Let the record reflect: I need to find a nice, normal, non-scary guy and flirt with him. Never, ever entertain the thought of going over to my scary hot neighbor's place wearing nothing but tiny panties and pearls. And maybe a pair of heels.
Oh God.
"Seriously," Garrett's voice drops an octave, the low rumble thrilling me. "Come on over, have a beer. Get to know us."
Can Lawyer Amber turn into Amber the Biker Chick? For a split second, I see myself out of my chic business suit and in tight jeans and a tube top. Hair down around my shoulders, cheeks sun-kissed and tilted into the wind. I cling to Garrett, leaning into the curve of the road as we ride.
I blink. Did I just have a vision? My head pulses a little in answer, but there's no pain.
"So, what will it be, princess?" Garrett's still looking at me, blue eyes friendly. A girl could get lost in that cerulean sea.
Not. Safe.
"No, thank you."
"Okay. Your loss." He withdraws his boot.
My push on the door makes it slam in both our faces. I yelp like an idiot. Lordy. I draw in a long, shaky breath. Something has let loose in my belly and somersaults around like a balloon releasing its air.
Locking the deadbolt, I press my ear to the wood and listen. Three seconds pass before I hear footsteps walk away. I sag against the doorway, put a hand to my head. The slight throb is gone.
Let the record reflect: I need to call building management tomorrow and find out just exactly who those guys are and whether there are any complaints against them.
For all I know, my apartment might have come available because no one wants to live next to those guys. I sure as hell don't.
At least, that's what I'm telling myself.
"I don't even have pearls," I mutter, toeing off my pumps and setting my briefcase on the table as I speed dial my best friend.
"Hey, girl," she answers. I might be boring and normal-or at least I try to be-but my bestie is cool. Her mom was a hippie, though, which is how she ended up with an outrageous name.
"Hey, Foxfire. How's it going?"
"Trying to keep busy... you know, to keep my mind off it." Foxfire caught her boyfriend cheating the weekend before and kicked him out. About time, but breakups suck, so I've appointed myself her number one cheerleader and activities coordinator until the risk of her caving and asking him back is over.
"Do you want to come to my place? We could watch Netflix and chill." I'm ready for a bit of mind-numbing television tonight. Nothing like silly reality shows to keep my crazy visions at bay. If only it helped my headaches.
"No thanks," Foxfire sighs.
I sense a sad spiral coming on, and scramble. "Hey, you know what we should do?"
"What?"
"Go out dancing tomorrow night. The Morphs are playing at Club Eclipse."
"I don't know. I don't really feel like it."
"Are you kidding me? They're your favorite. You're always telling me how good they are in concert." Most days, I avoid clubs, bars, and any other loud spaces like my sanity depends on it. Which, given my tendency to have visions, it just might. Foxfire, you'd better appreciate this. I take a deep breath and lie my face off. "Now I really want to go."
"You? You hate going out. Usually, I'm the one dragging you."
"Uh, yeah, and now I miss it. I know you don't feel like it-that's not the point. The point is to force yourself to get out and be social." I employ the argument she's used on me many a time. "I'll bet a million guys hit on you."
Foxfire snorts. "I doubt it. But I'd love a Cosmo."
"Me, too." It's my turn to sigh.
"So what's with you? You've been working so much lately."
"Yeah, the center's been busy."
"Lots of kids coming through the system?" The gentle sympathy in Foxfire's tone causes my shoulders to unbunch.
"A few."
"Well, I know you're helping them. You almost give lawyers a good name."
"I don't know about that, but helping these kids is necessary. Jesus, so many of them have the most fucked-up lives. They deserve at least one person who cares representing them in the system." I grab a sponge from the sink and wipe down the counter, even though it's already clean. "So... I just met the guys who live next door."
"Oh yeah?" Foxfire drags out her voice in a suggestive tone.
