In the Mood Fur Love

by Eve Langlais

  Shawna gulped and pushed at the rock-hard chest inches from her face. As much as she wanted what he was offering, there was no way in hell she was letting anyone see anything inappropriate between them. Last thing she needed was someone to start gossiping about how she was given her position within the company.

  Hawke smirked and stepped back from her as she straightened her clothes and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm her rapid breathing and heart rate. Damn the man, all he had to do was get close and she was a puddle of need at his feet.

  The first person she saw after she tore her eyes off Hawke was Penny, Clark’s old secretary, with a big grin standing behind a desk a few feet away.

  “I’m so glad you finally agreed to come back to work here. You wouldn’t believe the changes and everything that’s been going on. We all made sure to tell Mr. Hawke what you did here and we all agreed unanimously that you deserve the title on the door. You ran this place, even if you never got credit for it.” Penny paused and took a deep breath before blushing. “Sorry, I tend to ramble when I’m nervous. I’m just so happy you’re here.”

  “Penny, it’s so great to see you too, and thank you. I think I’m excited to be back, a little overwhelmed at the moment, to be honest.”

  “Oh, you’ll get over that real quick. Mr. Hawke has fixed everything; all those things we heard about working for him, well, they’re true. I’ve never been as happy as I was the day he called us in for a meeting and told us Clark had been fired. Listen to me going on and on. You go get your tour and get settled in.”

  Before she could respond, Hawke took her hand again and pulled her around the desk and through the arched doorway into the inner sanctum of her new work space. Shawna was awed by what she saw around her. The office was so homey feeling, with pictures of families and couples on the wall. Every person she passed was smiling and waved happily and welcomed her back. She was overwhelmed and speechless. Hawke took advantage and continued the tour, explaining each area and greeting everyone by name.

  “This is the last stop on your tour. It’s your office, as you can tell by the nameplate. You have the option of hiring a personal secretary if you need one. The applicant has to meet with me for final approval once you’ve selected them, but that’s more a formality so I can welcome them to the company.”

  Shawna nodded dumbly as she stared at her name stenciled on the door. How had her life changed so drastically in a matter of hours? With the salary that came with this job, she could afford to get a better place to live and bring her family to live with her and pay off their debts without a problem.

  Her good mood vanished as she thought of her mom and brothers. For a few minutes she’d been able to ignore her problems, but like a tidal wave they were back and as strong as ever. She opened the door and rushed inside to hide the tears that threatened to fall. Last thing she wanted was the whole office to see her fall apart on her first day as boss.

  “Shawna, what’s wrong, babe? Talk to me. Is it the office? What? I can’t fix it if you don’t talk to me.”

  “It’s nothing. Just lack of sleep and I’m struggling to hold in my fear for my family. For a minute I’d forgotten about their situation, and it came crashing back.” Shawna took a deep breath and steadied her nerves. “I’m fine. I need this; it will help me focus on something I can do instead of sitting at home waiting for them to call. Bring me up to speed, please.”

  He nodded in understanding and dove into what had been done since she was gone. He explained the mountains of papers on her desk and the complaints of bad matches as he pointed to a three-inch pile of papers.

  “Those are all complaints?” She exhaled loudly and shook her head. “Tell me again why I can’t track that bastard down and skin him for ruining all my hard work.”

  Hawke laughed. “Will it help to know he’s been blacklisted from working anywhere I have a friend? Which in case you were wondering is huge. And trust me when I say that goes for Keir’s and Xander’s friends too. He’ll be lucky to get a job at the local gas station when we’re done with him.”

  Shawna laughed. “It does a bit for now, at least. After I get in there and see just exactly what he’s done I’ll reevaluate and let you know.”

  “It’s a date. In the meantime your schedule is clear for the week. I had a temporary shutdown implemented on the site, with a letter explaining it’s down for maintenance and an overhaul to fix some of the issues that had come to light. You might still get some walk-ins, as I did include the address and invited people to come in in person and talk to a staff member with any comments, concerns, or to begin the process. Your staff will handle that, of course.”

