Free Guardian (Wolf Shifter Romance): Reckless Desires (Alpha Protectors Book 1) by Olivia Arran

less than two weeks.”
    There is was again—two weeks. I ignored her question, refusing to think about her returning to the set. To him. “And what happens in two weeks?”
    Rolling a twig between her fingers, her lips pressed together to form a thin line. Then she shrugged, the action looking forced. “Life goes on. I move on.”
    “You’ll go back home?” Where is home? I wanted to ask, but didn’t.
    “Maybe?” She didn’t sound sure. “I don’t have a home, not really. I go where I’m told.”
    I had an unusual talent, one that made me very good at my job. I could smell lies. And her scent had changed, souring slightly. And she wasn’t looking at me. “Natasha—”
    “I liked it when you called me Tasha .” Her voice was wistful, her gaze still riveted on the twig twirling in her hand.
    So did I. Too much. “Tasha, what are you planning?”
    Brown eyes clashed with mine. “Nothing.” She jumped to her feet, brushing herself off. “We should get back. People will be wondering where we’ve got to.”
    “Tasha…” I tried again, catching her arm as she brushed past me.
    She paused, her throat moving as she swallowed hard. “I can’t just disappear into the woods with a man for hours. People will talk.”
    “Let them talk,” I muttered.
    “That would be fine, if there was something for them to talk about.” Her chin jutted out in silent challenge as she stared at me. Daring me.
    My turn to swallow. “I... I can’t.”
    “I know,” she whispered, pulling free of my hold and walking away.
    And, hating myself, I let her go.

Chapter Fourteen
    Natasha
    I tried to clear my mind on the walk back to the set, but something was bugging me. Okay, Cole was bugging me. The man had gotten under my skin. One minute he wanted me, the next he was pushing me away as if his life depended on it.
    I could feel his eyes on me as he lagged behind, burning into me with an intensity I was starting to recognize as pure Cole . I refused to look back. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. Not after that little stunt he had just pulled. Who did he think he was? I threw back my shoulders, rolling them to ease the tension crawling up my spine. Dragging me off the set like a caveman...
    Or like a shifter claiming his mate, all alpha and growly and possessive.
    Bullshit! If that’d been true he wouldn’t have stopped. His tongue would have continued licking its torturous path, setting my body on fire. His fingers would have—
    I shook my head, trying to dislodge the glimpse I had gotten of him before he had zipped himself back up out of my mind, crouching over me all dark and feral and sexy. Now, that was an image to revisit later…
    I stifled a snigger, wondering how the man in question would feel being relegated to my naughty folder.
    “What’s so funny?”
    I hadn’t even heard him come up behind me. Damn those sneaky shifter talents! “Nothing. You.” I couldn’t help myself adding the last word while sneaking a glance at him out of the corner of my eye.
    “Me?” He sounded mildly worried underneath the blandness he was so obviously striving for.
    “Yes, you. I’ve decided that I might as well find this whole thing funny.” Actually, I hadn’t, not until right this moment. But the second the words left my mouth, it was as if a weight had been lifted. I wasn’t going to worry about it—whatever it was. Papa had always said the best way forward was in a straight line. So I wasn’t going to dodge and weave around Cole anymore. I needed him to protect me, and we needed to get along. Period. Anything else? Fate would decide.
    The ache in my chest was just fear. Someone was trying to kill me, after all.
    “Funny?” His brow had creased into thick lines, as though he was trying to figure out a complex puzzle.
    A peal of laughter escaped, and I let it go this time. “Yes. Whatever this is—” I swirled the air between us, “—it’s obviously not meant to be. Which is fine, by the way. I have