Siren Song (31 page)

Turning her head, her smile faltered for a moment as she realized Lexi was a human. Keeping her eye on Lexi, her lips forced upwards in a tight grin, she asked, “And who is this?”

“
Hi,” Lexi beamed, sticking her hand out and pumping Marissa’s hand when the she-wolf offered it. “I’m Lexi Darling, but you can call me Lexi; I work with Duncan at his new magazine.”

Marissa looked at Lexi then she looked at Duncan and arched a perfect blond eyebrow, “I didn’t realize Duncan was sleeping with his employees now.”

Lexi burbled with laughter, “Well, it took a lot of effort on my part but I finally wore him down. This bar is fantastic, by the way. Duncan says you brew your own beer and you make the world’s best cheeseburger; I’m dying to see if he’s right but judging by the smell, I’d have to say he wasn’t lying.”

Slightly taken aback by the girl, Marissa looked like she was ready to try to make an escape. While the bar was open to the public, most humans were slightly uneasy around so many wolves and those that did venture in tended to keep to their own kind. Lexi’s enthusiasm made Duncan adore her that much more. With a grin, he wrapped his arm around Lexi’s waist, “We’ll take a couple of cheeseburgers and two bottles of the Black Wolf Dark.”

“
Ooh, that sounds delicious,” Lexi enthused, following Duncan over to a booth, her eyes absorbing everything, sparkling with admiration and making him feel a thousand feet tall. Sitting down, she slid into the seat next to him, not giving him any space. Not that he was complaining; if he could, he would have pulled her closer. “Do you know if they sell their brews? I would love to get some for my family; my brothers would absolutely die for this place.” Pressing a kiss just beneath his jaw, she whispered, “Thank you for bringing me her; it’s… it’s just fantastic.”

“
Thank you,” he said gruffly, his cheeks turning faintly red.

That wonderful burble of laughter came from Lexi again and when he looked at her, she was smiling at him, “It’s your bar, isn’t it?”

His smile was a little guilty but very proud, “Guilty as charged. It is mine but my p… friends run it completely.”

She laughed again, “We have more in common than you think, then.”

“
In what way?”

“
I co-signed the loan so Dima could open his bar, well, nightclub; whatever.” She chuckled, shaking her head in self-mockery. “I will probably have to put a qualifier in my piece when I write it up even though I have absolutely nothing to do with it. I even refuse to work there.” Looking around the bar once more, she sighed, “I think I would work here, though; it is so comfortable. I could imagine hanging out here, drinking beer, chatting with friends; I just love it, Duncan.”

That stupid emotion welled in his chest again but he continued to ignore it. “Later on we can go to the back room and shoot some pool or throw some darts?”

“
Really?” she beamed. “I’ll have you know that I am an abysmal pool player. I figure out all of the geometry and line up my shot but somewhere between me pulling back the cue stick and pushing it forward to strike the ball I lose it and either send the ball flying off the table or barely moving it at all. It is not pretty but I do enjoy playing.”

He was about to reply when an irritatingly familiar brunette slid into the booth across from them, a mischievous smile on her lips, “I recognize that shirt; isn’t that my shirt, Duncan? Would you care to explain to me how it ended up on another woman?”

Before Duncan could answer, Lexi was out of her seat and sliding into the booth next to the newcomer. Duncan had to chuckle at the look of horror on the brunette’s face as Lexi gave her a fierce hug, “You must be Jillian. I am so glad you had some clothes at Duncan’s house otherwise I would have had to go out in public naked and there are laws against that you know. I’m Lexi, by the way; Lexi Darling. I work….”

“
She’s sleeping with me,” Duncan interrupted before Lexi could tell that preposterous truth again. Jillian’s eyes widened even further but Lexi chuckled like he knew she would. “Jillian, this is my date. Be nice.”

“
When am I not nice?” Jillian pouted, her expression easing as she examined the situation more closely and realized Lexi wasn’t a threat. “But mom will want to hear about this.”

