Page 56 of Grave Beginnings

I laughed, but shook my head. “Nah. I mean, yeah, you’re hot. But how is that related to you being a shifter? Are all shifters hot?” I glanced out to the bullpen and thought maybe they were, but Angel was the one I’d pick of the bunch. “I hope it’s okay tolike you. I mean, since we work together? I hope we can at least be friends.”

“Is that what you want?” Angel asked. “To be friends?” He stepped out of my embrace and backed me up against the desk, his expression intense. I couldn’t help but stare at his lips. Those molten brown eyes of his made me suck in air. Why was he so beautifulandnice? I’d never in my life been instantly attracted to someone both physically and emotionally. A double whammy to the gut ofyou-can’t-have-thisneed.

“Why is your touch different than other shifters?” I asked. “Soothing instead of biting?” Why did I want it so much?

“You like when I touch you?”

“Yes,” I said, a bit more breathless than I had planned.

“Shifters are really possessive,” he said.

“Okay,” I agreed. Did he not want me close? “I’m sorry,” I said, uncertain why, but as he had me against the desk, I had nowhere to go. “I’ll try to stop.”

“Don’t,” Angel said.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t stop flirting. I like it.”

“Okay,” I said breathlessly, fists clenched at my side to keep from stealing the last few inches between us and feeling his lips on mine. Would he really want my flirting then? “I want to thank you.”

He tilted his head to look at me. “Why?” His hand slid up to rest on my hip, body close enough that his heat and the soothing weight of his shifter energy pooled around me in a comforting cocoon of warmth.

“For calling me last night. I was dying to tell someone about seeing my grandma, but worried it would hurt my brother or my grandpa to know.” I sucked in a breath and continued. “And for the elevator. I’m not used to everyone staring. I’ve always been really good at getting lost in the crowd for being unremarkable.”

“You are far from unremarkable,” Angel said.

“I owe you a lot of thanks, for not freaking out yesterday when I ran across the Veil and needed rescuing,” I said. “And the cake. It really made me feel better.” And dream terribly erotic things about him. I tried to stifle a yawn. “Wow, I’m super tired already.”

Angel studied me. “Did you get any sleep last night? Or did you dream of cake?”

I’d dreamt of him. And a little of cake, but wouldn’t dare say so, especially as he was covered in cake in the dream and I’d been licking it off him.

“I slept okay,” I said as I couldn’t help but lean into his hands.

Angel brushed his thumb along my cheek, caressing, as his molten gaze burned bright and his lips curled into a gentle smile. “Tell me,” he requested, his husky voice rolling over me with a wave of desire.

“You are part sex demon, aren’t you?”

“No, why? Did you dream of me?” He sucked in a deep breath. “You smell like lust and sugar.”

“Oh my god…” Heat flooded my cheeks.

“Why are you embarrassed?”

“Because you’re my work partner. Isn’t that weird? I’ve never felt like this around anyone before.” Or been so turned on, as I’d always considered myself on the demisexual side of sexual orientation. “You have to be some sort of sex demon.”

“Just a shifter,” he said. “Did the NHV shifters you met yesterday turn you on like this?”

“No,” I choked out. “I didn’t dream sexy things about them.”

“So, youdiddream of me? Tell me about it?” he whispered in my ear, with a deep purr that made me gasp for air.

I nodded without thinking and said, “Covered in cake.”

“You do like cake.”

And I really liked him, even though it was too soon. And we were partners. That had to be a no-no, right? My heart raced ashis touch brought every nerve in my body to life. His hand on my hip was grounding but gentle.