guys?” she says irritably.
“It is?” Louie gets up from his desk and checks the thermostat on the wall near him.
“The rest of us seem to be fine, Cass,” Julie says. “Maybe Hawk is getting you hot.”
The Jacksons snort. Cassidy glares at her.
“I’ll turn it down for a bit for you.” Louie plays with the dial.
Cassidy goes over to get a glass of water from the water cooler, pressing her palms to her cheeks. Then I see her visibly pressing her thighs together. She mutters a curse and fires a look at me.
Va’halzoret take me, she’s… I bite back a laugh of delight. Could it be? Yes, of course it is. She’s reacting to the Mating Bond. That explains why she was so hot the day I took her in the evidence warehouse. I’d thought it was just the sparring got her going, but it wasn’t. It was me.
While I make the call to Damon, she plays catch with Mustard over by the coffee, the big golden retriever the others tell me is Captain Colburn’s dog.
The line is busy, so I try again. Still busy.
When I join her at the table and try to pet him, Mustard steps back and growls at me.
“Mustard doesn’t like you much, does he?” Ryan calls over. “That’s weird. He likes almost everyone.”
“Don’t take it personally,” Max adds. “He doesn’t like me, either.”
“He looks like he’d like to bite my hand off,” I tell Cassidy quietly.
“Yeah, well, Mustard’s always been a good judge of character,” she whispers. She squats down, stroking the dog’s ears. “Aren’t you, boy?” she adds in a normal voice. “Aren’t you just a good boy?”
When she turns to the table for her cup of coffee, I go in behind her, making it look like I’m just reaching for an empty cup. I caress her arm while no one can see. She gasps, her body stiffening. She bites her bottom lip as if to keep from groaning.
“Don’t touch me,” she snipes under her breath.
I resist the urge to growl my excitement in her ear.
She shoots a livid glare at me that’s filled with accusation. And something close to hatred. I can smell her arousal from here. My blood burns for her, my cock raging hard.
Va’halzoret take me, I can’t wait to get her home.
Back at our desk, she sits and drinks her coffee, making a big production out of bantering with Julie and the others while I try calling Damon.
Still nothing, so I help Cassidy with filling out the day’s reports before we leave.
“What are you going to do if you don’t get hold of him?” she asks me once we’re back in her car.
“If he doesn’t answer by tomorrow morning, I’ll have to go down there without calling ahead.”
“Is that a good idea? He doesn’t sound like he’d be happy to see you.”
“He won’t. Which is why, either way, you won’t be coming with me. I’m going alone.”
“No, you’re not.” She sighs when I take the keys from her, but doesn’t protest when I open the door and wait for her to climb in.
I choose not to respond, smiling when she gives a miffed toss of her head. Shutting her door, I go around to the driver’s side.
“I’m going with you,” she says flatly.
“Buckle up.” I give her a smirk while I put on my own seat belt.
Cassidy squirms in her seat, squeezing her knees together, her face turning a delightful shade of scarlet when she notices me looking.
“You look a little frustrated,” I purr, stroking her thigh with my finger.
She flicks my hand off, or tries to. “Don’t do that. And don’t change the subject, Arcayos. She’s my sister. I’m going, and that’s the end of it.”
“I like when you argue with me.”
She turns to me in her seat. “All right, out with it.”
“Out with what?”
“What did you do to me? This is the second time this has happened.”
I allow a smile.
“What did you do?” she bites out.
“I did nothing.”
“You’re lying. I can see it on your face, demon spawn. This is the second time I’ve turned into a sex-crazed maniac after…”
“After another man touched you,” I finish helpfully.
Her mouth drops open. “Hold on. Are you telling me every time another guy touches me, I’ll go into heat like I did that first time?”
“Not every time. Only one you feel close to.” I bend my head, inhaling the scent of her arousal.
She jerks back. “Why?”
“It’s the Bond’s way of making sure you never let any other male have you who is