Collecting my breath and calming my nerves. I then wiped a damp cloth across my forehead and went back to join James at thetable.
“Is everything okay?” He looked incredibly concerned as he watched me sit back down thetable.
“I’m fine.” I took a sip of the wine and the strong flavors helped mask the gross fuzziness I felt in my mouth. I took another sip and swished it through my teeth and swallowed. It wasn’t the best solution, but it certainly tasted better than what I had in my mouthbefore.
“Are you sureyou’reokay?”
I nodded,. “Yeah, I’m fine. Honestly, I think the conversation of my missing colleagues just upset me a little more than I thought itwould.”
James took my hand in his and the warmth of his skin was comforting on my own. I reached my other hand on the table as well and wrapped that one around his hands, too. The connection with him calmed my nerves even more, and I was glad for hiscompany.
“Do you have any leads at all about your colleagues? Not that I want to push the subject, or anything, as I can see how upset it makes you. But I think finding answersmayhelp.”
I nodded silently just then as I thought about Erik and the murderous, hunting rampaging he must be on right now. Anger welled up inside of me again at the thought. I hadn’t heard him or any of the chatter in my mind all night, and I was glad he was at least given me the privacy on my date. I was grateful at first, but I realized now he probably wasn’t doing it out of kindness, he was doing it was simply because he was distracted on his hunt forblood.
“I have one lead,” Ispokeup.
“Who?”
My mind seethed as I thought back to my strange interaction with Erik this past week. “Just a guy. Head of…agang.”
“Sounds dangerous.” James no longer looked concerned, but determined. Maybe it was a good thing I was sharing with him. Having a guy like him close by, both for the obvious companionship benefits and for his strength as a shifter could help me on mymission.
“It is. I wasn’t going to see it through at first, but I realize now I need to go and find out what he has to do with the whole thing,” I spat bitterly. The very thought of Erik destroyed all chances of me having a happy night. I began to shake again and James squeezed my hands evenharder.
“We can go together,” James offered. “I’ll help. It’s too dangerous on your own, and I don’t want to leave your side if you’re going to get yourself wrapped up in any sort ofgangshit.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I think I could get used to the whole “we” thing. I’d been alone so long that maybe having a partner wasn’t such a bad ideaafterall.
I finally nodded myagreement.
He narrowed his eyes at me and nodded. “Do whatever you have to do. Find the fucker who did this. We need to makehimpay.”
15
When we had finally finishedour wine and I politely refused to desert, James and I left the restaurant and walked back to the car. He pulled me close as we walked down the alleyway, his arm wrapped tightly around my shoulders. I nuzzled into him as we walked, the warmth of his body giving me a new energy. The air was cool, but at least it was dry outside and it was a fairly nice autumn night. Dim streetlights gave it a really romantic feel as we walked back tothecar.
James tried asking more questions about my colleagues and the incident on the way home, but I was exhausted and tired of talking about it, and I eventually just asked him if we could drop it for the night. I could tell he eagerly wanted to help me, and I absolutely loved that about him, but we could pick it up another day when my mind wasfresh.
We drove in silence for a while, just enjoying each other’s company as James drove. He eventually pulled up in front of my apartment, and I leaned over to kiss him on the cheek and say goodbye. But I then thought I really wasn’t ready for the night to be over. I lingered next to him, leaning over the centre of the car, and then instead of pulling away, I nibbled on his earlobe. He moaned in response, and then turned his head to mine and kissedmyneck.
“I don’t think I’m ready for the night to be done,” I whispered intohisear.
I heard a deep growl come from his throat and he pulled back and looked me in the eyes. “Meneither.”
I turned to look at my shady apartment, and then turned back to him. “Can we go to yourplace?”
James smiled and nodded, and then pulled the car immediately out into the street. He drove fast, and kept looking sideways at me every chance he got. I bit my lip as my hands ran over his thighs, teasing him for what would come next. I ran my hands up and down the length of his leg, and settled just for a quick second between his legs. I could feel him grow hard under my hand, and then I pulled away teasingly. He groaned and gyrated his hips forward in the car as best he could from the seatbelt, a growl coming from his chest, growing louder. The animal in him had woken and I was desperate for it toravageme.
As we got close to his apartment, I ran my fingers up through his hair and traced his jawline with my nail, settling finally on his lips. He kissed my fingertip and then bit it, and I giggled as he pulled my finger into his mouth as best he could with histongue.
He pulled into the driveway beside his apartment, and without a word or even looking at me, he threw himself out of the car and ran over to my side and pulled me out with immense force. He slammed the car door shut and pressed me up against the side of the car and pressed his body against me as he bitmylip.
I pressed my lips together when he tried to kiss me, and he pulled backconfused.
“Needmouthwash?”
I laughed embarrassed. As much as I wanted his tongue inside my mouth, I didn’t want him to experience the grossness that I had felt earlier thatevening.
