NINE

Loren

I wish I’d told Erik no.

I was distracted, though. I could have sworn I spotted Kivrayn lurking by the coffee shop. I was so mad and was too busy looking around to make sure, and I completely lost focus on what Erik was saying. Before I knew it, I’d apparently agreed to a date.

It’s only drinks after work. Maybe I can invite the others from the office and make that a subtle message to Erik that I’m not interested in him that way.

He’s way too sweet for me. He’s like a great big puppy dog when I need a guy who’s more like a werewolf. One who will hold me down and bite me and take what he wants. Erik is not that guy.

I sigh. It’s been so long since I’ve been on a good date. I know it’s because I’m fussy. But I’m allowed to be. I refuse to compromise my standards on this or anything else.

I have another good day at work. Of course I do. I’m still good at this, no matter what happened with Kivrayn. He’s such an idiot for letting me go.

The whole thing is totally ridiculous. There’s no way that contract is viable. I’m sure there has to be some kind of written warning before a dismissal .

I make a mental note to contact a lawyer and get some advice. Maybe I can sue. The thought is highly satisfying.

What’s not highly satisfying is the way Erik keeps talking to me whenever we’re both at our desks. I’m trying to review some listings for the auction tomorrow, but I can’t focus because he keeps making inane comments. When he tries to show me a funny cat meme, I can’t hold back my little huff of irritation. “Listen, Erik. I’m really trying to get some work done here. You’re making that kinda hard.”

His face falls. “Oh. Yeah. Sorry.”

After that, he’s quiet. So quiet there’s a tension in the air that wasn’t there before. I try to shake it off, but it’s almost as bad as when he kept interrupting. By the time five o’clock rolls around, I haven’t got much more done and my shoulders are up around my ears. I also completely forgot to invite any of the others. But I don’t feel like I can cancel with Erik now, even though it will be super awkward.

I turn with a sigh. “Hey. I’m sorry if I snapped before. I’m just under a lot of pressure, you know? Trying to win this job.”

The line between his heavy brows smooths. “Oh, yeah. I get it. Don’t worry.” He makes a zipping motion across his lips. “Tomorrow you won’t hear a peep out of me, I promise. You’re so good at this. You definitely deserve it. I really hope you get it.”

“Thanks.” I feel a little worse for snapping when he’s so nice about it. Couldn’t he be angry or something? Of course that makes me think of Kivrayn, the grumpiest most arrogant guy I know, and I have to close my eyes for a second to get rid of the mental image. I wish I wasn’t still thinking about him all the time.

Erik grins. “So, you ready for our date? I think you’re really going to like this place. It’s super classy.”

How can I tell him it’s not a date? I bite my tongue and get my things, following him out of the building and onto the street. I make sure to keep a little distance so he doesn’t do something crazy like try to hold my hand. Even so, his whole demeanor is so perky it’s hard not to feel more guilty than I already do. I’m going to have to have a word with him. Maybe after a few drinks, when I’ve loosened up a bit. Ugh, I’m so bad with nice guys.

To make things worse, the place Erik has picked is really nice. I’m surprised. I was expecting a pub, or maybe a burger joint where we’d get a beer or maybe a cheap wine, but the bar he leads me to is a super trendy place with tiny plants in vintage glass bottles on the tables and a rustic, industrial look. Out back there’s a balcony which literally hangs over the harbor, and even though the breeze is cold, I insist on sitting out there. Erik frowns but doesn’t argue.

Just for a moment, I let myself hang over the balustrade, grinning like a kid.

“Do you want my jacket?” Erik starts tugging at the enormous suit jacket he has on, and I quickly shake my head. I’ll drown in that thing.

“No, I’m fine. It’s not cold.” I shiver a little which kind of gives me away, but I don’t want to go back inside. It’s so nice out here.

We order cocktails with a little QR code on the table and Erik insists on paying. I really am going to break it to him soon.

The first few sips of my spicy margarita do nothing to warm me, but by the time I’ve finished the drink, I’m feeling a little flushed in the cheeks. I’m small, OK? I’m a cheap drunk. Erik is being so nice and making puppy dog eyes at me across the little table. When he tells me he can’t believe I agreed to come on this date with him, I panic and order another.

It’s no good, though. The sun is setting and I only have on the light cropped suit jacket that goes with my tailored skirt. I’m officially cold. I didn’t think I’d stay as long as a second drink.

Erik stands and looking up at him really brings home how much taller and bigger he is. “Here. You’re shivering.” Removing his jacket, he comes around the table and is just in the process of wrapping it around my shoulders when the door to the bar bursts open and slams against the wall with a resounding crack.

We both jump. I turn to find the last person I expect or want to see right now.

Kivrayn’s green face is a deep dark color I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. His sharp teeth are bared in a half snarl. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

I jump up, thinking he’s shouting at me, when he lunges toward Erik. “You keep those big paws off her!”

What? To be honest, that’s worse. Poor Erik is such a sweetheart. His expression is mortified. “I didn’t do anything!” He holds his huge palms up outspread .

