Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood #9)(112)

The environs soon improved slightly, however. And shortly thereafter, Manuel pulled off the road into a lot that ran parallel to a sprawling, new facility that appeared to cover a great plot of land. All around, lights on towering, craned arms cast peachy illumination upon the low-slung building and the shiny tops of the two vehicles that were parked and the clipped shrubs that bordered the walkways.

“Here we are,” he said, stopping their ride and turning to her. “I’m going to introduce you as a colleague, okay? Just roll with it.”

She grinned. “I shall endeavor to do that.”

They got out together and . . . oh, the air. Such a complex bouquet of good and bad, of metallic and sweet, of dirty and divine.

“I love this,” she said. “I love this!”

She put her arms out and swung herself in a circle, pivoting on a foot that had been booted just prior to their leaving the compound. As she halted her spin and her arms came to rest at her sides, she found him staring at her and had to laugh in embarrassment.

“I am sorry. I—”

“Come here,” he growled, his eyelids dropping low, his stare hot and possessive.

Instantly, her sex was aroused, her body flushing. And somehow, she knew to take her time as she approached him, knew to draw it out and make him wait, even if it wasn’t for long.

“You want me,” she drawled when they were face-to-face.

“Yeah. Hell, yeah.” His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her in tight. “Gimme your mouth.”

As she did just that, she wrapped her arms around his neck and melded into his solid body. The kiss had ownership all over it, on both sides, and when it ended, she could not stop smiling.

“I like it when you demand of me,” she said. “It takes me back to the shower, when you were—”

He let out a groan and cut her off, putting his hand gently over her mouth. “Yeah, I remember. Trust me—I remember.”

Payne gave his palm a lick. “You will do that to me again. Tonight.”

“I should be so lucky.”

“You shall be. And so shall I.”

He laughed a little. “You know what? I’m going to need to put one of my coats on.”

Manuel reopened his door and leaned into the car. When he reemerged, he drew on a pressed white jacket that had his name in cursive by the lapel. And she knew by the way he closed the two halves that he was trying to cover up his body’s response to her.

Pity. She liked to see him in that condition, all proud and hard.

“Come on—let’s go inside,” he said, taking her hand. And then under his breath, he seemed to add, “Before I come inside . . .”

As he didn’t finish the sentence, Payne left her smile right where it was, front and center on her face.

Upon closer examination, the facility seemed to be fortified for a siege, with discreet bars on its windows and a tall fencing stretching far down into the distance. The doors they approached were also barred, and Manuel didn’t test their handles.

Logical to secure the building, she thought. Given what the greater part of town had looked like.

Manuel pushed a button and immediately a tinny little voice said, “Tricounty Equine Hospital.”

“Dr. Manuel Manello.” He turned his head toward a camera. “I’m here to see—”

“Hey, Doc. Come right in.”

There was a buzz and then Manuel held the door open for her. “After you, bambina.”

The interior they walked into was sparse and very clean, with a smooth stone floor and rows of seating, as if people spent much time tarrying in this front room. On the walls, pictures of horses and cattle were framed, many of the animals with ribbons of red and blue hanging from their halters. Over across the way, there was a glass panel with the word RECEPTION embossed upon it in formal gold letters, and there were doors . . . so many doors. Those with a male symbol and a female symbol . . . those with signs such as VETERINARY DIRECTOR . . . and FINANCE . . . and STAFF MANAGER.

“Whatever is this place?” she asked.

“A lifesaver. Come on—we go this way.”

He pushed their way through a pair of double doors and went over to a uniformed human male who was seated behind a desk.

“Hey, Dr. Manello.” The man put down a newspaper that had New York Post in big letters across the top. “We haven’t seen you for a little bit.”

“This is a colleague of mine, Pa—Pamela. We’re just going to see my girl.”

The human man focused on Payne’s face. And then seemed to shake himself. “Ah . . . she’s where you left her. Doc spent a lot of time with her today.”

“Yeah. He called.” Manuel knocked the desktop with his knuckles. “See you in a few.”

“Sure thing, Doc. Nice to meet you . . . Pamela.”

Payne inclined her head. “It is lovely to meet with you as well.”

There was an awkward silence as she straightened. The human man was absolutely struck by her, his mouth slightly parted, his eyes wide . . . and very appreciative.

“Easy there, big guy,” Manuel said darkly. “You can resume blinking at any time . . . like, as in, now. Really. Truly.”

Manuel put himself in between the two of them, and took her hand at the same time, both blocking the view and establishing dominion over her. And that wasn’t all: Dark spices wafted up from him, the scent a warning to the other man that the female being admired was available only over Manuel’s cold, dead body.