Chapter 1 (September 2007)
Chapter 2 (October 2007)
“I have nothing to say to you. Call my lawyer.” Afraid she would give in to the urge to say something far worse to her ex-husband, Melissa snapped her cell phone shut. Eyes closed, she clenched the phone and tried to use the deep-breathing technique her therapist had taught her to calm herself.
Breathe in, breathe out slowly. Breathe in, breathe out slowly.
It was hard to breathe through her clenched teeth.
Breathe in, breathe out slowly.
“Fucking asshole!” Her cell phone banged against the door before landing on the floor in several pieces. At least it took a few seconds before she completely erupted. It never failed. As soon as she let down her guard and allowed herself to believe that she was free of Jackass Jacob Jenkins, he resurfaced as if on cue. Like a creeping fungus she couldn’t quite exterminate.
Melissa forced her jaw to unclench and, one by one, relaxed her fingers and released the edge of the desk she’d grabbed without realizing it. Her chest tightened and her eyes burned with tears she refused to shed. He didn’t deserve them.
She’d once loved Jacob, believed in him and tried with all her might to make their marriage work. How could she have been so stupid, so naïve? Such a doormat?
Breathe in, breathe out slowly.
The sound of a knock at her office door made her eyes spring open. Her chair tipped wildly backwards before she managed to steady herself.
“Come in.” Her voice broke. “Come on in.”
The door opened slowly and Katrina’s head poked in. Her assistant raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow at the remains of Melissa’s cell phone. After stepping into the office and quietly shutting the door again, she knelt to begin picking up the phone debris. “He called again, didn’t he?”
“Yes. He’s back to claiming he loves me and I just don’t understand him.” She sighed heavily. “Does he really think I’m either that stupid or that desperate? I’d be willing to bet he wants money and is hoping to get some from me again, however he can.”
Her assistant rolled her eyes. “No bet. You know, for a man who thinks he’s God’s gift to both women and the gaming industry, he’s a real loser.”
Rising to her feet, Katrina extracted the cell phone’s SIM card and unceremoniously dumped the rest of the phone into the trash can. “It’s dead. What is that, the third one this month?”
“Ummm. The fourth I think.” Heat spread across Melissa’s face.
“I’ll pick up another phone for you this afternoon. Instead of destroying electronics, you need to find a new way to destress. You haven’t had a boyfriend since your divorce was final. Maybe you should find a man to help you release all that energy.” Katrina seemed to carefully look anywhere but at her boss.
Melissa flinched. “No. I’m not ready for anything like that yet.”
A sick feeling filled her at just the thought of allowing another man close enough to hurt her again. She’d let Jacob the Jackass woo and seduce her, taken in by his vows of love and devotion. Too bad she didn’t realize he needed her resources to provide for the ex-wife and the children he denied having, as well as to court her own successor. She was merely a bank with boobs to him.
Pushing the renewed feelings of betrayal and pain aside, she refocused on her assistant. “Did you actually need something?”
“Well, I heard the crash against the door and decided I should check on you. But I also wanted to remind you that we have a crop of new hires reporting for orientation at eleven.”
“Oh, right.” Joy. She really wasn’t in the mood to face a room full of eager new employees but it was the first week of the month and it was her turn. It was one of the few drawbacks of being a corporate trainer.
“Cheer up, boss. Maybe you’ll find a likely candidate for a date in the group.” Katrina laughed, probably at the look on Melissa’s face. “Okay, okay. Leaving now. I’ll leave your new phone on your desk.”
Once the door shut behind her assistant, Melissa unlocked her laptop. Work needed her attention. Despite her resolve to ignore Katrina’s suggestion, she found her mind wandering to her complete lack of a sex life. That might be what she most missed from her life with Jacob — hot, sweaty sex.
*****
Erik sat in the parked car for a moment to admire the trees and green space around the buildings of his new employer’s main campus. What a change from the concrete and steel he was accustomed to. Along with the prestige of working for one of the best software companies in the world, the beauty of the Pacific Northwest helped him set his sights on Seattle when he’d finally had enough of his relatives.
He’d been able to parlay his considerable experience with game programming into his dream job and escape his clan and the matchmaking attempts of his sisters all at the same time. Although his new position included relocation, he needed to find a permanent place to live fairly soon, before Coyote got too annoyed at the close quarters of the temporary housing. That was on the list for this weekend.
Right now, it was time for New Employee Orientation. He grabbed his umbrella and managed to get to the covered walkway without getting too wet. Opening the lobby doors, he instantly tensed. A surreptitious deep sniff confirmed his initial reaction — the stink of a wolf shifter permeated the reception area. Coyote snarled and seemed to pace back and forth, hackles raised.
Erik strengthened his hold on Coyote. The last thing he needed a shift in mid-lobby so Coyote could try to track down the wolf. Natural competitors or not, he wasn’t going to let his dream job fall victim to Coyote’s instincts.
Trying to breathe more shallowly so Coyote wasn’t continually bombarded with the scent, Erik lined up behind two other people to await his turn. The lobby spoke to MacroWerx’s image. Artfully arranged jewel-toned and steel furniture and large original abstract art were certainly expensive looking and modern, but they made his head ache. The furniture looked like something to perch on, not sink into. As much as he might appreciate the style, he wanted comfort more.
