Page 17 of Sear
The warm breeze brought him her scent…sweet, healthy, and mingled with wolf. And the unmistakable musk of musk of sexual interest.
Dammit, he thought. His jeans suddenly felt uncomfortably tight.
She was standing close enough to him now that he could have just pulled her into his arms. He wanted to. Badly.
Her soft curves would feel so good pressed against him from chest to knees.
He opened his mouth to say “yes.”
But he managed to stop himself. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever done.
He was working, dammit. And she was a distraction from his mission. A luscious, extremely sexy, way-too-young distraction.
Not to mention that she was clearly a nice girl.
Even if he’d been willing to go out on a date with her, she deserved far better than Lucas Winter, a dirtbag wannabe poacher in search of fellow dirtbags.
“Malia, I’m flattered. You’re a really attractive woman. But I’m only in town for a few days, and dating anyone isn’t—I mean, I don’t think it would be a good idea.”
Besides, I’m at least ten years older than you are. You should be asking out nice boys your own age.
Funny how he hated the thought of that. His cougar wasn’t happy about it either.She wants you to court her. And we want a mate. Why are you refusing her?
Malia’s expression went from hopeful to stricken at his reply. Lucas winced when he saw her cheeks and throat flush red with embarrassment.
The memory of what it felt like to be young and rejected by a potential date spurred him to add, “If things were different, I’d really enjoy getting to know you.”
She raised her chin and met his eyes. And actually managed a smile.
He was impressed at her gutsiness. At her age, he would have just slunk away to lick his wounds.
She thrust a scrap of paper at him. “Well, here’s my number if you change your mind about coffee.”
He took it. “Sorry.” And he was really was.
Why couldn’t I have met her in Boise? When I wasn’t undercover?
Then Malia turned and practically fled back into the club. She almost crashed into Bickham and Silvers as they stepped through the doorway.
Bickham stopped and stared at her. Then he peered back inside the club, obviously watching her. Instead of the expected leer, though, he looked wary.
Then he caught sight of Lucas. “Don’t tell me you made a pass at that cop?” he asked, his tone hostile. “I saw you checking her out earlier.”
Silvers sniggered. “Maybe good ol’ Lucas here wants to fuck his way out of a speeding ticket.”
Lucas didn’t bother to hide his dismay. “She’s acop?Seriously?”
Shit.
Bickham laughed loudly, and punched Lucas on the shoulder. “You didn’t know? Hell yeah, she’s the new cop in town. We know all of ’em in this burg. And all the fish cops, too.”
“Good to know,” Lucas said tightly. He forced himself to chuckle. “She’s so young and cute, I didn’t have a clue.”
Inside, he was kicking himself. Being seen with local law enforcement could get him killed if the wrong people noticed and drew the conclusion that Lucas wasn’t who said he was.
How the hell was I supposed to know that Malia was a cop?He was annoyed at himself for yielding to the temptation to chat with the girls even though they didn’t seem like likely informants.She looked likea local girl just hanging out and having beers with her BFFs.
Lucas cursed silently and hoped he hadn’t just blown his cover all to hell. Now he knew he absolutely couldn’t have anything more to do with Malia.
