Page 23 of No Harm No Howl

“Thanks,” she said, eyeing his hand wrapped around hers. But she didn’t pull her hand back. She did the exact opposite and squeezed his hand a little tighter, and that was perfectly fine by Russ. He wanted to be the one to protect her, comfort her … to make her feel safe when she was worried or nervous.

* * *

The plane beganto shake as they sped down the runway, forcing Gia back against the seat. Her ears rang, the tiny hairs on her arm standing on end. The faster the plane traveled, the more it rattled until it sounded like it was going to fall apart. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the pressure in the cabin change and her stomach tighten as the velocity of the take-off pushed her into her seat.

Drawing in a series of deep breaths, Gia tried but failed to calm down. It wasn’t until Russ leaned in close and his scent wrapped around her that her head cleared. The fear and anxiety faded.

Funny, her head normally felt drugged and foggy in his presence, but not this time. This time his scent acted as an anchor, a safety net.

“It’s okay. We’ll level off here in a minute. Try to swallow a few times to pop your ears.”

Gia nodded and did as she was told. Once she got her ears to pop, the pressure finally subsided, and her breaths came easier.

“Good girl. Are you okay now?”

“I … I think so. Thank you,” she said as she felt the rest of her anxiety subside.

“You should have seen me the first time I flew. I scared the shit out of the passenger next to me. It’s a very unnerving feeling for shifters because we are different from normal humans. Especially wolves. We love the run … the hunt. Our animals have never given a single thought to flying through the air. It’s unnatural to us. But it's not so bad once you get used to it.”

“So my wolf won’t always feel like this once she gets used to it.”

“Not at all. She’ll calm down,” Russ replied.

“Good.” Gia couldn’t imagine living with this constant fear before and during takeoff. It was unnerving at best. Not only did her own fear consume her, but so did that of her wolf. She hadn’t known whose fear had been worse. The fear of the unknown was a real bitch for anyone to have to deal with. But the fear of a specific thing you had to do, that was a tough pill to swallow.

“Look out the window.” He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, his hot breath fanning across her neck and ear.

Goosebumps broke out across her body. Her heart fluttered against her ribs. Gia turned to face him. His lips were less than an inch away from hers.

Jesus, she wanted to lean in that last little bit so their lips would touch. To know if his lips were as soft and warm as they looked. But at the last second, she remembered her vow to never mix work and pleasure, to never date a coworker … especially her boss.

She quickly turned her head and stared out of the window before she did something she regretted. “Oh my, God!” she gasped.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she said with a nod. The sights from the sky, looking down on the earth … seeing the clouds from above … it was stunning and left her speechless.

Only when the flight attendant showed up with drinks did Gia realize that she’d never let go of her boss’s hand. Untwining her fingers, she felt a blush creep across her face, and a feeling of loneliness filled her soul. There was something about a simple touch with Russ that had made her feel whole.

That’s because he’s our mate, moron,her wolf said in the most annoyed voice she’d ever heard from her animal.

Yeah, Yeah. Whatever,she replied, tired of hearing that Russ was her fated mate.

FIFTEEN

RUSS

“My suite is right across the hall from yours. If you need anything, knock, call, or text,” Russ said as he swiped his keycard and opened his door.

“I will. Thanks,” Gia replied and unlocked her door.

“Lunch in an hour?” he asked.

“Sure. That sounds great.”

“Perfect. Wear comfy shoes.”

“Will do.” Gia wheeled her bag into her room and let the door close behind her. Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep calming breath. What a whirlwind of a morning it had been, from the dream she’d had about Russ to him showing up at her door to pick her up from the hotel. Then there was the flight … the flight where she’d held his hand for almost half the trip.

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