Page 27 of Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind
Chapter Twelve
His name upon her lipsresonated through him like a perfectly tuned note. He looked forward to hearing her scream it as he brought her to ecstasy over and over again. For now, though, things seemed to be going well. In time, she would come to trust him, and eventually, would not be able to envision her life without him in it.
A check of the monitors confirmed that the club was once again at capacity. This night, however, he had no intention of making an appearance downstairs. He had already found his happiness, and she was in a small apartment on the other side of town. He knew because he had surreptitiously followed her the night before. Her safety and well-being had become his primary concern. Even now, she was under the watchful eyes of one of his men.
He smiled, envisioning how that knowledge would probably rile her. Ryan was a warrior for her people.
While he appreciated her abilities, taking such precautions was necessary. She was his mate and, as such, there were those who would target her because of it. The fact that she did not yet know that did not alter the truth of it.
In the meantime, he had a courtship to plan.
He pressed a button on the private communication device, pleased when Spice answered right away. “Whatcha need, boss man?”
“I require tutelage on the proper wooing of a human female.”
There was a moment of silence before she said, “Say what?”
He exhaled then spoke slowly. “I require tutelage on the ...”
He didn’t get any further before Spice came through the door, eyes alight. “Who is she?”
“Her name is Ryan Winslet, and she is—”
“A cop.”
“Yes. Have you made her acquaintance?”
Spice frowned. “Not personally, no, but in my former profession, it made sense to know the players on both sides. Straight-laced and kind of a ball buster, right? Not exactly your type.”
“She is exactly my type,” he countered. “She is a strong, capable, honorable female. More importantly, she is my mate, the one divinely chosen for me and me alone.”
“Aha. And she’s okay with all this?” Spice asked doubtfully, waving her hand in the air. “Withyou?”
He stiffened. “She is quite taken with me.”
Spice stared back at him. “She doesn’t know, does she?”
“No,” he admitted, “which is why I require your assistance.”
“Let me guess. You want her so head-over-heels in love with you that who you are and where you came from won’t matter.”
“Precisely.”
“All right, then,” Spice said after several long moments. “Lord knows you’ve done so much for me. For all of us, really. I’ll help you get your happily ever after, Sharky, but it’s not going to be easy.”
He grinned. “Nothing worthwhile ever is.”
By the time the dawn was nigh, Tiberius’s head was filled with suggestions on how best to win the detective’s heart. Spice had called in several others over the course of the night, and all had been willing to share their personal strategies, which ranged from traditional gestures, like roses and candy, to all-night pleasure marathons. Tiberius had listened to them all and had eventually crafted a plan which he felt would not only appeal to his mate but was also centered around his particular strengths.
Hours later, rested and refreshed, Tiberius was finalizing the evening’s plans when he received a call from downstairs.
“A guy named Drew’s here to see you, boss. Says it’s important.”
“Very well.”
“You want me to bring him up to your office?”
“No, I shall speak with him in the bar. I am on my way down now.”
