by Misty Malloy
He held up the lab apron he had grabbed. It seemed tiny compared to his large body. “So, I guess we have to put these on.” He slipped the neck loop over his head and managed to tie the garment in the back. It barely fit, his muscles straining underneath it. Mia glanced down at her own apron that hung loosely on her.
He put the goggles over his eyes, and Mia did the same. After a moment, she burst out laughing at their ridiculous, ill-fitting ensembles. Tristan laughed, too, making another failed attempt to adjust the apron more comfortably around his massive frame.
“I’m not sure the one-size-fits-all idea is working so well here,” said Mia, still giggling. Her cat settled, temporarily calmed by the release of tension. “You seem a bit uncomfortable.”
“Yeah. I’ll live. It’s just a bit tight.” He sat on the edge of the lab stool and grinned at her. “Maybe we should get some real lab coats or something.”
“Agreed.” Mia laughed again. He looked sexy even in his geeky scientist outfit. “So…are you a science major?”
“Business major. Still need to finish a few general education requirements. I picked chemistry…. I thought it would be cool to do a little science before graduating. You?”
“Biology major with a chemistry minor.”
“Wow. Well, you might have to help me with this stuff.”
Tristan pulled his seat closer to the lab table, sliding his knee alongside hers in the process. He didn’t apologize or move his leg but, instead, winked at her. Warmth pooled in her lower belly. Oh, if only they both weren’t wearing jeans—she wanted to feel the delicious friction of his bare skin against hers, to run her hands along his naked body and feel every inch of him.
She inhaled slowly, willing her breathing to return to normal. Her heart pounded in her chest. She squirmed on her seat, moist heat radiating from between her thighs.
“Okay…so should we get started?” She scooted a few inches away from him, hoping it would help relieve the urge to unleash her claws and rip his clothes off.
“Sure.” Tristan flipped open his lab manual. “So, it says here…first we’ll need to boil some water for the coffee and tea bags.” He reached over to turn on the hot plate and poured water from a flask into a glass container. “And while the water’s boiling, I can get some of these other things ready.” He grabbed a few containers and test tubes and arranged them on the table.
“Here, let me get some of this,” she told him, stopping him midair when he reached over her to grab a tray for test tubes. She plucked the tray from his hands and put it back. “Let’s use this smaller tray instead.”
“No, the big one’s better. It fits more.”
“But the smaller one takes up less room. We’re already going to have a lot of things taking space on this table. We don’t need more.” She placed the smaller tray decisively in their work area. “It’s perfect.”
“Mia.” Tristan’s eyes met hers, demanding her submission. “Callie was very specific with what we were supposed to use today. And if you read the instructions, you’ll see that the smaller one isn’t going to fit everything.”
Mia realized, with a twinge of embarrassment, Tristan was right. But she didn’t dare lower her eyes and, instead, challenged him with her own. His full lips twitched slightly with surprise. A thrill of excitement sizzled through her as she stood her ground.
“Hey, are you two doing okay over here?” Callie asked, approaching their table. “Any questions or…problems?”
Yes! Mia wanted to say out loud. I want this guy to take me home to bed. But at the same time, I want to punch him in the face!
“I think we’re good,” answered Tristan. “Thanks, Callie. We’ll let you know if we need help.”
Keeping her gaze glued to Tristan’s, Mia put the smaller tray back onto its shelf. “Yeah, thanks, Callie. We’ve decided to use the big tray.”
Callie walked away, and Mia exploded into a fit of giggles. “Did we just…?”
“Yeah. We totally had a disagreement. Within the first five minutes of being lab partners.”
“Over, um…test tubes?” Mia’s giggles turned into a roar of laughter.
“Yep.” Tristan raised his eyebrows. His lip curled slightly, the beginnings of a grin. “Do you realize you’re pretty cute when you look at me like you want to chew me up and spit me out?”
“Oh? That sounds interesting,” Mia teased, peeking at him. “Well, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
Tristan laughed, a low, deep-throated chuckle. “Oh, yeah? Well, I’d like to.” He paused for a moment, intently focused on her. “Want to go to dinner with me tonight?”
