by A C Warneke
Without giving them a moment, the door opened and Lexi stepped into his private offices looking like temptation incarnate and his body responded with an instant erection. He barely heard Ashley’s approving gasp as her limbs went boneless and she fell against him. Color infused Lexi’s cheeks as she saw Ashley pressed up against him, the scrap of material barely concealing her pale flesh. Lexi’s eyes widened as they met his, the hazel-green eyes shimmering with hurt and anger and betrayal. But he hadn’t done anything wrong.
Then why did it feel as if he were cheating on Lexi?
“Miss Darling,” he said, his voice curt, professional as he gently but forcefully shoved Ashley away from him. Straightening his clothes, his hair, trying to act normal when he had a nearly naked wolf panting after him, a cock stand that was clearly visible, and the object of his lust staring at him with wounded pride, he asked, “What are you doing here?”
She cleared her throat, and she schooled her features to hide the emotions. Her eyes flitted away from his, taking in the discarded coat, Ashley’s state of undress and his erection and her cheeks reddened further. Turning around, she started heading back out the way she came. “I, um, I came to apologize but I see now that it’s not really necessary. Um, I’ll just be leaving now; don’t mind me.”
“Lexi, wait,” Duncan said, not wanting her to go away thinking he was an immoral bastard, ready to sleep with someone else after trying to seduce her. He bent down and grabbed Ashley’s coat, draping it over her shoulders, keeping his eyes on Lexi. But then he glanced down and saw the intensity with which Ashley listened to the conversation, the way she looked between him and Lexi. That was a very unsettling feeling.
“It’s all right,” Lexi said, her eyes darting back and forth between him and Ashley. “I really need to get back to work. You see, I have a new boss and my job is still in question and I’m afraid I haven’t made a very good first impression. But I intend to remedy that; after all, what is lavish without 'The Scene,' right?”
He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing that Ashley was going to say something about him firing the writer of the fluff column and hating the hurt he knew he would see in Lexi’s eyes….
“You write 'The Scene?'” Ashley asked, excitement in her voice. Still nearly naked, she crossed the room, holding out her hand as she approached Lexi. Uncertainty lined Lexi’s features as she accepted the offered hand, “When Duncan told me he was buying this magazine I could hardly believe it, I’m such a huge fan. By the way, I’m Ashley Brown.”
“Lexi Darling,” Lexi replied, her features moving from confusion to something Duncan couldn’t identify. Her eyes darted to Duncan, and he swore he saw a flash of weariness, before she looked back at Ashley. “I’ll just let the two of you get back to… to whatever you were doing. Or about to do.”
“We weren’t doing anything,” Ashley said, practically bouncing on her feet to be standing next to the writer of 'The Scene.' “Poor Duncan has a writer that he’s having difficulties with and wasn’t in to mood to mate with me.”
“He wasn’t in the mood for sex?” Lexi asked, a mischievous twinkle lighting her eyes as she glanced at him. Even the word sex sounded so much more… erotic when coming from Lexi’s well-shaped mouth. The way her lips curved around the word, as if by saying sex she was having it. “How surprising, Mr. Tremain, all things considered.”
“Yes, quite,” he muttered, pressing his hand against the erection that Lexi caused. And by the spark in her eyes, she knew what she did to him.
Ashley looked closer at Lexi and narrowed her perceptive blue eyes, “Weren’t you at the country club on Saturday? Only you had green hair at the time.”
“It was mint,” Lexi corrected cheekily. “And I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
"It was you," Ashley laughed, a full and throaty sound that exuded sex but Duncan had no interest in the wolf. “You were having lunch with the Rudnar women.”
Lexi glanced at Duncan and he watched as she stiffened slightly at Ashley’s words. “I was, um, interviewing them for a story I’m working on. Uh, influential members of society, or something.”
“How well do you know them?” Ashley persisted and Lexi’s eyes flew once more to Duncan, who was listening to the conversation with interest. The Rudnars could almost be considered American royalty; they were an influential family with their fingers in just about everything.
“How well do you know them?” Lexi reflected the question back.
