A Handful of Wolf (10 page)

What the hell had he walked into? And was this normal behavior? To his amazement, Megan was already calming the angry man, sitting him on a stool and chattering back in his own language. Then again, she’d had the native wolves eating out of the palm of her hand.

Ten minutes later, the chef was busy sorting through piles of groceries and muttering under his breath while Sasha had somehow been coaxed into the abandoned flowery apron and given a mountain of potatoes to peel. Hellspawn had disappeared with Megan, and the other girl sat at the table folding napkins into curious shapes. Peace reigned.

Napkin-Girl introduced herself as Annie, and explained how Jean-Claude had been hired as a last minute replacement. The argument had kicked off when Liz, the previous owner of the flowered apron, had refused to follow his directions since that wasn’t how Greg—their usual chef—worked. Jean-Claude was volatile at the best of times, but being told how to do his job by the kitchen-hand just flipped him over the edge.

“We’re still short-handed.” She sighed over the pile of napkins. “Is the agency sending anyone else? Or is it just you?”

He was about to explain, when Jean-Claude clapped him on the back. “I like heem,” he announced in his thick accent. “And he is fast!” He dumped a bag of onions on the counter next to Sasha and beamed at him. “Peel these next, and finely chop. Vairy fine. Chop chop!” He laughed at his own joke leaving Sasha bemused.

Megan finally returned, looking pink-cheeked and flustered. “I’m so sorry. I’ve had to redo the seating plans and dig out all the bios of the extra visitors so that Dad knows what to talk about with everybody. He hates to be ill prepared for these events, and with Clare being away, it went crazy.” She paused and stared at him. He drank in her appearance, the wisps of hair stuck to her forehead and the enticing rise and fall of her breasts. Touching her wasn’t an option as he had sticky, onion-tainted hands.

“It’s fine,
Cariad
. I’m making myself useful. Have you fixed it all now?”

“Not yet.” Her voice was brisk and suddenly she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I feel so bad for abandoning you, but I’ve still got a million things to organize. You can go home if you like, and I’ll meet you later? At the club?”

Was she trying to get rid of him? He paused and considered how best to answer, but there was no need. Jean-Claude rattled a wooden spoon against the pan he was stirring. “Sasha stays.” There was no arguing with his tone. “I cannot prepare dinner without him.”

She poked at a stray piece of onion on the floor, her toes nudging it back and forth, and then gave him a smile. “Are you sure about this?” She inched closer. “You could be stuck in here all evening.”

“If I get all night with you, it’s a fair trade.” He kept his voice low, unwilling for the others to hear. Megan’s dazzling smile made everything worthwhile. Even the stinking onions that still needed to be diced.

*

As soon as she caught up with Alex, Megan promised herself she’d wreak her revenge. It would be long, slow and painful. Not only had he threatened Sasha last night, but she
knew
he was behind the additional guests for dinner. An extra seven people, including Phillip and his parents. For God’s sake. Which was worse? Having to be polite and friendly in front of everyone, or the risk Sasha might run into him? She had to keep them apart. Sasha looked to be really busy in the kitchen—something else she felt guilty for—and with luck they’d both be blissfully ignorant of each other. She’d escape the dinner party at the earliest opportunity, grab Sasha and get out of there. It should be easy.

Megan rifled through her closet and pulled out the first neutral, politics-safe dress she came to. A plain shift in a dark, caramel silk, it fell almost to the knee, required no nylons and was quick to change into. She just had time to twist up her hair, freshen her make-up…and cover the bite mark on her neck. In the flurry of activity, she’d completely forgotten about
that
. No wonder Hugh had scowled when they came in. Even thick concealer failed to hide the clear teeth marks and she felt another surge of irritation. At the time, it’d felt good, had propelled her headlong into an amazing orgasm, but right now she was mad at Sasha all over again. She touched the mark with her fingertips. It didn’t hurt, didn’t feel bruised like she’d expected; it tingled and almost shone in the sunlight. Weird. If she let him bite her again, it would have to be somewhere it couldn’t be seen.

