Free Noble Wolf (A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) by Terra Wolf, Amelia Jade

excited or interested. It was the best way to get rid of those who had a hard time understanding societal cues.
    "So, what are you doing later tonight?"
    "Working."
    "Oh wow, that's cool. Where do you work?"
    "Here."
    "Really? That's amazing. What do you do?"
    This was getting painful. Why wouldn't she take the hint?
    "I'm sorry Miss, but Bryce and I are having a private conversation here. Can you please leave us alone?"
    "Oh, I'm so sorry. Absolutely. My name is Maria, Bryce. In case you want to call me, or something." She slipped him a note, then rushed back into the kitchen.
    "Here," he said, sliding the paper over to Jake. "Consider it a thank you."
    Jake snorted, crumpled the paper up and threw it at Morgan, who was chuckling over the whole thing. The bartender snagged it as it bounced off his chest and tossed it in the garbage.
    "Thanks," Bryce told him, standing up.
    "Where are you going?" Jake asked.
    "To make a rash decision," he muttered, heading for the stairs.
    Jake was right. He couldn't wait too long. Some things needed more decisive action, and until now, he'd been content to just let things happen. For now though, he needed to do something. The stairs passed underneath him two at a time as he practically flew up the steps.
    His hand rapped softly on the door to Joanna's office.
    "Come in," she called.
    He opened the door slightly, sticking his head in. "Can I talk to Natasha out here for a moment?"
    "Sure," she said, gesturing for the two of them to do whatever they needed.
    "Thanks," he said, opening the door more to let Natasha out, before closing it behind him.
    "What do you—"
    She shut up as his lips met hers, his hand cupping her chin to lift it up to him.
    At first there was surprise and shock in her reaction, but after a moment, she began to fall into it, her hands coming up around his neck. Fire rushed through his body as he stuck his tongue into her mouth, his hands wrapping around her waist, pushing her up against the wall on the other side of the hallway.
    He caught himself before his hands went further, pulling away abruptly.
    "I'm sorry," he apologized, trying to rein himself in, controlling his wolf and his human side at once. "I had to though. I needed to see if I was right about something."
    "And were you?" she whispered, as if afraid to hear the answer.
    "Completely."

Chapter Seven
    Natasha
    She stumbled back into Joanna's office as Bryce disappeared back down the stairs, not having uttered another word. His silver-gray eyes had been alight as he stared at her for several moments after kissing her, glowing with desire.
    Her own chest was heaving as she tried to calm herself. That one brief kiss with Bryce had ignited her entire system as if it was a match put to tinder. The blaze had burned just as brightly and briefly before he had pulled away. Part of her wanted to call him back, to see if the second felt just as electrifying, terrifying, and exhilarating as the first. Something told her it would be like that for forever.
    Forever.
    That was a rather strong word to be bandying about in regard to someone she barely knew. But Natasha had to be honest. If whatever was going on with Bryce wasn't love at first sight, she had no idea what it was. The two of them meshed so well, melded together as if they were two parts of the same unit.
    "Everything okay out there?" Joanna asked suspiciously as she closed the door behind her.
    How could she answer that? Everything was perfect and in tatters at the same time. Her heart was alive, but her professional reputation was falling apart faster than she could blink. Less than a week at the new job and already kissing one of the employees who reported to her.
    "Did he just kiss you?" Joanna said, rising up from her seat when Natasha failed to reply.
    "That is far too mild of a word," she mumbled, sliding down into her chair, still in shock from what had happened. Had he kissed her? Or had it been mutual despite him doing the work?
    "Well, how was it?" her