“I think with a successful business that has thrived under his ownership, Eden doesn't need anyone to keep him in place, least of all an arrogant sibling. Tocci, a word?”
He could've broken into an Irish jig, slapped one of the blonde women, or started singing opera, and Katya would've been less shocked. Had Wulf just defended Liam!? Her jaw was brushing the floor as he gripped her elbow and walked her away from the small group.
“Did you just do what I think you did!?” she asked.
“Yes, and if you breathe a word of it to Eden, you won't like your punishment,” he warned her, stopping them at the end of the bar. A tray of champagne glasses was sitting there, all of them full, so he grabbed one and handed it to her.
“Why would you do that? You hate Liam,” she pointed out.
“I don't hate him. I just don't like him. Fortunately for him, I like presumptuous cocky assholes even less.”
“Uh, I feel like that's the pot calling the kettle black,” she snickered. He narrowed his eyes.
“Don't start with me, I'm not in the mood tonight.”
“Are you ever?” she laughed.
“I was the other night.”
She stopped laughing.
“That was a mistake,” she informed him, slugging down some of the champagne.
“Tocci, that night was as close to perfection as you've been in a long time,” he laughed loudly at her. She frowned.
“Maybe that's your opinion, but don't count on it happening again,” she told him.
“Oh, so you can flirt with Eden and threaten to sleep with him, but I'm suddenly not good enough?” he asked.
There it was again – “not good enough”. Usually Liam was the one with large and in charge insecurities over feeling second best, but now it was twice that Wulf had made mention of not being good enough. Had she finally managed to make him feel nervous? Unsure of himself? The very idea made her feel confident and a little bit powerful.
“You know, I have to admit,” she said in a slow voice. “Seeing you jealous is pretty hot.”
“Is it, now? Don't get used to it.”
“Why?”
“Because it's only a matter of time before you make the right choice.”
Confidence and power, gone. To be reminded that she was even in this ridiculous situation put a damper on her evening. Made her feel silly and dramatic. She frowned and put her champagne glass down.
“You know,” she said, smoothing her hands down her dress. “I told Vieve I'd meet her for brunch tomorrow, so I think I'm going to call it a night. Thanks for a lovely time, as always.”
She turned and headed down the hallway, not one bit surprised when she heard his footsteps walking after her.
“Can't handle the tension?” he asked. “You always run to Eden when things get too hot.”
“Which would be very telling if it were true, but it's not. My jacket is in his office,” she replied.
“Uh huh. Nice dress, by the way.”
She felt his fingers grazing her skin at the top of her dress, right over her left shoulder blade. Then his hand pressed flat and ran clear down to her hip, leaving a scorch mark in its wake, she was sure.
“You've seen it before,” she told him, swatting at his hand. He moved it to her lower back.
“It looked nice then, too.”
“Stop it, Wulf,” she growled, pushing at his hand again.
“And this hair. A new look for you, Tocci. Who are you dressing up for, hmmm?” he asked. She swung around, slapping his arm away forcefully.
“As hard as it may be to believe, I dressed up for me,” she hissed.
“That is hard to believe. Sure it wasn't for someone special?” he checked, fingering a lock of hair.
“Of course. There's no one special here.”
He tugged on the strand, coiling it around his finger.
“No need to be rude, Tocci. Covering up your insecurities by being a smart ass isn't very attractive.”
“Again, Wulf, and I really want to beat this into your thick skull – not everything is about turning you on.”
He let go of the lock and moved his hand to push the heavy fall of hair over her shoulder. His fingers lingered in the auburn strands, his thumb moving in circles just under her ear.
“See, that's where you're very mistaken. What time is brunch tomorrow?” he asked. She glared and shoved at his wrist.
“Early.”
“Pity. Tell Vieve to pick you up at my apartment, that way you don't have to rush back to yours.”
She burst out laughing and gripped his wrist between her hands, trying to jerk it away. His fingers just clenched tighter in her hair.
“I'm seriously not in the mood, Wulfy,” she growled. “I won't be going to your apartment tonight, or ever.”
“I can remember a time when that's all you wanted to do.”
“Yeah – a long time ago, before I knew what an ... an … an awful human being you are,” she swore.
For some reason, that simple insult seemed to get to him more than anything else she'd said so far. He narrowed his eyes, glaring down at her.
“Is that what you really think? That I'm an awful human being?”
“Yes!”
“Worse than Eden?”
“Yes!”
She glared right back at him, shooting sparks out of her eyes, she was sure. The hand in her hair clenched all the way into a fist, and she dug her fingernails into his wrist. He could make her so angry, it was almost impressive. So mad, she couldn't see straight. So mad, she couldn't think straight. So mad, she wanted to punch him in the face and stomp all over his unconscious body.
So why, about one minute later, they were stumbling up against a wall with their mouths attached to each other, she didn't know.
“You have a lot of pent up aggression, Tocci,” he chuckled in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She worked her hands underneath his jacket.
“I wonder why, Stone.”
“I'm not complaining. I like it.”
She was very aware that they weren't being very tactful. They were about thirty feet from Liam's office door. At the other end of the short hallway, people were wandering in and out of the plush rental rooms. It was a matter of time before someone came upon them.
“Oh my god,” she groaned while he kissed along her neck, his hands cupping her breasts. “We have to stop. This is … this is not good.”
“No, stopping would be very, very bad.”
They were still moving around, sliding around on the wall, when they bumped into a door jam. Wulf fumbled with the knob, yanked the door open, then shoved her into the room. She fell across the floor, ramming into something solid and tinny. Wulf had already shut the door and it was incredibly dark in the space. She felt around her and realized she was leaning against a huge utility sink.
“I can't see anything,” she hissed, turning so her back was against the sink and reaching her arm out.
“Pity.”