“Can I help you?” The perky receptionist looked at him curiously. The other people had been helped and were now gone while he stood staring into the distance.
Great first impression, Erik.
With a sigh, he stepped up to the counter. “I’m Erik Michaelson and today’s my first day. I was told to report here on Monday morning for orientation.”
The receptionist tapped at a keyboard and the printer next to her spat out a nametag. “Please wear this at all times while on campus until your permanent badge is ready. You’ll find out how to get it during your orientation.”
He peeled the backing off and stuck the nametag on the burgundy dress shirt he’d finally settled on for his first day.
“I’ll buzz you through the entry doors. Please follow the yellow signs to the Ranier Room where the orientation will be held.” The receptionist’s blue eyes widened slightly and her voice grew huskier. “If you’d like company during lunch, I get my break at twelve thirty.”
“Umm, thanks. I’ll keep that in mind. Rainier Room, you said?” Coyote gave as close to a sneer as he was able while Erik pasted his favorite “maybe later” smile on his face. He didn’t flatter himself that his sandy blonde hair, brown eyes and reasonable body were huge attractions but history had shown even fully human women were often attracted to the hint of danger his kind exuded.
The door buzzed and he pulled it open, the receptionist already speaking to the next person that needed her attention. He easily followed the posted signs to the correct room, signed in and sat down at the tables provided.
Coyote curled up and went to sleep during the first hour of the one and one half day talk, having no patience for or interest in the various forms being completed. During the first break, Erik made good use of the company coffee cup each new employee received. He resisted the urge to groan out loud, barely. Staying awake may be a feat if the rest of the talks were as dry and boring as the first one.
Already back in his seat at the eleven o’clock mark, he listened with only minimum attention while the next speaker was introduced.
A voluptuous woman in black slacks and a purple velvet top that caressed her curves strode confidently to the front of the room. Sleek mink brown hair just touched her shoulders and swayed with every step.
Suddenly fully awake, Erik sat up straight and stared. Every instinct he had said this was important. Really important.
She turned to face the attendees, her hazel eyes scanning the room, touching briefly on each person. When her eyes met his, she licked her lips and her porcelain pale skin seemed to flush pink. She stared at him for a full second before moving to the person next to him.
Just the sight of her made Erik’s cock stand up and take notice. Eyes focused on her, he tried to reposition himself to disguise his erection. Coyote snuffled and stirred, waking from his slumber to see what made Erik’s heart rate increase and all bloodflow move away from his brain.
“Good morning. My name is Melissa Alders and I’m a Sr. Training Manager here at MacroWerx.” Her voice was sultry, a little raspy.
He couldn’t help but imagine it calling his name out while he was buried deep inside her. Screaming his name as he licked her pussy.
What the hell? He hadn’t been this interested in a woman since college. Meaningless sex had long ago lost its charm and he didn’t even know this woman. He squirmed in his chair, the pair of slacks he was wearing were not cut for a hard-on.
Her attention probably drawn by his movement, Melissa looked at him again. This time when his eyes met hers, Coyote howled a long, ecstatic song. A mating song.
Mate?
Despite her best efforts to the contrary, Melissa’s eyes kept straying to the handsome man in the second row. His name, scrawled on the tent card he’d placed on the table in front of him, was Erik. Every time she glanced in his direction, his eyes were fixed directly on her. His irresistible golden eyes.
It was a good thing she’d given this introduction speech so many times it was ingrained on her memory and replayed at will. Distracted as she was, she certainly wouldn’t have been able to make it through a less familiar talk.
“I’d like to have you all take turns telling me what your new job title is and what you’ll be working on here at MacroWerx. This will let me tailor the rest of the Orientation more closely to your specific needs.”
She turned toward the side of the room opposite Erik and pointed at the person in the first seat. “Let’s start with you.”
The mental tabulations required to get a good idea of what her audience today was kept her attention focused, until it was Erik’s turn.
He stood up, an unhurried, economic movement. “My name is Erik Michaelson. I’m a developer and am going to work in the Entertainment division but haven’t been assigned a project yet.”
The sound of his rich baritone voice, smoothly drawling with a Texas accent, made her shiver. He was a bit formally dressed for the company standard in a dark dress shirt and slacks but even the long sleeves of the shirt didn’t hide the fact he was quite muscular. The warm brown tones of his skin, combined with his ash blonde hair and brown eyes, hinted at a mixed ancestry that added to his mystery.
His eyes. Oh my god, his eyes. They locked with her own and it felt like a live wire jolted somewhere inside her. Those eyes didn’t mask the seemingly primal strength she felt inside Erik; instead it shone out of them like a beacon. He looked straight at her for just a second or two longer than necessary after taking his turn to speak, then gave her a hint of a smile before broke eye contact and sat down again.
Melissa forced herself to look at the next person, though she’d already missed his information. Stubbornly refusing to give in to whatever was drawing her to Erik, she refused to look at him again, or even in his direction, while the class finished going through the introductions.
