Chapter Two

“Did Roarke tell you I found a spell,” Collette whispered teasingly, her lips nearly brushing against Gabriel’s ear.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood at attention as Collette’s warm breath fanned out across his skin. Before she whispered in his ear, he’d known the exact moment she’d entered the break room, because he’d picked up the subtle scent of her perfume that smelled of honey and wildflowers. Despite his best effort not to physically react to her throaty purr and the heat of her body that was just inches from his, warmth still pooled in his loins as his body hardened.

He spun around to face her, his hands clamping around her upper arms. A tiny gasp fell from her lips, and her light brown eyes widened, telling him he’d surprised her with his abrupt movements.

“I do not want to play these games with you, Collette. You are my partner, and to be honest, I really wished you wouldn’t have put me in this position.”

She stared up at him, her lids fluttering over her eyes, and she appeared even more shocked, if that was possible.

“What does being partners have to do with this? I need you to help me. I came to you because you’re my friend, and I trust you. But if you would rather not-”

His hands tightened around her arms. “It’s not that I won’t do it,” he said softly, trying his best to ignore the wounded look in her eyes as the invisible knot in his gut tightened. Damn, why did she have to affect him so powerfully?

“Then what is it? It’s obvious you’re uncomfortable with all of this, but I don’t understand why.”

He released her arms to tunnel a single hand through his hair. He heard the question in her voice and knew exactly why she was so puzzled. His reaction was like that of a human. To humans, sex was a taboo arena with rules and boundaries, but not to supranaturals. Suprasviewed it as a natural interaction between one another, just as natural as having a conversation.

As her closest male friends, it was considered normal for Collette to turn to Roarke and him for something like this. She’d assumed they would help her then, when all was said and done, they would all go back to being friends, as if nothing had happened. Ordinarily, he would have felt the same way. But this time was different.

He let out a long, uneven breath as he stared down into her expectant face. He knew she wanted an answer, but he didn’t have one to give. Well, at least not one she wanted to hear.

He reached out his hand, and with the lightest of touches, he skimmed his callused fingers across the smooth surface of her full mouth.

“Are you sure this spell will work?” He couldn’t believe he was actually going along with her reckless plan, but since he apparently was, there was no point in denying he was attracted to her. He knew nothing good would come of this in the end, so why not at least have a bit of fun before it all went to hell.

“Yes.” She said with a small nod as her lips parted slightly, and he knew from the widening of her eyes, she instantly felt the change in him.

Blood pumped furiously through his veins, as his body grew harder. The scent of her arousal wrapped around him, and if he hadn’t known already that she was nearly in heat, the essence of her unique scent, which was heavy in the air, would have instantly revealed the truth.

“You’re trying to distract me.” Her voice shook slightly, and he knew with the approaching full moon, her growing desires made it difficult for her to focus on anything besides her primal needs. “You’re trying to keep me from asking why this makes you so uncomfortable.”

“I never said I was uncomfortable with any of this.” He hadn’t been expecting her to realise what he was doing, but he shouldn’t have been surprised. Besides his mother, she knew him better than any other woman.

“You’re uncomfortable. I can feel it.”

He closed the small distance between them, his other hand settling on her hip to drag her flush against his body. She gasped softly when his rigid length dug into the soft flesh of her belly. If there was any evidence that he wasn’t uncomfortable, well then she now had it.

Everything inside him roared to life at the feel of her soft curves moulding to the hard planes of his body. His incisors lengthened as the steady throb of her pulse beat wildly in his ears. Lowering his head, he swiped his tongue against the base of her neck that peeked out above the collar of her blouse. He growled against her throat when she shuddered against him, her stiffened nipples stabbing into his chest.

“I’m not uncomfortable, my sweet Collette, but I think you might be. Or maybe uncomfortable is not the word. No, I think you’re worried.”

He vaguely felt her hands sliding up his back to tangle in his hair, so lost was he in his desire for her that beat so strongly within him, demanding that it be satisfied. He ached to settle her lush body against the floor, spread her thighs and sink his hardened length inside her warm, tight sheath. He knew instinctively that her body would eagerly welcome the invasion of his cock, and he nearly spurted right there in his pants as he imagined their bodies glistening with sweat as they both strained towards climax.

A knowing twinkle flashed in her eyes as she twisted her arms tighter around his neck, and he wondered if, maybe, he’d let something slip past his shields without realizing it.

“I’m not worried, Gabe. I trust you completely. I know you would never do anything to hurt me.”

A knife twisted in his gut, and he felt like the world’s biggest coward in that moment. He didn’t deserve her trust, and he knew she would hate him when she discovered the truth. Even he wasn’t ready to face the truth, and he certainly didn’t want to face it right then. So he did what any good coward would do. He brushed it aside, focusing instead on the enticing distraction that was Collette, as he lowered his head to taste her, his mouth pressing against hers in a searching kiss.

He’d barely touched his lips to hers before she parted them. Her tongue sought entrance inside his mouth at the same time he probed the moist centre beyond the lush paradise of her berry lips. He devoured her slowly, savouring the heady taste of her as he sucked gently on her tongue, drawing her essence deeper within him until he felt as if she would seep from his pores.

They clung to each other, their bodies entwined in a lovers’ embrace. He ached to explore her more fully, more intimately, but he knew now was not the appropriate time, and yet, he still couldn’t find the strength to drag himself away from her.

“Gabe, I need you.”

He groaned against her lips, as he backed her towards the wall of the break room, all thoughts of the right time and place long forgotten. Everything inside him burned for her, and his aching body was urgent in its need.

“I know you’re not starting the party without me.”

Gabe growled low in his throat, but he didn’t pull away from her as Roarke stepped inside the break room and shut the door.

“Lock it,” he whispered, his voice hoarse with need. Collette had set the stage, now it was time for them all to play their parts.

“Gabe, we’re at work. We could get caught.” Collette warned, her voice shaking slightly.

He curled his lips into a small smile as he slowly traced the curve of her full lips.

“We could,” he said softly, letting the mystery of his words hover between them. They certainly could get caught, but then there was the chance that they wouldn’t. Still the excitement of doing the forbidden spurred him on, daring him to do to Collette what he’d envisioned from the moment she’d propositioned him and Roarke.

He glanced at his friend, who wore a small grin, his eyes focused on Collette. He pushed along that telepathic link between them, speaking without words his plans for Collette. Roarke nodded, but didn’t tear his gaze from Collette, who now stood before him, trembling.