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What the hell did that mean?
The hunky shifter gave me whiplash with his mood changes. Moments ago, he talked quietly with my aunt, expression dismayed. Almost melancholy. I didn’t hear their conversation but sensed it was serious. Now he acted like a jealous boyfriend.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, slightly peeved.
Gabriel dropped his hand from my waist. “I heard your heart rate pick up when I touched you. Careful, little witch. I know you feel the same attraction I do.” His hot breath shadowed the side of my face, blanketing the shell of my ear. “Your human heart gives it away.”
Scoffing as I turned away from the window, I didn’t give him the satisfaction of providing an answer. “How long are you staying?”
Gabriel leaned against the counter and ticked his head toward the living room. I could hear my aunt as she talked to Gypsy. “You must have missed the part where Gwen invited me to visit as long as I like.”
Well, shit.I needed to talk with Aunt Gwen and learn more about Gabriel. Lycans were dangerous and unpredictable creatures.
“Why are you here?” I asked, staring into his amused ocean blues.
“That’s a bit complicated.”
“Not if you aren’t hiding anything,” I deadpanned.
Outside, a faint chuckle drew our attention. Damian began to whistle as he turned, winking as I caught the wicked expression on his pale face, and walked into the street. Fog swallowed his body, leaving no trace of his presence.
Pursing my lips, I turned back to Gabriel, face to face with the shifter. His hands lowered on either side of my waist, gripping the granite countertop and effectively caging me in. His towering height meant he had to lower his head to meet eye-to-eye. Flushing with sudden heat, I found it unsettling and equally intriguing how his eyes smoldered with just one look.
“Listen, sweetness. There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
“We just met. Of course, I don’t know anything about you.”
“We’ll get to know one another much better. I promise.”
Moon Goddess!
He made my girly bits quiver with need. Lycans especially excelled at seduction. Perhaps only second to vampires. “I want to know why you came to Howe Manor during Samhain.” I needed more information to keep this hunk of muscle at a distance until I learned the truth of his motives.
A low growl erupted in his throat. “My wolf led me here,” he ground out as he leaned in and sniffed along my temple, slowly tracing the skin all the way down to my neck. A quick flick of his tongue left a slightly damp patch of skin below my ear.
Exhaling a shaky breath, I managed to squeak a response. “Your wolf?”
Okay, not so articulate.
Another deep growl accompanied his answering nod. My hormones leaped into action as my eyes skimmed his handsome face. Dark brows, a thick scruff growing on his jaw and chin, and those perfect white teeth that flashed his canines caught my attention. His tongue ran over his lips like he savored the taste of me on them.
“My wolf is never wrong.”
The pull to this immortal was undeniable, but I’d dated my fair share of bad boys. Gabriel was a shifter that could easily dominate me–much as that vampire Damian–and I needed to keep a level head, especially with Samhain. The thinning of the veil brought out immortals faster than I could blink an eye.
“About?” I asked, sucking in a breath.
He must have sensed my internal debate because he backed off and leaned against the opposite counter, separating us by several feet. “You should take your questions to your aunt. Gwen can explain much better than I ever could.”
And I would be less distracted too.
With a crisp nod, I agreed. “I’ll do that, but since you’re staying, you may as well make yourself useful.”
He didn’t seem offended or surprised. “As you wish.”
“I need these apples, gourds, and mini pumpkins cleaned and hollowed out to fit the tea light candles.” I gestured to the opposite counter. “This stack of oranges needs to be zested. Be careful not to dig too deeply into the white portion beneath the rind. It’s bitter. I’ll be back to check your progress soon.”
He didn’t seem to mind my bossiness. In fact, his reaction couldn’t be more opposite.
