[The Shifters Committee 03.0] Jealous Flames

by Rebecca Foxx

  “Girl, it’s not so easy to find the job of your dreams, I can tell you that much for sure. It’s hard out there, that’s all.”

  “I know it’s got to be. Shit, now I feel bad for giving you a hard time. Your drinks on me, ok? How does that sound?”

  Devon was about to tell her friend thank you but that’s not necessary when a deep voice cleared behind her. It wasn’t all that uncommon for men to approach her when she was out on the town, but something about the sound of this one made her stop and take notice. Maybe it was because of the unusual timbre or the musical depth of the sound. Maybe it was because when he finally spoke there was a sort of a growl from deep in the back of his throat that accompanied his words that made him sound unlike any man she had spoken with before. Whatever it was, it was difficult to ignore.

  “That’s too bad. I was hoping to pay for the drink. I was hoping to pay for your evening, actually. For the both of you, of course.”

  “What’s the catch?”

  Leave it to Amber to be uncomfortably blunt like that. Normally it wouldn’t have bothered her one bit, but for some reason she didn’t want to run this particular man off. Not because she was looking to meet someone. She definitely wasn’t doing that. Still, she felt drawn to this guy whose face she hadn’t even seen yet. She had no interest in getting to know him long term, but she was opposed to having him stick around just a little while longer. Provided that Amber hadn’t already thoroughly discouraged him, which was a big if.

  “You’re right,” he said in a deep, easy pur, “there’s always a catch, isn’t there? I confess, I have one of my own. I don’t feel like sitting alone this particular evening. I thought perhaps I could buy a bit of your time, so to speak. If you’re interested.”

  Devon could tell by the look on Amber’s face that she definitely wasn’t interested, which meant this stranger she hadn’t yet turned to take a peek at must be exceptionally good looking. When he finally moved around between them to make his official introductions, Devon could see that good looking was a term that, in this situation, hardly did the man justice. He held out his hand to Devon, for the moment seeming to have eyes only for her, and took her fingers in his own lightly. It was only the briefest of handshakes, their skin only touched for a small moment in time, but Devon felt like she had received a shock of electricity none the less. She pulled her hand back quickly, momentarily taken off guard, and the beautiful man standing beside her gave her the smallest of smiles. There was something about this guy. She just didn’t know quite what.

  “How about I take the time to introduce myself first, before I completely impose. I’m Brent. It’s nice to almost meet you two lovely ladies.”

  “Amber” Amber broke in eagerly, “my name’s Amber, my suddenly silent friend there is Devon. And sure, if you want to stay for a while that’s fine by me. It’s fine by her, too.”

  Devon gave her a look she wished could kill, not enjoying being spoken for. Besides, she wasn’t sure she did want this Brent guy to stay. He made her feel off her game and after a day like the one she had just had, she wasn’t feeling up to playing a game of verbal chess. It didn’t really matter anymore, however, because the man motioned to the bartender to bring the three of them another round with an air of authority that was difficult to ignore. From the looks of it, this guy was staying.

  “Please, I insist. You have to let me see you home. There’s no way I’m going to let you get a cab at this time of night. Who knows what kind of weird you’ll wind up with?”

  Devon smirked, feeling slightly reckless after the several cosmos she had knocked back. She had staid out much later than she had meant to and Amber had left at least an hour before. Now it was just her and this guy Brent, who seemed to be super serious about playing the knight in shining armor.

  “And how do I know that you aren’t some kind of weird?”

  “You don’t.”

  Devon would never be able to say what made her do it, but she caved. She caved big time. Not only did she let this massively handsome stranger drive her home, she took it one step further. She brought him up to her apartment for just one more drink.

  “Sorry about the mess” she said breathlessly as she finally kicked off the heels that felt glued to her feet, “I guess I’ve been pretty busy these days.”

  “Busy with what?” he asked in a voice that sounded like silk and made her insides do a funny sort of flip flop she hadn’t ever felt before. He was walking towards her, slowly, predatory, and it made her breath come fast and hot. It was distracting and despite the air she left blowing at sixty-five degrees year round, she felt a hot flush creeping over her body.

  “Nothing important. Just looking for a job.”

  “Well that doesn’t seem right. I can’t imagine someone not wanting to hire you.”

  Now he was so close to her that she could smell his spicy cologne and, underneath it, something else, something far more primal that made the heat in her cheek grow more pronounced. She couldn’t even answer. She wanted to taste the salt on his lips, to feel his strong hands running up the length of her curves. As if he could read her mind, he closed the gap of space that stilled remained between them and took her chin in his large, calloused hands. The feeling of that skin surprised her. It felt like the skin of a man who had worked hard. It was a feeling that made her knees go weak, and one she hadn’t expected on a man as well kempt as this one. Her dark eyes found his amber ones and could not look away. It was like being under a spell. She never wanted to wake up.

  “You are so very beautiful, you know that?”