“We’re acquainted socially,” Ashley said with an easy smile. “They’re a lovely family, by the way.”
“Th….” Lexi coughed, her cheeks reddening as she mumbled, “That’s why I’m interviewing them.”
“Oh, I look forward to reading that article,” Ashley gushed. Grinning broadly and completely comfortable in her near nudity, she looped her arm through Lexi’s as if they were now the best of friends, “Since Duncan is preoccupied, that leaves me free to spend my lunch hour with you.”
Lexi’s eyes widened in horror, “Um, I don’t…. I mean, I like boys.”
“What?” Ashley asked, confused. She glanced at Duncan as if he had the answer.
Duncan’s lips curved upwards in a triumphant smile; he wasn’t the only one with sex on the brain. “Lexi, it’s just lunch. I’m sure Ashley just wants to pick your brain about your column.”
Lexi looked at Ashley again, a little less horrified and slightly more embarrassed as she realized she jumped to the completely wrong conclusion. “Um, sure. Do you, you know, maybe want to change or something?”
“No problem; I have it covered.” Ashley grinned, picking up a bag and disappearing into the bathroom, flashing her lithe body before she closed the door.
Lexi looked at him, the weariness apparent in her eyes and he anticipated the words before she said them, “Not up for sex?”
“I, uh, took care of the problem,” he muttered, shifting his gaze briefly. But then he saw her blush and realized that she must have done the same thing. Lust roared through his body and his will to resist her was crumbling into dust. Fuck good intentions, fuck pride; let the wolf win so he could fuck Lexi. Smiling, he stepped closer to her, loving how her eyes widened and her pulse trebled. “Tell me, Lexi, did you think of me when you were touching yourself?”
Her eyes slid closed and she moistened her lower lip with her tongue. Softly, so softly, she said, “Yes.”
“Did you imagined me touching you, stroking you?” he asked, his voice growing huskier and huskier as he spoke, as he imagined her with her legs spread, her fingers moving over her sex, her eyes hooded as she watched him watching her. “Have you imagined it, Lexi?”
A whimper arose from the back of her throat as she simply nodded. Opening her lids, she looked up at him with glazed eyes, silently pleading with him. Her lips trembled as she swallowed thickly. “Duncan, please.”
“Please stop,” he whispered, reaching out and running a finger over her lush lips. Her tongue darted out and touched the pad of his finger and his own eyes closed in ecstasy. “Or please continue.”
“If you’re serious about keeping me at a distance you have to stop,” she pleaded. But then her mouth opened and he slid the tip of his finger into her hot mouth, making her eyes darken. Her lips wrapped around his finger and he nearly came when she sucked it into the heat of her mouth and let out a little moan of pleasure.
“You drive me insane,” he murmured, feeling her tongue swirl around his finger, tasting him. Removing his hand, he bent his head until he could feel the heat of her mouth next to his. “I’m trying my damnedest to do the right thing but when I’m with you….”
The sound of the toilet flushing broke the spell and Lexi jumped away from him. With heightened color staining her cheeks, she fidgeted as she stood there, not quite meeting his eyes. “You keep telling me she’s not but is she your girlfriend?”
He squeezed his eyes shut at the predictable question, unable to answer her because at the moment, all he could think
about was Lexi. Who was still talking, “I mean, I’ve seen the two of you together, you know, and after catching the two of you just now, well, I assume she’s your girlfriend.”
“She’s not,” he answered curtly.
“But the two of you have slept together.”
“Yes,” he managed to say through clenched teeth. This was why he didn’t get involved with humans; they didn’t understand the needs wolves had, their society and rules. “But sex….”
“You’ll sleep with her but you won’t sleep with me?” she asked, her voice hurt.
“She doesn’t work for me.” He knew that that was a lame answer before the words were out of his mouth but he said them anyway.
“Then I quit.” She crossed her arms beneath her gorgeous breasts, pressing them even higher and making his mouth water. Glaring up at him, she lifted her chin up and continued militantly, “And then we can fuck until our hearts’ content.”
“I won’t let you quit,” he growled, reaching out and touching air as she ducked her head. “We just have to make it through the next couple of weeks and then whatever madness or spell this is will be broken.”
