Single Wicked Wolf (2 page)

Though familiar with the name, he didn’t catch the reference. At his frown, she laughed and it chased some of the nervousness from her voice.

“The being stuck in Russia with no passport part, not the leaking state secrets part.” The explanation helped, but he didn’t see her in the same vulnerable position. Nothing in her scent said deceit. Her smile faded. “Diplomatic humor, sorry. It was nice to meet you.”

When she withdrew a step as though to circle him, he pivoted and fell into step with her. “You haven’t actually met me,
cara
.”

 “I’m batting a thousand today,” she groaned, then juggled her items to offer her hand. “Murphy DeWitt.”

Accepting her hand, he lifted it to his lips. Grazing her knuckles with a kiss, he inhaled deeply of her scent. Eucalyptus and mint layered beneath soft pear and sage, offered him a deep breath of a bright, clean exotic morning. Savoring the tingling taste on his tongue, he enjoyed the catch in her breath and the leap of her pulse. All of the above were far preferable to her discomfort and wariness.

“
Ciao
,
cara
, I am Giovanni Conti,” he pitched his voice low, trusting her hearing even amidst all the background chaos of the airport terminal. “Centurion of Seven Hills.” He added the last only to chide her a little for not declaring her pack. She could be a Lone Wolf, the Americans had them in spades. Like his Alpha, he didn’t see the point, but then no one asked him.

Tugging lightly, she requested he released her. Granting her desire cost him nothing. “It’s been a while, since I’ve been around other…familiar friends.” The catch and adjustment amused him further. “Willow Bend, I’m actually on my way to catch a flight home.”

Delighted. “Chicago?”

Her eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping into the fragrance of her perfume. “Yes.” The way she drew out the response tickled him further. So worried about giving away too much.

“Excellent.” At the rise of agitation and hint of worry, he motioned for her to continue. “My flight is in the same direction.”

Her doubt threatened to skewer him at his response. Smart wolves didn’t take anything at face value, and no doubt his scent confused her. He enjoyed the conversation though he could mask his scent when pressed, a necessary talent when living in the tight quarters of the eternal city.

“Of course it is.” The bite chilled her tone. “Sorry, I’m not the type to believe in coincidence. I just happen to run into you heading in the opposite direction from your terminal?”

“Nor should you. My stepping into your path wasn’t coincidental.” The travelers parted for them and he matched his stride to hers when he realized she hurried to keep up with him.

“Not sure whether to be worried or irked.”

“How about delighted?” He didn’t bother to contain his grin. “I caught your scent and I had to see.”

“Well, you’re refreshingly direct.” They’d arrived near the gate for the Aer Italia flight he’d also booked passage on when she slowed and scanned the seating area. “And here I am.”

“Excellent. As am I.” He nodded to a pair of chairs alone near the glass. It would give him a good view of anyone approaching and kept others from crowding them as well. “Are you sure I can’t offer you something else to eat?”

“The sandwich will be fine.” Setting her bag next to the seat, she slid onto the hard vinyl and crossed one leg over the other. The pretty little business suit she wore was a far cry from the jeans he traveled in. “But feel free to go find yourself something if you’re hungry.”

Considering her for a moment, he canted his head to the side. “I’ve offended you.” Americans could be touchy. His Alpha’s mate was an American,
though she is Seven Hills now and we’re keeping her.
She tended to get snappish and snarled when they overstepped what she considered polite.

Pausing in the middle of opening her bag for her sandwich and water bottle, she locked pale, pale hazel eyes with his. “Not at all…was I rude?” She pursed her luscious lips, then frowned. “Donkey dung, I was rude. Please, Signor Conti, accept my apologies. I have been traveling since before dawn and I’m anxious to get home.”

“No apologies necessary, but if I may suggest. You’re hungry, you’re tired, and people surround you. Perhaps a real meal will help alleviate your anxiety.” Touching a fist to his chest lightly above his heart, he gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “It would be my honor to provide that for you.” His wolf stretched within him as a couple eyed the seats closest to them. Sparing them a look he nodded when they elected to take chairs further away.