  “That leaves me free to work on the program and fix what he broke and make the changes I’ve been begging for?” Shawna asked eagerly.

  “It does indeed. If you don’t mind, though, when you’ve got the new questionnaire filled out can I look over it and fill it out again. Might as well have the staff be the first people to use it and look for anything we might have missed. In fact, I can have Keir, Ally, Xander, and Josie take it again. Once the software is up and running to your satisfaction, let’s test it and see if they get matched again.”

  Shawna narrowed her eyes at him, bit her lip in thought, and finally gave in and laughed. “Challenge accepted.”

  * * *

  The next few hours flew by as Shawna sat hunched at her desk going through all the paperwork and getting organized. She was just about to give up and throw it all in the trash when a knock sounded at her closed office door. Startled and annoyed at the interruption, she shoved back from her desk and pulled the door open with a scowl.

  “Not happy to see me, I take it by that look,” Hawke drawled as he pushed by her and dropped onto the leather couch set against the wall on the other side of the room from her desk. “Come on, I brought you lunch and you look like you could use a break.”

  “Sorry.” Shawna shrugged and moved to sit beside him on the small couch. She tried to put as much distance between them as she could, but the huge man beside her took up more than his share of the small space.

  “I won’t bite, you know, unless you ask me to, that is.”

  Shawna rolled her eyes and leaned back into the comfort the couch provided and moaned in happiness. “I’ve only been here a few hours and you’ve already made inappropriate advances half a dozen times. How have you not been charged with sexual harassment by now?”

  Hawke gave her a lopsided grin. “There’s nothing inappropriate about this. I want you; you want me. I’m just making sure you don’t forget that fact. But for your information, I’ve never and would never harass a woman. My mother and grandmother would skin my hide. They created this company because they believe women with curves are goddesses. They taught me well. Your curves, for example, have kept me awake for hours every night dreaming of the things I want to do to you, to hear the things you’ll scream as I pleasure you.”

  “Well, my son has one thing right; that’s for sure. I would skin him alive if he were to act in such a disgusting way to a woman.” The woman gave Hawke a sardonic look that said she’d heard every word he’d said. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything, but I came to visit my son and was told he was here checking out the new office. I guess they had it partly right,” she said with a wink as she stepped fully into Shawna’s office.

  Hawke jumped to his feet. “Mother, what a pleasant surprise.” He glanced at Shawna and smiled. “Shawna, I’d like you to meet my mother, Patricia Hawke. Mom, meet Shawna Goode.”

  “Call me Patti; ‘Patricia’ is too formal,” she said as she moved closer and sat in the chair across from their positions on the couch. “I’ve heard so much about you, it’s nice to finally put a face with a name.”

  Shawna wanted to die of embarrassment. His mother had heard the things he’d said and yet here she sat as calm as can be. Was she a shifter too? Could she tell how hot her son’s words had made her? She couldn’t think of that; she’d never be able to look the woman
in the face if she did.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you too. You’ve created one amazing company and I’m so fortunate to be able to work for it.”

  Patti laughed. “I notice you didn’t mention working for my son or how delightful he was to work for. Not that I blame you, of course.”

  “Mom,” Hawke groaned, “don’t embarrass her. I just got her to agree to come back to work for us. Today is her first day back.”

  “Calm down, Son.” Patti winked at Shawna. “You’d think I was going to tell you secrets about his childhood or how he used to practice his growl and roar in his bedroom. It was so cute, seeing my little wolf trying to act so tough and powerful.”

  “That’s it, Mom. Let’s go. Shawna, babe. I’ll see you later,” he said as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek before escorting his mother out of the room.

  Shawna sat there stunned as her cheek burned with the feel of his lips long after he’d walked away. What in the hell had just happened? She was exhausted from the multitude of emotions over the last few minutes. From lust to embarrassment to laughter and shock. The ring of her cell pulled her back to the present and she fumbled it out of her pocket.

