CHAPTERNINE
RUX
Rux barely slept on the night that Dana sent him the sexiest photos he’d had ever seen. It was clear that she wanted him, and lord, the temptation was palpable. He saved every single photo, swiping through them obsessively as he worked, caught in a whirlwind of thoughts about the ridiculously foxy, dream girl bouncing around in his mind.
He had almost gone to relieve himself of his pent-up sexual energy while staring at the photos, but he felt he wanted to wait until she felt ready to give herself to him entirely. The anticipation was delicious.
He was taking Gerri’s and Ellen’s advice to heart, giving her the time she needed before giving in to him, whether it be physically or emotionally. He was being patient, and it felt worthwhile for one of the first times in his life.
Rux had a deep sense about her, knowing she took time to come around to someone, but if he continued to show interest, she would appreciate the fact that he had never left.
They had set up another date to take place at a Mecum auction where wealthy car collectors flocked to admire classic cars. Rux was beyond ecstatic to have her accept and spent the day building up to it, thinking obsessively about the way Dana had always existed in his mind.
He went for a gallop through his property in the early sunrise. The landscape was no longer foggy but vibrant and warm with a tease of the temperature to come. Rux didn’t feel the instinct to outrun himself, and he thought, perhaps, that meant he was headed in the right direction.
Rux ran through the woods behind his property the way he always did. Occasionally, he would sprint along the sidelines of his neighbor's property, timing himself mentally to chase the ground to the manor's front door.
On this particular day, as he ran through the fresh morning air, he caught a whiff of something unfamiliar.
The scent was of something zesty with a pungent punch at the end of it. It billowed through his mind, and he had to stop short to make a closer assessment of it.
Rux knew immediately that the smell was of a shifter, specifically, a lion shifter. He knew that neither neighbor was one, so he wondered why the scent was so powerful.
Shifters were rarely incorrect about what and who they were smelling. They could smell the acid of the sweat of a particularly anxious person from miles away or the floral essence of a generously dabbed perfume on a pretty lady.
Each person also came with their own bouquet.
Associations came quickly as Rux trailed his nose along the edge of the property lines, shuffling through the cabinets of his mind for exactly where he had detected that scent before.
He thought about crossing the property lines to investigate, just in case some kind of lion shifter was wandering around. He lifted one paw into the air and immediately made eye contact with exactly what he had suspected, an Alpha lion.
The morning was bright and clear, so there was no mistaking it. His mane was a fiery red that stuck out like a blaze in an open field. Rux remained still as they stared, unsure what move to make next.
Before he could decide, the lion nodded, acknowledging him respectfully. That was when the recognition clicked into Rux’s mind; the zesty scent was that of Griffin Malone.
He had met Griffin only a handful of times, but a shifter never forgot a scent. It was physically impossible as it was lodged deep into a part of the brain associated with memory.
What the hell is Griffin doing on Skylar’s property?
Rux nodded back, then watched as Griffin galloped away toward the Skylar manor. Rux stood there, watching him run back, then recalled that he’d been invited to his private island party.
He wasn’t sure if Dana would want to go, but he figured that he should go anyway to figure out why the hell Griffin was so far out there next to his manor.
Rux returned home, showered, and prepared himself to meet with Dana. He forgot all about Griffin as he wore plain gray slacks, a matching dress shirt, and a navy-blue blazer with the collar open.
He smoothed out his hair and checked himself in the mirror.
Go with the flow. Do whatever she wants. You can’t fuck this up.
A short time later, Rux was telling himself the same thing as he watched Dana’s luscious form step into his car, long silky legs first. He thought about the image he had sent her the other night, the wolf with bulging eyes, his heart about to rip out of his chest like the creature fromAlien.
Her hair lay on her shoulders, and she already had a mischievous look on her face when she sat. Her blue eyes swam in the dark, and he just wanted to leap into them and never come back up for air.
“Hi,” she said quietly.
He smirked.
“Hi.”