“Do you truly think it’s a spell?” she asked carefully, her eyes watching him closely as if his answer were important.
He smiled at her and shook his head, “No; I just think there is a serious chemical attraction between us that defies description.”
She shrugged her slender shoulders, “I can’t seem to help myself. Even though I know it’s… wrong. That this,” she waved at the air between them. “Is wrong.”
“I know,” he said with a grim smile. “But I still want you.”
Her lips curved upwards in a seductive smile and her eyes sparkled mischievously, “If you want to fuck me, you better hope to God that you’re single. I don’t sleep with other women’s men.”
“Then stop invading my dreams,” he breathed, pressing a soft kiss on her lips and quickly stepping away. He watched as her hand touched the spot where his lips touched hers and smiled with satisfaction.
Her eyes lit dangerously, “I could say the same but then, I’m not the one with a girlfriend.”
He smiled at her comeback, leaning back against his desk and watching her, just watching her. She truly was remarkable, especially when she was angry. “And I’ve told you, she’s not my girlfriend.”
Give in, his wolf whispered. Look into those eyes and give in.
He looked down as she gazed up at him with those jeweled eyes, unblinking and fully aware of his intentions as he lowered his head to hers, as he placed his mouth just over hers. As he took her breath into him and felt like he was almost home….
“Are we ready?” Ashley’s bright voice interrupted him just as he was about to kiss Lexi. Both he and Lexi turned to face Ashley as she stepped out of the bathroom. She was dressed in a sedate, cream-colored suit belying her wolf nature and she looked like the daughter of a very rich banker; which she was, but she was also a wolf intent on having sex with Duncan.
Duncan’s gaze drifted to Lexi, with her school-girl costume and her flushed cheeks, sun-kissed skin and humanity. One a man chooses for a mate, one a man enjoys passionately; long, hot, sweaty nights of arms and legs entwined, of bodies fused. Lexi was definitely that latter. Sexual bliss did not equal happiness, no matter how much his wolf might claim otherwise. The wolf wasn’t the one who would have to live with her.
Except, he imagined a life with Lexi Darling would be incredible and satisfying in a million different ways.
Lexi looked back at Duncan and a guilty flush stole over her skin as she took a step away from him. Smoothing her palm over the short, black wig, her face red, she faced Ashley head on and told her, “Um, I don’t think I can have lunch with you. Ever. I’m sorry.”
With that, she bolted out of the office like the hounds of hell were on her heels instead of a horny wolf.
“The blond from the bar?” Ashley teased.
“Not a word,” he said softly as he attempted to bring his raging libido back under control so he didn’t charge after Lexi again, this time to finish what they started on Friday instead of telling her they couldn’t.
“I think I’m going to go have a little chat with her.” Ashley grinned, sashaying towards the door. “I think it might prove enlightening.”
“Don’t.”
She paused at the door and looked at him, thrusting out her butt in a blatantly sexual invitation, “Then give me a reason to stay.” When he didn’t make a move or say anything, she shrugged her shoulders in resignation, “That’s what I thought. I’ll see you later, Duncan.”
“Ashley….” He didn’t have the heart to even try to keep her from Lexi.
You’re either going to have to fire her or sell the magazine, his wolf snickered. My esteemed master.
Duncan squeezed his eyes shut and took several long, deep breaths; how had the day so quickly turned to shit? He woke up this morning ready to take on the world of publishing and now he was standing in the middle of his office suffering the lingering effects of a raging hard on, the girl he once planned on making his mate was chasing after the girl he couldn’t get out of his system, and his wolf was being even more of a dick than usual.
If he had any interest in holding onto his sanity, he was going to have to deal with the Lexi situation. He was going to have to avoid her until he got this troubling lust under control.
Chapter 6
Lexi walked out of Duncan’s office with her heart racing in her throat; the damn Siren was making her forget her good intentions. Even though the red head from the bar was in the bathroom, Lexi had still lured him into kissing her. She was going to have to do a better job of avoiding him if she planned on keeping him safe from her Siren’s wiles.