  “Right back at ya,” she said, knowing it was ridiculous but not knowing what else to say. As it turned out, she didn’t need to say anything else at all. He bent in towards her and then his lips were on hers, his tongue parting her lips and entering her mouth with an urgency of need that made her head spin. His hands moved from her face to her waist, moving up to expertly unzip her chic black dress. Then he watched with eyes on fire as she stepped out of the dress, wearing nothing now but her La Perla. Her chest was heaving with her rapid breath, her anticipation of what might be coming next.

  “Come here,” he order, his voice thick with lust. She wasn’t a woman who normally followed orders, but for this man she was willing to make an exception. She moved towards him and was shocked when he moved her quickly back towards her overstuffed couch. He was practically carrying her, which was something almost any man alive would be able to do.

  Nevertheless, he was doing it, and after laying her down gently he unbuttoned his crisp white shirt and tossed it away as if it was nothing but a rag. His stomach literally looked like a washboard and she felt her mouth begin to water as he moved down from the shirt to unbuckling his pants. It was too much for her then and she sat up, him still kneeling between her legs, and pulled his zipper the rest of the way down.

  “You sure about this?” he said, now sounding just as breathless as she felt.

  “I’m sure about everything I do.”

  That was all the encouragement he needed, it would seem. He pushed her back onto the cushions of the couch and without even bothering to remove her expensive lingerie, guided himself inside of her. She gasped, her back arching up off of the couch, and wrapped her legs around him, her body moving with his in perfect time.

  Her hands moved along his back, nails digging into his skin and urging him even deeper inside of her. It felt like her entire world was on fire. She had been with men before, but it had never been like this. It had never been anywhere close to this. Her whole body was shaking and when he pulled back enough to use his capable fingers on the pulsing heart of her pleasure, she knew she wouldn’t be able to last for long.

  She could feel a white heat building from between her legs and causing her whole body to shake. Her hands flew up over her head, grasping the arm of the couch behind her as she cried out, louder with each thrust. It seemed impossible, but he was moving deeper and deeper inside of her and across her vision she began to see stars
. It was coming now and nothing was going to stop it. Her back arched up again, her coco colored breasts pushing into Brent’s chest as he wrapped an arm underneath her and pulled her up close to him. Without a doubt, this was the most intense orgasm she had ever experienced.

  It just kept going and going, washing over her in waves that seemed to be without end. Dimly, through the cloak of her own pleasure, she heard Brent’s breathing grow more jagged, felt his movement become less fluid. Then he was joining her in her ecstasy, clutching at her fiercely as they rode it out together. It was a moment that felt like it could have lasted for minutes or for hours, she couldn’t say which one. Finally, he got up slowly from the couch, stretching and revealing all of his perfect form to her wide eyes.

  “Well I can’t say I expected that” he said in his melodic, deep voice.

  “I can’t say I did, either.”

  “Kitchen?” he asked, smiling down at her in a way that made her whole body feel warm. She pointed in it’s general direction before laying back in utter, complete satisfaction. She felt like she should be sorry for what she had just done, but she wasn’t. She wasn’t even a little bit sorry, just perfectly content.

  She heard him taking out a glass, then turn the tap on. The last thought she had before her heavy lids closed was to call out for a glass of water, but she fell asleep before she ever got the chance. She fell asleep and did not wake once until morning where she discovered herself still naked on the couch but covered with a blanket. Brent was nowhere to be found, which honestly didn’t really surprise him. It didn’t really matter, either. It didn’t change how amazing the night had been.

  She sat up, stretching and reaching for another blanket to wrap around herself when she noticed a note on her side table. Curiously, she picked it up to see that while Brent may have gone, he had left a calling card. The note was simple and to the point, leaving her far too curious to ignore its contents.

  “You are perfectly lovely. If you want a job, you’ve got one. I promise this one will come through.”

  The only other thing was an address for a building she had never heard of. Things were definitely getting more interesting. More interesting by the second.

  Chapter Three

  “What exactly is it you think we’re doing here? Do you think this is some kind of a friendship? Some kind of a partnership? If that’s the case, you are grossly misinformed, I assure you.”

  “Is that so?” Mr. Lawrence growled into the phone, “I should tell you sir, I’m not used to being talked to this way. In fact, nobody talks to me this way.”

  Brent was fairly certain that was part of the man’s problem. This is who he was thinking of selling his company to? True, he was dying to unload it and finally have his freedom, but at what cost? His father had worked so hard to build this place and even though it wasn’t what his Brent wanted for himself, he couldn’t betray his father’s memory by disrespecting his legacy. There was something about this Mr. Lawrence that made Brent’s skin crawl. It wasn’t his forceful demeanor, that was something Brent was used to in the people he did business with. No, it was something less tangible. It was a feeling, a feeling he couldn’t shake regardless of how badly he might want to. That was why he needed a strong, capable assistant. That was why he picked Devon to fill that roll. Well, one of the reasons. He couldn’t deny that there was a strong pull to her, stronger than anything he had ever felt with a human woman. Just as he sensed something about Mr. Lawrence, he sensed something about Devon, as well. He just didn’t know what exactly it was.