***
It was unusual for Tristan to take a girl out to dinner. He had no problem taking a girl to a party or going out for a drink or two. Maybe even breakfast the morning after. But dinner? Fuck, no. And it didn’t have anything to do with money—he had plenty of that, thanks to his dad, even though he never flaunted it.
Dinner brought on a certain set of expectations. Once dinner happened, then the girls always started thinking you were dating, and that was when all the shit started to hit the fan.
He liked keeping their expectations low. It was all about simplicity.
Which was why he’d surprised himself when he asked Mia to dinner tonight. Even after spending just a few minutes with her in the chemistry lab, he could tell she was smart. Sassy. Ridiculously strong-willed. And he liked it. She was the kind of girl who kicked you in the nuts and then you asked for more. Not only did he want to bury himself deep inside her and fuck her brains out, he also wanted to get to know her. Hell, over dinner, of all evil things.
He had wanted to take her to the upscale sushi place or the new steakhouse. But Mia said she didn’t want anything fancy—she’d suggested going to Killian’s to eat. Tristan couldn’t complain—he’d never had anything against casual.
Now, as he watched her return to their table after using the ladies’ room, he realized there was nothing casual about Mia. The way her hips moved…the way her mane of blonde hair tumbled across her shoulders. Seductive and electric, and irresistibly magnetic—Mia lit up the room. He couldn’t pull his gaze away from her.
Mia arrived with a bright smile on her face. “Oh! The food’s already here! That was quick.”
“Yup. The server came by a minute ago.” Tristan waited until she tried the first bite of her steak before digging into his. It was rare and juicy, exactly how he liked it.
“Mmm.” Mia closed her eyes for a moment. “This is awesome. Just melting in my mouth.”
Tristan laughed. “Yeah. Killian’s always does a good job.”
The music in the pub blared, and Tristan pulled his chair next to hers so he could hear her better. And to simply be closer to her. His knee brushed hers, and heat simmered along his thigh.
“So, tell me about your family,” said Mia. “Do they live close?”
“My dad’s an hour away, in Phoenix. My mom lives in Oregon. No brothers or sisters. How about you?”
“My parents and sisters are far, far away. Back in New York.” Mia grinned. “I love being part of the pride, but it’s so nice to be off on my own.”
Tristan nodded. Her fragrance surrounded him, enveloping him in a cloud of desire. Her scent intoxicated him. He wanted her. Now.
He couldn’t concentrate. He vaguely heard himself asking her questions about her classes then responding appropriately when she answered. His fork and knife moved, almost on autopilot, as he ate the dinner in front of him.
His mind had wandered to more primal thoughts. He imagined gripping her beautiful, honey-scented hair and kissing her roughly. His cat stalked in frustration, dangerously close to the surface, willing Tristan to bend her over the chair and claim her right there in the bar. It took all of his willpower to keep his calm and his cat at bay.
The server came to the table, dragging Tristan back into reality. “Would the two of you like anything else? Dessert?”
Had dinner really flown by so quickly? All he could think about was her.
Tristan glanced at Mia, but she shook her head. He definitely had another type of dessert in mind, and he hoped she did, too.
“No thanks, I think we’re good.” He paid the server with cash.
“Thank you for dinner.” Mia placed a hand lightly on his thigh, almost sending his cat into a lust-induced frenzy. “Ready to get out of here?”
“Yeah.” Damn. Being so close to her and not being able to touch her was killing him.
Once in the parking lot, he held open the door to the passenger side of his silver SUV for her and then walked around the car to get into the driver’s seat. Okay, so what the fuck now?
Throughout the entire night, he’d sensed a charge in the air around them—a sexual attraction that he knew Mia felt, too. But he didn’t know if he should rush this. Should he invite her back to his place? Drop her off at home? Whatever this was, he didn’t want to ruin it.
“Want to see what’s playing at the movie theater?” He cringed as soon as the words came out of his mouth. Good job, Casanova. Stop being such an idiot.
