Emma so completely. But once he’d heard the full story and had figured out that Emma would never go for the same deal as Nadia’s Aunt Trixi, he’d fallen into despair.

He never should have agreed to have sex with Emma, but he’d been weak and she’d been…irresistible. She still was, and he wasn’t convinced he’d ever get over her. Roarke had been right all along. Aidan should have sent someone else to handle this assignment.

Too late for regrets, though. He had to see this mess through to the end and protect Emma from whatever gonzo plan Theo had dreamed up. In the process, he’d shut Theo down. Theo might be a troublemaker, but he was also a pack animal who obeyed pack rules. When a bigger and stronger alpha subdued him, he’d be forced to give up his revolutionary plans, at least while that alpha lived. Aidan expected to live a very long time, and he would be reminding Theo of his presence on a regular basis.

In the meantime, he and Emma needed to eat something before they headed out to the next event. He’d noted with some concern that it was a werewolf costume party. He hoped to hell Theo hadn’t heard about it.

As they neared the hotel, Aidan turned to Emma. “Would you rather stop for something to eat or order room service?”

“Room service is fine.” Her tone was prim.

Her prim tone and room service for dinner both suited him. Sitting across from her in stony silence in a restaurant wouldn’t be a barrel of laughs.

When they reached the hotel, Emma got out of the car, thanked Barry, and informed him they’d walk to the party, so he was free until the next morning.

As Aidan followed Emma out, Barry glanced at him, obviously wanting confirmation for that plan of action.

“That won’t work, Emma.” Aidan sensed a fight coming and hoped he was wrong. “I’m not opposed to a walk, but for security purposes we need to take the car.”

She turned to him. “Be honest with me for once, Aidan. How much security do we really need to deal with a spoiled rich boy? Or is all this elaborate security primarily designed to protect your girlfriend’s family name?”

Aidan sighed. “So you made the connection.”

“Actually, no, I didn’t. Chicago’s a huge city, and I was sure it was some strange coincidence that Nadia and Theo had the same last name. While you were talking to Nadia on the curb this afternoon, Barry mentioned something to me about the Henderson’s problem child and then it all clicked.”

Aidan glanced at Barry, who looked stricken. “It’s okay,” Aidan said. “I didn’t tell you to keep it quiet. It’s never been a secret.”

“But it was news to me!” Emma crossed her arms and glared at him. “I would have appreciated knowing this factoid when you knew it, Aidan. I’m assuming you found out the night you traced Theo’s email and decided you had to come along on this jaunt.”

“Yes.”

“So instead of being all about me, this is all about protecting the Henderson family, who will someday be your in-laws, from public embarrassment.”

“No. My top priority is your protection. It always has been.”

“Considering the fact that you hid your connection to Theo’s family, I’m not sure I can believe you.”

“I didn’t hide it. I just didn’t mention it.”

“Same thing.”

“No, it’s not. If I’d been determined to hide it, I wouldn’t have said anything to Barry. And I damned sure wouldn’t have invited Nadia to your book event.”

“Does she know her brother is the reason you came to Chicago?”

“She does, now.”

Emma threw up her hands. “Situation solved. That’s one savvy woman. She’ll get her brother by the ear and make sure he behaves himself. She has a lot more to lose if he becomes tabloid fodder than you do.”

“He won’t listen to her.” Aidan couldn’t very well explain pack hierarchy, but Nadia, clever and accomplished as she might be, couldn’t confront Theo against her father’s wishes. He was the pack alpha, and Nadia had to obey him.

“He has parents, then.” Emma’s breath made clouds in the cold air. “Nadia can call in her parents. Hell, you can call in the parents! Why hasn’t anyone done that? Why are we all tiptoeing around the problem with this kid?”

Aidan scrubbed a hand through his hair. He would rather not have this argument within hearing distance of the hotel doorman, but he and Emma needed to come to some sort of understanding. “His parents don’t believe there’s anything wrong with Theo other than youthful high spirits.”

“I’ve known families like that,” Barry said. He seemed eager to be a peacemaker. “The kid is hell on wheels, and the parents don’t want to see it. They keep thinking their son or daughter will grow out of it. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t.”

Emma glanced at Barry. Then she studied the sidewalk and tapped her foot. Finally she looked at Aidan. “Okay, we’ll take the car.”

“Good.”

Her expression contained sympathy. Not a lot, but some. “You placed yourself in an awkward position by coming to Chicago with me, didn’t you?”

“To say the least.”

“Bet you wish you’d sent somebody else.”

“Devoutly.”

A hint of a smile touched her mouth. “Well, I’m glad you’re here.”

“You are?” He was stunned. “Why?”

Her smile broadened. “Research.”