“I love the thought of a hot meal, I love the idea of a hot shower more—however—my flight is…” She trailed off as a gate attendant announced the delay of their flight as the plane they would be using hadn’t landed yet. They expected it within the hour and believed their flight would then depart an hour after that.

Giovanni carefully contained his amusement at the annoyance flashing like quicksilver through her eyes. Dropping the sandwich container back into the bag, she shook off her irritation like a wolf shedding water after slipping inside from the rain.

“On second thought, I would love something to eat.”

Allowed the pleasure of her company, he grinned and took possession of her carry on before offering her his arm. To his continued delight, she placed her well-manicured hand in the crook of her arm. Satisfied with her compliance, he led her from the gate area and to the private area restricted for first class passengers. By the time their meal would be served, he’d have her upgraded and she’d have also had her shower.

As Margo would say—win-win.

Chapter Two

When Giovanni offered to take her to a café, he meant the first class lounge and gallery. In her twenty-four plus months of traveling she’d only stepped inside those hallowed halls on two other occasions. During both, she’d been too busy translating for the assistant attaché to enjoy any of the amenities. Though she’d shed much of her Midwestern naiveté, she indulged in a bit of slack jawed gaping as the door to the private, secure area widened to admit them.

“Let me have your boarding pass for a moment,
cara
.” While he didn’t make it an explicit order, her wolf rolled over for the dominance rolling off him. The urge to present her throat or her belly warred with her need to soak in the clean, cooler air and blessed quiet. Compared to the concourse, she’d stepped into heaven.

Whether her dominance was a match for him or not, she fought and won the match against simply obeying without question. Glancing at him, she raised her eyebrows. His slow, devastating smile sent a wave of pure lust to riot through her bloodstream. Would he like her to present it naked or what? “Why?”

Hallelujah, none of the embarrassing tremors in her body echoed in the words.

Amusement softened his expression, and the hint of crinkles at the corners of his eyes added more character to his already hot-damn-charming looks. “So I can keep you forever and always in the lap of luxury.”

For a split second, she thought he said his lap then common sense kicked in. Folding her arms before she reached over to touch him, she waited.

“Tough.” The way he touched his tongue to the roof of his mouth when he phrased the word made it a compliment. “It is so they can notify us when boarding begins, so we may enjoy our time without staring at a watch.” Narrowing the space between them, he lowered his voice to a subvocal level she had to strain to hear. Too many hours of
not
trying to overhear those around her had dulled her senses. “It will also allow me to book you time for a shower while we wait for a meal to be served.”

The tickle of his breath against her ear sent shivers over her. “Alone?” A curl of anticipation disrupted her good judgment.

“Your choice.” Though he didn’t touch her, the words stroked her senses as though he’d traced a finger along the center of her breasts. Shivering once, she moistened her lips.

“Tempting.”

“I try.” So much delicious humor wrapped in the phrase.

Laughing, she dug into her purse and withdrew a step before holding the slim card out to him. She’d hang onto her passport. “You succeed.” Trusting the wolf at his word was easy. No deceit colored his scent. He was older than she was, and he’d definitely been born a wolf, not turned. The powerful Alpha of Seven Hills pack ruled all the packs in Italy. His Centurions she’d once would have likened to the Hunters at home in Willow Bend, but standing next to Giovanni…no, she knew they were far more.

“
Grazie
.” Accepting her boarding pass, he turned to the young woman gawking at him from behind her podium. With his attention off her, Murphy could breathe again. Damn, he was fine and the poor receptionist seemed to be quivering under all succulent, masculine appeal he’d been dipped in.

Blushing profusely, the woman apologized, as she had to retype the information twice. When she said it would be an additional three thousand dollars, Murphy frowned. She had a travel credit card—one provided by her embassy work for expenses she had to verify and a second one, sent to her by Mason for emergency use. Neither of which this qualified for. Giovanni didn’t hesitate to pass over his card.

“Wait…” But he pressed his finger to her lips and she froze. The contact surged through her system hotter than if she’d shoved her fingers into a light socket.

“It would be an honor,
cara
. I
invited
you.”

