Katie Reus - His Untamed Desire

As Annika and Sydney headed back to the dance floor with partners, Daphne begged off and motioned to one of the servers walking around. The second after the woman took her order, she scented a very familiar male near her. That fresh scent that had always reminded her of the rainforest was something she could pick out anywhere.

“Too good to say hi to me?” Hector’s low voice wrapped around her as he sidled up to the table, looking sexy as hell. His coffee-colored hair was a little long on the sides, and he had that perfect bronze tan that he never had to work for. He pulled up one of the chairs and propped against it, not fully sitting, as if he wasn’t sure he planned to stay. Wearing dark jeans that encased long, very muscular legs and a black sweater with the sleeves pushed up to his forearms, he looked delicious.

Daphne tried not to notice the way his muscles flexed as he crossed his arms over his chest, watching her curiously. His green eyes were mesmerizing and seemed more vivid against his tanned skin. She smiled brightly, hoping she didn’t appear affected by him. “You looked busy and I didn’t want to intrude.”

His gaze narrowed on her lips, and for a moment, she could see a raw, hungry look in his eyes. He did it so quickly, but it made her stomach do annoying flips. He’d never looked at her like that before. “You think I’d ever be too busy for you?” The sincerity in his voice rolled over her like a soothing caress.

She swallowed hard and shrugged. “I figured you didn’t want your sister’s friend cramping your style.”

He frowned in confusion as his gaze strayed behind her to where he’d been sitting. She didn’t turn around because she didn’t want to see the pretty redhead he’d been sitting with. Just as quickly his expression cleared. “That’s Inez, my buddy Raul’s mate. I was just keeping her company until he got here. They just moved from Costa Rica, and she doesn’t know many people.”

Daphne hated the relief that punched through her. She didn’t care who Hector spent his time with. Yeah, sure , she told herself. “Oh.” Great response , she chided herself.

“Leta told me you dropped by her place last week.” His voice was so calming and open.

He might be insanely attractive, but he also went out of his way to make people feel at ease. It was one of the things she’d always adored about him. Even when she’d been younger he’d never made her feel bad when she and Leta had wanted to hang out with him, though she was pretty sure they’d gotten on his nerves.

Daphne nodded and marginally relaxed. Talking about Leta was a safe subject. “Yeah. I can’t believe she’s pregnant. She looks so adorable with her little bump. Are you excited to be an uncle?”

Hector smiled, a real one, and it took her breath away. Normally he only gave little half-smiles where one corner of his lip curved up. If he kept this up she’d be in a puddle of mush at his feet. “Yeah. She’s gone a little crazy.”

“Oh, I got to see the proof of that. It’s good that some things never change.” Daphne’s friend had already bought the crib, painted the room a sage green, childproofed the toilets and cabinets—and she wasn’t even three months along. Shifter pregnancies only lasted seven months, but it was still early to be worrying about that stuff. Leta had always been a little high strung, which had seemed so at odds with her chosen profession as an artist.

“I agree,” he said softly, and she was under the impression he wasn’t talking about his sister at all. He raked her with a gaze that sent chills skittering over her body and had her nipples tightening against her bra cups. He was clearly aware of her, probably seeing her as a woman for the first time. Which is what she’d wanted, But she didn’t know what to do with the feelings bubbling up inside her. Before she could think of a response, he held out a hand. “Want to dance?”

The music had picked up as the band had started playing again. Yes, no, yes, no. The answers warred in her mind. Dancing with him would be a mistake, but—Hector slid his hand into hers, lightly linking their fingers together. He had a few calluses she’d never noticed before and the intimate way he was holding her hand made her decision.

She was definitely dancing with him. Letting him pull her onto the crowded dance floor, she didn’t bother trying to keep her distance. She let her body press up against his lean, muscular one as they both moved in tune to the music. Daphne had never seen him dance before, and for some reason she was surprised by how well he did. He had a natural rhythm and the most primal part of her wondered if that would translate to the bedroom.

Even though he’d lived in New Orleans for almost a decade she’d never heard any chatter that he slept around. She knew he’d had lovers because she’d seen him out with a female once many years ago—and they’d clearly been more than friends—but he didn’t have a reputation as a man-whore. Hector kept things under wraps. He was a jaguar shifter and not part of any pride. He’d made his home here with Leta years ago, and taking care of her had always been his priority. Daphne was glad she’d never heard about him being a player because the thought of him hooking up with a bunch of women would carve her up inside.

Worried he’d read something in her expression, she turned her back to him and pressed into his body. She hadn’t planned to, but it was instinctual. Her inner wolf wanted him wrapped around her in every way possible. He was tall, well over six feet, and lean in the way that most feline shifters were. All sleek muscles and hard lines. Feeling that against her body had her about to combust. He purred as his big hands settled on her hips and tugged her even closer to him. The feel of his erection against her lower back surprised her. He wasn’t even trying to hide it. She’d seen the flicker of desire in his eyes when he’d approached her at the table, but to actually feel the proof was almost surreal. She was overheated and a little dizzy.

How the hell had she ever thought she could get this shifter out of her system? Being so close to him was short-circuiting her ability to think straight. When the song ended, she stepped away from him and turned. Even though another song started, she pointed toward her table where Sydney was now sitting. “I should get back to my friend, but it was good seeing you, Hector. I’ll talk to you later.”

She felt guilty at his dejected expression, but she turned away and weaved through the growing throng of people toward her friend. She’d wanted him to notice her, but she hadn’t expected such a blatant reaction from him. It had pushed her completely off-balance. If she kept dancing with him, she wouldn’t want to stop. And that had disaster written all over it. She wasn’t a freaking masochist. Hector might want her physically, but she knew that he wouldn’t want anything long-term. He’d made that clear four years ago.

Hector leaned against the front door frame as he talked to Saul. Too bad all his focus was on one extremely sexy female currently dancing with a lupine shifter from the Campbell pack. Hector knew the guy and even liked him. But right now he wanted to pummel him for touching Daphne.

Daphne who looked like walking sex. That dress should be fucking illegal. She was tall and thin, not really lean, just slim and almost delicate. She’d gotten her height from her father, who was Greek, but other than that, she’d taken the rest of her exotic attributes from her Korean mother. Though he knew she was physically strong, there was something about her that made him want to pull her into his arms and take care of her.

Who was he kidding? He didn’t want to take care of her. He wanted her in his bed, calling out his name as she climaxed. Plain and simple. Of course, nothing about his feelings for her had ever been simple. She’d always been around when Leta was in high school and he’d never thought about her in a sexual way until a few months after her eighteenth birthday. It was as if she’d blossomed overnight. But at ten years older than her, he’d felt like a lecher and avoided her at all costs—though his jaguar side hadn’t understood what the hell his problem was.