Page 24 of Mysterious Mate

She grinned foolishly at him. He was so sexy when he was being a Neanderthal.

Cage leaned over to pull on his own trousers, which was a good thing as his briefs had done little to hide the state of his arousal.

“Sorry, sir,” said the man as he got closer to them. “Omega Team needs to use this area for training.”

“It’s not a problem. We were headed back to the castle anyway. Let’s go, Willow.”

“Can’t I just sit and ogle the gorgeous men working out?”

“No, you cannot. Move it,” growled Cage.

“He can get so testy when he’s being a jerk,” said Willow to the man who had come down to tell them about Omega Team.

She almost felt sorry for him, as he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in this awkward moment on the beach. Almost. After all, if he hadn’t shown up, she might have been enjoying sex on the beach, and she didn’t mean the cocktail. Willow flounced off toward the path that led back to the keep.

Willow felt the first sense of liberation from her old life she’d truly experienced as she stepped into the dining room, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders. In the past she would have been worried about not having her hair and makeup perfect, but she just didn’t care. Cage wasn’t an assassin… and the man knew how to kiss.

The shower had refreshed her, and she’d chosen to wear a slouchy top that clung to her curves in all the right places and a pair of tiny shorts that left little to the imagination. These were the kinds of clothes Frank—she needed to start thinking of him as her ex, even though it might be a while before he became that officially—would never have allowed, and the freedom of wearing them now filled her with a sense of rebellious glee.

As she moved, the loose shirt slipped off one shoulder, exposing the smooth curve of her upper breast right down to just above the nipple—there was even a hint of the darker skin of her areola showing. She caught Cage's eyes, drawn irresistibly to the exposed skin. His gaze lingered there, and she could see the struggle in his eyes, the battle between desire and restraint. That, too, enhanced her feeling of joyful empowerment.

Willow met his gaze, a knowing smile playing on her lips. Slowly, deliberately, she reached up and pulled the shirt back onto her shoulder. The look of regret that flickered across Cage's face was worth all the tea in China. She could see the effort it took for him to maintain his composure, the way he forced his eyes back to his plate, the tension tightening his jaw. Served him right. He’d kept them apart. He could have acted on things long before now.

Dinner was a tantalizing dance of restraint and temptation—Cage was restrained; Willow was as tempting as she could be without stripping herself naked, straddling his lap, and pulling his dick out of his pants. Willow enjoyed every second of it, the way Cage's eyes would flicker to her whenever the shirt slipped down her shoulder again, as though she were unaware of how much skin she was revealing. Each time he stumbled over his words, his professional demeanor faltering before he quickly regained his composure was one more notch on the scoreboard for her.

When dinner finally came to an end, and they moved to the patio, the night air was cool, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves. Willow cradled her glass of wine from dinner in her hand, the light aroma mingling with the scent of night-blooming flowers. She watched Cage, her smile hidden behind the glass as she took a sip. She was really enjoying the role of seductive temptress.

Several times, the top slid down her shoulder, and each time Cage's reaction was the same. His words faltered, his eyes betraying his desire before he managed to mask it once more. Willow could feel the tension between them, so thick it could be cut with a knife. It was a delicious feeling, knowing she had this power over him, the ability to sit back and watch as his professional facade began to crack.

She leaned back in her chair, the glass of wine resting on her knee. "Cage," she said softly, her voice a seductive whisper in the night. "Are you all right? You seem... distracted."

He cleared his throat, his eyes meeting hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. "I'm fine, Willow. Just... a lot on my mind."

She smiled, setting the glass aside and letting the shirt slip again. "Anything I can help with?" she asked innocently, knowing full well the effect she was having on him.

Cage's eyes darkened with desire, and for a moment, she thought he might give in. But then he shook his head, a rueful smile tugging at his lips. "No, just... work stuff."

Willow nodded, her smile widening. "Well, if you ever need a break from all that work stuff, you know where to find me."

The look he gave her was smoldering, filled with unspoken promises. "I'll keep that in mind," he said, his voice low and husky.

As the night wore on, Willow continued to tease him, letting the shirt slip, watching him struggle to maintain his composure. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d ever had so much fun, and then realized, she never had. She knew it wouldn't be long before his restraint crumbled completely. And when it did, she would be ready, eager to see and embrace where this undeniable chemistry between them would lead.

CHAPTER 13

CAGE

Cage paced the length of the house, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. It had been a couple of days since the last incident, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different with Willow. Something had shifted. He felt like they had been making headway, but the confident, bold woman who had teased him mercilessly and driven him crazy with lust seemed to have vanished, leaving behind someone who looked almost... defeated.

After his morning debrief with the team, he joined her by the pool. She was lounging in one of the chairs, but there was no playful smile, no mischievous glint in her eyes. She looked lost, staring out over the shimmering water with a faraway expression. Cage’s protective instincts flared to life. He needed to know what was wrong, to help her in any way he could.

“Hey,” he called softly as he approached, holding out a cold drink. “Thought you might need this.”

Willow turned her head slowly, her eyes dull. She accepted the drink with a weak smile, her fingers brushing his briefly before retreating. Something was wrong, and he meant to let her know she wasn’t going to keep things from him. The sight of his mate being so subdued—a woman who had found the courage to leave her comfortable life to bring down her husband’s criminal enterprise and deal a savage blow to the Shadow League—was not a woman who simply endured. He was pretty sure that’s what her married life had been—one long battle of endurance until she couldn’t take it anymore and chose to act.

“Thanks, Cage,” she said quietly, taking a sip and then returning her gaze to the pool, effectively dismissing him.

That was another thing she needed to learn. He would not be so easily dismissed. He sat down beside her, watching her closely. She sighed deeply, a sound that seemed to come from the very depths of her soul. Cage’s worry deepened.

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