My mind flicked to the expression on Sam’s face as he had charged in, the way he had pushed himself between us and the demons, the way he had searched for me first, the second the danger had passed.
“Maybe,” I said.
My friend opened her mouth, then her eyes darted behind me and snapped shut. I turned, following her gaze, and saw why she had stopped.
“I’m paying you two to work, not gossip,” Jenson snapped. His eyes locked on me and narrowed. “I don’t care who your mate is. If you aren’t going to work, then you’re out of here. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” I said, not bothering to point out all the work I had already done.
Jenson’s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized me. I could sense him wanting to snap further, but I could also tell that, regardless of what he said, he was still hesitant about antagonizing the pack beta’s mate. He scowled and spun around, marching around the corner.
“Why do you still work here, anyway?” Liv asked when he was out of earshot. “There’s no way Sam doesn’t make enough for both of you, and then some.”
“He does,” I admitted. “But I want the independence. I like having things to do. You know that.”
Liv laughed, her eyes crinkling. “Yeah, you would be climbing the walls all over the place in that big house of yours if you were just there all day.”
“She does that already,” a new voice said.
I let out a squeak of surprise as I all but jumped out of my skin. I spun, adrenaline still pounding through me as I took in the person behind me, who was currently chuckling, a wide grin spread across his face as he looked down with a slightly sheepish expression.
“That’s not typically the reaction I get out of women,” he teased.
“Sam.” I tried to ignore the way my heart flew into my throat and began pounding double-time, neither of which had anything to do with the way he had snuck up on me.
His eyes sparkled as he smirked down at me. “Did I startle you?”
That smirk made my entire body hum with electricity. “A bit,” I said, my own smirk rising to greet his.
I tried to keep my face impassive even as I desperately wanted to grab his shirt and tug him closer to me. My wolf ran wild inside as his scent enveloped me. He was the only thing in the world right now, the only thing that mattered. We were in the middle of a store, but all I wanted was for him to run his hands all over me, to drag me somewhere secluded.
I coughed, bringing myself back down to reality.
“What is it?” I finally managed to ask.
“Figured I could take you out to lunch,” he said. “Assuming your boss will let me whisk you away for an hour.”
My stomach growled, and I glanced at the clock. It was after one, and I hadn’t yet taken a break. And the idea of getting to spend time with Sam was pleasant. Getting to spend some time alone with him actually made me smile.
“That sounds great, actually,” I said. “Liv, will you—”
“I’ll tell Jenson if he asks,” Liv said, waving me away with a knowing gleam. “Just so he doesn’t blow a gasket. You two have fun.” She winked at me as Sam turned away, and I rolled my eyes.
Sam’s hand went to the small of my back, sending new shivers through me as I focused on the way his fingers spread along my back. My heart raced as I thought about what else those hands could do, what I wanted them to do despite myself.
Knock it off, I told myself, despite my wolf urging me to drag Sam somewhere private and see just what skills he had. Itwasn’t going to happen. He didn’t see me like that. I didn’t want it to happen.
Eventually, if I kept telling myself that, it would become true.
We had almost escaped when a sharp bark pulled me to a halt. “Thorn!”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before turning around to see Jenson marching toward us. “Here we go,” I muttered.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he barked, coming to stand in front of me.
“I’m going to lunch,” I said.
“I’m sorry. I don’t remember telling you that you could go to lunch.”
