Chapter Four
Cole turned up his nose as he looked around the room. His senses were on overdrive. Most of the women here were wearing pheromone enhancers, and it made his hair stand on end. They were beautiful, slinky, and seductive, but the fake aromas that wafted off them were giving him a headache.
One of them trailed a finger down his abdomen, and he shuddered as he tried to politely remove himself from the situation. She pouted. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“Hungry,” he murmured.
A smile curved across her face as she mistook his meaning. She rubbed her body on him. “I think I have just the thing,” she whispered. A tongue darted out and tickled his ear.
“No,” he said more firmly. “I mean I am actually hungry. Excuse me,” he muttered.
He moved so quickly that she nearly fell over. “What the hell is wrong with you,” she snapped, but he was already trying to blend in the crowd.
It became clear that he was alpha male in the group. There were several cats and wolves, and even a bear, but he was the highest-ranking member of the group. The men frowned as the women flocked to him, but this wasn’t what he wanted. If he just wanted a fling, he could have one at any point. He was looking for something more substantial than that.
Of course, it was possible that these women were as well, but fucking a shifter was a trendy thing to do nowadays. If he couldn’t tell whose scent was real, how was he going to pick out who wanted something long term and who just wanted a fling?
One woman was still following him, and he groaned. He slipped through the service entrance and watched through the small window as she circled around trying to find him again.
“I know the cupcake tray in empty, but it’s going to take me a few minutes to finish them,” a voice said wryly.
He whirled around. The baker that he’d caught a quick glance at earlier was staring at him with icing in hand. He immediately felt himself stirring. Now here was a woman.
She was tall with luscious big breasts and an ass that a big man like him could really get his hands on. She was dressed in a hot little red number, but it was covered in flour and icing.
The best part? She smelled real. And she smelled good.
Really good.
He stirred. “Couldn’t wait,” he said with a smile. “Something in here smelled delicious.”
She narrowed her eyes. “As I’ve already told several guests, I’m not here for a date. I’m just here to provide something sweet.”
Cole laughed. “I bet you do have something sweet.” She blushed furiously, and he decided to keep going. “But I meant the cupcakes, not you, sweetheart.”
Her eyes narrowed dangerously, and he knew he had her on his hook. “Well, you’re just going to have to wait outside like everyone else,” she hissed. She pointed to the door.
He moved easily into the shadows hoping to slink around and get a better look at that ass, but she kept a sharp eye on him. “Are you confused? The door is that way.”
He loved that sharp attitude she had in her voice. “There are worse things than to be locked in a small room with me, baby.”
“First of all, my name is Sasha. Not baby. Second of all, I’m not interesting in flirting with you. And third of all…” her voice faltered when he moved closer. If she tried to say she wasn’t attracted to him, she’d be lying. He could smell the spike of lust in her body. Just looking at him made her wet.
And it made him hard.
He hadn’t had a reaction like that in quite some time.
“Third of all?” he murmured as he took a step closer.
He watched, fascinated, as she swallowed hard. He figured she’d take a step back, but she clearly had more spine than that. She held her ground until he was only inches away from her.
“Third of all, I don’t like someone’s leftovers,” she said before spinning on her heels to stalk away.
His mouth dropped open. “Someone’s leftovers? Hold on just a second!” He reached out to grab her arm. “I haven’t been with anyone tonight.”
“Please,” she rolled her eyes. “I’ve seen practically every woman here drooling all over you.”
“Been keeping an eye on me?”
“I’ve been keeping an eye on everyone,” she said prissily. “I like to know who’s enjoying my goods.”
“I haven’t quite sampled your goods yet.”
“Baked goods,” she snapped. She pulled her arm away and went back to decorating the cupcakes.
He wasn’t about to let her go that easily. Cole cocked her head as he watched her hips swing back and forth, and a sound of approval slipped out. Without even thinking, he slipped up behind her and pressed her body to his.
“Personal space!” she hissed. “Didn’t I already go over all the reasons that I wasn’t interested?”
“Let’s see,” he mused. He ached to put his arms around her, but he knew that it was too soon. “I believe you didn’t like that I called you baby. And that’s okay. I like Sasha just fine. Sexy.” God, he wanted to lick the column of her neck. “Secondly, you said you weren’t here to flirt with me. And that’s okay as well. I have something way better than flirting in mind.” He heard her inhale sharply, and he leaned over to watch her breasts heave. God. He was going to have to bend her over the table and take her right here. “And then you said you didn’t want anyone’s leftovers. I can assure you, there has been no one here to catch my eye tonight. Except you.”
She whirled around. “Back off. You may not lick the column of my neck, and you certainly may not bend me over the counter.”
Shocked, he stumbled back quickly. “What the fuck did you just say?” he demanded.
She grabbed a spatula and waved it in his face. “I don’t care if you think you can tell that I’m aroused because you’re supersensitive to that kind of thing. No means no. And until I give you permission, you are not touching me!”
“I didn’t say that out loud.”
Irritation crossed her face. “Of course you did. I heard it plain as day. Not that it matters. It ain’t happening.”
“Dear God,” he muttered. “At a fucking Hairy and Fluffy party no less.” He craned his neck back as she continued to try and use the spatula to ward him off. “Stop that,” he muttered as he grabbed it. “I heard you loud and clear. No touching.”
The relief was obvious on her face. “Great. Back out to the party with you.”
He shook his head. There was no way he was letting her out of his sight. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not? Are your legs broken?”
“I can’t do that because you’re my mate.”