Free Hear No Evil (Alpha Guardians Book 2) by Vivian Wood Page B

an awkward pat on the arm. “Nice work on the map, though.”
    Cassie blew out a breath, frustrated by his brief touch. He’d been like this all week, checking her out when he thought she wasn’t looking, then the next moment pretending that he was all business. After the way he’d touched her at Bellocq, Cassie had thought that maybe he’d at least be interested in something physical growing between them. But no. Not so much as a kiss on the cheek since then.
    Never mind the fact that Cassie had caught Gabriel adjusting himself to hide his arousal countless times in the last few days. She screwed up her mouth, deciding to test him, see just how professional his feelings toward her really were.
    Gabriel turned to leave the room, but Cassie stepped right up to him and caught the hem of his t-shirt, tugging him to a halt.
    “Wait,” she said softly.
    Gabriel turned back, his expression shifting from surprise to hunger to guilt in the space of a few seconds.
    “Cass,” he said, wrapping his fingers around her hand. He stared at her hand for a few moments, looking uncertain, then raised it and placed a kiss on her wrist, just where her pulse pounded. When he released her, Cassie turned the tables on him, grabbing his wrist and jerking him toward her body.
    Of course, his greater size meant that Cassie mostly pulled her body against his, but it didn’t matter. She threw her arms around his neck and raised up on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to his. Gabriel was still for a fleeting instant, and then he responded with a groan, taking the kiss deeper.
    They were breathless in moments, clinging to one another, hungry for each other. It nearly killed Cassie to pull her lips from Gabriel’s, but she needed to understand what was between them.
    “Why have you been avoiding this?” she asked, scanning his face as she tried to catch her breath. “I know you want me this way.”
    She brushed her hips against his, conscious that he was hard and wanting.
    “Cass, Cass,” he said, desire just as plain in his eyes. “I— I don’t know that I can have a mate. It’s… I can’t…”
    Cassie brushed another kiss over his lips.
    “I don’t need forever,” she said. “Maybe I’m not a forever kind of girl.”
    Gabriel reared back, his expression darkening.
    “Don’t say that,” he growled. “You’re not some casual…”
    Cassie would have laughed at his lack of words to describe her if she wasn’t so frustrated with him just now.
    “Maybe you’re the one who’s not casual!” she snapped, then she gave a bitter laugh at her own words. “Actually, I take that back. According to Cairn, you’ve had a revolving door for hookups since the second you arrived in New Orleans.”
    Gabriel had the decency to look a little abashed.
    “Not since you came to the Manor,” he argued.
    “And you think that makes me feel better? You’ll fuck all the… faceless flings! But me? No, no. Me, you won’t touch with a ten foot pole.” She pushed out of his embrace with a scowl. “If it’s not attraction and it’s not an aversion to physical… activity, I’m going to have to assume that you genuinely don’t like me as a person.”
    Gabriel’s mouth opened, a befuddled expression on his face.
    “That is absolute horse shit!” he barked. “Of course I like you. I more than like you.”
    “Really?” Cassie scoffed. “Prove it!”
    She assumed that he’d take her challenge as a dare to consummate whatever lay between them right here, right now, but of course Gabriel surprised her. Damn man and his sweet, romantic, stupid brain.
    “Dinner,” he said, catching her wrist and pulling her close. His irate expression clashed with his words, and Cassie stared at him in confusion.
    “You’re thinking about food right now?” she asked.
    “No, I—” Gabriel stopped and growled, baring a gleaming row of perfectly white teeth for a moment. “Stop putting me off track. I’m trying to ask you on a proper date,