  “Hello?” she answered, and quickly scowled as she pulled the phone away to see the unknown number message. The damn stalker again. What was this asshole’s problem? “Look, you douche canoe, stop calling me, leave me alone, and go take a long walk off a short pier.”

  She’d no sooner hung up than the phone rang again; she growled and answered with a barked “What?” but again got no response. It was time to call the phone company and see what they could do. This was starting to get on her nerves!

  “Shawna!” Hawke called as he entered the office again with a scowl. “Why aren’t you answering me?”

  Shawna frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about? I didn’t hear you call me. Sorry. It wasn’t on purpose.”

  “No, I mean on the phone. I keep calling you. Have been for weeks, actually.” Hawke shrugged sheepishly. “I talked Xander into giving your number to me.”

  “The only calls I got today were from an unknown number. The person either breathes into the phone or there is silence.…” She trailed off and stared at him, waiting.

  “That wasn’t me. The phone just rings and rings until it hangs up when I call. But I did literally just call you twice.” Hawke waved his phone at her as if that were proof. “I’ll do it again right now.”

  She watched as he hit a button and then put the phone to his ear. Within seconds her phone was ringing too. Shawna opened her mouth to say something, but confusion left her speechless. The caller ID showed “Unknown,” the same as the other calls. With a sneaking suspicion, she pressed accept and said hello into the receiver.

  “What the hell?” Hawke grumbled as he put his phone on speaker. “It’s still ringing on my end.”

  “What number are you dialing? Are you sure it’s mine?”

  “It’s the number your bestie’s mate gave me.” He recited the number and she nodded slowly. “Here, let’s try this. Let’s hang up and you dial my number.”

  She typed his number in and made a mental note to save it to Contacts later. She heard his phone ring and looked up in time to see him frown. “What?”

  “It says unknown number too. You’re programmed into my phone, so that makes no sense at all.” She watched as he accepted the call and now it was her turn to frown.

  “My phone is still ringing. This makes no sense.”

  “I have no suggestions at all. I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before. By the way, what phone is that? I don’t think I’ve seen a flip phone like that since the early nineties. Can you even text on that thing or do apps or search online?”

  “Leave my phone alone. It makes and receives calls … most of the time. It works for me,” she growled as she cradled the phone to her chest to hide it from his mocking view. “It was the best I could do, I had to downgrade so I could afford one. I had this one laying around from years ago and was able to talk them into switching my service to it at a much-reduced cost. Thank you very much.”

  Hawke raised his hands in an “I surrender” way and nodded. “Sorry, didn’t mean to offend you or anything. Just took me by surprise.”

  “What did you want anyway? You just left five minutes ago and called twice.”

  “Oh yeah.” Hawke pointed to the bag he’d set on the floor beside the couch when he’d walked in earlier. “I brought you lunch and I wanted to tell you because I kinda forgot this morning that you look beautiful today.”

  Shawna melted. How could she stay mad at a man who brought her lunch and complimented her like that, not to mention he’d talked to his mother about her?

  “Also, you’re on salary and I trust you. So feel free to leave a bit early today if you want to go home so you don’t feel rushed for the benefit tonight. I’ve gotta go; my mother is waiting and I shudder at what mischief she could be up to unsupervised.”

  The next few hours flew by in a haze of questions from Shawna’s staff, sorting through the never-ending paperwork, and staring off into space lost in thought. Between her family and Hawke, she had a lot on her mind. She wasn’t sure what to make of Hawke; he was gorgeous to a level that left her whimpering in need. When he’d walked up to her to be introduced at Ally’s party, it had taken all she had to not throw herself at him and beg for the release she knew only he’d be able to supply.

