Even if anyone thought it wasn’t a macho thing to do, no one let on. A t least not to his face. As no-nonsense as she seemed, he imagined she’d think his hobby was foolish. And as much as he told himself that shouldn’t matter, he did care what she thought.
He shrugged.
She didn’t miss a beat. “You have paintings you’re leaving off, right? Nude women? Old girlfriends? New girlfriends?”
He laughed. The woman was precocious. “I’m afraid that if I told you, I’d ruin your image of me.”
“Ahhh,” she said, drawing out the word. “I see.”
“What do you see?”
“Landscapes, then.”
He smiled and shook his head, but he was still thinking of where he wanted to go next with Alicia. In an instant, she had changed his mood from annoyed at having to hang around town until the gallery opened and then spending a fortune on a meal to being possessively chivalrous and wanting to just spend some time in town enjoying the day with a woman like her.
“So where do we go from here?” he asked, curbing the urge to pull her from the booth and escort her to the nearest bed and breakfast. But only if they served breakfast in bed.
Chapter 3
As much as Jake knew he had to get back to Silver Town, he was beginning to think he didn’t need to return all that quickly. He was owed a vacation, and he couldn’t remember a time when he’d taken one. Work and pleasure were all wrapped up in Silver Town and the pack. That’s all that had ever mattered.
But now she mattered. Alicia Greiston, bounty hunter and bundle of sensuous woman, who was bound to get herself into real trouble. But the way she “played” her role with him made him think she also was interested in furthering their relationship. He knew he should back off, knew that unless it would be a one-night stand with a human female, he shouldn’t be encouraging this. Yet he had no desire to stop what was taking place. And he didn’t believe a one-night stand would offer a fix for what he was feeling.
He could drop off the photographs and take in some sights with Alicia, if she could give up her surveillance for the time being and was interested in spending the day with him. Who knew what could happen with regard to the night?
She was about to say something when she glanced back at Mario as he walked past the table, not giving any indication he knew she existed. The other man remained seated, eating his breakfast.
As soon as Jake felt Alicia tense, as if she were a wolf ready to go after her quarry, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her tight against his body, even though he already had her blocked from leaving the booth.
He shook his head and leaned over, his mouth brushing her ear as he whispered, “Too many of them.”
Her expression shifted from hunting mode to resigned acquiescence. That was, until she spoke and he realized she wasn’t as resigned to admitting she couldn’t pursue the man as he had thought she was.
“You have to take your artwork to the gallery.” She glanced at her watch. “Must be open by now.” Her gaze met his in too businesslike a fashion. “We could meet at a little Italian place up the street for lunch later today. If you’re interested and you’re hungry by then.”
He was interested, but he was damned concerned that she intended to ditch him a second time, only in this instance, so she could keep Mario under further surveillance.
“Italian?” Jake asked. The insinuation was that the Italian guys might eat at the Italian restaurant, and she had inside information that they’d be stopping for lunch there. Which didn’t set well with Jake. If he was to have a meaningful lunch with the lady, he wanted all her attention.
She shrugged, but the renewed sparkle in her eyes and the slight upward tilt of her mouth meant she had caught his meaning. She lifted her chin just a little. “Or anything else you’re interested in.”
His smile was sure to appear purely predatory. She had to know he was interested in her.
“To eat,” she said, realizing he was thinking like a man would.
His smile broadened as his gaze remained on hers. A faint blush colored her cheeks and creamy throat.
She quickly added, “They have steak houses, sandwich shops, seafood places, you name it.”
“Will you go with me to the art gallery?”
“No. I’ve got some errands I need to run.” Her tone was clipped and businesslike again. She wasn’t going to be talked out of going it alone.
He didn’t like it. He thought she was serious about lunch, but after she’d ticked off these men, he believed she’d be headed into real danger. And he was certain she was going after them further.
“So what will it be?” she asked.
“Steak house, but—”
“Okay, steak house it is. Main Street at 1 p.m.” She rose to leave and straightened her skirt.
He wanted to change her mind, but she seemed determined. He stood to let her out of the booth and noticed that the suited man still seated at the table was watching them now. Jake took her hands, leaned over, and slanted his mouth over hers, meaning to show the man that Alicia was his, and if anyone thought of harming her, there’d be hell to pay. Before he could do much more than press the merest of kisses against her soft mouth, she pulled her hands free.
Prepared to accept her rejection, Jake was about to separate from her, figuring she objected to going any further with this—at least here in the restaurant. Until she placed her arms securely around his neck, her breasts pressed against his chest in a tormentingly seductive way, and with an upturned face, offered her mouth to him.
Eagerness propelled him to take advantage, but he reigned in his baser needs and licked her sugary cinnamon-sweetened lips with a sensuous sweep of his tongue. His hands roamed down her back until they rested at the bottom edge of her jacket on the sensuous curve of her buttocks.
He said quietly, “Open your mouth to me.”
The suggestion was like unlocking the bedroom door and letting him in. His tongue penetrated the small opening as she barely parted her lips to him, more in surprise than in agreement, he thought. But he breached any defenses she might have erected, one of his hands cupping the back of her head as he forged forward, the other keeping her body pressed against his hardness.
She responded like a woman caught up in lust, at first shyly kissing his tongue back, her body a little reserved.
Then as if he’d overpowered her will to keep this at a standoff, he sensed her resolve falter. Felt her tongue play with his in a more aggressive manner, felt her body arch against him, pressing her sexy, soft body against his. He nearly groaned when she deepened the kiss.
Sweet cinnamon and spicy woman greeted him in a way he’d never experienced with any other. Her soft body fit against his hard one, which was getting harder by the second. He wrapped his arms around her back and held on tighter until he finally felt the gun at her waist.
She murmured against his lips, “I thought you said you didn’t have a gun.”
“I didn’t think you meant that one. Maybe we could have dinner later?” He was already hoping to spend the day and the night with her, keeping her safe while enjoying her companionship for a while longer.
She gave him a wistful smile back. For an instant, he thought he might be pushing her too fast. But this was the first time a woman had truly sparked his interest in eons, and he didn’t want to let her go just yet. Her wit and wolfish intuition fascinated him.
A long-term commitment with a human female was fraught with difficulties and something his kind would frown on, but a tryst with one was perfectly acceptable if both were willing and agreeable. She seemed as interested as he was. Although a nagging concern told him that she wasn’t someone he could get out of his system easily with an overnight venture.