“
Let it rest, puppy,” Duncan murmured good-naturedly, glancing up and seeing Marissa motioning for him to join her. Excusing himself, he walked over to the stunning blond, not entirely comfortable leaving Lexi with his sister, who would pelt her with questions. “What is it?”

“
Most of the pack has shown up,” she said, a sly smile on her face letting him know that she sent the call out that he was there. “We were hoping you’d go running with us; nothing too far, just a quickie and then I’ll bring out your food and you and your, ahem, date, can enjoy your time together.”

“
Watch yourself, Marissa,” he warned softly, glancing over his shoulder at Lexi and catching her staring at him with a soft, dreamy expression that made his heart skip a beat or two.

“
But she’s a human,” Marissa hissed, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Despite having Duncan as her Alpha, knowing his family history, she was still very weary of wolf-human relationships. She could deal with the occasional human that came into the bar or even the occasional fuck but she didn’t like the idea of wolves taking a human for anything more than some sport.

He sighed, “Don’t worry, Mar; I don’t plan on taking a human for a mate.”

“
So she’s strictly casual?” Marissa asked, her voice laced with doubt.

“
It’s all she can be,” was his telling reply. “Let me go excuse myself and then we can run.”

She let the matter drop but he knew she wouldn’t let it rest for long. Of course, he would come in next week and let her know that he had let Lexi go; that would appease her and she wouldn’t have to worry.

“
Hey, you,” Lexi murmured, standing up and wrapping her arms around his waist as she gave him a warm hug. “Is everything all right?”

“
Of course,” he fudged. “Um, I’m going to take care of some… personal business while I’m here but it won’t take long and while you’re waiting you can play a game of pool with Jillian.”

She chuckled, “Okay, but hurry back.”

Going up on her toes, pressing her luscious body against his, she gave him a reason to hurry. And as he walked away, he had to adjust his erection, wondering if he was ever going to get enough of the intoxicating Lexi. Walking out the back, he saw the pack gathered, some already in their wolf forms, others stripping down. All of them turned when he appeared, the smiles on their faces genuine and warm as they greeted him.

Marissa stepped out of the shadows already naked but still in her human form. She had a spectacular body, curvy and sexy; but Duncan preferred Lexi by far. With a wry smile at his thoughts, he stripped off his clothes, his cock sticking straight out from his body from Lexi’s kiss. He jumped when Marissa wrapped her hand around his penis and whispered in his ear, “Lose the human; we’ll find a place in the woods and mate as wolves.”

He chuckled, prying her fingers off his penis knowing she didn't mean anything by it; she was just trying to establish her position in the pack. “I’m sorry, my dear, but this erection is for Lexi. Now, let’s run.”

With a sigh, she shifted into the gorgeous blond wolf he knew so well. As the others shifted, he let the wolf out, feeling him relish the opportunity to run. His bones shifted, his vision changed, and then he was on his four paws, panting and eager to begin. With a series of barks, the pack was off, crashing through the wooded area and being wolves.

*****

“
Duncan’s never brought a date here before,” Jillian said as she chalked the end of her pool cue. “He must really like you.”

“
It’s just really great sex,” Lexi teased, her belly still buzzing with arousal. When Duncan had put on a black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans that cupped his hard ass, Lexi just about came right then and there. He looked amazing in a suit, all sexy and powerful; but in jeans and a t-shirt…. He was sinfully yummy, like hot fudge melted all over a hot brownie, topped with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. “You cannot imagine the things he can do with his tongue.”

“
Ew,” Jillian groaned, her amber eyes dancing with laughter. “I do not want to hear about my brother’s sex life.”

Lexi really liked Jillian; the girl was comfortable in her own skin and was blunt, which Lexi appreciated. She much preferred honesty over pretentiousness. And she absolutely loved Duncan’s bar; it was what Duncan was beneath the stern, business-suit exterior: warm, comfortable, dependable, safe. And of course, gorgeous, but that pretty much described Duncan in whatever guise he wore. “Do you come here often?”