“A movie? Hmm.” Mia sat quietly for what seemed like an eternity. “Well…what about going to my apartment?”
Her husky voice stroked along his cock, and he hardened. In response, he leaned over and kissed her, claiming her mouth. He licked along her lips, and her mouth opened, letting his tongue inside to entangle with hers. Grabbing a fistful of her lovely long hair, he firmly tugged, holding it in his grip while he savored the taste of her.
Mia broke away from his grasp and, in one lithe movement, straddled him. Tristan wasn’t surprised—even though he literally sat in the driver’s seat, she wanted to drive, too. Okay, kitten. I’ll let you this time.
“I take it that’s a yes,” she said, breathless, an edge of playfulness in her voice.
She clasped her hands around his neck and rocked against him. Tristan groaned and grabbed her hips, urging her to grind on his already swollen dick. Her breasts bounced in his face, and he imagined himself ripping her shirt to shreds and suckling her nipples into his mouth. He grabbed the bottom edge of her shirt instead and tugged it up. Shit. Were they going to fuck in the car? He hadn’t done that since high school, but hell—he wanted her now.
Leaning down, she kissed him hard, sucking his tongue into her mouth. Her golden eyes, warm with desire, glinted in the dark. He pulled her shirt above her breasts and pushed one of her bra cups aside to pinch a nipple. She gasped in pleasure and arched—right into the steering wheel. The loud honk startled him and had her giggling.
“Tristan,” she panted, “not here. Let’s go to my apartment.”
Tristan had the car turned on and in reverse before Mia even had a chance to hop back into the passenger seat. She buckled up then reached across the center console to slide her hand over his jeans, along the hard bulge of his cock. He groaned, waiting for oncoming traffic to pass before pulling out onto the street.
“Oops, sorry,” said Mia. “I probably shouldn’t do that to you while you’re driving.”
Tristan didn’t say anything but shot her a quick grin. She was taunting him, teasing him…and he knew he could easily fire her up in return. Just reach over, unbutton her jeans, and slip your fingers inside that hot, wet, pussy. The scent of her arousal drove him crazy.
But he needed to focus more on the road and less on his dick, and on getting them safely to her place. He steadied his willpower…. Only a few more blocks. He resisted the urge to speed, even though his cock ached, straining like a bitch against his pants. He finally turned onto Magnolia Street and then took the entrance into Mia’s apartment complex. He pulled into the first empty spot near her building.
Tristan jumped out, slamming his door behind him. He rushed to the passenger side of the SUV to meet Mia. Impatiently, he melded his mouth to hers, pinning her between the side of the car and the hard planes of his body. He easily lifted her, holding her by the swell of her luscious ass cheeks as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She tasted so rich, so sweet…he couldn’t wait to taste the rest of her.
“Come on,” urged Mia. She wriggled in his grasp until he set her down. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs. Loud music thumped in the hallway, originating in her apartment. Tristan turned to her, his gaze questioning. “Oh, it’s just Drea,” she explained. “She loves her crazy music. She usually listens to it in her bedroom.”
Mia fumbled in her purse for her keys. Tristan, unable to keep his hands off her, stood behind her and glided them up the front of her shirt. He cupped her breasts over her bra, a fresh jolt of desire thundering through his body as she moaned. Finally, she jammed the keys into the lock and flung the door open.
“Oh, hey!” he heard Mia’s roommate call out. Drea emerged from the kitchen, a glass of wine in her hand. A group of girls lounged around the living room, drinking wine and dressed in pajamas.
Oh shit.
“Ooh, and hello to you, too!” Drea winked at him. “Hey, ladies…. We’ve got a special guest tonight!”
Mia laughed and walked into the living room, which was soon filled with chatting and introductions all around. Fuck no. This could not be happening. They had to get out of here immediately. They could always go to his house….
“Nice to meet everyone,” he said, grinning at all the girls, “but we’re just stopping by for a second.” He gave Mia a knowing look.
