Primal Law (Alpha Pack #1)(26)

Smelly underwear and bloodstained shirts? "Eww. Three weeks."

"Four. That's fair-same as your month with our socalled guests."

She thought about it. "You're on. I believe they'll come around. And if they prove me right, you have to . . ." Take me to dinner. Right, like she'd blurt that out in front of his boss.

Forget that. With Jax, I'd rather be dinner. And dessert. Yum.

And where the heck had those naughty thoughts come from, anyway? Couldn't be those full lips or the angle of his cheekbones. Those smoky blue-gray eyes regarding her in amusement. Or that sexy tribal tattoo creeping from under the sleeve of his T-shirt to run down his muscular arm.

"Kira? If you win?"

She shook herself, struggling not to blush. "Um, you have to promise to do your best to see that they get home, or wherever they wish to go, within reason."

Jaxon glanced to Nick for confirmation. When his boss nodded, he agreed. "Okay. If it's within our power, they'll leave if they wish. But just so you know, it might not be possible for them all. I don't have a portal to the Fae realm hidden under my bed."

"It's a deal."

Nick stood, signaling a conclusion to the meeting. "Kira, welcome aboard. Give me a regular end-of-week report on Block R so we can discuss their progress. I'll have Mac see you about starting in the lab, too."

"Thank you, Nick. I won't let you down."

His gaze softened, and for a second, he appeared melancholy. "I know." He turned to Jaxon as he walked them to the door. "Tell the guys I'll see everyone in half an hour, in the smaller meeting room."

"Will do."

As she and Jaxon walked out together, she was hyperaware of the big man at her side. He must put off some serious pheromones because all she wanted to do was rub against him like a cat in heat. She'd been attracted to men, but never like this. It was almost as if she had no control over the need to be close to him, and that scared her a little.

"I'll show you around outside, if you want," he offered. "If you've never been to Shoshone, you're in for a real treat."

Just being with Jax was a treat, but she kept that to herself. "I'd love that."

"Come on."

He offered his arm and after a second's hesitation, she slipped her fingers around his biceps. The gesture was sweet and so old-fashioned, and so at odds with the raging beast that had torn out two men's throats, she didn't know what to say. It did funny things to her heart, and brought her defenses down several notches, which made her uneasy, too.

She found it hard to comprehend that this man and his friends were shifters. Where was the line between man and beast? Or was there no definition, one simply meshing with the other to create an altogether different being? Could a woman fall in love with such a man?

Could she make love with a shifter? And then came the inevitable disturbing thought-who would I be making love to? The man, the wolf, or both?

She shuddered, and Jax misunderstood the reason. Thank God.

His voice was concerned as he looked down at her. "Are you cold? It's usually warm during the day in the summer, but it can get chilly up here at night."

"No, I'm fine, but thanks." He led her out a side door and she stood gazing in awe at the view. Towering aspen and pine skirted the edges of the compound, and beyond that a wide lake sparkled perhaps a half mile away. In the distance, the Rockies rose majestically toward the sky, defying mankind and the changes wrought by millions of years.

She'd only seen one thing more impressive.

"Stunning, huh?"

She met his gaze squarely. "Very." Damn, she hadn't meant for that to come out so low and husky, betraying her inner turmoil. The awareness of him and how good he smelled, how warm and right he felt beside her. Solid. Why did he have to be so danged sexy?

His pupils enlarged, and his voice was deep as he pointed to a part in the trees. "Want to take a walk? There's a great footpath and a stream that way. The view is awesome."

So tempting. "You have a meeting in thirty minutes. I don't want to make you late."

He shrugged. "I'm a big boy. Besides, we won't go far."

"Lead the way," she said, already cursing herself for her weakness. What was it about this guy that clouded her judgment?

Gently, he peeled her hand off his arm. Disappointed, she started to put some space between them, but he took her hand instead, completely swallowing it in his. The spark from the contact zinged up her arm and spread all over her body. Tightened her ni**les and made her ache to get closer.

Lips hitching up, he tugged her hand and they started off. As they entered the mouth of the trail, she forced her attention to a different kind of scenery.

"It really is beautiful here. I like to walk in the mornings if I get up in time, and I can't imagine any place more scenic to get my exercise."

"The trails are great for that purpose, but never venture out alone," he said, his tone deadly serious. "The grizzlies have been really aggressive again this summer. There are also black bears, moose, and any number of dangers. If you went off alone and got hurt, we could find you by following your scent, but it might be too late."

"I knew that, but it's easy to forget that dangerous things can be found in pretty packages."