Chapter 7

BLAKE

That night, I tossed and turned in bed while I ran through what I wanted to say to Fisher. One way or another, I was going to get him to sell the company to me. It had been years since the violent origins of my first stores. Back then, I didn't have the power or influence that money afforded. What I did have were my fists and fangs. That was enough to convince my competitors to sell their shops to me until I controlled the local market. If the old man wasn't going to see reason, then I was not above going back to my roots to get my way. Still, that was a last resort. Wulfthorn Baked Goods was a legitimate corporation now, and the last thing I needed was a scandal tarnishing my reputation.

I let out a growl and checked the time on my phone. It was almost midnight, and there was no way I was going to get any sleep right now. Giving up any hope of getting rest tonight, I kicked off the covers and went out to the kitchen. There was nothing like a late-night baking session to work out the tension in my body.

It was deathly quiet, so I had to be careful not to make any noise as I gathered my supplies. Thanks to Anna stocking the place before our arrival, I had my favorite flour and baking stone. Most importantly, my treasured sourdough starter was sitting in the fridge ready for me.

As always, the way flour and water mixed together reminded me of how my life started. The ingredients slowly mixed together as I kneaded, the dough turning from a shaggy clumpy pile to a sticky mess before it finally took form and turned into a smooth elastic dough. I scraped the dough into a bowl and put it into the oven with a pan of warm water to rise.

Since there was time to kill before the dough was ready to be shaped, I cleaned up the kitchen. Even over the sound of the water from the kitchen faucet, my wolf's hearing picked up the echo of her footsteps on the tile floor.

I turned off the tap. "I'm sorry for waking you," I said.

I wiped my hands on the kitchen towel next to the sink. Turning around, I gulped. There was no way a woman in loose blue pajamas with penguins all over it should have been so sexy. Her hair was a tousled bedhead, and I wondered if she would look like that in my bed after a night of passion. My fingers bit into my palm as I resisted the urge to grab her and run my hands through those messy strands.

Lacey lifted her glasses off of her nose and rubbed at her eyes. She blinked sleepily at me. "It's not your fault. It takes me a while to get used to sleeping in a new bed. I'm a bit of a night owl."

I smiled. "I hereby welcome you as a member of the insomniac's club."

She sniffed the air and then padded over to the oven and glanced in the window. The oven light inside was on, so she could see the dough rising in the bowl. "Are you baking some bread?"

"A simple sourdough boule."

Lacey shook her head. "There's nothing simple about what you do." She paused. "It's magic to me."

Turning to the espresso machine, I cleared my throat and hid the tingle of pleasure I felt under her words. All the awards and accolades I gained as a world-famous baker failed to compare to her simple words.

"Would you like some coffee? The bread needs time to proof before it's ready to be baked. I can show you how to shape the dough."

"I would like that. Midnight coffee and a snack. You sure know your way to a woman's heart."

"Is through her stomach and her caffeine addiction," I added as I made our coffees.

I joined her at the kitchen counter and we fell into a comfortable silence as we enjoyed our coffees.

"Have you decided the route you're going to take when you publish your novel?" I asked.

Lacey shrugged. "Self-publishing would mean I retain all the rights to my work, but it's hard getting publicity as a first-time author. A traditional publisher would mean I get marketing support, but as a new author, the contract terms are not going to be favorable."

I nodded. She had a kind soul and a gentle heart, and despite her naive appearance, Lacey had a sharp mind for business. She was my ideal woman. If only she wasn't human and my employee.

"Whatever you decide to do, I can have my lawyers look over the legal contracts when you're ready."

Surprise lit up her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly.

I shrugged. "Your first step in business is the most important one you take. It's best to get off on the right foot."

My phone vibrated, buzzing on the counter. "The dough's ready to be shaped. Are you ready for your first baking lesson?"

Lacey set her cup down and nodded. She jumped to her feet. "Yes, sir. Ready and willing."

I bit back the groan in my throat. My cock sprung to life at her words, tenting my gray sweatpants. There was no hiding my reaction from her. Shit. Thinking quickly, I motioned at the cups. "Why don't you clear the prep area while I go find some aprons for us."

I waited until she was busy at the dishwasher to disappear into the linen closet and retrieve an apron for both of us. Tying the black apron over my front, I fought to bring myself under control before I returned to the kitchen.

