Page 9 of Love in the Forest
She sighed. “Sometimes, I feel like I’m not doing enough even though I’m part of a loose organization that helps trafficked and newlyalteredvampires. I want to make a difference.”
“You and me both.”
“I know. I Googled you as well. Besides being an alpha to a pack, you personally support a halfway house on the Strip for female wolf prostitutes.”
“It’s a big problem here. Most get kidnapped early in their transformation and are drugged up and put to work.”
She cut up her salad into smaller bites. “You will let me have the chalice, won’t you?”
“I wish you could see what the pack is like with it and without it. I honestly can’t explain what went wrong. It started about a year ago.”
“About the time we were together?”
“Yes. In fact, very close to that time now that I think about it. Which doesn’t mean the two incidents are related, it’s just strange.”
She sipped her wine again, her brow puckered. “Braden, you don’t think the partial-bond had anything to do with it, do you?”
“I don’t see how or why. But just in case there is some kind of connection, I’ll get it severed.”
Her face grew flushed, the wine, maybe.
~ ~ ~
It wasn’t the partial-bond that made her feel this way, like she wanted to launch herself at the man. It was something else, something she couldn’t define.
The wine wasn’t helping either. It seemed that with every sip her desire for Braden grew, a vine inside her that kept sending tendrils to every part of her being and tugging, working her up.
Beyond the sexual sensations, her heart felt so odd like it had a fire in the center of it and kept calling Braden’s name. Okay, maybe this was the partial-bond, that it had somehow made her sensitive to who he was.
She had to get herself under control. She knew he wanted her. From the time she’d met him at the White Flame Club, he’d carried an unusual and very erotic scent.
He’d sat down for a few minutes, intent on her. She’d loved it. Another male had come over and she remembered turning to her wing-woman and saying. “He smells fantastic. I wonder what kind of cologne that is?”
Her friend had wrinkled her nose completely perplexed. “I’m not getting anything.” She’d even tried several times to sniff him. “Sorry, I don’t smell a thing.”
Right now, his scent was wafting over her in waves. “I always wanted to know, what is that cologne you’re wearing?”
His brows rose. “I don’t.”
She thought for a minute. “Deodorant?”
“Never wear any. My wolf is clean.” A smile followed.
She stared at him hard. “Braden, do you remember when we met at the White Flame?”
He smiled and sipped his wine. “Oh, yeah.”
“I could smell you and you have the same scent right now. What is it if not cologne or deodorant? Aftershave?”
He shook his head slowly and his smile faded. “You say you could detect my scent before we even left the club?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He’d finished his steak and salad and pushed his plate away. He then settled his elbows on the table and put his head in his hands.
His hair was loose and all she could think about was sliding her fingers through the mass of it. She’d like to make love to him then sit on the bed and braid his hair for him.
Now why did she have that thought because she knew from some of the Five Bridges blogs, that the mates of wolves would often braid their hair. It was a loving, bonded ritual.
