Page 14 of Bewitching the Wolf

I harden my heart, try to focus on Larry’s droning words.

But I can’t help craning my neck as the pair stop dancing and the guy takes her hand and leads her toward the bar.

He turns, and I get a look at his face. He has the distinctive black eyes and pointed jaw of a fae.

Not Jax. Relief floods through me. Shame on my errant heart.

I turn back to Larry and lean forward, feigning total interest. I make it through another ten minutes before panic rises again. When he starts talking about his hooves flaking, it’s the last straw. Is this supposed to be a turn-on?

I excuse myself and head for the toilets. I have to find an excuse to leave. I’m still trying to work out a strategy as I walk out of the ladies’ a couple of minutes later—straight into a guy’s chest.

Ooof.

I register how good he smells. Peppermint and something musky beneath the clean male scent of him. His pecs are hard. The arm that steadies me is strong and lean, and the hand I look down at has long fingers, human nails with moons on the quick.

My nerves spike. I know that hand. I’ve watched him finger his vape so many times, shamelessly wishing he was touching me instead…

Finally, I look up into those heart-stopping green eyes.

A lazy smile shapes Jax’s lips, tugging his mouth sideways in the way that always makes my heart skip a beat.

“Tippy Honeywell. Fancy bumping into you,” he growls softy.

I should tell him to take his hand off my arm. But my tongue appears to be glued to the roof of my mouth.

His touch is burning fire through my veins, and instead of moving away, my lips part on a sigh of longing.

His fingers slide slowly along my arm, leaving a shiver of anticipation in their wake. My breath hitches and I’m almost panting as the green of his eyes turns mossy in the dim light of the passage.

I’m suspended like a fly in ointment, waiting, wanting him to kiss me.

A huge behemoth barges past, and Jax shields me from the beast. Now he’s got one arm on the wall, almost pinning me there. Still his eyes hold mine. My breathing goes haywire; I sway closer.

And then he breaks the spell.

“Having a nice time with Larry?” His lip curls, almost a sneer.

“He’s a really nice guy.” My head snaps back, eyes flashing. “Trustworthy. And honest—unlike someone else I know.”

Jax makes a growly noise. “Gods damn it, Tippy, I tried to talk to you the other day.”

“We’ve got nothing to talk about.”

“I disagree.”

His voice is subtly different, I notice. Wolfen. Sexy.

I put my hand out to push him away, but as I make contact with his chest my claws instinctively flex, like a cat needling a cushion. I swear I almost purr at the feel of his pecs.

“I think I should go,” I say stiffly. But my body screams something altogether different as arousal beats a steady path to my core.

He stares down at me, unblinking.

Oh gods, he’s scenting me. He knows…

He bends his head, whispers close to my ear, “So, are you going to stay here with him… or come with me?”

“I arrived with Larry. I’m not so rude as to desert him.”