“Hey, Lexi, hold up!” Ashley called out as she stepped out of Duncan’s office. Lexi tried to ignore the summons but Ashley called out again,” Lexi!”
Reluctantly, Lexi turned around to face the woman who had at one time shared Duncan’s bed. She ignored the stab of jealousy at the thought and forced a smile, “I didn’t know he was seeing anyone, otherwise….”
“What?” Ashley looked taken aback by the statement. “No, we’re not dating… just the occasional fuck and that hasn’t happened for too long.”
“Because of Dima?” Lexi asked candidly. Before Ashley could answer, she added, “I never told Mr. Tremain if that’s what you think.”
Ashley laughed out loud, “Oh, Duncan knows and he is not happy with me but what can ya do? A girl has needs and he wasn’t fulfilling them.”
“If he was mine, I don’t think I’d ever even look at another man, at least not for sex.” Lexi shook her head, wishing her tongue wasn’t so loose. “Forgive me.”
With a grin, Ashley looped her arm through Lexi’s and started walking over to the elevators, “I think you and I need to have a long conversation.”
“I don’t think that is a good idea,” Lexi countered, trying to extricate herself from Ashley’s grip but unable to do so; Ashley was surprisingly strong for such a delicate-looking woman. With a sigh, she gave in and let Ashley lead her wherever she may go.
“I think it is a fabulous idea,” Ashley beamed, pushing the down button to summon the elevator and turning around to face Lexi. “I want to understand why Duncan is so interested in you.”
“Great.” Lexi was not looking forward to sitting across from Ashley for a single minute, let alone an entire lunch. What could she have to say to the woman who was sleeping with Dima when she had shared Duncan's bed? “Lead the way.”
A few minutes later they were sitting outside the local bistro and Ashley was staring at her with an enigmatic smile on her lips. Forcing herself not to fidget, Lexi met Ashley’s eyes and arched an eyebrow, “So, what’s on your mind?”
“Are you, by any chance, related to the Rudnars?” she asked bluntly. Motioning with her hand towards Lexi’s face she continued, “I see a similarity about your eyes and nose but mostly your mouth; the
y have a very distinctive mouth, don’t they? A very sensual mouth. Now that I am looking, your mouth is definitely a Rudnar’s.”
“I guess it’s a family trait,” Lexi said with a light shrug of her shoulders, not coming right out to confirm or deny Ashley’s question.
“Are you a cousin or something?” Ashley’s eyes sparkled with discovery and she leaned closer, her strong citrusy scent filling Lexi’s nose. “A long lost relation? It has to be something because you also have the Rudnar's breasts. A distant cousin?"
“Not exactly.” Lexi couldn’t quite meet Ashley’s eyes. It was surprising in the nearly six years that she had been Lexi Darling no one had ever questioned her relationship with the Rudnars, never seeing the connection.
Ashley’s eyes widened in her head and she fell back in her chair, her jaw dropping as she continued gaping at Lexi. “My God; you’re the youngest daughter, aren’t you? The recluse that has fallen off the map.”
“What makes you think that?” she squirmed just a little in her seat, wondering how Ashley was able to see through the disguise so quickly when her family’s closest friends couldn’t.
“You are, aren’t you? I knew it!” Ashley cried out in triumph, clapping her hands together. After a few moments, her smile faded and she looked at Lexi with curiosity, “Why do you refuse to be a Rudnar? It is a distinguished name for a very distinguished family.”
Lexi snorted, “Look at me; I’m not exactly Rudnar material.”
“I beg to differ; you simply express yourself differently,” Ashley contradicted. With a dismissive sound, she grinned again, “But why Lexi Darling?”
This time Lexi’s lips curved into a fond smile, “That has to do with my roommates.”
“The bartender I enjoyed the other night?”
“Yes.” There was something about the way Ashley spoke of Dima that bothered her but she couldn’t quite figure out what; maybe it was her indifferent attitude towards her best friend. It was hard to feel bad for Dima because he was too cocky by half, breaking more than his share of hearts in his quest to score the perfect lay. Maybe he had met his perfect match in Ashley.