Page 8 of To Crave Madly
“Will you tell me?”
Alec leaned back, putting some distance between us. “No.”
I raised my eyebrows. This was definitely a secret that he seethed over, and I had to admit, I was curious over this witch he had buried in his past. However, it wasn’t my place to pry and I didn’t really know Alec all that well.
“Are you alright?”
Alec looked back at me and I could tell he was grateful for my decision not to snoop into his secrets. A soft smile crept along his face. “I’m okay, just tired.”
“Can I do anything to help?”
His grin turned wolfish as he grabbed one of my curls and wrapped it around his finger. The gentle tug sent sparks of pleasure dancing across my scalp.
“I could think of a few things that would make me feel better,” he muttered, his voice a low, sensual drawl. “Just say: Alec, let me make you feel good.”
I let out a very unladylike snort. He was such a flirt. But heaven help me, his playboy charm and winning smile set my heart aflutter. Perhaps I could give him a taste of his own medicine. I grinned saucily up at him.
I raised myself on my knees and leant up towards him. Surprise flared in his eyes as my hands cupped his jaw. I threaded my fingers through his thick locks, enjoying the way the strands slipped smoothly through them. His breath was hot against my face as I pulled his head down towards mine, stopping just before his mouth touched mine.
“Alec,” I whispered against his lips.
His eyes were hooded with desire. “Yes?”
My lips brushed his lightly. “Let me make you feel good. Please.” My voice was breathy, my tone thick with desire.
Alec looked down at me and his jaw tightened. “You’re fucking dangerous, Lori. And I think I like that.”
I stopped breathing as he slid his arm around my waist, and bit back a moan as his fingers slipped under the hem of my shirt.
He rolled his bottom lip between his teeth. “I think I like that a lot.”
My heart skipped a beat at the sincerity that I so rarely ever saw from Alec. But before I could reply his expression faltered, almost like he regretted something, and he leaned back, letting the mask of carefree charm fall back in place upon his beautiful features.
“Come on, Cupcake. Let’s go find the rest of the team. No doubt Jasper wants another chit-chat, now that you’re back.”
“Cupcake?”
He ran his hands through my hair affectionately.
“All these waves remind me of chocolate frosting. And now I know your lips taste as sweet as sugar.” He ran his tongue over his lips and my already aching centre pulsed with need.
“I’m not the only one who’s dangerous, Alec.”
He gave me a soft, sultry laugh before standing from the sofa and heading for the exit.
“Are you going to put on a shirt?” I called after him.
“And deprive you of this view?” he laughed while indicating those delicious abs. His cocky grin was set firmly on his handsome face as he allowed me to stare openly at his fine torso.
I rolled my eyes at him. He was such a flirt, but he had me laughing as I followed him from the room in search of the rest of the team. I just hoped that Jasper had kept his word and Torsten was still alive.
Boy, was this meeting going to be fun.
***
We all piled into the meeting room in silence. It was awkward and I could feel the rest of the team taking glances at me while I wasn’t looking. I tried not to be annoyed by it; they were only trying to figure out why I was back and if I was still on their side. I suppose, to them, I had willingly let Lucifer cart me off and now I was back, with a Shadow Fiend in tow, and they had no clear idea if they could trust me. In their shoes, I’d be side-eyeing me warily too.
I could feel Torsten’s presence at my back. I could tell he was there without even looking by the way the hairs on the back of my neck tingled with the awareness of a threat lurking behind me. He seemed to have recovered after the run-in with the protective wards, but I could tell he was on edge. His body was rigid, every line of his posture was straight, every muscle coiled and ready to pounce at any threat that might appear. He didn’t trust anyone in this room, but that was his role. He was here to protect me at all costs, and from the way the rest of the team were looking at me, I’d say it was highly likely that he might need to protect me from them.
