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“Go help him. She’s a vicious conniver, but he’s too nice to tell her off. She’s been stalking the poor guy for months.”
“Really?” Laura had a tough time envisioning Gerald at anyone’s mercy.
“Please? For me? Help my boss, would you?”
“I live to serve,” Laura muttered.
“There’s the spirit. And bring him a cider while you’re at it.”
Chapter Five
Gerald kept smiling at Vanessa Baylor, daughter of one of the powerful fox families his mother was trying to work one of her deals through. He’d been given strict orders not to upset any of the Baylors until she’d finalized the paperwork on her merger.
That wouldn’t have been a problem if Vanessa would leave him the hell alone. For the past two months, the sly fox had been steadily stalking him. At first, he’d been amused. Then annoyed. And now it was all he could do to remain civil.
Vanessa was pretty enough, he supposed. But she thought she could do no wrong, and her conceit bothered him. As did her attitude toward everyone not a fox. Because yes, she was one of those foxes—the pretentious, overbearing kind.
“You look positively tasty, Gerald.” She ran a manicured hand over his shoulder, and he wished he’d had time to change before coming straight from his office.
He loved looking nice in his clothes, but this was his least comfortable suit. He’d only worn it because he’d had a court appearance a few hours ago. And, well, he’d been called into the sheriff’s department to help Kyle earlier.
It never hurt to don his proverbial armor to make the point that no one could push him around, at least not legally. And that included one beautiful, irritating deputy.
The object of his unwelcome attraction hadn’t been present when he’d arrived, so he’d started to relax. Julia had promised to keep an eye out and to run interference if he needed it.
And then Vanessa had found him.
“Lovely to see you, Vanessa.” He took a subtle step back and pretended a smile to cover the cringe dying to come out. Vanessa’s scent mixed horribly with the expensive perfume she wore. A combination of something light and floral clashing with the steely, musky scent of a red fox in heat.
“And you,” she practically purred. “Look, Jer, let’s cut all the crap. Our families are soon going to be tied through business. You’re a wealthy, sexy, single man. I’m a rich bitch prettier than everyone in town.”
Not one for underplaying her strengths, though she was right about him. With all the pressure his family and the other fox families had been giving him about finding a mate, he could almost believe he was the most desirable man in town.
“We’re both grown adults who should be mated and reproducing. Why not join forces and tie the knot?” She trailed her nails over the lapel of his suit jacket. “I just know we’re going to click.” She smiled, and he imagined sharp teeth ready to tear out his throat.
“Don’t you dare do anything to ruin our chance to get this merger happening. We’re too close for you to blow it,” Colleen Winter had snarled just this morning over the phone.
While his father’s side had always produced legal whiz kids, his mother’s tended to turn into the sharks of the corporate world. She’d been trying to leave her mark for years.
Since Vanessa’s family was also trying to make a name for themselves in the billion-dollar gaming industry, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Winters and Baylors combine into a powerhouse.
“Well, you see…” He stalled, trying to come up with an excuse that wouldn’t hurt Vanessa’s feelings but would keep him out of her clutches until the holidays had at least passed. A Christmas gift to himself, he thought with ill humor.
“There you are.” The irritating bear who refused to leave his mind moseyed to him holding a paper cup of hot cider. “Here you go.” She stood shoulder-to-shoulder next to him and smiled at Vanessa.
“Hi, Laura.” Vanessa smiled back, though Gerald didn’t see any warmth in her gaze. “I love that sweater.”
“Thanks. You look stunning in that dress. Did that come from the Berman Collection?”
Vanessa’s smile brightened. “It did.”
They talked fashion, something he wouldn’t have thought Laura overly interested in, while he tried to come up with several viable solutions to ditch the pompous fox.
Before he could try to insert himself into the conversation, Laura casually laid a hand on his arm.
Though startled, he didn’t react, suddenly frozen, awash in her scent. A reason he never liked to stand too close to her.
Laura smelled earthy, feminine, and clean.