She sat down on the bed to put on her shoes, her mind consumed with Sasha. How would it feel to wake with him by her side? To be wrapped in his arms all night? Sleeping together, as opposed to just shagging. It seemed so much more intimate. It also smacked of more than a casual relationship, and she knew that could never happen. He was leaving in a matter of weeks and had an entirely separate life on the other side of the world. Her life was here, with her family and career. She’d been inundated with job offers in government departments and had turned them all down in favor of a marketing role. She loved the natural products
Ecology
sold and she’d been given the opportunity to develop their next campaign. It would keep her busy enough to distract her from mooning over a certain blue-eyed Welsh boy.

Friends had fled the nest and taken up residence all over the globe, but not her. The prospect of not seeing Dad and Clare every day, of bickering and teasing with Hugh and Alex, was not an option. She’d never admit it to anyone, but she’d been so dreadfully homesick on her Europe tour she’d seriously considered going home early.

Her first assessments were correct. No matter what intimacies Sasha offered, or the very real prospect he’d break her heart when he left, he could only ever be a fling.

She tied a gauzy scarf around her throat and went in search of her lover.

*

The kitchen was filled with a cacophony of smells and noises, but Sasha knew the
second
Megan appeared in the doorway. He glanced up from the chopping board and mountain of grapes he was slicing in half, and met her gaze. The hunger in her eyes matched his own. She looked edible, more delicious than the array of gourmet foods that had been created around him in the past two hours. He had to touch her. He rinsed his hands in soapy water and dried them on a paper towel as he walked toward her, tossing the crumpled paper ball in the bin on the way past, and hauling the apron over his head.

“
Cariad
.” The noise faded into the background. His sole attention was on the beautiful girl smiling at him.

“Hey, Sasha. Do you have a minute?” She snagged his hand and tugged him into the hallway, pushing the door closed behind her. There was nobody else around, although he could hear voices in the distance and the sound of a vacuum cleaner nearby. Curious, he followed her like the slobbering hound he was. The color of her dress matched the sparkles in her eyes, but he didn’t like the Claiming mark being covered. He itched to remove the scarf, but managed to suppress the wolf on that one.

“You look even more gorgeous, wife-to-be.” Her cheeks colored at his heated words and she placed a finger against his lips.

“Shh, not here, Sasha. Please.” He nipped at her fingertip and she giggled, then turned serious. “I just wanted to say thank you. I feel bad about you slaving away in the kitchen and I know you’re only doing it for me.” She moved her hand, wound both arms around his neck and gazed up at him. His cock leaped to full attention and he sucked in a quick breath. He saw himself reflected in her dark eyes, saw the naked longing on her face and gave in to the burning need in his belly. Slowly, he dropped his head and covered her lips with his own. Heat flooded his chest and a sense of the world falling into place. His wolf sighed, happy, and Sasha pulled her even closer. He didn’t care if anyone saw them.

The kiss was all too brief. Megan moved her head back and broke the contact, although she remained in the circle of his arms. With her pupils dilated and lips swollen, she looked even more desirable, and Sasha had to swallow his frustration. “The guests have started arriving and I’ll be stuck now until after dinner. Are you going to wait for me? You can go home if you prefer.”

He ran his hands lightly up her arms. “I’ll wait. You wearing this for the club?”

“Not planning to.” She pulled a rueful face. “It’s a bit formal. I was going to get changed before we go.”

“Don’t.” He smiled to soften his immediate reply. “It looks incredible.” The color made her skin luminous and he longed to pet her all over. Tonight. He could lavish his total attention on her all night long. Show her how good they could be together. He stole another quick, hot kiss then nuzzled her ear. “I can’t wait to be inside you again. Come back after the first course, but leave your panties off.”

Color splashed her cheekbones and her eyes opened wide. “We can’t. Not here!” Her voice was shocked, but he smelled her arousal. Even so, he didn’t want to push too far, too soon. They would have a lifetime to be bad together.

Seconds later, Megan slipped away and after watching her swaying hips as she walked down the hallway, Sasha blew out a tight breath and returned to the kitchen. Surely the dinner wouldn’t last more than a couple of hours?

*

The first course had been served, eaten and cleared away, but Megan was trapped talking to a Saudi businessman and his silent female partner. She couldn’t figure out if the woman was supposed to be his wife or his assistant. Either way, she stood with her eyes cast down, hands resting politely in her lap. It had to be his assistant for he had no compunction about letting his hands wander ever closer. When he stroked one finger down the length of Megan’s thigh she gave up trying to be polite, shoved her chair back and stood, hoping to catch her father’s attention. It was Phillip who came to her rescue.