  Her mama had taught her better than that, though; she’d ignored the man and walked away with her dignity intact. Even if she did go home and dip into her toy drawer a couple of times. She couldn’t seem to satisfy the cravings he evoked in her. But she knew all she would ever have was her fantasies. People like her old boss, Clark, had taught her well enough through the years to know a man like Hawke Hawke wouldn’t want someone like her.

  As her best friend from college used to say, Shawna had more curves than a highway through the mountains. The college guys didn’t appreciate them, but it was okay. She knew one day she’d find the right man to worship her body. Until then she’d do it for them.

  “Shawna!” Penny called hesitantly from the door. “I hate to bother you, but this just came for you. Said it was urgent.” Penny held out the small box in her hand and shrugged. “It came by personal messenger.”

  “Did they say anything? Are you sure it’s for me?” Shawna stood up and moved to meet Penny halfway. Her curiosity was killing her.

  Penny shrugged. “Nope. He said he was told to take this box to you and say it was urgent. That’s all he knew.”

  She took the box and began peeling the tape away. She couldn’t imagine who’d be sending her something on her first day in such a small box and so cryptically either. She gasped as she peered inside and saw the last thing she had been expecting.

  “Is that a phone?” Penny asked hesitantly.

  “Yes, the bastard. I’m going to kill him,” she grumbled as she pushed past her assistant and stormed out of the office. She had no idea where she was going, but she’d find him and give him a piece of her mind. Who did he think he was: her fairy godfather? Last time she looked he hadn’t been wearing tights or carrying a wand.

  The mental image that brought to mind almost made her laugh out loud. Too bad she was mad at the overbearing brute.

  “Is this place a freaking maze?” she yelled in frustration after wandering down the same hall for the third time.

  “Excuse me, are you lost?”

  Shawna spun in surprise and blinked as one of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen stopped beside her.

  “You’re Shawna, aren’t you?” the perfectly proportioned blond bombshell cooed before enveloping her in a bear hug. “I’ve been dying to meet you; I am so glad you came back to work. Life has been so much better today. I know it’s ’cause you’re here.”

  Shawna awkwardly patted the stranger in an odd sort of hug and quickly pulled back. “Do I know you?”

  “Oh, excuse
me. What was I thinking?” The blonde laughed. “I’m Rebecca. Hawke’s assistant slash gofer slash detective slash ‘stop talking and do what I said’ girl.”

  “You’re his … assistant?” Shawna’s thoughts whirled a mile a minute. Why would he want someone like her when he could have this woman instead?

  “Yes, I helped him track down and document everything we needed to get rid of Mr. Benoit. I don’t know how you could stand working for such an arrogant, woman-hating Neanderthal.” The blonde smiled and offered her hand. “We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Rebecca or as he calls me when he doesn’t think I can hear him ‘royal pain in my ass.’”

  She didn’t want to like this woman, but there was just something about her that put you at ease and made you feel welcome. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

  “Oh, you got the phone. I’m so glad it arrived in time. We were worried it wouldn’t. Come on, I’ll show you how to get to His Majesty’s den. But don’t tell him I called it that. I am so not in the mood for one of his tirades on what it means to be a good assistant. The first thing is always don’t talk back.”

  Shawna had to bite her lip to keep from giggling at this woman’s infectious attitude. “It’s not like he didn’t know what I was like before he hired me. We’ve only been friends since we were in diapers. Anywho, the phone. So, do you like it?”

  Before she could reply, Rebecca froze. “Wait, is there something wrong with it? Is that why you were headed to his office? ’Cause if it is, I gotta go. I don’t wanna be there when you tell him. It’ll all be my fault, even though I had nothing to do with it other than giving him the phone number.”

  “No, calm down.” Shawna sighed. “I just … can you explain why I was sent the phone? I don’t understand.”

  Rebecca grinned happily. “Simple, yours was wonky and unreliable. Besides, this is a company phone. All the managers of each department get one. It’s yours, though, so feel free to download apps and stuff. Oh, and we pulled some strings and this phone has your old number already transferred to it.”