Lacey tied the navy blue apron that I gave her. It was entirely oversized on her small figure, making her look even more delicate and defenseless than she really was.

Turning to the oven, I retrieved the proofed dough which was already inflated and threatening to overflow out of the bowl. After I set the bowl on the kitchen counter, I placed the baking stone inside the oven and preheated it.

"Okay, now we need to punch down the dough and shape it into a boule. Then we're going to let the dough rise a second time before we slash and bake it."

The bag of flour was still on the counter from earlier. I grabbed a fistful of flour and dusted the countertop. With a plastic scraper, I scraped the dough out of the bowl and onto the floured surface.

Crooking my finger, I signaled that she should stand by the counter. I stepped behind her, holding her hands in mine as I showed her how to wet her hands and shape the dough.

"I've never done this before," she said.

"It's easy. Let the flow of the dough guide you," I murmured. "Gently. Stretch, fold, and then roll." Together, we tucked and folded the dough under itself, moving as one unit. Before our eyes, the shapeless dough began to take shape and turn into a smooth tight ball.

"That's it." I grabbed the proofing basket and deposited the formed ball of dough. "Now we wait for the dough to rise again before we put it into the oven."

"Wow! You made that seem so easy," she said as she washed her hands at the sink.

"I've had many years of practice."

I was accustomed to working alone in the kitchen, but tonight I had an audience, and I found that I didn't mind it at all. Once the dough had completed its final rise, I flipped it onto a floured pizza peel and added a few decorative slashes. With a quick jerk of the pizza peel, the bread slid smoothly onto the scorching hot baking stone and I closed the oven door.

Turning around to put the pizza peel down on the counter, I found Lacey staring at me with a dark hungry look on her face. She clenched the side of the countertop with a white-knuckled grip. Her body was tight with tension as if she was going to pounce at any moment. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was being hunted.

I gulped. A wail from the direction of the bedrooms cut through the silence.

Like a bucket of cold water had been doused over her, Lacey snapped to attention. Once again, she was Emilia's nanny. Her demeanor was completely professional.

"I'll go. She needs me." Lacey rushed out of the kitchen like she was being chased by the hounds of hell.

"Fuck," I muttered under my breath. Running my hands through my hair, I let out a growl.

Disgusted with myself, I went to the kitchen sink to splash cold water on my face. What was I doing? The nanny was off-limits. I should've known better than to play with fire like this. But something about this woman defied all logic and sense. I wanted her, more than anything else I've ever wanted in this life.

Once the bread had finished baking, I pulled it out of the oven and let it rest on a cooling rack.

"She's asleep. It was just a nightmare." Lacey came over and tapped the crust of the bread with her knuckle, making a hollow sound. "Wow. That's beautiful. I can't believe this came from that blob of dough."

"I couldn't have done it without your help." My eyes locked on the smudge of flour on her cheek. "You've got a bit of flour on your face."

"Oh? Where?" She wiped at her cheeks.

"Here, let me." My thumb brushed away the smudge, but I couldn't help running the pad of my thumb over her cheek again.

Her eyes flicked to mine as her breath quickened. Fascinated, I cupped her cheek in my palm, getting my fill of her. She was so warm and soft, sweet and seductive.

She was so soft and smooth, I needed to have my fill of her.

The warmth beneath my palm turned to a searing heat. The beast inside of me roared. Claim her. Take her. Mate her.

I dragged her closer until she could feel my desire for her digging into her stomach. Her luscious lips parted in surprise, and her hands fell to my chest, curling the fabric of my shirt in her grip.

Pulling her closer, my mouth feasted on hers, savoring her flavor. Her lips opened in invitation, as she let out soft moans. Eagerly, my hands traced her body, finally becoming familiar with the curves I had studied for weeks and etched into my memory. Her lush breasts filled my palms perfectly with their heavy weight as if she was made for me. Under my touch, I could feel her heartbeat pulsing like the flapping of a bird's wings. I wanted to wrap my hands around her and possess and control her as much as I wanted to protect her.

Her tongue met mine hungrily, stroke for stroke, and I thrust my tongue into her mouth, showing her what I wanted to do to her with my cock. She let out a low guttural moan, opening herself for more. The scent of her arousal blossomed around us, covering both of us in her sweet musk.

Lacey was so responsive. Her passionate desire was beyond my wildest dreams. I had a hunch that the slightest touch could push her over the edge. And that's what I did.

