I look down his body and realize he’s brushing away liquid and my eyes widen in horror. “Oh my,” I breathe out, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect to run into you at all, but I felt this,” I pause, wondering if I should say it, but my mouth starts moving again before I can decide, “pull and I had to follow it.”
He looks me up and down and even though he tries to hide it, I see the way his eyes heat. When I look farther down his body, there’s an obvious bulge in his jeans and I can’t help the pride and desire waging a war in me. I did that. I did that to him.
His nostrils flare and heat creeps up my neck and cheeks. Can he smell me? It wouldn’t surprise me considering he’s not exactly human. Part of me is mortified and another part of me wants to preen and then present my ass to him so he can fuck me from behind like a wild animal.
This is, officially, the strangest thing that has ever happened to me.
“You’re new,” he growls, and I try and stop myself from shivering.
“I am,” I chirp brightly and nod. “My name’s Dakota. I’m opening an organic pet treat business here. I’ve only been here about two weeks, but I found the perfect place and now it’s just a matter of cleaning it up, painting and hiring a worker or two.”
Holy shit, why the hell am I talking so much?
“Jace,” his voice is low and worn. For a moment it seems like he’s under the same spell I am, his eyes roaming over me. I swear I can feel his gaze on my skin. Something shifts behind his eyes and the yellow flares for a moment before the green takes back over. Okay. “We don’t need a pet treat business here,” he grits the words out.
I furrow my eyebrows together, not understanding why he sounds almost offended. Something clicks inside of me, and I trip over my words as I wave my hand up and down his body, “I wasn’t telling you because I think you would like them. I mean, they’re edible for more than pets, but I wouldn’t recommend it just because they’re organic.”
Jace sneers at me, a growl rolling from his throat which has my knees almost buckling. Then, without warning or a goodbye or even a last look, he turns and stalks off. I blink as I watch his retreating back, sadness filling me for some reason I don’t understand.
I lean back against the building, my heart racing and my breaths coming out in little pants.
What the hell just happened and why do I want it to happen again? Well, except for when he walked away. My heart aches more and more the farther he goes.
This can’t be good.
CHAPTER 3
JACE
I might have walked away from Dakota, but I didn’t go far. I couldn’t. The feral part of me wouldn’t allow it. There’s something about her and her scent which calls to me. I don’t understand it, but I can’t stop it either.
Honestly, it freaks me the fuck out.
When she told me she felt a pull to me, I understood exactly what she meant because I feel the same thing. Knowing she’s feeling the same thing as me has had my cock harder than steel while I’ve watched her from afar. My job has been everything to me for so long, but right now it’s the last thing on my mind. I can’t go back to my little cabin without knowing she’s safe.
Whenever I try and walk away, my feet refuse to move and a low growl rumbles in my chest. I know I was a rude, but my instincts were screaming at me to pull her close to me and to bite her. I’ve never had that kind of feeling before and it scared me a little bit.
It took every ounce of willpower to walk away from her and every moment I’m not right next to her, helping her, making her smile, is torture. It’s not helping that she bumped into me, and her blueberry muffin and orange scent is clinging to my t-shirt. There’s also the scent of the coffee she spilled on me, but the way she smells easily overpowers it. Which makes no fucking sense.
I wish I knew what was going on with me, but I’m at a loss.
I’ve never felt this before. Even before the change, no woman ever called to me the way she does. My brain is moving too fast, filled with dirty as fuck images of the things I want to do to her body along with all the reasons why it’s not a good idea.
I’m not under an illusion something could happen between us, regardless of her feeling a pull toward me. I’m a…monster. I’m not worthy of a woman like her.
She’s sunshine and happy mornings while I’m lost, alone and gruff.
I probably hurt her feelings with how I spoke to her. If I had said more, if I had let myself feel more, then I would have thrown her over my shoulder and run. I would have taken her to my favorite clearing in the woods where the moon shines down perfectly and makes me feel less alone. It’s my favorite place to go and no one else goes out there; I would smell them if they did.
I want to bite her and fuck her under the light of the moon, and I have no idea why.
I’ve been watching Dakota for hours as she moves through her shop. It’s not open yet, but with how hard she’s working, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.
Pet treats. Fuck my life.
She was adorable when she got all flustered over my reaction to her business. I didn’t show it, but if she wants me to eat her damn treats, I will. The pet ones, that is. Okay, and the treats her body have for me.
I swear I can taste her pussy on my tongue. Sweet and tart. I know if I get a taste of her then I’ll be a goner. When the smell of her arousal hit me as she looked me over, I was close to losing myself to my monster and my instincts.