Rex

As her lips press harder against mine, a rush of warmth and something else floods my body, leaving me temporarily motionless. It shocks me and I have no idea what to do next except kiss her back. She is acting very possessive, which is riling my wolf.

He wants to claim her in the same manner, and possibly more so. I have one greedy wolf.

Finally, everything gets on the same page and I return the kiss passionately, savoring every single moment she is giving me. As the moments pass, the kiss becomes urgent and like fire.

Then she presses her lips softly against mine before pulling back, ending our moment.

My hands rest on her waist and I have a hard time keeping them there, but don’t move. I really don’t want this moment to end.

“I shouldn’t have kissed you,” she whispers.

I scoff out of complete shock. “Excuse me? And why not? What was wrong with it?”

She looks away as her fingers grip my arm. “This is insane, Rex, considering our past. We really shouldn’t be doing this.”

Hearing those words makes me chuckle softly. I bite my lower lips and try to hide my grin. “Give me the time I’ve asked for, okay? Let’s see how much you care after those days have passed.”

Her body visibly relaxes, and I can tell I have won. “Fine, you have the time you want, but this better end well or you will never see me again. I will transfer packs to live the way I want to. Do you understand me?”

She jerks back away from me and heads up the stairs to her apartment before I can utter one single word. All I can do is watch her go because I’ve already done enough damage for today with her. Too much too soon will not give me the results I want.

“Great work, Rex.” I glance up the stairs as she disappears. “I may have just doomed myself.”

I turn and walk out of the complex, but stop when I reach the steps and look back up toward her window. The light comes on in her window a moment later and I just stare at it. She’s so close, yet so far away.

Instead of going with my instincts and climbing back up there, I plop down on the concrete steps with a huff. That little she wolf is going to keep testing me and pushing me until I snap.

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No, she’s not running away from me. I will just sit here on her steps and wait.

My gaze moves behind me and I find a place off to my right where I can prop myself up against the brick wall and be fairly comfortable. Well, as comfortable as I can be for sitting on concrete with no cushions.

I get why she is being stubborn. Our parents were friends when we were kids, which spurred our friendship. Both lost their mates right after we were born and I guess they bonded over the tragedy. Then after we were adults, their relationship changed and though their mating didn’t work, they were still good friends, from what I know.

My dad was alpha, so her mother argued a lot with him and there are other things that probably would have never happened if he had been in a different position.

But her mother wasn’t an alpha. Never has been. But she was close enough to balance him, which is what is most important. They were good together in most things except behind closed doors.

But their temporary mating changed everything for us.

Once, I listened in during one of those times we were both home for a holiday and Holly mentioned being afraid of having a relationship like them. Maybe that is why she’s fighting so hard to not be with me.

I know she mentioned what I said to one of my friends, but obviously I didn’t know what I was talking about.

I was young and an idiot.

An exasperated sigh escapes me as I lean my head back against the rough brick and roll my head to the side, trying to see her window. “I only have 27 days to pull this off,” I whisper to myself.

She has to get used to me, eventually. There is no other way.

As I sit along the wall, I continue to wonder if I should just go after her. The more it rolls around in my mind, the more I become against it. She needs space and showed me as much, so going after her will get me into trouble.

Soon, my eyes become heavy, though I fight it.

And the next thing I know, I hear some kind of tapping noise beside me. My head rolls to the right to see what the problem is, only to find one long leg and a heel right beside me. I slowly follow the skin and see the skirt and then look up to meet her gaze.

“Oh, hi.”

“Why are you still here? Did you not go home last night? You’re still wearing the same t-shirt and jeans.”

I look around and partially stretch. “Well, I accidentally fell asleep after sitting down. Why does it matter what I did last night?”

She chuckles in disbelief and looks away. “I have to go to work today, so do whatever you want. It’s not like you’ll go guard me outside of my job. You have work to do as well.”

She walks down the steps, her heels clicking hard against the concrete. Her charcoal gray business suit is doing something to me. I watch her go as she sways her hips and a wicked smile spreads across my face.

There’s only one thing she got wrong. I don’t have to work today, so I can technically follow her to work. It may not work out, but I could always stay hidden.

Right?

The only other option I have is to disappear and play hard to get.

I slowly rise from the concrete steps and rub the side of my face as I head back home. If she wants to be difficult, then fine.

We’ll play a little game.

One where I win.