* * *

Emma shared a light dinner with Aidan in the penthouse. They agreed that the long dining table felt too formal so they ate in the living room in front of the gas fire. As if by mutual consent, they talked about everything except Theo. They discussed the interviews she’d done, the turnout at the bookstore, even the weather.

She could see no point in dragging out the subject of Theo again. There wasn’t anything more to say, anyway. She wouldn’t say she felt sorry for Aidan, exactly. He was the engineer of his own complicated scheme and deserved whatever grief came of this weekend.

But still, he’d bitten off way more than anyone could possibly chew. He’d signed on to handle what might be an impossible task—protecting her from his future brother-in-law while keeping the problem from becoming public. Apparently he couldn’t expect support from his future mother-in-law or father-in-law. His future wife was supportive but unable to control her brother.

On top of all that, he was wildly attracted to Emma, and she to him. She’d made things worse by talking him into going to bed with her. Although she couldn’t bring herself to regret that experience, it hadn’t been a great idea for either of their sakes.

But Aidan could have stopped her cold with the complete dossier on Theo, one containing info on Aidan’s connection to the Henderson family. Had she understood why sex between them was such a bad idea, she would have made a greater effort to back away from the gorgeous Aidan Wallace.

What was done was done, though. She’d had her romp in the hay with one of the wealthiest bachelors in the country. Her heart might be nicked, but it wasn’t broken.

Besides, as she’d claimed in all honesty, she would file this weekend—the good, the bad, and the incredibly dysfunctional—under the heading of research. No experience in a writer’s life was ever wasted. At least that was the way she consoled herself when life didn’t turn out as happily-ever-after as the endings to her books.

After finishing up her dinner, she excused herself and went into the master bedroom to get ready for the party.

“Should I change?” Aidan called after her.

She paused in the doorway and turned back to him. “Not unless you have a werewolf costume hanging in your closet.”

“That would be a negative.”

“Then go as you are. That’ll be more than fine.”

“Good. Then I’ll see if the Bulls are on TV.” He picked up the remote. “Are you wearing a costume?”

“No. I’ll be wearing the proverbial little black dress.”

“Just curious, but why wouldn’t you want to go along with the costume idea? I’m sure you could buy something at a shop in New York.”

“Yes, but I’d look like a five-foot-three blonde woman in a furry suit. It would be an insult to the magnificent werewolves in my books. Those wolves have presence.”

Aidan nodded. “They do. I like the way you’ve described them, like actual wolves, only bigger and more majestic. It’s a nice image.”

“They’re very much like the wolf in my dream, the one I was sure walked into my bedroom last night.”

“Nightmares can be scary.”

“I was a little scared at first.” She rested her hand on the doorframe. “But now I wish I could see that wolf again. He could have walked right out of one of my books.”

“You’re sure it was a male?”

“Definitely a male. Big head, powerful shoulders. And there’s a look in the eye of a true alpha. He had it.”

“A look in the eye? How do you know that if werewolves don’t exist?”

She smiled. “All alpha males have that look, as if they know exactly what needs to be done and are prepared to do it. You get that look sometimes, Aidan.”

“No kidding.”

“I wouldn’t kid about something like that. It’s very attractive.” She met his gaze and saw the very look she’d just described—focused, intense, hot.

One glance was all it took to create the same sizzling awareness between them that had caused so much trouble last night. She knew without a doubt that if either of them made a move toward the other, they’d be on the floor tearing at each other’s clothes.

She slapped the doorframe. “I need to get ready.” Then she turned, walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind her. She locked it for good measure.

Even a lock wouldn’t stop a true alpha, but it might slow him down and make him reconsider if what he wanted was what he should have. Aidan had a powerful sex drive, and for whatever reason, he was drawn to her.

Exciting as it was to be wanted that fiercely, Emma wasn’t willing to pay the price of surrendering. One night with Aidan had given her a benchmark for what she wanted in a man. A second night could convince her she had no hope of finding it. Except with a man she couldn’t have.

* * *

“One thing about this costume party,” Aidan said as they rode the few blocks to the bar where it would be held. “If Theo caught wind of it, he’s liable to show up.”

“And do what? There’ll be fifty or sixty people there, at least, maybe more. Yes, it was creepy when he suddenly appeared in the bookstore wearing fake fur on his hands and some kind of fake teeth, but that was partly because nobody was around.”

“All I’m saying is, stay close. Let me know if you’re going to the bathroom, stuff like that.”

“Which brings up another point I’ve been mulling over. What’s Theo’s goal?”

Aidan had some ideas about that but he couldn’t share them with Emma. “I don’t know for sure.”

“I mean, he can’t think he’ll actually convince me he’s a werewolf, so what’s he really after?”

