Page 8 of No Harm No Howl

“I’m not going to lie. I applied here before I accepted my last position. This is the company that I have always wanted to work for. I’ve heard such good things.”

“You applied here before?”

“Yeah, I did. But I never heard back. I didn’t even get so much as a pass or a thanks email. Just a big old nada.”

“And now that you’re here with the offer in your hands?”

“Now, I’m tempted to say yes.”

“What’s stopping you?” he asked. His full lips turned up into the sexiest smile she had ever seen.

“You really have to ask that?” God, Gia was about a second away from fanning herself with the documents she held. It felt like the temperature in the room had ratcheted up a thousand degrees. It was as if she was suddenly sitting in Satan’s office.

“Are you afraid to take a chance?”

He had skated around the whole mate thing, just as she had. Neither one of them wanted to come out and say what they already knew.

“No. I just loathe being set up. I’m pissed that Gerri didn’t tell me. She’s supposed to be my friend. Not someone who stabs me in the back like this,” Gia said. Her tone got sharper with each word that spewed from her mouth.

“Sorry, I had no idea. You should probably talk to Gerri about all of this.”

“Oh, I plan on it. Don’t you worry about that!” This time her voice came out as a growl. Her fangs punched down through her gums as the anger continued to pulse through her veins.

“So, the job?” he asked.

“Look, I want it. But I don’t want it for obvious reasons. Can I have the rest of today to make a decision? I’ll let you know tonight. If that’s okay with you?”

“That’s perfectly fine. Here’s my cell phone number. Get a hold of me when you decide what you want to do.” He handed her his business card.

“Thank you,” she said, standing to leave.

“I’ll see you out.”

“Thanks.” Gia let Russ lead the way. They walked quietly until they reached the reception area.

“It was nice meeting you today. I do hope to hear from you soon, Gia.” The way her name rolled off his tongue had her legs shaking.

“It was nice meeting you. I’ll give you a call later this evening with my answer.” Gia quickly turned and walked out of the door before she did something she might regret, like falling into his arms and kissing the hell out of him.

SIX

RUSS

The second Gia left, Russ blew out a breath. Fuck! Fuck! Gerri had actually managed to send him his mate. How the hell she knew was beyond him, nor did he really even care. All he knew was that he had found his mate. His fated damn mate!

He felt it soul deep, and so had she. However, he would have preferred that she’d at least had the slightest inkling of what she was getting herself into by coming to his office today. It was clear that Gerri had blindsided her friend and conveniently left that info out of their discussion.

I found her.He fired off a quick text to his brother.

You’re shitting me? How?His brother’s reply dinged quickly.

Meet me at the office. I’ll fill you in.

Be there in five.

Russ paced back and forth, his mind on his mate and how scared she had seemed at meeting him. “This won’t do. I need to find a way to calm her down when it comes to the idea that she’s my mate,” he said, thinking out loud.

“Brother, tell me what happened?” Stephen said the second he walked through the door.

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