"Normal reaction when a man finds a woman attractive." He frowned at her displeasure. "Would you rather I had no reaction at all?"
"Yes." She slapped the folder closed. "I don't have time for affairs here."
"Did I ask you for an affair?" He frowned; he knew he hadn't. "I said I find you attractive."
"And you get hard for every woman you find attractive?"
Now that question made him uncomfortable. There weren't a lot of women he found attractive in that sense.
"Do you get wet for every man who comes on to you?" he questioned her instead. Because she was wet. He could smell her arousal, her interest. He had been smelling it for days and it was driving him crazy. It was the first time he had smelled a woman's lust in such a way, from clear across the room. He might look like the lion his genes were taken from, but contrary to popular belief, his senses were nowhere near as strong as other Breeds'. Still, they were stronger than a human's, but . . . That scent tempted him again.
The sweet scent of dawn rising. That elusive, subtle scent of awakening, of moist warmth and adventure. That was what she smelled of, and Mercury loved the dawn.
Her skin was flushed a gentle pink now, and with the smell of her arousal, he could also sense her confusion.
"I'm not wet," she lied, shifting in her seat, most likely pressing her legs tight together.
Mercury let a smile tug at his lips. She knew the Breeds' sense of smell was stronger than that of a normal human, and she had no idea of his own weakness in it. She would also know that he would see the lie for what it was, an attempt to deny the attraction building between them.
He didn't call her on it. He kept his stance against the wall, his eyes on her, despite the fact that he wanted his hands on her.
She gave a little sniff of disapproval before turning back to the files and pointedly ignoring him. That was fine with him; growing accustomed to a hunger of this strength took time anyway. Time and patience. He had both
* * *
Ria was flustered. She never got flustered, or embarrassed, or as turned on by a man as she had been for the past month. But she was now. She stared down at the file that detailed the dirt bikes Vanderale had originally supplied Sanctuary with, as well as the notes and captions of the modifications Mercury Warrant had made on them.
Modifications he had built into the specs for the new bikes they wanted. But her mind wasn't on motorcycles, attached weapons and the cost thereof, which was astronomical. Her mind was on the man.
Or the Breed. Mercury showed more of the physical characteristics than all the Lion Breeds she had met thus far combined.
High cheekbones and exotic brown eyes, almost amber but not quite. There was a faint darkness around the eye and lids, as though someone had applied the smallest line of kohl. Thick, sun-kissed lashes framed the eyes and gave him an erotic appearance. His lips were a bit thin, but well sculpted and sexier than they should have been. His nose was long, with a flattened bridge more prominent than most Breeds'.
Long, thick, brown-, black- and russet-streaked hair fell to his shoulders. Unlike Callan Lyons, with his golden brown hair and handsome features, Mercury seemed to epitomize the Breeds. A lion walking within a man's body. She could clearly see the primal, feral qualities that she knew he fought to keep subverted. As though he could hide what he was, especially to himself.
She let the file she was reading cover her hand as it lay over the memory card slot into which she had inserted a "ghost" chip, one of the new, specially enhanced memory chips that would be undetectable to the Breed systems.
It slid free into her hand and tucked nicely into the sleeve of her blouse. The electronic messages and orders she had been investigating were contained on the chip, with more on several other chips she had slipped out of the office over the weeks.
It appeared that Sanctuary had more to worry about than even Dane had imagined, if what she was learning were true.
"I'm ready to go home." She slapped the file closed and stood from the chair.
She couldn't keep her mind on the file or the job she had gone there to do. She was too aware of him, too aware of the sensuality steadily rising between them.
"I'll let Jonas know we're leaving." He nodded as he flipped the mic of the communications unit down from the side of his face.
"We aren't leaving. I am." She walked back to the desk that held the files she had pulled to go through. "I don't need an escort."
"That's not what I was told," he informed her before turning his conversation to the link. "Jonas, we're ready to head back to the house." He listened for a moment before replying. "My bag is in the Jeep. I'll keep in contact from there."
Ria propped her hands on her hips as she stared back at him. "Exactly what do you mean by that?"
His eyes narrowed on her. "There was another attempt to breach the perimeter of Sanctuary's boundaries on the east side of the mountain. Your cabin sits there. Since you're outside the boundaries of Sanctuary, you're at risk."
"So?"
He restrained his smile. "So, from now on you have a guard inside the house, namely me, as well as one outside whenever you aren't at Sanctuary. We can't risk your kidnapping or death, Ria."