She couldn’t imagine her family every stepping foot in Dima’s bar; even if they knew she had co-signed the loan. And as much as she loved Dima and adored his nightclub, she much preferred the old world charm of Duncan’s place.
Skin
was for flashy people looking to be in the spotlight and while Lexi was flashy, she still wasn’t interested in being the center of attention. Except for Duncan. She felt comfortable in her own skin at
The Black Wolf
, which reminded her about the dream she had had the night before. Maybe it hadn’t been a dog at all but a wolf.

That would actually make a lot more sense.

“
I come here every chance I get,” Jillian said enthusiastically. “All of us come here to hang out so I always know that somebody will be here to play with.”

“
I’m more used to
Skin
,” Lexi admitted. “That’s where my roommate works and I tend to spend any free Friday or Saturday evening there.”

“
Ooh, I love that place.” Taking her shot, Jillian fanned her face for dramatic effect, “They have the sexiest bartenders in the city. In fact, one of my best friends is sleeping with one; she says that it’s the best sex she’s ever had and she’s been with Duncan.”

“
Are you talking about Ashley?” Lexi had to squash the little green monster that tried to raise its head at the mention of Ashley sleeping with Duncan. She knew that, had known it from the very beginning; she shouldn’t be jealous of something that was in the past.

“
Oh my God!” Jillian cried out, drawing the attention of several patrons. Pointing her finger at Lexi, disbelief and delight on her face, she exclaimed, “You’re the blond!”

Lexi actually felt the heat creep into her cheeks, but why she should be embarrassed she had no idea; it’s not like she slept with him that night. And even if she had, it wouldn’t have mattered. “You were there that night?”

“
We were expecting to hang with Ashley and Duncan that night,” she explained. “Except he bailed on us and went home with the blond – with you. Wow, this is kind of cool.”

Knowing that Duncan chose her over his friends should have made her feel bad; it didn’t. But she felt a little bit bad for not feeling bad at all. Curious in spite of her lack of guilt, she asked, “How did Ashley end up going home with Dima?”

“
How do you know who she went home with?”

“
I got home as she was leaving,” Lexi gave a flippant shrug of her shoulders. As Jillian continued to stare at her, she added, “Dima’s one of my roommates.”

It took a moment to sink in but when it did, Jillian giggled, the sound charming and sensual. In fact, now that she took a moment to think about it –and Duncan wasn’t around to mess up her senses – Lexi realized almost everyone in the bar exuded an almost animal sensuality, magnetism. And yet they had all been deferential to Duncan, with the exception of his sister, who was a normal sibling pain in the butt. It was fascinating.

“
Shortly after you left the bartender came up with a tray of shots,” Jillian chuckled. “He sat the tray down and then he sat down right next to Ashley and started flirting like mad, not caring that there was a group of us there. When Marsters cleared his throat, the guy, uh, Dima, simply motioned towards the shots and, without taking his eyes off Ash, said, “Drink up, I’m busy.” I think that was the moment Ashley decided to sleep with him though she let him buy the table drinks for the rest of the night. It was a good night.”

Lexi chuckled at Dima’s antics; it was just like him, single-minded and determined. “It was certainly a good night for Dima and Ashley.”

"Oh, yeah," Jillian chuckled, gossiping about Ashley's night with Dima.

After nearly forty-five minutes of mindless chatter and pool playing where Lexi sank a total of two balls, Duncan appeared, looking disheveled and wind-blown but also happy and relaxed. Spying her, he walked over to her, his gait looser and more fluid. And as he wrapped his arms around her, his scent wrapped itself around her, too: the clean, crisp freshness of night. Pressing her nose against the curve of his neck and closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, wishing she could bottle the scent so she could take it out whenever she wanted to simply breathe it in.

“
You smell absolutely sinful; I want to eat you up,” she purred, her body responding to the wind-blown, wild smell of Duncan. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Marissa step back inside, buttoning up the last two buttons of her shirt and patting down her hair. When the blond spied Duncan, she gave him a sultry smile and Lexi felt jealously eating her bones. Stiffening, trying to remain unaffected because her time with Duncan wasn’t supposed to mean anything, she stepped back and asked in what she hoped was a light, nonchalant voice, “So, did you play a game of strip poker? Did you both lose or something?”