“Fine, Nox,” she said directly. “This is not something I generally allow, so consider yourself a unique case.”

He let go of the fork, the metal rattling against the plate. He folded his hands in front of him and grinned as if he had just won the lottery.

“I am blessed beyond words,” he muttered.

Kelli did everything she could to focus on eating, to bury the feelings throbbing in her loins and chest. After they ate and cleaned up, Nox asked her to have a drink with him in his lounge, which wasn’t far from his office.

The professional in her screamed to stop, she was magnetized toward him, and she would never forgive herself if anything physical happened on the job. But her own beast grumbled inside, her body aching for the touch she had deprived herself of for way too long.

The beast ultimately won, and she followed him into the dark, firelit, cozy room.

SEVEN

NOX

Nox needed to tread carefully with Kelli despite his growing attraction to her. His cock twitched inside his pants every time he saw her, longing to touch her, to feel her skin on his, to hear her moans of pleasure. He wanted to fill her heart, soul, and body to the brim with so much lust that she lost control and plunged deep into the sea of carnality with him.

But she was the consummate professional, and there was a likelihood that his coming on to her would only make her want to head for the hills even more. He tried not to attach too much significance to the fact that she had given in to him not wanting another nanny; after all, he was an aggressive alpha who usually got what he wanted.

When he invited her into the lounge for a drink, she seemed to accept without much hesitation. He tried to tell himself that he was merely enjoying her company, listening to her honey-sweet voice, and getting to know who she was.

His wolf, his craving erotic beast, had plans of his own.

He led her into the room, which already had the fire lit by his maid, Ramona. The licks of flames threw shadows against the stone in the room, which doubled as a study with walls riddled with rows upon rows of bookshelves. He let Kelli walk in first, giving him a peek into her passionate side by watching her hips sway back and forth.

“This room is stunning,” she said, gazing at the books.

Nox shook himself out of his daze, then watched her move her delicate fingers along the spines of the pieces of literature.

“I haven’t read a lot of them, to be honest,” Nox said. “It’s a great aesthetic place, though.”

She smiled, looking mysterious in the firelight.

“Is that so? I should have known a stud like you doesn’t need much to impress the ladies.”

She wore form-fitting jeans and another of her loose T-shirts, but she still looked as enchanting as a princess. Her silhouette from the roaring fire cast her in a magnificent glow. Her skin looked soft as velvet, and her ample lips were painted in the shade of a blood rose.

Nox was captivated and had to make sure he wasn’t staring at her with his mouth open as she walked to the couch closest to the fireplace. He went to the bar just beyond the shelves, prying his eyes from her with great difficulty.

“I really do need another nanny, Nox,” she said in the dark. “It’s not a matter of wanting to get out of here but a matter of practicality. I only have so many hands to do both the work of an agency owner and a nanny.”

Nox poured them a small glass of brandy, sneering to himself. He hoped she would drop the topic of hiring someone else and just let the night go where it may.

“You can train me,” he said flippantly. “That way, I can learn to be useful as both an uncle and a helper for you, so you can watch over your business at the same time.”

Kelli let out a high-pitched chuckle that nearly evolved into a cackle. If anyone else had laughed at Nox for such a long period of time, he would have launched his fist into their face.

But it was Kelli, and the sound of her laughter, even if it was at his expense, further placed him into a trance.

“You are serious?” she said as he handed her the drink.

“Incredibly,” he said.

Nox sat next to her on the couch, unable to control how close he was. He considered sitting at the other end, but his wolf howled, forcing their thighs to collide, and he moved his arm up to wrap around the top of the couch.

She didn’t move a muscle which was a good sign. She shook her head, drank the brandy, and then grimaced with a deep groan.

“Goodness,” she said, coughing. “This may have been wasted on me.”