Page 40 of Furry Equations
Time passed in a blur of heated touches and meaningful looks. They played their parts perfectly—the successful businessman and his enchanting new girlfriend—but there was nothing fake about the way her body responded to his every touch. Nothing pretend about the desire in his eyes when he watched her.
At the bar, Marcus ordered scotch while Natalie requested a dirty martini. His thumb traced circles on her hip as they waited, the simple touch sending sparks through her entire body.
“You’re distracting me,” she murmured, leaning into him.
“Good.” His lips brushed her ear. “Because you’ve been driving me crazy all night in this dress.”
Heat bloomed across her skin. “That’s kind of the point, isn’t it? We’re supposed to look like a couple who can’t keep their hands off each other.”
“Who’s pretending?” His hand slid lower on her back, possessive. “Every man in here wants you. But you’re mine.”
The words sent a thrill through her that had nothing to do with their cover. She turned in his arms, pressing closer than strictly necessary for their act. “Yours, huh? That’s pretty audacious, Mr. Vale.”
His eyes darkened. “Tell me I’m wrong.”
She couldn’t. That was the scary part—the way her body, her heart, her very soul seemed to recognize him ashers. She’d never believed in instant connections, in chemistry that defied scientific explanation. But Marcus Vale had crashed into her life and rewritten all her carefully constructed theories about love.
“Cat got your tongue, Dr. Grant?” His thumb traced her bottom lip.
“More like wolf,” she managed, earning a low laugh that made her stomach flip.
Over his shoulder, she caught Gray Tie watching them intently. “We’ve got overly interested eyes on us.”
“Good.” Marcus turned them smoothly, making it look like an intimate dance as he surveyed the room. “Let them see exactly what they’re up against.”
“And what’s that?”
His expression turned predatory. “A wolf protecting what’s his.”
Before she could process that declaration, he kissed her again. This one was different from their earlier kisses—deeper, more possessive.
When they finally broke apart, she swallowed hard. “That wasn’t very professional,” she whispered.
“Nothing about how I feel for you is professional.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “You’re in my blood, Natalie. My wolf recognized you the moment we met.”
Her heart thundered. “What are you saying?”
“You know what I’m saying.” His hand cupped her face. “You feel it too. This connection between us—it’s more than attraction. More than chemistry.”
“Marcus—“
“Tell me you don’t feel it.” His voice was rough with emotion. “Tell me I’m imagining how perfect you fit in my arms, how your heart races when I touch you, how everything in you reaches for me the way everything in me reaches for you.”
She swallowed hard. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s true.” The admission felt like jumping off a cliff. “I’ve never felt anything like this. It terrifies me and thrills me and I can’t stop wanting more.”
His kiss this time was gentle, almost reverent. “Then stop fighting it.”
“That easy, huh?”
“Nothing about you is easy, sweetheart.” His smile held equal parts affection and heat. “But you’re worth every battle.”
Movement caught her eye—Gray Tie was on his phone, speaking urgently. “Something’s happening.”
Marcus tensed, though his expression remained casual. “Time to go?”