Sliding my hand down the front of her pajamas, I searched for the source of her desire. She was burning hot and slippery as I slipped my fingers between her thighs. Her little nubbin was swollen and hard as a cherry.

I wondered how many strokes of my fingers it would take until she gushed her juice all over me. What an interesting experiment. As I worried the sensitive bit of flesh, she sucked in a breath and bit down on my lip. The bitter metallic tang of my blood hit my tongue, flaming my wolf's bloodlust. Sex and pain were one and the same for my kind. Faster and faster, I rubbed her, coaxing more dew from her core.

Finally, she wrenched her lips away from mine. Looking up at me and holding my gaze, she rocked her hips against the heel of my hand.

"Good girl." I grinned wickedly at her as she started fucking herself on my hand. Her mouth hung open as she panted and climbed towards her climax. Sensing that she was close, I pulled my other hand back and gave a series of quick sharp slaps to her bottom. She yelped and cried out her release as she went stiff and exploded, gushing all over my hand.

The sight of her coming undone was almost enough to make me spurt my seed all over myself like a teenager.

She looks up at me in a daze as she comes down from her orgasm. I brought my hand up to my mouth and licked each of my fingers clean of her honey. The taste of her on my tongue ignited a primal urge inside of me. My vision turned red. The beast roared, clawing at my insides to take what was mine.

I gripped her bottom in my hand, squeezing hard enough to leave a mark. Her yelp was like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. I pushed myself away from her.

What kind of monster was I? Lacey was far too delicate and important to treat like a bitch in heat that I was about to fuck on the kitchen counter.

"What about you?" She reached out for me, but I intercepted her. Bringing her hand up, I kissed her knuckles.

Repressing the beast's demands to mount her, I dug my nails into my palms. "It's late. Emilia wakes up early. Go get some rest," I ground out.

Like a coward, I ran away with my tail between my legs to the refuge of my room. Pressing my body against the back of the door, I waited until I heard the snick of her own bedroom door closing and locking.

"Idiot," I muttered under my breath. For the first time ever, my life was in complete harmony. Family and work fit together and it was all with Lacey's help. What I just did tonight put all of that in jeopardy. Not only did Emilia think of her as family, but she was human for fuck's sake. That should have been enough to put a stop to all of this. A female human could not withstand the violence and perversion a wolf demanded when he rutted his mate.

Because that was what she was, I realized with a jolt. It explained the powerful pull she had over me and the way my wolf was lulled to sleep when she was around. That was, when the wolf wasn't aroused into a roaring rage to claim her. What a cruel twist of fate that she wasn't a she-wolf.

The claiming was what scared me. The wolf itched to take every bit of her pussy, ass, and mouth. We would rut over and over again until my seed spilled from her. I would fill her until she was ruined for any other man, then mark her with my handprints and my bite so that every wolf knew she was mine.

It was brutal and animalistic. It would break her frail human body. It could never be.

I let out a growl and punched the pillows on my bed. Even through the walls between us, I could sense her. Against my own will, my hand came up to my nose and I gave it a good long whiff. Having her scent all over me wasn't making it easy to resist the temptation of the mate that I could never have.

With my cum churning in my nuts, and a denied release, I was never going to get any sleep. Stripping out of my clothes, I reached down and gripped my cock. If I couldn't have my sweet innocent nanny in real life, then I would have to settle for imagining Lacey taking all of my cock until my balls plugged her as I filled her with my seed.

"Fuck, that's it. Take me," I groaned as I pumped my hand up and down my shaft. She was now on her knees, offering her pretty little mouth for me. I tugged at my cock, imagining it was her throat I was plunging into. Faster and faster I tugged. Then she was on her hands and knees, her head to the floor and her bubble butt bouncing as she took me in her ass and I marked her bottom with my handprints.

My cum dripped from my cock, mimicking her slick dew across my shaft. Once, twice, and then my cock jerked as I came, filling her dark channel before I sprayed her ass and back with my seed.

As I opened my eyes, the last spurts of my cum landed on my barren bedsheet. The orgasm took the edge off, but I was still throbbing with need. Grabbing the edge of the sheet, I pulled it off and dumped it in a pile on the floor. My fantasies were a pale substitute for the real thing, but it would have to do. I collapsed on the bed and fell into an uneasy sleep with my mind haunted by thoughts of a sweet little nanny who could never be mine.