Page 9 of The Demon's Fire
Kole hooked a thumb in the strap of his leather chest holster.
“Oh.” Her lashes fluttered. “Yes. Now don’t go anywhere.” She stepped backward, maintaining eye contact.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, sweetheart.”
She pivoted, walking away from her desk, provocative hips swaying.
Kole chuckled, enjoying the view. The trip was looking better.
Toward the back, the receptionist knocked before entering an office, leaving the door ajar. “Excuse me, but your escort from Scath has arrived. Boy, is he…”
Kole pushed through behind her. In a booming voice, he announced, “I’m here to collect Chief Maxwell.”
Towering over the receptionist, he masked his surprise. A female sat at an L-shaped executive desk. Cadmon hadn’t told him his job was to entertain a female. A beautiful one. Marble-carved high cheekbones, a regal nose, pale flawless skin, a haughty chin. Frosty white-blonde hair pulled into a low, business-like knot.
Kole imagined her locks unpinned, falling across her shoulders in gentle waves, bouncing when she laughed at something he whispered in her ear. With her face tilted toward him, her cheeks flushed, her red lips parted, she begged for a kiss. And more. The female was an enticing vision.
Then she spoke.
The fantasy dissolved with her wintery tone, made chillier by her icy blue eyes and thick lashes below deep-arched brows.
“Excuse me, but I have not invited you into my office.” She rose, hands on hips, meeting Kole’s gaze over an upturned nose.
The temperature dropped a few degrees.
The Firebrand inspected the female’s curves, slender waist, shapely breasts, all unsuccessfully camouflaged beneath an expensive but practical gray skirt and jacket. She was tall for a human. He judged five-eleven.
Tapping Laurie’s shoulder, Kole dipped his head to smile at her, nodding, before he moved the receptionist aside to barge forward.
“Commander Kole. Invited inside or not, I’m your escort to Scath.” He pushed out a calloused palm, more at ease grasping a long blade or dagger.
She stared. Finally, she clasped it, her grip professional, firm.Frost bite. Kole reasoned she was sizing him up. He came out sub-standard either because he was not human or because he was a scary demon.
When he clutched her fingers longer than proper, she struggled to wiggle free. Once he released her, she wiped a quivering damp palm on her skirt.
Scary demon it is. Good. That will settle who’s in charge.
“Skyler Maxwell, Alliance chief legal officer.”
Kole pointed to a brass sign on her desk. “Yep. Says so right here. Are you ready?”
She returned to her seat, folding her arms around her ribs, drawing his eyes to her breasts. “You can’t simply walk in, Commander, and order me to jump up and leave. Since I did not expect you until a bit later, I have tasks to complete yet. Please wait in the reception area.” The icy blonde tossed him a dismissive wave while she resumed looking down at paperwork.
Kole stood still for a heartbeat, heat traveling to his extremities. Then he planted his fingertips on the surface of her desk, angled forward, and brought his face near Skyler’s. The scent from her perfume made him lightheaded as he spoke barely above a growled whisper. “I’ll wait for now, Chief. But I have limits. You don’t want to cross them.”
Skyler’s chin popped up, her lashes framing squinted eyes. Her tone was so chilly, he thought his balls might freeze. “I care nothing about your limits. I won’t be hurried, Commander. Now, unless you intend to carry me out of my office, kicking and screaming, you will wait in the reception area.”
Lips pressed tight, the muscles in Kole’s jaw twitched. He drew in a slow breath, catching another whiff of her heady perfume. When he shook off her alluring scent, sparks shot from his fingers, landing on a few papers. Balling his hands into fists, he shoved them to the sides of his body.
Beautiful, but bossy.
Play nice, he reminded himself, having no idea why he was acting like an asshole. Her cool demeanor brought out the worst in him.
Kole’s eyes flared. “Okay. I’ll be right over there.” He motioned at a chair against the wall, sauntering toward it. “Hurry, though. If you make me wait too long, I’ll choose the option to carry you off kicking and screaming. Sounds fun.”
With his back to the female, he chuckled at the sound of her hand slapping out the small desk fires.
Kole might have a good time yet. He looked forward to sparring with the CLO, breaking through her frigid exterior, ruffling her enough to ignite a response despite the ice cubes in her veins.
