Lover Beware 04 - Only Human by authors_sort Page A
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like my scent. The two of us will work things out," he said as he guided the vehicle smoothly through traffic.
"Once he accepts me as dominant, he won't need to challenge me."
Nor did his beard seem especially heavy, though naturally he would have shaved... wouldn't he? Did lupi need to shave? "You're assuming you're going to see my dog often enough to work on a relationship with him."
"That's right. I am."
Her lips twitched. A sensible woman wouldn't find his arrogance so appealing. And maybe it wouldn't be, if she didn't suspect he was amused by himself, too. "So, what did your father say? Am I cleared to go talk to your people tomorrow?"
"He agreed to put it before the Council."
"What Council? I thought the Lupois's word was law."
"You might think of the Council as an advisory body, the elders of the tribe. Or maybe they're more like church deacons.
The Lupois doesn't answer to the Council, but it pays to have their backing, particularly if he is considering breaking with tradition."
"I can't wait much longer, Rule."
"I know. I have a suggestion. Why don't we talk about something other than the investigation tonight?"
"Such as?"
"What do you usually talk about on a date?"
"The usual—his work, his hobbies, his ex-wives."
He clucked his tongue. "Sexism rears its ugly head. Surely there are a few men who don't just discuss themselves?"
"Well, they mostly don't want to talk about my work, unless I date a cop. And I don't date cops."
Only Human
283
"I'm glad to hear that. Of course, I'd rather you didn't date anyone except me."
Her mouth went dry. "You don't have any right to say that.
You're moving too fast."
"I'm being honest. Why don't you date cops?"
"They're lousy bets for anything long-term. Besides, it would be icky."
He grinned. "Icky?"
"You know—the way it would feel to work with someone you've ... someone who ... never mind."
"Do you 'never mind' with every man you date?" He slowed for the turn. "I ask not to condemn, you understand, but in hope."
She shook her head. "There you go, jumping to conclusions. I was talking about kissing, not grappling under the covers. And how uncomfortable it would be to work with someone I've had carnal thoughts about, or who I know has had those thoughts about me."
"If you think that only the men you've dated have carnal thoughts about you, you're far more naive than I would have believed."
The husky note in his voice turned the banter personal.
Intimate. She licked her lips and tried to keep things light. "Of course not. According to studies, men have carnal thoughts every ten seconds or so. Women know this. We just prefer to ignore it."
"I wasn't talking about the occasional random hard-on. I was talking about the way men react to you. You're an intensely desirable woman, Lily."
Suddenly the air burned in her lungs, thick and sweet, and she was overwhelmingly conscious of her hands. Of the need to touch him—and the need to keep herself from doing any such thing. Lily looked down at her lap, smoothed the silk of her dress, and listened to her heartbeat pounding and pounding in her throat. She couldn't think of a thing to say.
After a moment he sighed. "And now I've made you uncomfortable. Too much honesty too soon. What do you do when you aren't arresting lawbreakers?"
"I like to run, hike, paddle around in the ocean. I've done some rock climbing. What do you do when you aren't jet-setting around or turning hairy?"
284
EILEEN WILKS
He chuckled. "Hairy or smooth, I like to run, hike, and paddle around in the ocean, too. Climbing, though, is better done with hands."
"That makes sense. Um.. . I should probably warn you about my family. My grandmother knows who you are. I'm not sure my mother does—I left a message with your name—
but she'll figure it out pretty quickly."
"Will that be a problem?"
"Probably," she said gloomily. "You're certainly not Chinese. If you were a surgeon, that might not matter. Or a lawyer, as long as you worked
"Once he accepts me as dominant, he won't need to challenge me."
Nor did his beard seem especially heavy, though naturally he would have shaved... wouldn't he? Did lupi need to shave? "You're assuming you're going to see my dog often enough to work on a relationship with him."
"That's right. I am."
Her lips twitched. A sensible woman wouldn't find his arrogance so appealing. And maybe it wouldn't be, if she didn't suspect he was amused by himself, too. "So, what did your father say? Am I cleared to go talk to your people tomorrow?"
"He agreed to put it before the Council."
"What Council? I thought the Lupois's word was law."
"You might think of the Council as an advisory body, the elders of the tribe. Or maybe they're more like church deacons.
The Lupois doesn't answer to the Council, but it pays to have their backing, particularly if he is considering breaking with tradition."
"I can't wait much longer, Rule."
"I know. I have a suggestion. Why don't we talk about something other than the investigation tonight?"
"Such as?"
"What do you usually talk about on a date?"
"The usual—his work, his hobbies, his ex-wives."
He clucked his tongue. "Sexism rears its ugly head. Surely there are a few men who don't just discuss themselves?"
"Well, they mostly don't want to talk about my work, unless I date a cop. And I don't date cops."
Only Human
283
"I'm glad to hear that. Of course, I'd rather you didn't date anyone except me."
Her mouth went dry. "You don't have any right to say that.
You're moving too fast."
"I'm being honest. Why don't you date cops?"
"They're lousy bets for anything long-term. Besides, it would be icky."
He grinned. "Icky?"
"You know—the way it would feel to work with someone you've ... someone who ... never mind."
"Do you 'never mind' with every man you date?" He slowed for the turn. "I ask not to condemn, you understand, but in hope."
She shook her head. "There you go, jumping to conclusions. I was talking about kissing, not grappling under the covers. And how uncomfortable it would be to work with someone I've had carnal thoughts about, or who I know has had those thoughts about me."
"If you think that only the men you've dated have carnal thoughts about you, you're far more naive than I would have believed."
The husky note in his voice turned the banter personal.
Intimate. She licked her lips and tried to keep things light. "Of course not. According to studies, men have carnal thoughts every ten seconds or so. Women know this. We just prefer to ignore it."
"I wasn't talking about the occasional random hard-on. I was talking about the way men react to you. You're an intensely desirable woman, Lily."
Suddenly the air burned in her lungs, thick and sweet, and she was overwhelmingly conscious of her hands. Of the need to touch him—and the need to keep herself from doing any such thing. Lily looked down at her lap, smoothed the silk of her dress, and listened to her heartbeat pounding and pounding in her throat. She couldn't think of a thing to say.
After a moment he sighed. "And now I've made you uncomfortable. Too much honesty too soon. What do you do when you aren't arresting lawbreakers?"
"I like to run, hike, paddle around in the ocean. I've done some rock climbing. What do you do when you aren't jet-setting around or turning hairy?"
284
EILEEN WILKS
He chuckled. "Hairy or smooth, I like to run, hike, and paddle around in the ocean, too. Climbing, though, is better done with hands."
"That makes sense. Um.. . I should probably warn you about my family. My grandmother knows who you are. I'm not sure my mother does—I left a message with your name—
but she'll figure it out pretty quickly."
"Will that be a problem?"
"Probably," she said gloomily. "You're certainly not Chinese. If you were a surgeon, that might not matter. Or a lawyer, as long as you worked
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