“Oh. Right,” she said. “I thought I forgot something…um, my cell phone. But here it is, in my purse! So, we’re going to go. Good to meet you all!” She backed toward the door, but Drea grabbed her arm.
“No, no! The two of you have to stay.” Drea led Mia to the sofa and motioned for Tristan to follow. “It’s perfect timing—we’re about to start another round of trivia! You guys can be a team.”
Tristan’s jaguar rolled about in mirth, evidently resigned to a limp dick and trivia night with a gaggle of girls in jammies. You should have fucked her when you had the chance, bro. The car would have been a much better option.
Chapter Five
“Tristan said he’d be here tonight, right?” asked Drea as the cab stopped in front of the house Rob shared with his three roommates. The driveway and the sides of the street were already packed with parked cars, and the loud thump-thump of the music blasted out into the night.
“Hopefully. I invited him last night, and he said he would come.” Mia fished for money inside her purse. She handed a wad of cash to the cab driver.
“Cool, thanks, roomie. I’ll pay for the ride home.”
“Sure. No problem.” She scooted out of the cab after her roommate. “You know, we could have walked here. It’s only two blocks away.”
“Um…hell no. In these shoes?” Drea pointed to her new stilettos and teetered precariously on the sidewalk. “Plus, there are puddles everywhere from the rain this afternoon. No way am I getting these wet.”
Mia nodded. In her typical all black and fancy shoes, Drea looked fabulously hot. Mia had chosen a pair of less dangerous shoes—black strappy wedges—to go with her skinny jeans and a form fitting red tank top.
Cars lined the street. Mia frowned. Was Tristan already here? She hadn’t seen his car when they pulled up, but it was only 10 p.m., and the party would be going on until the early hours of the morning. Plenty of time for him to still get here. Maybe he’d already arrived but drove with some friends in another car. Or, dammit…maybe he’d gone out somewhere else with another girl.
Oh, hell. Stop thinking about it, for fuck’s sake! You just met the guy. There are plenty of other guys for you to meet at this party.
So, why was she so disappointed Tristan had left abruptly after a few rounds of trivia? No doubt he’d had his fill of a roomful of women—but then he had declined her offer of walking him out. Why hadn’t he invited her over to his place?
“Hey. Are you still pouting? It’s not my fault you didn’t
do the dirty with Mr. Hottie last night.” Drea made a lewd gyrating gesture with her hips, and Mia laughed.
Two guys walking across the lawn whistled and gave them a thumbs-up.
“Woo! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” one of them called out.
Drea beamed at them, sending them an air kiss. “Yeah, fuck you, asswipes,” she said under her breath and turned to Mia, rolling her eyes and hooking an arm around her shoulders. Her heels clicked on the concrete as they approached the house. “Anyway, right…. So not my fault.”
“No…not so sure about that. Trivia, remember? Trivia is anti-sexy. No wonder Tristan booked it.”
“Huh. Well, how was I supposed to know you guys were about to get it on? I’m a werefox…not a mindreading guru or anything.” Drea opened the front door to reveal a living room packed to the seams with college kids. “And there’s nothing wrong with trivia. You know you liked it.”
Mia sighed. Okay. So, she had liked it. And she’d enjoyed making friends with a group of nice girls, too—girlfriends were something she didn’t have many of back in the pride, since lionesses tended to be quite growly with one another. But hanky-panky with Tristan—that trumped trivia any day of the week.
“Well, don’t worry,” said Drea, talking loudly over the music and chatter in the room. “There are plenty of guys here. Although”—she leaned over to whisper into Mia’s ear—“I think you like him.”
“Tristan?”
“No, this dude over here.” She smacked the butt of a tall blond guy next to them. He turned around, startled. “Excuse us, please.” She winked at him, pulling Mia along with her while they squeezed by. “Yes, of course I meant Tristan. You totally like him. I can tell by the way you were talking to him last night.”
Mia made a face. “I’m attracted to him, yeah. But nothing more than that.”
“Um…okay. So, that’s not why you were pouting and sulking around all day today?”