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

no intention of getting into a relationship right now. Me and relationships? Yeah, we don’t work out.”
    He grabbed my hand, tugging me to a standstill. Peering at me like I’d lost my mind, he lowered his voice. “Are you all right? This doesn’t sound like you. Not the you I’ve gotten to know.”
    I tugged my hand free, popping it onto my hip.
    His eyes drifted lower, then snapped back up, along with a clench to his jaw.
    “That’s just it, Cole. You don’t know me very well. And that’s okay, you don’t have to. You just have to do your job. I just figured, why should we fight all the time? Truce?”
    His eyes narrowed as he took the hand I was offering, and I didn’t blame him. I could hardly believe the words coming out of my mouth either. But I was so tired and exhausted that I didn’t want to fight anymore. I didn’t want to try and figure any of this out. I wasn’t his mate, so it didn’t matter anyway. None of it did.
    I plastered a smile on my face. Okay, maybe a small part of me was enjoying throwing a curve ball at him. I was guessing it wasn’t often that someone managed to surprise a man like Cole. Maybe we could even be friends? If I could convince my libido, that was better than nothing.
    “Truce,” he echoed, his hand warm and dry, squeezing mine. “I’ll do my job, you do yours.”
    “Great!” I forced out, adding, “that’s if you’ll let me do my job.”
    He didn’t bother to hide the low growl, and not for the first time I wondered how the hell he managed to convince people he was just human. I mean, he wasn’t even trying to hide his shifter side. Didn’t he care? Did he want me to guess?
    Straight line, remember? Eyes on the prize. The prize being my freedom from this life. I shrugged, my smile widening until my jaw ached. “Baby steps, right?”
    Turning, I strode off in the direction of the tent. Most of the crew had scattered, and Jorge was nowhere to be seen. Catching the director’s eye, I diverted course. “When do you want to start shooting again?” I asked. I wasn’t going to apologize and he wouldn’t expect one. Supermodel Natasha Silk didn’t apologize to anyone. She didn’t have to.
    He shot a pointed look at the sky, then over my shoulder, his glare aimed at Cole. “Tomorrow. The light is wrong now.”
    “See you tomorrow then,” I called over my shoulder, already on the move again. That was the trick, to act as if you were more important than everyone else. Then they believed you were.
    “Natasha!” a female voice called out.
    Cole was immediately in front of me, shielding me from the woman who was running at full pelt toward me. “Stay there,” he barked out.
    “Cole—”
    He shot me an annoyed look. “Do as you’re told, just once!”
    “But, Cole—”
    “I mean it, Natasha…”
    So, we were back to Natasha. Folding my arms, I waited.
    The woman stopped a few feet away, her eyes wide as she craned her neck, trying to see around the human-shaped boulder in front of me. “Natasha?”
    I peered at her, giving her a quick wave.
    “Keep your distance,” Cole growled, one arm reaching back and curling around my hip, presumably to make sure I stayed put.
    I was staying put. Nothing was going to drag me away from watching how this played out.
    “Why? Who are you?”
    Cole took a deep breath, then froze, his muscles flexing and bulging before my eyes.
    Tapping him on the shoulder had no effect. I whacked him across the arm. Still nothing. He still held me around the hip, so I moved closer, pressing myself against his back. “Say hello to my sister, Scarlett,” I whispered in his ear.
    “Who is the big hunk of a wolf, Natasha, and why is he manhandling you?” Scarlett’s voice was a low drawl as she circled around Cole, her brows arched high as a small smile played on her lips.
    Cole’s arm dropped, and, ignoring the jarring sense of loss, I hurled myself into my sister arms, letting her spin me around. “Scar! I didn’t know you