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“You already had a taste!”
She snorted, licking her lips but not terribly upset about the savory coffee flavor. For being her first taste of a non-liquid in the last decade, she was surprised she didn’t gag.
“You misunderstand me.” His voice dropped. “I wasn’t talking about the ice cream, little vampire.”
Desire hit her like a kick to the gut, a stone dropping in her stomach as goosebumps pebbled across her skin. All pretense had dropped from his eyes, unveiling the strength of his need for her. Inhaling as if it’d cool the building heat within, she had enough semblance of mind to continue goading him.
“And that’d be a bad thing?”
Perfectly full lips parted in surprise, he leaned forward. Not once did he break the ensnarement of her gaze, the wolf appearing behind his eyes as they shifted from russet brown to that exquisite orange blaze. She was so caught up in the moment that she failed to notice the woman rejoining them.
“Riaz!”
Gwennie’s voice jolted them from their reverie. Shaking himself, the alpha blinked, retreating from where he’d leaned forward as if to capture her lips once more.
Almost reluctantly, Riaz asked, “Yes, sweet?”
“Can you grab those big boxes from the top shelf and pile them near the freezer in the back? They’re too heavy for me.”
Riaz glanced over his shoulder, breaking their connection. “Of course, Gwennie.”
With one solid bite, he downed the rest of his cone. Then, he leaned over to Cortana’s and bit the entire scoop off, leaving her with a decapitated cone. One more bite and he nipped directly at her fingers, followed by a sensual lick. Speechless, she watched as he spun and sauntered toward the back, his hand gently brushing Gwennie’s cheek as the human beamed at him.
The huntress beneath Cortana’s skin watched as he went, enjoying the view before Riaz disappeared behind a corner. Grudgingly, she tore her eyes away from where he’d vanished, refocusing on the human who’d taken to staring at her.
“What are your intentions toward my alpha, vampire?”
Startling at Gwennie’s blunt question, Cortana asked, “How is he your alpha if you’re human?”
A smile filled the laugh lines on Gwennie’s face, her eyes clouding as if remembering ages past. The old woman, however, wouldn’t be dissuaded. “I do believe I asked first.”
“I’m an ambassador of sorts,” she answered. “I’m here to assist the den with a mission of upmost importance.”
“The Citizens?”
Once more caught off guard, Cortana merely nodded. Slowly, the human ambled to the table, sitting across from her. Once she’d gingerly reclined against the back, Gwennie shot a glance over her shoulder to confirm they were still alone.
The shopkeeper searched her eyes, lips thinning. “Riaz likes you, you know.”
A chuckle escaped before she could stifle it. “Is that true?”
“You know it is, Cortana.” The brevity behind Gwennie’s voice effectively killed Cortana’s humor. “That man has never been good at concealing his true feelings, and it’s even more apparent with you.”
“Well, I’m not sure about that.”
Uncomfortable with the serious tone the conversation had taken, Cortana squirmed in her chair, setting down the remainder of the cone to sit upright on the table, forgotten.
“Friends, lovers, packmates.” Gwennie shrugged. “Riaz tries too hard to be everyone’s friend and support system, because he fears the predator within him should he lose balance. That man is more scared of his own darkness than any wolf I’ve ever met, despite all his work to keep everyone in the pack in harmony. He believes that anyone who sees the unleashed truth of what’s inside him will push him away—just like his family did.”
“His family?”
“Riaz doesn’t take rejection well.” Gwennie didn’t answer her question, waving it off with a sun-spotted hand. “And because he never wants to experience it again, he’s always the one who ends things first in his romantic relationships—before he can get hurt.”
“Is Renata one of those romantic relationships?”
Gwennie made a sound of disgust. “That conniving she-wolf has never been good enough for Riaz, and she knows it. I’m happy you’ve made your entrance into his life, Cortana. Kick that grubby-pawed little wannabe to the side.”
“I’m not sure what you mean, Gwennie.” She shifted in her seat, folding her arms over her chest. “Renata claims Riaz is hers.”