“Mr. Mahmoud.” He left the woman he’d been talking to and joined Megan, then held out his hand for the businessman to shake. “I’d love to talk to you some more about the hotel business. My company is looking to expand into hospitality and your resorts have a solid reputation.” Megan had to be grateful and tried to use the opportunity to sidle away, only to get stopped by another potential investor. Before she knew it, the waitress was fetching the next course and she had to take her seat. To her alarm, Phillip took Mahmoud’s space, having swapped places.

“You look beautiful tonight, Megan.” His smile was friendly, as though she hadn’t argued with him the night before. Christ, was that only yesterday? So much had happened since then.

“Thank you,” she murmured. “And thanks for getting rid of Mahmoud.”

“Anytime.” She glanced up and caught him watching her. He had a little bruise on his chin that must have come from Sasha. “If you’re not doing anything after dinner, maybe we could go get a drink somewhere?”

“Sorry. I’ve got plans.” Plans that included dancing with and then getting horizontal with a certain Welsh guy. She hadn’t slept with Phillip yet and now had no intention of doing so. He would make a lovely boyfriend to someone, but not her.
Not even after Sasha’s left?
The insidious thought crept in from nowhere and she quashed it. Not even then.

Phillip just shrugged. “Can’t blame me for trying. I still think we’d be good together.” He leaned closer as he spoke and draped his arm over her chair. The back of her neck tingled and she lifted a hand to rub it, lifting her gaze at the same time. Sasha stood inside the doorway, a trolley of covered dishes by his side, his angry stare fixed on her.
Shit
. The very situation she’d tried to avoid. Judging by Sasha’s clean black apron, he was now helping with the service. Damn and buggering hell. Phillip was clearly oblivious to Sasha’s fury and carried on talking to Megan although she had no idea what he said.

*

Sasha’s first idea was to walk up to Megan, rip the guy’s arm off and beat him to death with the bloody end. Thankfully he managed to keep his wolf under control. Just. With his wolf snarling and ready to pounce, Sasha sucked in a harsh breath and stepped forward. “Is he bothering you
again
, Megan?”

The asshole—Phillip—looked up, disbelief on his face.

“You?” His gaze took in Sasha’s wait staff apron, and a sneering grin broke over his face. Sasha longed to rub it off. Preferably with something blunt and heavy. “Your lapdog’s back, Megan. Would you like me to kick him out for you?”

Sasha recognized it had the potential to erupt into another fight, a rerun of the evening before. Common sense warred with instinct. Calling him a
lapdog
? The man would bleed for that insult alone. His hands fisted at his sides, hot anger sweeping through him. How he’d love to follow this bastard home and wait outside his door in wolf form.

Megan’s voice broke into his simmering rage. “That’s enough, Phillip.” She wriggled free from his arm and stood up. Sasha was momentarily distracted by the sight of her heaving chest beneath the toffee colored shiny fabric, and the two pink spots high in her cheeks. “I want to talk to both of you, please. Outside.” She stalked into the hallway and the men followed.

“Pack it in.” Megan’s voice was cold and she stood there, arms folded, giving off a clear do-not-touch vibe. “This dinner is important to my dad and I won’t let the pair of you wreck it.” Her eyes flashed fire, first at Phillip and then at Sasha. “I’m not a bone for you to fight over like a pair of rowdy dogs.” Sasha’s wolf growled at the slur but she hadn’t finished. “Either behave like adults or take your posturing outside.”

The asshole smirked some more. “It’s sweet that you have an admirer, Megan, but are you sure he’s not stalking you?”

Sasha growled, he couldn’t help it, and Megan turned to him, her eyebrows raised. He just shrugged, unwilling to speak until he had his wolf under control again.

“Phillip, that’s insulting to us both. Sasha’s a friend of mine and offered to help out in the kitchen since they were short. And for the record, I didn’t know you were invited until we got here today.”

“What?” He looked puzzled. “Alex said you wanted me to come, but you were embarrassed about your ‘friend’ attacking me last night.” Sasha pushed down hard on the growl that threatened to burst free. This asshole was two steps away from a trip to Casualty.