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It took everything Cooper had to hide his relief "I’ed to say "Need to run But I think a few of the others are hanging in the break room"
"We’ll save you a slice" Shamus turned, ran backward for a few feet "I was just outside Still raining on and off, but the wind’s gone flat and the moon’s actually out - best view is past the taterfalls"
"Thanks" Cooper shoved his cell phone back into his pocket as the senior soldier disappeared around the corner, and bracing his palave in to a shudder
He knew his response was extre froht be expected from a SnowDancer lieutenant No woman wanted to be with a man ouldn’t pere Which hy he had to get a grip on hi under his breath, he h the chaotic haze of his eo after Grace with every cell of his being, needed desperately to scent her alive and well, but he’d alreadyhis way to the den instead, darabbed some dinner fro in his office
As was usual when he was alone in his office at this tiht, more than one member of the pack dropped by to talk or ask for advice It kept him busy, and he was fine for the first half hour, okay for the second The third and fourth were like having nails pounded into his flesh The only thing thatGrace wasn’t alone and that Sha happened, Cooper would have the information within minutes
Finally, he saw the woh the dark of the night outside before the SUV slid silently into the underground garage He forced hie and settle in, then stalked down to knock on her door
This ti pack to a woman’s room, and as Grace’s boss had returned that afternoon, Cooper couldn’t excuse it on the grounds of a systeency He knew they were close to busted Good
He needed people to know she was his, that he should be told if she was ever in any trouble
The lack of secrecy would also give hieously as he liked
When the door opened to reveal her clad in paja fluffy white sheep, along with a soft black T-shirt that caressed her with the finesse of a lover, her hair tu over her shoulders in a dark cloud, he had to take a deep, deep breath to restrain his instinctive response to thrust his hands into the luxuriant mass, tilt back her neck, and bite
She’d scared hi, but he also knew his scars weren’t Grace’s fault
She’d acted as any feranted; she could have no idea of the violent response she’d incited in him
And if he had his way, she never would
Cooper didn’t want his nightmares to shadow the life he intended to build with her
"Hello, Grace" He leaned against the doorja to hide his appraisal of her beautiful body When her nipples pushed against the ashed fabric of her tee as her breath hitched, he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra, and self-control beca here the other day"
"What?" Pulse thudding in her throat, she sed "Oh, yes, I put it right here" She went to get it, paused, turned back "You did it on purpose" Ser on her lips "Did I?"
Chest rising and falling in an increasingly rapid rhyth pushy" It was a husky accusation
He shrugged, his wolf prowling to the surface of his entleness with her hadn’t been feigned - he adored coaxing and petting Grace, but she needed to see and accept this side of him, too He’d intended to ease her into it, but she’d changed his plans with her rebellion, aroused the primal core of his nature
"Your fault, you know"
Her hand clenched on the edge of the door "Mine?"
"You did challenge ht" In her oay "You knoolf e from a female"
Her cheeks colored that pretty color he wanted to lick up froe"
"Don’t be a liar now" A slow tease "I got theposition to brace his hands on the top of the doorway, blocking her from the view of those in the corridor This woht
"Invite e," shefir, sexy, beautiful wo one hand, letting her see it so she wouldn’t startle, he ran a finger over her cheek "All you need to do is open the door a fraction wider"