She scrawled a quick note to herself about the class composition. “We have quite a few more developers than anything else this week. It’s always good to see some many new employees.”
A glance at the clock confirmed it was time for a break. “Let’s take a fifteen-minute break. Coffee, tea and an assortment of other drinks are available in the hallway outside this room and some snacks should be set out as well. Restrooms are down the hall to the left.”
She smiled and looked over most of the sea of new hires, but avoided Erik’s side of the room. “Go ahead and stretch your legs, but please be back in your seats by 11:30.”
Released from their seats, some attendees left the room immediately and some merely stood and stretched. Melissa used the break to look over the material for the next hour, determined to settle back into the class routine. A movement in front of the podium caught her eye and she looked up to see Erik standing before her.
She pasted her best non-committal smile on her face. “Can I help you?”
His slow smile sent shivers through her body. “I just wanted to see if I could get you something to drink during the break.”
Down, body. “Umm…. I’d love a bottle of water, if you don’t mind.” Her voice was remarkably steady considering the quivering of her nerves.
“No problem.”
Erik turned and headed toward the doors with long, smooth strides that easily dodged the variety of laptop cases, backpacks and stray umbrellas that spilled over into the walkway. His unusual grace complimented the tight ass that flexed under his well-fitted dress slacks.
Arrgh. Stop it, dammit. He’s another game developer. Another ego-centric jerk with the social graces of a gerbil and the honesty of a hacker. The very fact he was handsome should be even more of a sign to stay away. There was no way in hell she was going to fall for another geek. Ever.
In the midst of her self-admonishment, Erik came back into the room carrying two bottles of water. She couldn’t help staring at him as he approached, the muscles flexing under his slacks making her wonder just what else might flex under there as well. Her eyes dropped to his crotch and she licked her lips. With a start, she realized just where she was staring and that it was at work, and her eyes snapped up to look into Erik’s face instead. Only to find him looking straight at her.
For just a moment she felt as if she were being considered by a predator. A hungry, determined predator. Erik’s unusual eyes seemed to see into her very soul.
Melissa gave a sigh of relief when he merely handed her the bottle of water and returned to his seat. In desperation, she turned away from him and unscrewed the plastic lid of the water bottle. Her shaking hand lifted the bottle to her lips and she somehow managed to take a drink without spilling the contents down her chest.
He can’t get to me. I can’t let him get to me.
A few more sips of water and she’d gathered herself together enough to continue the orientation class. She just wouldn’t look at him. For some reason, she wasn’t able to resist her fascination for him and her only real defense was to not give herself a chance to do something stupid. Something else stupid anyway, the growing lust she felt was impossible to ignore.
Just a geek. Just a geek. Her internal mantra started to play.
After greeting the class again, she launched into a discussion of the employee handbook. Despite her best efforts, she kept glancing at Erik.
*****
Erik shifted in his seat again. There had to be a position that would ease his discomfort. The thick erection pressing hard against the zipper of his slacks seemed to have a mind of its own. He’d tried distraction technique after distraction technique, all to no avail.
It didn’t help that Coyote paced ceaselessly, only stopping to yip in eager anticipation. He wasn’t happy with Erik holding back from the woman he wanted to claim as his own. Back and forth, back and forth, the damned fidgeting was making Erik nuts.
Despite her earlier frank appraisal of his body, he clearly made Melissa nervous. After the first break, she’d obviously been trying to not look at him. But he’d caught her taking subtle, secret peeks at him. She was interested, even if she didn’t want to be.
Pondering the implications of all this, he only vaguely listened to her talk on handbooks and the internal sites for Human Resource, Employee and Facility information. The hour seemed to creep by.
When she passed out meal tickets and dismissed the class with instructions on how to find the cafeteria, he waited for the rest of the students to depart and only then did he rise to his feet, readjusting his slacks as he did so.
Her back determinedly to the room, Melissa seemed engrossed in the binder she’d been reading from. Just how oblivious was she?
Erik stalked up behind her, not attempting to be completely silent but making no deliberate noise. Only a step away, her scent enveloped him. Rich and spicy without cloying perfume to hurt his sensitive nose, he grew even harder. Coyote froze and yipped in excitement.
He tapped one slender shoulder and dodged her flailing arms as she whirled, then tried to catch her balance. Her binder crashed to the ground but Erik grabbed her before she followed it.
Somehow the world seemed… complete… with her in his arms. He smiled down at her, amused by her wide-eyes and frantic look. She grasped his arms and got her feet back under her, then shoved him away.
“What are you thinking? You scared the hell out of me!” She was panting and gasping in reaction.
“Sorry, Melissa. I didn’t mean to scared you.” He tried to ignore Coyote’s prompting and lustful suggestions. “I wanted to walk to lunch with you. Surely you eat lunch, it’s not healthy not to.”
She opened her mouth, then looked thoughtful and shut it again. Was she trying to think of a way out? An excuse? Just as he feared she’d never go, she gave a small grin and relaxed a tiny bit. “Okay, we can get lunch. I’m a little jumpy today, but I do know I need to eat.”
Melissa’s smile sent a bolt of pleasure through him, a jolt of joy he almost didn’t recognize. Coyote laid down, content for now with the small concession.