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"Hello? Do you want to order now, or do you need a few more minutes?" she asked.

Garrick squeezed his hands tighter, feeling the tips of his claws just beneath the surface of his skin. He had to pull himself together before his eyes went wolf. "I'll have an ale," he managed to say stiffly.

She nodded, then turned to walk back toward the bar. He followed her with his eyes. By Tiw, the Sky Father, he was lost. Having watched two of his brothers-in-arms, Raed and Algar, find their mates, Garrick knew the signs. And having a woman's scent stir his wolf was the first. The blonde had to be the one woman meant for him.

He didn't know how he felt about that. The idea of him finding his mate had left him kind of blasé about the whole thing. Garrick enjoyed women, but he'd just never had the urge to want one bad enough to stick with her. He had his fun while it lasted, then walked away when it ended. With a mate, there would be no walking away, ever.

The blonde returned to his table carrying his pint of ale. After she placed it in front of him, Garrick fished out enough pound notes from his front jeans' pocket to pay for it and handed them to her.

Before she walked away, he said, "Your boss should hire you another pair of hands to help. I noticed you're working the bar and serving the tables."

She chuckled and shook her head. "I am the boss. I own the pub. I'd love to have some more wait staff, but for now you'll just have to put up with me."

"I didn't realize an American had bought the pub. What part of the States are you from?"

"California. Sacramento, to be exact, but I call Norwich my home now. If you want another pint, just wave me over."

She went to walk away, but Garrick stopped her once again, wanting to keep her near. "What's your name?"

"Nika."

"I'm Garrick."

He stuck out his hand and waited for Nika to take it. When she did, he closed his hand around hers, skimming his fingers over her soft skin. Touching her made him want to yank her onto his lap and see if her lips were as kissable as they looked.

As if she'd seen something in his expression that clued her in to what he was thinking, Nika tugged at her hand until he released it and took a step away from the table. Garrick didn't miss the slight flush of her cheeks, or the deep breath she took.

"It was nice meeting you, Garrick," she said. "But I really should get back to the bar."

Nika turned and wove her way around the tables to the bar at the other end of the room. Garrick picked up his pint of ale and took a sip. He watched her, following every move she made. As if she sensed his gaze, Nika looked his way every once in a while.

Garrick sat there, nursing his beer, until the rest of the customers slowly left, leaving him alone, sitting in the taproom. Knowing what Nika would be to him, he was reluctant to leave the pub and her. By now, he had memorized every single one of her features, and her scent had burned itself into his brain. He wanted—no, he hungered for—one taste of her before he left her for the night.

Now that they were basically alone—except for the one mortal male he scented closed away in the kitchen—Garrick intended to get his taste. When Nika walked out from behind the bar, heading in his direction, he got up from the table and met her halfway.

"I was just on my way over to tell you it's closing time," she said with a smile.

He let some of the hunger he felt for her show in his eyes. The smile she wore faded as her violet-eyed gaze latched onto his. He heard her heart beat a little faster.

The sight of the tip of her tongue coming out to lick her lips just about undid him. His cock throbbed, and he ached to pull her into his arms to show her just how much she affected him. Instead, he moved a little closer. Much to his pleasure, she stood her ground.

"I guess if you're closing I should be on my way," he said as he crowded even closer. "But I'll be back. I've found something here that I'm more than interested in." He now stood so close Nika had to crane her neck to look him in the face.

She swallowed audibly, and then said in a breathy voice, "Oh. And what would that be?"

He bent his head until there were a few scant inches between their lips. Garrick pulled more of her intoxicating scent into his lungs. "Something that I want very much.

Something I hope will want me just as much too."

Nika's lips parted on a sharp, indrawn breath. Garrick went to lower his mouth to hers, expecting to finally get his first taste of her. She'd given him all the signals that she would let him kiss her.

Just before their lips met, her hand shot up to cover his mouth, and she pushed him away. She then put some distance between them. Garrick blinked in surprise. She'd refused him. Why would she do that when her body was telling him yes? Besides her rapid breathing, her nipples had grown taut beneath her T-shirt, and the smell of her arousal had mixed in with her scent.

He tried to close the distance between them again, but she held out her hand toward him and shook her head. "Sorry, Garrick, but I'm not one of the items on the menu here."

Undaunted, he asked, "Would you make an exception for me?"

"No."

"I'd definitely make it worth your while. All. Night. Long." Garrick made his voice huskier as he said those last three words.

Nika shivered, and the scent of her arousal grew stronger. He thought he had her then, but she shook her head, a scowl forming on her face. "Nice try, Garrick, but I'm not biting."

Before Garrick managed to say anything else that might entice Nika to see things his way, the kitchen door swung open and the male mortal stepped into the taproom.

He looked at Garrick and then at Nika. To her, he asked, "Everything all right in here, Nika?"

"I'm fine, Lee," she said. "Garrick here was just leaving. Weren't you, Garrick?"

Garrick had to resist the urge to growl and snap his teeth at the other man. He and his wolf didn't like the idea of Lee trying to protect the woman who could be his mate. Garrick wanted to be the male only accorded that privilege.

Fighting to keep his wolf at bay, knowing if his control slipped and Nika saw his eyes change or his claws come out she more than likely would run from him, he decided to let things go for now. He'd give up his chance to taste her lips, but that didn't mean he was giving up completely. He'd just keep coming back to the pub until he somehow managed to get Nika to change her mind about him.

On his way to the door, Garrick paused only long enough to caress Nika's cheek with the back of his hand. As he walked outside, his sensitive hearing picked up her almost-silent sigh. Stepping out onto the sidewalk, he smiled. She may have told him no, but she wasn't immune to his advances as she'd like him to believe.

Chapter Two

Nika managed to act as if nothing had really happened after Garrick left the pub.

She washed the remaining dirty glassware and put them back in their place behind the bar. She even ran the vacuum after she put up all the chairs and stools while Lee cleaned the kitchen. In no way did she betray how hot and fast her blood surged in her veins.

It wasn't until after Lee had left, and she'd gone up to her flat above the pub, that Nika stopped hiding her chaotic emotions. She closed the flat's door, leaned back against it, and let the memory of Garrick rise to the surface.

Holy hell. Nika waved a hand in front of her face to try to cool her heated cheeks.

Garrick was walking, talking sex. When she'd gone to tell him it was closing time, and he'd crowded close, her knees had turned to jelly. She'd gotten intensely aroused, her pussy growing wetter the longer she'd stared into his hungry gaze.

At least an hour had passed since he'd left, and her body had yet to cool. She could have easily drowned in his brown eyes, let him touch her, taste her, as he'd come so close to doing before she'd stopped him. Damn David for making her gun shy when it came to men she was attracted to. If not for him deserting her, she more than likely would have taken Garrick up on what he was so obviously offering.