Jaime joking around with Dominic.
What, you’d expected her to sit with you even though you give her no encouragement whatsoever?
Well, yeah, he had, actually. It was what she normally did each morning.
He was conscious that conversation was continuing around him, and he was even occasionally contributing to it, but his attention was mainly on Jaime as he willed her to look at him. Willed her to move her focus from that asshole, whoever he was, for just one fucking minute. Then, suddenly, she did and her eyes found his. He could have sworn she shuddered slightly, but then she gave him a cool, polite smile and returned her attention to the guy at her table.
Dante’s wolf growled at her aloofness, pushing at him to go to her. So this was the reason she was no longer interested in him. What was so damn special about that guy? He just looked like some pretty boy. Not that Dante truly cared or anything. His ego cared, but that was different—Jaime’s abrupt indifference was a blow, and no dominant wolf reacted well to an ego blow. That was all it was.
Swallowing back a growl, Dante forced his gaze away from Jaime. He should be relieved that she had gotten the message that he wasn’t interested. Instead, he was annoyed. And he was annoyed that he was annoyed. He hadn’t realized until now that although her crush had made him feel uncomfortable, he’d liked it. He’d liked that there was someone around who wanted him that much, someone who would give him her undivided attention. His ego had liked it. And now he was battling the urge to go over there and drag her away from the other guy. With her attention suddenly gone, it felt…cold.
When the sound of her husky laugh met his ears, arousal shot through Dante in spite of his irritated state. Clearly, the guys had also heard it, because their heads all swerved around.
“Hey, it’s Jaime,” drawled Trick, smirking at Dante. “Looks really good today, doesn’t she?” Tao strained to look. “Who’s that guy she’s with?”
“No idea,” said Trick before turning back to Dante. “Well, it seems like you’ve been officially replaced.”
Dante ground his teeth so hard that it was audible, which made Trick’s smile widen.
Nick didn’t even have the decency to hide his amusement. “I think that concludes the meeting.
If I hear any more about Glory’s brothers, I’ll let you know.” Dante nodded as they all stood and headed for the door. Behind him he heard that husky laugh again, and it took everything he had not to turn around. His wolf growled his disapproval, not understanding why Dante hadn’t gone over there to warn off the other male, which served to remind Dante exactly why he was staying clear of this female.
Only once before now had his wolf ever been so incited by a female. Naturally, Dante hadn’t had a problem with answering that craving—over and over again, in fact—because he hadn’t suspected that things would get as complicated and painful as they later did. Never would he chance that happening again. Never.
Gathered with the pack in the living area after dinner, Jaime pretended that she couldn’t feel Dante’s eyes on her. His gaze had been drilling into her since she came home—and not in a good way. It wasn’t the kind of look that would heat a girl’s blood; it was a piercing scowl that sent a shiver down her spine. He had shot Jaime the same look in the diner, but rather than making her nervous, a bolt of heat had lanced through her the second her gaze met his. But then, Jaime had never responded appropriately to danger. She didn’t seem to have a “flight” response. That had gotten her into all kinds of shit.
Unable to think of a reason Dante suddenly found her scowl-worthy, she paid no attention to him. Instead, she allowed herself to be distracted by the blond pervert beside her on the gigantic sectional sofa who could always make her laugh.
“Look at you,” drawled Greta from a black leather armchair. “One minute you’re chasing Dante, and the next minute you’re all over Dominic like a rash.” Hunk, who was snuggled on Jaime’s lap, hissed loudly, but Jaime simply smiled at the fuzzy-haired old woman. Her face was twisted into a scowl that wasn’t all that different from the decorative swirls carved into the sandstone of the main wall. Greta had always terrified Jaime as a kid, just as she’d terrified every