“That’s not what I saw.” Kivrayn takes a step closer, and I can practically feel the heat radiating from him.

I step between them, poking my finger into his chest. “Then you need your eyes tested, buddy.” I snatch my finger back, shocked. He is hot to the touch!

“Buddy,” Kivrayn sputters.

“What do you think you saw?”

Erik clears his throat. “Do you know this guy?”

I can’t deal with his question right now, so it gets ignored.

Kivrayn glowers. “I saw this overblown gorilla pawing you and undressing you in public.”

I laugh. I can’t help it.

His face turns a deeper shade of green.

“Hey, I would never do something like that.” Erik protests.

We both turn on him. “Shut up!” Kivrayn snarls.

“I’ve got this,” I snap. “Kivrayn, you need to leave me the hell alone.”

He steps closer until I can’t help but be aware of his hot breath on my face. It should be unpleasant, but the smell is smoky and carries a hint of something deep and enticing I can’t place. “No. Apparently I need to follow you around to make sure you don’t get assaulted whenever my back is turned.”

“I wasn’t being assaulted, you dick! You wouldn’t know the first thing about a date or how to romance a woman if it slapped you in the face.” I tilt my chin up, refusing to back down from him, staring him right in the eye.

I don’t expect what happens next.

“I know enough to know what you need.” Quick as a flash, Kivrayn reaches out and grabs me by the back of the neck. His other hand goes to my back, and he hauls me against him and claims my lips in a searing kiss. Heat floods through me. My nipples instantly tighten until they’re painful beneath my clothing. Kivrayn takes advantage of my open mouth to plunder it with his tongue, and the scent of his breath is oddly mirrored in the taste of his mouth. Despite myself, I groan into his.

Claws prick through the back of my blouse and into my skin.

I still haven’t ended the kiss. Why haven’t I ended the kiss?

Why hasn’t he?

Finally, he breaks away, breathing hard.

In my peripheral vision, I see Erik, shoulders hunched. “I’ll just go,” he murmurs.

“No, wait,” I call to him, but he’s already dodging between tables and into the bar.

I push Kivrayn hard, right in the center of his chest. He doesn’t move a single inch. He doesn’t even sway. “Arrgh! What is wrong with you! Now I’m going to have to go explain whatever that was to poor Erik, and I don’t even know myself.”

I expect a retort. A biting retort, a snarl. Something.

Instead, Kivrayn stands still as a gargoyle at daytime, mouth slightly parted, pupils blown.

Glad to know whatever the hell it was that took me over for a second wasn’t just me. But I think this doesn’t bode well for whatever comes next .

Time to make my escape.

Darting between tables, I leave Kivrayn standing there like a statue. I follow Erik from the bar, catching him on the street. “Hey.”

He turns with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had a mate.”

My jaw drops open. I’m lost for words for about two seconds more than my usual zero. “M- what? I don’t have a mate, and if I did, it’s certainly not him!”

Erik laughs a sad little laugh. “Did you even want to come on this date with me? Or were you just doing it to get back at him?”

Oh my god, it’s happened again. I’m speechless while I stumble over what to say. Kivrayn must have stolen my breath with that kiss. “No, it’s not like that at all.”

“Isn’t it?” Shoving his hands in his pockets, Erik begins to walk up the street.

I follow, hurrying my smaller steps to keep up with him. “No. I mean, yes, a little, but not like that.” I let out a little growl. I’m messing this up. “I’m not attracted to you like that. I’m not attracted to him either. I just didn’t want to hurt your feelings. And I do like you.”

He looks sideways at me. “Yeah, just not enough to date me.”

I shrug. I should find a kinder way to let him down, but... “I’m not into nice guys. Sorry.”

He sighs. “No one wants the nice guy. I wish I could be meaner.”

“Don’t say that. You’re lovely. You’re going to find some lovely lady and you’ll make her so happy. You’ll see.”

He’s quiet for a while. He doesn’t object to me following him, though. I feel so bad. I wish I could think of something to cheer him up. A thought strikes me. “Hey, maybe get a dog? I bet you’d meet lots of nice girls at the dog park. Girls love dogs.” I scrunch up my nose a little. “Girls who aren’t me,” I qualify. “Which is who you want.”

This draws a laugh from Erik. “I’ve always wanted a dog.”

I give him a gentle nudge. “You see? You’d be a great dog dad. Now, I know a great ice cream place around the corner from here. You wanna go get ice cream for dinner?”

He perks up a little more. “Yeah?”

I nod. “Yeah, why not? I think you need it.” I try not to as we walk up the hill to the ice cream place, but despite my best efforts, my hand strays to my mouth, fingertips brushing at my lips as if I could brush away the lingering effects of Kivrayn’s kiss.

I can’t though.

It’s on my mind for the rest of the night. The worst part of all isn’t that he ruined my date. It’s that it was a good kiss.

No, scratch that. It was a fucking great kiss.

And I hate that.