The receptionist’s sigh mirrored the one in Murphy’s soul. Her wolf batted at her to accept, but she withdrew from the contact and frowned. Stubbornness, her mother advised once, was both a flaw and a strength. Relying on the positive connotation, she shook her head once. “I appreciate the offer,
Signor
Conti, but I cannot accept a gift of such magnitude.” Not on a first acquaintance and especially not so far from her pack. What the hell kind of agreement was she making?

“You can,” he disagreed, then instructed the receptionist to complete the order. The other woman’s utter compliance and flirtatious smile irked Murphy. Folding her arms, she pursed her lips. She would have walked out, but he had her damn boarding pass.

Which I can replace relatively easy by logging in on my phone.
Ignoring the contrariness of the little voice in the back of her mind, she waited for Giovanni to complete the transaction. The receptionist then handed him his credit card, and printed out a new boarding pass.

Resisting the urge to hold her hand out and demand the woman give it to her proved harder than Murphy expected. Hot, sexy, and delicious might be making her panties wet, but at least her brain re-engaged.

Finished, he faced her and held out her boarding pass. “Will I feel your teeth now,
cara
?”

“You might. My name is Murphy, Ms. DeWitt, to you.” Despite all her bravado, her wolf curled into a ball utterly uninterested in challenging their charming companion. Plucking the pass from his fingers, she flipped it over and glanced at the information. He’d not only paid some exorbitant fee, he’d upgraded her to first class. She’d
never
ridden in first class before, not even when she had to provide translation during meetings in the lounges. All the planes she’d taken, all the various stops along the way, had been done in a crowded coach, usually sandwiched between screaming children or smelly men.

A part of her wanted to dance. The excitement of a new experience, but the cynical part of her nature—the part honed after months and months of diplomatic conferences and meetings went predator still. No one paid that kind of money for nothing. No one was
that
nice.

Still wrestling with the right words to address her discomfort, she let him take her arm and draw her away from the mooning receptionist who kept staring at him like she could lick him up. Annoyed, Murphy glared at the woman. At least in her case, she knew exactly what to do. The other woman met her hostile gaze, blinked once, then busied herself with other customers.

“No need to sharpen your claws on her,” Giovanni’s soft voice took on a teasing note. “I am not remotely interested beyond the service she already provided.”

Irked at his second grand presumption, she dared to meet his gaze. “I’ll sharpen my claws on who I please, and as for you—you cannot simply upgrade my flight and take over like someone put you in charge.” He opened his mouth, but she wasn’t finished. Raising her finger, she jabbed it in his direction and lowered her voice, the subvocal whispered argument not her favorite, but airports had far too much in the way of surveillance and witnesses. “I am on neutral territory. I don’t need a babysitter. You are not the boss of me.”

Goddammit.
The last seven words ruined a perfectly good rant.

To his credit, Giovanni didn’t laugh in her face. If anything, his expression sobered to one of intense focus. He gave her a couple of heartbeats, then said, “Are you done,
cara
or would you like to continue to berate me over our meal and
after
you’ve had your shower?”

A shower sounded fantastic. Damn him, he knew it, too. Closing her eyes, she blew out a breath. “What will all of this cost my pack?” Because if she was agreeing to something, she needed to alert Mason so he could get her out of it.

Touching a finger to her cheek, Giovanni waited till she opened her eyes and looked at him before saying. “
Cara
, this is me, Giovanni offering you this—nothing more. I have work to do in Willow Bend, but that is then. Are you truly upset with my offer or upset that you want to accept it without—what is your lovely phrase—no string attached?”

 Guilt flooded her. “I’m being an ass.”

“Not at all.” The swiftness of his response buoyed her flagging mood. Wrapping an arm around her, he gave her a welcome squeeze to which she had far from a platonic response. The rapid increase of her pulse and heat pooling in her belly left her aching. “It is not uncommon for me to look after wolves on their own. We care for all in Seven Hills, even guests. Yes, you are in an airport, and yes this is neutral territory. But I would welcome your company and I think mine is not so irritating as you want it to be.”