"No, not like that. Scary-looking guys." I recall Garrett's blue eyes and dimpled smile. Maybe he's not that scary. But he definitely left me feeling flustered and off-kilter. "I don't know. I couldn't tell if they were intimidating me or flirting."
"You sound interested."
"No, definitely not." Total lie. My hand tingles where Garrett grabbed it. A man like him would be big enough to climb like a jungle gym. Would he let me ride on top? Oh jeez. Head out of the gutter, Amber!
I don't want him in my bed. Even though he's probably really good. But good in bed doesn't mean he'll be a good neighbor. Unbidden, the image of me joining one of their all-nighters in my panties and pearls pops into my brain.
Stop it.
"Are they hot?" Leave it to Foxfire to read between the lines.
Even though I'm alone in my apartment, my cheeks grow warm. I let out a strangled chuckle. "Um... yeah. One of them was-is-whatever. But not my type. Definitely not my type."
~.~
Garrett
I lift my palm to my face and inhale the scent still lingering from the pretty blonde human. She wore the hell out of that short fitted skirt and jacket, and as much as she wanted to project prim and proper with her hair up in a librarian hairdo, I smelled her interest. She was aroused. By me. And, when we touched hands, I felt the shock of something.
My fingers still tingle from our connection.
I smelled a little fear on her, but mostly the notes were warm and sultry, vanilla, orange and spice. My wolf didn't want to scare her-which is a first. He usually likes throwing his weight around, and feels only impatience for human women. Why would I be interested in a human? And she definitely is all human-I went in close to be sure.
I have no idea why she made my dick so hard. Sassy little thing, pulling her uptown-girl act while her knees shook with fear. I wanted to push her up against the elevator wall, wrap those knocking knees around my waist, and plow the sauciness right out of her. I bet she's never had a proper orgasm. I just might have to show her what it's like to come all over my cock, my name falling from those berry lips like a prayer.
I rearrange my swelling cock in my jeans before plunking down on the leather sofa. Trey and Jared have already opened bottles of beer and stand out on the balcony, talking loudly. Probably not the best for new neighbor relations.
Maybe I'm getting too old to live with my pack brothers. My dad's been telling me for years I needed to take a mate, act like an adult, and make the Tucson pack into something more than an MC club of mostly male shifters. We live loose and free, but the fraternity feel makes most wolves wanting to start a family move to my father's pack in Phoenix, or out of state.
My phone rings, and I check the screen. "Hey, sis," I answer the call.
"Hi, Garrett." She sounds breathless. "Guess where I'm going for spring break?"
"Um... San Diego?"
"Nope."
"Big Sur?"
"Nope, not California."
"Where, kiddo?"
"San Carlos!"
"No." I make my voice deep and forbidding. San Carlos is a Mexican beach town several hours south of Tucson, but, according to the news, is having trouble with drug cartels.
"Garrett, I'm not asking." At twenty-one, my sister, Sedona-named for the beautiful Arizona town where my parents conceived her-is still the coddled baby of the family. She wants full autonomy when she demands it, and full support-financial and otherwise-the rest of the time.
I was ten when Sedona, an "oopsie-baby" was born, so she's more like a daughter than a sister. I sharpen my tone. "Oh, you'd better be asking, or we have a big problem." My folks only allowed Sedona to go to University of Arizona because I live close enough to watch over her. I might be an easygoing guy, but I'm still an alpha. My wolf doesn't tolerate tests of my authority.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I was asking," she capitulates, changing from stubborn to pleading. "Garrett, I have to go. All my friends are going. Listen. We're not going to drive through Nogales. We found out there's a safer route. And we'll be in a big group. Besides, I'm not human, remember? Drug gangs can't harm me."
"A bullet to the head would harm anyone."
"I'm not going to get a bullet to the head. I won't be buying drugs, obviously, and I won't be around places where stuff like that goes down. You're being way too overprotective. I'm an adult, in case you've forgotten."
"Don't get sassy."
"Pleeease, Garrett? Pretty please? I have to go!"
"Tell me who's going."