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My heart started to race as I wondered if I would want him to stop.

If the chase wasn’t the whole point.

He prowled closer and I didn’t move, didn’t breathe as his body brushed against mine. My heart pounded so loudly I wondered if he could hear it as he surrounded me.

“Your scent,” he rumbled, causing heat to flare through me, even as my last few working brain cells wondered what the hell was up with my scent. He shut his eyes and exhaled deeply, his fists clenched at his sides. He took a shallow breath and shook himself muttering, “Not helping.” He blinked his eyes open and said, “I’m going to step back. Stay.”

I wanted to protest I wasn’t a dog, but decided it wasn’t the time as he struggled to step away from me. My body swayed forward and he froze, his eyes glued to me. I understood what he meant as I fought the urge to follow him, his heat an irresistible lure. I held still and he edged back another step. I wanted to ask him why, but was afraid if I spoke, it would break his concentration. And he was focused, so focused as he pulled himself further from me. Finally, after a few yards, he stopped.

He spoke, louder than before to account for our new distance. “I’m going to take a look around, make sure those guys didn’t follow you here.” He nodded toward the motel. “Go inside, lock your door, and don’t let anyone in.” My lips parted to ask if that included him and his eyes flared with desire. “Including me,” he added, answering my unasked question. I hesitated, caught between the weight of his stare and the safety my room would provide. “Go,” he barked suddenly and I went, my steps quick, but not so fast as to be considered a run.

I struggled with the door briefly, but managed to get it open and slip inside, slamming it behind me as I slide down, my heart thudding uncontrollably as I sat there wondering what the hell just happened.

Chapter Five

“Did you hear the howling last night?” I asked, exhaustion tugging at me as I poured some coffee in a cup. I’d barely slept as my mind kept rehashing everything that happened and the howls hadn’t helped. “I could swear they were outside my window.”

“I didn’t hear them,” Dad said jovially, but since he was known to sleep like the dead, I wasn’t surprised. “We’ll get you moved to the manager’s apartment this week. Much better insulation. You won’t hear a thing.”

I gave him a doubtful stare as I picked up the waffle he’d toasted for me.

“You want the car today?” Dad asked, and my slower than normal brain took a minute to process it as he scooped up my empty plate to put in the sink.

I said the first thing that came to mind.

“I don’t have a license.”

He gave a rueful smile at my response.

“I know that, but I don’t need the car today and thought you might want the chance to drive it.” He glanced out the window at the parking lot. “The school isn’t that far and if you promise to come straight home I don’t see the big deal.”

The big deal was he was as different from Mom as night was to day. There would be no way in hell she’d let me drive without a license and here was Dad acting like it was no big deal.

My natural inclination was to tell him, “No, it wasn’t far,” but after what happened on Friday I couldn’t make myself say the words. Instead, I nodded in acceptance, grateful for the protection having the car would provide. No way did I want to chance running into the guys who’d chased me and after the incident with Dominic I wasn’t entirely sure I’d be safe walking with him either.

He’s dangerous, I acknowledged to myself. I’d already known that on some level, but this was a new kind of dangerous, one that had my body humming as I flashed back to the moments outside when he’d changed. I’d spent the entire weekend rehashing it in my mind and as hard as I tried, I couldn’t come up with a better word for his reaction. Dominic was gorgeous, there was no doubt of that but he’d never given any indication that he was attracted to me. His sudden lust for me, and even as inexperienced as I was I could recognize lust, didn’t make sense. It was as if his entire demeanor changed when he released me.

You mean when he got a whiff of you, a little voice corrected to my irritation.

“I don’t smell that good,” I said out loud and my Dad turned to me questioningly. “Nothing,” I muttered hastily as my face flushed at being caught talking to myself. There was a distinct possibility this place was slowly driving me insane. You mean a certain someone, an amused voice piped up and I growled. “I’ll be home right after school.” I paused on my way out the door. “Anyone checking out?” I asked, wondering if there would be rooms to clean that afternoon. We’d had a few guests but it still wasn’t a bustling business.