Aidan figured he had to come up with something, and the more innocuous the better. He didn’t want to scare her unnecessarily. “Maybe just the chance to have a conversation he can brag about to his friends.”

“I would be happy to have a conversation with him. It’s the part where he claims to be a werewolf that bothers me. You don’t suppose he’s mentally unbalanced, do you?”

“No.”

She peered over at him in the darkened back seat of the car. “So the werewolf thing is just an attention getter?”

“Something like that.”

“I hope he’s not here, Aidan. I think I’d recognize him, but in case I don’t and you spot him, let me know.”

“If he’s here, I’ll know.”

“How? He could be in full costume so you can’t even see his face.”

I’ll smell him. But he couldn’t very well say that, either. “I’m trained to pick up vibes. Part of being in the security business is being able to pick out the bad actors in a crowd. Theo isn’t exactly subtle.”

“True.” She took a deep breath. “We’re here.”

Aidan glanced out the window of the Town Car. A large neon sign advertised Andy’s Ale House in orange letters. The main bar was on the ground floor, but he could see lights on the second floor where the party was in full swing.

Barry swerved to the curb, put the car in Park and came around to open the door for them.

“We shouldn’t be long, Barry.” Aidan climbed out and offered his hand to Emma.

She gave him a sympathetic glance. “I’m afraid we can’t just make an appearance and leave. We’ll need to stay a couple of hours.”

Aidan sighed. “Okay. See you a little after nine, Barry.” Two hours in a crowded, noisy space would be hell on his ears, but he’d deal with it.

“I’ll be here.” Barry returned to the driver’s seat.

Emma hugged her coat around her and gazed up at the second floor of the bar. “I’m afraid this won’t be anything like the place you took me on Wednesday night.”

“You mean Jessie’s?”

“Yes. I love the atmosphere there.”

“I do, too.” He longed to say they’d go again when she came back from her tour, but he knew they wouldn’t. The heated glance that had passed between them after dinner tonight told him that he couldn’t afford to spend any more evenings with Emma. He wanted her too much.

One glance and he’d felt the beginnings of a shift. Had she stayed a moment longer, she would have heard his low growl of frustration. While she’d been in the bedroom getting ready for the party, he’d sat on the couch pretending to watch a basketball game while waiting for that shift to reverse. Thankfully, it had.

“We should go in,” Emma said.

“Before we do, let me say something.” He realized that out here on the street was a kind of safety zone where they could talk without anyone hearing them, and yet he wouldn’t be tempted to pull her into his arms.

She turned to him. “I’m listening.”

He took a moment to enjoy how great she looked standing there in her black trench coat, a snazzy little red evening purse on a chain over her shoulder. Her blonde hair curled around her raised collar and her blue eyes…ah, how he loved gazing into those eyes, whether they were filled with laughter or lust.

“Aidan? You wanted to say something?”

“Uh, yes. Sorry.” He gathered his thoughts, which had scattered when he looked into her eyes. “I want to apologize for not giving you all the information about Theo immediately. You had the right to know that he belongs to a prominent Chicago family, and that the Wallaces have ties to that family.”

“But if you’d told me, chances are I never would have allowed you to come along.”

“That wasn’t the reason for not telling you, though. My father wanted me to handle this as quietly as possible so there wouldn’t be any ill-will between the two families. Having you in the loop wouldn’t have furthered that cause. I accepted that rationale.”

“Of course you did. He’s your father, and besides, you work for him. I was angry at first, but I get it now.”

“The thing is, I should have told you, anyway. I should have trusted you with the information.”

“Not necessarily. You don’t know me all that well. How could you be sure how I’d react?”

“I suppose you’re right.” But he knew her better than she thought he did. After spending three months watching her behavior in many different situations, he knew she was trustworthy.

“In any case, rest easy on that point, Aidan. I don’t blame you anymore, and I promise to have only good memories of you.”

“Same here.” He fought the urge to pull her close, but that’s why he was standing out on the sidewalk saying this instead of waiting until they were back in the penthouse.

She clasped her hands together. “So, apology accepted. Ready to face the crowd?”

“In a minute. There’s something else.”

“Okay.”

“When we get back to the penthouse, I’m going straight to my bedroom, and I’m asking you to go straight to yours. If we linger at all, I…we can’t linger, Emma. I’m not that strong.”

Her gaze softened. “Me, either.”

“So you’re okay with that plan?”

“No, but I’ll do it. We have to be smart about…we just have to be smart.”

“Yes, we do. Emma, I wish—”

“Don’t say another word, Aidan. You’ll only make things worse. Let’s go in.” She started toward the entrance of the bar.

With a sigh he followed her. She was right. He needed to shut the hell up before he said something they’d both regret.