  That seemed to be a common theme for him these days. His head was muddied, distracted. He was troubled by how unclear his life had become. The problem was, he didn’t see it becoming any more clear. Not in time for him to make the decisions he needed to make.

  “Hello? Listen up, you little brat, I don’t take kindly to being ignored. I’ve been patient with you so far, more patient than you deserve. And why do you think that is?”

  Brent was silent. He felt frozen, like he had been preserved in time only to listen but never to speak. If there was such a thing as an out of body experience, Brent was pretty sure he was having one. For a man who wanted to purchase his company, Mr. Lawrence was being anything but cooperative. Something was definitely wrong here and just as he opened his mouth to say that very thing, Devon walked into the room. She looked at him with raised eyebrows and it felt like he was being released from some kind of a spell.

  She had the strangest effect on him! Just by her being there he felt stronger, more sure of what he needed to do. It was astounding, and totally intoxicating. He was something very close to addicted to her now and he couldn’t imagine doing things without her. That in of itself was a terrifying feeling, the idea that he might actually need someone. He hadn’t felt like that about anyone since his family. It was something that he worried made him weaker, more vulnerable to people who might mean to do him harm. In this moment, however, it helped him to know exactly what it was he must do.

  “I’m sure it’s because you knew my father.”

  “Ding, ding, ding. Yes, Brent. That is correct. Because of your father. But if you think that means I’m going to let you give me the run around, you’ve got another thing coming. I will not be slighted in this way. Believe me, I am not a man you want to trifle with.”

  “I’m sure you’re not.”

  “Right,” a ton of disgusting satisfaction in his voice, “I’m glad to hear it. Now I’m going to fax over the contract we talked about. Are you going to sign it?”

  “No.”

  “Excuse me, I must not have heard you correctly. Did you say no?”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I said. I’ve just realized something. You’re awful. I may not be interested in keeping my company, but I’m also not willing to sell my soul. I’m not making a deal with the devil today. I believe our business is concluded.”

  “You’re going to regret this, Brent. Believe me. If you thought you were selling your soul before, what’ll come next will wreck your entire life.”

  “Perhaps. I’ll take my chances. Goodbye, Mr. Lawrence. I wish I could say it was a pleasure working with you, but, you know. There’s no need to lie.”

  He could hear Mr. Lawrence starting to splutter in rage on the other end of the line, but he hung up the phone before he had the privilege of hearing what more he had to say. On the one hand he felt devastated, knowing that his company was no longer on the brink of being taken off of his hands, but on the other hand he felt calm for the first time in a long, long while. As it turned out, it was Mr. Lawrence that had been keeping him up nights, who had been troubling him even as he took his precious turns around his land as the wolf who lived beneath his skin. Having rid himself of the man now, he felt exhausted, but he knew it was the correct move.

  Even if he hadn’t been entirely sure, the look on Devon’s face told him that what he had done was right. She was smiling at him in a way she hadn’t in the several months they had worked together. In fact, she hadn’t looked at him like that since the first time they met, that night in the bar when they had both given into their animal instincts and he had, for one blissful night, been taken into her bed. Or, more accurately, onto her couch.

  “And what are you smiling at, Devon?”

  He felt cranky and quite exhausted, and for some reason having her stand there and look at him that way made him feel exposed. It was uncomfortable. He didn’t need that on top of everything else that was going on. But his dark mood didn’t seem to bother her a bit and she only continued to smile as she glided forward to lay some paperwork on the edge of his desk. God, he loved the way she moved. They had never come close to any kind of physical dalliance since that one torrid night, but that didn’t mean he didn’t notice her, didn’t appreciate her many attributes.

  Her beautifully curvaceous body, larger than convention dictated was sexy but so overwhelmingly appealing to him that sometimes he could hardly see straight, her dark skin that seemed to glow with viva
ciousness and vitality. No, there had been no more physical contact between the two of them, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t thought about it. Even feeling as out of sorts as he did, he was thinking about it. He was very nearly always thinking about it. She must have known it too, because her smile only became more devious.

  “Why, I’m smiling at you. Who else would I be smiling at?”

  “I’m not sure what there is to smile about.”

  “That conversation. What you just did. That took guts, sir.”

  “Please,” he said tiredly as he gingerly rubbed his temples to stave off an impending headache, “just call me Brent. At this point I don’t really feel like keeping up the pretense of formality. I think we’re a little bit past that, don’t you?”

  “If you say so. But it did take guts. You followed your instinct, and it was correct.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Just take a look. You told me to do a little bit of research, right? So here’s your research. Every unsavory little detail you’d ever want to know about the man you almost sold your father’s life work away to. At least everything that left any kind of dirty little trail on the internet. God only knows what else he’s done, the things that nobody much knows about.”