Savage Awakening (Alpha Pack #2)(29)

Aric knew what sort of pleasures he sought-and they didn't involve gambling away his hard-earned cash or going to one of the adult shows. Not when he could participate in a private show of his own.

He started walking, thinking maybe he'd grab one of the flyers from the newspaper box that didn't really contain news at all but ads outlining the various escort establishments and the experienced women a man could find there. His wolf, however, growled in anger at the idea.

What the hell? It's my dream, damn it! I can do what or who I please.

Determined to ignore his furry counterpart, he reached for the handle on one of the stands.

"Will you find what you're looking for in there?"

Straightening at the familiar voice, he turned and blinked at Rowan. She stood a few feet away, wearing a pair of snug brown leather pants and a cropped black top that showed a tantalizing slice of her tanned abs. Shiny, rich brown hair tumbled around her shoulders and her bold mouth and cheekbones were accented with a hint of makeup. Truthfully, she didn't need any, but the total effect had his c**k hardening in his jeans.

The woman was stunning.

"I'd thought so," he replied, stepping closer. "But now I have serious doubts."

"Because I showed up?" Her tone was amused, teasing.

"Why did you? How are you here, with me?"

Her expression became thoughtful. "I don't know. I wasn't looking for you."

"Then who?"

"Micah. I'd hoped to find him in our dreams, like we used to do as kids. I wanted to reach out to him, try to bring him back." She frowned. "I tried so hard, but it didn't work."

"Did Nick tell you everything?"

"About all of you, what the team does, and Micah's gift, yes."

"Are you a Dreamwalker, too?" The idea fascinated him.

"I don't know." She regarded him with hope. "If you and I both remember this dream, then maybe I am. I could still reach him."

"I hope so," he said sincerely. "But I'm sure he'll start making progress soon. The doctors at the compound are the best."

"Thanks."

He gestured to her eye-catching outfit. "If you weren't expecting to find me, what's with the leather? Assuming that's not the way you'd dress to meet your brother."

Glancing briefly down at herself, she looked up again and smiled. "I had on jeans and a T-shirt, but when I saw you-poof! New clothes. Dreams are great, huh?"

Cocking his head, he felt a slow grin spread across his face. "You changed for me?"

She shrugged. "That's a woman's prerogative, isn't it?"

"Sure. It's just that when we met, you didn't strike me as the type to go out of your way to impress a man by wearing snazzy clothes and makeup."

A hand fisted on one hip and her eyes narrowed. "Why, because I'm a cop? Because even if I can't do something cool like turn into a wolf, I could still probably get you in a choke hold and take you down like a petty thief?"

He laughed. God, she was beautiful, especially when she was annoyed. How could he ever have believed she wasn't the most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen? "No. Okay, maybe," he admitted, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "At ease, officer. I try to take people at face value when I meet them, that's all. You struck me as being a very earthy and honest, no-frills lady. I liked that."

"But you don't like this?"

"Of course I do, honey. I'm a guy." Well, damn, that didn't sound like much of a compliment. He sucked at this. "But on you it looks extra hot. Smokin'." There. Better.

"Then I guess you don't need that paper to find the fantasy you were searching for."

Lips turned up in a catlike smile, she closed the distance between them and reached up, running a nail down the side of his face. Down his neck, and his chest. His c**k pulsed painfully behind his zipper as he stared at her, asking himself if he'd won the lottery or been plunged into hell.

"I can't." Taking her wrist in a gentle grip, he removed her hand.

"Why not?"

"For one, you're the sister of my good friend, who will kick my ass when he gets better and finds out I took advantage of her."

"Funny, I don't see it that way. Maybe I'm taking advantage of you." She pressed her front to his, her warmth, her ocean-and-flowers scent making him light-headed.

"Rowan, we just met." The argument sounded weak. His wolf agreed.

"You wouldn't have said that was a problem with any of those women," she said, gesturing to the news dispenser.

"You're not like them." No, she's worth one hundred of them. More.

"You don't think so?"

"No."

She appeared pleased by this. "Good. Just because it's been way too long and I have a need to scratch an itch with one man in particular doesn't make me a slut. Well, much." Her free hand wormed underneath the edge of his T-shirt, smoothed over his flat belly. Crept lower, to the button of his jeans.

Scratch an itch? Why didn't he like the sound of that? In the past, that's exactly the term he would've used, but with Rowan... it didn't seem like the right description. He did like one part of what she'd said, though.