Page 16 of Forbidden Moon
Chapter 7
LATE THAT AFTERNOON
RJ found a parking spot right outside the front door of the attractive Lupine Recovery Council building. He and Chad finished their rounds early enough to squeeze in a quick meet-and-greet with the mysterious Mr. Blair. It seemed every agent he met had something to say about the man, leaving RJ itching to make contact. As it turned out, he lived at the commune, was beyond good-looking, and knew more about wolves than anyone they knew. Intriguing.
RJ glanced at his watch and winced. He hoped Blair hadn’t closed up shop yet and exited the truck with haste at a quarter to five. With his cap in place, he approached the building and found the door unlocked. Inside, an unusual and enticing odor assaulted his senses. His dick twitched as he tried to parse out what it might be. Unlike anything he’d encountered before, the scent wasn’t a perfume or air freshener, rather something natural and woodsy.
Though he saw no one, his perusal of the front room revealed a small gift shop featuring wolf-related items. Ignoring his plumping manhood, he couldn’t fail to notice some stunning artwork—photos of original oil paintings dominating one entire section. Drawn in by the realism and loving detail, he nearly forgot why he’d come in the first place. The sound of approaching footsteps interrupted his reverie. They belonged to an attractive woman with a friendly smile, and he wondered who this might be.
“May I help you?”
RJ switched mental gears and answered her question.
“RJ Wilson at your service, ma’am. I’m a new officer for the Rapid River district and came to speak with Jonah Blair. Is he in today?”
Robyn brushed long, straight hair away from her face and unobtrusively scented the man before her. Yum! Not bad for a human, especially in a uniform. She wished Jonah were here so she could tease him later.
“I’m sorry, he stepped out a few minutes early today. I’m Robyn, his assistant, so you’ll see both of us minding the store. Would you like to leave a message?”
Robyn smelled his disappointment, watching as he skirted the room with his eyes—as if hoping Jonah might pop up from a secret hiding place. The substantial bulge in his snug pants meant Wilson also picked up Jonah’s scent, with no idea what it was or why it affected him this way.
“My supervisor recommended I pay him a visit. I’m interested in wolves but know little about them. My last post, in the lower peninsula, didn’t prepare me for their presence in this environment.”
“Oh, yes. Officer Toomey routinely sends his men to us, and we’re glad to help. I’m only here in the morning tomorrow, but Jonah will be here all day. I’m sure he’ll appreciate some company if you’d like to stop by again in the afternoon.”
Wilson licked his lips, shifting weight from foot to foot, and gave her an uncertain smile.
“Please tell him I’ll be here around three o’clock if that’s convenient. Thank you for your help. Good day, ma’am.”
RJ touched the brim of his cap, turned on his heel, and left in a hurry. Robyn laughed at the poor man’s discomfort, chuckling to herself as she locked up and made her way to the breakroom for her coat and purse. She couldn’t wait to dish on the dreamy visitor when she got home! If RJ Wilson was gay, Jonah might have to fight this one off—provided he wanted to.
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RJ’S LONG STRIDES GOThim to the pickup in moments, and he slipped into the driver’s seat with a groan of relief. He’d never been so embarrassed in his life—popping a boner in front of a strange woman! On duty, no less! His weight lifting regimen left his uniform slacks a bit too tight, and shemusthave noticed his arousal.
Damn, that was strange! Something smelled good enough to devour, and heknewit wasn’t Robyn. Women never stirred his libido, and he’d felt powerless to keep the randy musings at bay. What if it happened tomorrow in front of Blair? He didn’t want the man to think he was hitting on him. He could get himself into all kinds of trouble, and he’d just started this job.
RJ backed out of the parking space and headed home for the day, head filled with erotic and worrisome thoughts. Stupid. Whatever happened in there was a one-time thing and nothing to worry about. As a professional, he retained control over his own responses. He refused to consider any type of compromising encounter tomorrow with Jonah Blair. Go in, ask a few questions, get out. Simple. Now, if only he could convince his dick to cooperate, there’d be no trouble at all.
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DELTA AVENUE APARTMENTS
Glad to be home after a long day, Dominic paused to unlock the temporary security door, allowing him into the building. The old entrance had been swallowed up by the construction of the expanded entryway and lobby, presently encased in plywood and surrounded by even more scaffolding. He’d seen the artist’s technical drawings of the new addition—a lovely glass and metal structure with a modern look.
Meanwhile, the first level, while no longer a pile of rubble, remained wide open. The floors were now smooth and level, and some of the new walls were framed in already, breaking it up into commercial spaces of various sizes. Dominic liked what they were doing, despite the inconvenience and mess.
Passing the old freight elevator, he noticed they’d disassembled the rickety fossil, leaving an enormous, dark, empty shaft. The plans called for installing two cars in the same space, a smaller one for passengers and a larger one to move furniture. He welcomed the addition of new conveyances, as did all the long-suffering tenants. At the bottom of the stairwell, he turned and almost ran into the back of a refrigerator.
Startled, Dominic backed out while the muscular construction guy carrying it reached the first floor and set it down. How did he lift it all by himself? The guy wasn’t even perspiring and seemed surprised to see Dominic.
“Excuse me, Sir! I didn’t notice you there.”
“No problem. Don’t you guys usually leave around five?”
At a quarter to six, they should all be gone for the day, leaving the place blessedly quiet.
