Chapter 1
Sparrow Williams expected the worst when she walked into Cougar Construction. What she wasn’t expecting was the hottie sitting behind the front desk. Everything from the top of his shaggy golden head to his muscular tattooed forearms screamed sexiness.
She couldn’t help her attraction. He exuded power, an alpha’s power. And he was big. His broad shoulders hinted at just how giant he would be when he stood up. A strong nose, broken once or twice, defined cheekbones and a square dimpled chin told of his superior genes. She could imagine tracing the lines of his tattoos with her tongue and finding out where they led to. If she hadn’t been told she was working for shifters she would have thought he was a god.
He definitely didn’t look like the owner of a renowned construction company but more like a biker and straight out of her wet dreams. Down kitty. We’re here to keep Jack Kale in line not fuck every male in sight.
“Can I help you? Strip for you maybe?” He looked up at her, his jade green eyes locking with hers. He smiled as she coughed and composed herself. His eyes trail down her body, taking in curves made for loving, an ass to hold as he claimed her. He licked his lips thinking about how sweet her skin would taste. He smelled the lingering effects of her heat, the faint acrid smell of the suppressant she was taking and her growing arousal. He could imagine spending time in bed with her as soon as he figured out what kind of shifter she was. Damn drug.
“You must be Jack Kale. I’m Sparrow Williams, the new secretary,” She watched his flirty demeanor morph into a cold blank mask.
“Thank you for coming but I don’t need a secretary. Especially a female still dealing with the lingering effects of her heat and masked scent.” Damn his father for hiring such a tempting morsel. How was he supposed to keep his dick clean when all he wanted to do was sink it into his gorgeous new secretary?
“I’m taking a suppressant and my scent will be back to normal in a couple of days.” She bit her lip to keep from snarling at him.
He glared at her. The woman really was too tempting. He wanted to sooth where she had bitten her lip and then bite it for her. Right before he laid her across his desk. “I don’t care. Leave.” For his own sanity.
She snorted. If he treated all women like this then she didn’t understand why she was needed to keep him in line. “Are you always and asshole? Or is it just me?”
“Just you.” Only because I can’t fuck you into oblivion like I want to.
She chuckled and sat down in front of him. “To think I was hired to keep your dick in your pants. I just need to keep you in this mood all the time.”
“Obviously you can’t take a hint. If you don’t leave in the next 30 seconds I’ll forcibly remove you from this office,” he growled. Or take you back to my lair and never let you leave until you had at least three cubs. Fucking hell.
“No you will not,” Lachlan said as he walked into the office stopping next to Sparrow. “I hired her to keep you in line, not for you to toss out the door.” He looked at Sparrow with his jade green eyes that were just as mesmerizing as his son’s. “Miss Sparrow, I am Lachlan Kale. I am sorry for my sons appalling behavior. He thinks we do not need a secretary.”
“If you hadn’t fired Char we wouldn’t need one,” Jack growled.
“If you had kept your dick in your pants instead of screwing every female you meet I would not of had to replace her.” Lachlan looked at his son dispassionately.
Sparrow chuckled. “All he has to do is treat the women like he treated me after he found out who I was.”
“I usually have to beat them off with a stick,” Jack growled. Tempting little minx. Keep taunting the tiger and see what happens.
“Must have been the desperate ones,” she snarled. The thought of someone receiving any kind of affection from Jack angered her. She wanted to hunt them down and turn them into dog kibble. Damn this heat. Making her go psycho for an asshole.
Interesting. Lachlan looked between the two of them and had to stop from chuckling. “If you do not want me to call your cousin Parker and have him come take over then I suggest you play nice with Miss Sparrow.”
I’ll play nice all right. When she’s tied to my bed and wearing my mark. Fuck! “That lazy cougar would run this place into the ground.”
Lachlan just stared at his son with a look asking if he really wanted to go there.
Jack snarled. “Make yourself at home Miss Williams. I’ll be on site if you need me.” Right after I go home and rub one out. He stalked out of the office slamming the door behind him.
Lachlan had noticed the state his son had been in and wished that Moira was here to witness it. They would have both fallen over in laughter. He sighed at the thought of his missing mate. “I’m sorry for my son’s behavior.” He pulled a sheaf of papers out from under his arm. “Here is the paperwork I will need you to fill out. A list of necessary numbers is included along with the computer password. I will bring you your own set of keys tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” She accepted the sheaf of papers and moved around to the other side of the desk. She nearly moaned in ecstasy as Jack’s scent enveloped her. She sat down in his vacated seat and hoped that Lachlan didn’t smell her arousal.
“No thank you for taking the job. You were highly recommended by your superiors. I am hoping that Jack will have accepted your presence by next week.”
“Next week? Why by next week?” Her mother always told her that curiosity got the kitty in trouble but in this case curiosity got explanations.
“Yes. I am retiring from both the pride and the family business. At the end of next week I will be leaving for Jamaica.” And when he came back maybe have some grandcubs on the way. “If you need anything just call me. Lock up when you go to lunch. I doubt Jack will be coming back to the office today.” He removed his office key from his key ring. “Just use my key until I am able to bring you your own.”
She smiled at him as she took the key. He reminded her of her father before everything went to hell. “Thank you and I will.” She watched him leave before going out to her car and grabbing a small box of things she used to have at her old desk. As she was walking back into the office she didn’t see the figure coming up behind her.
“Hello.”
Sparrow whirled around not expecting someone behind her. The petite woman behind her exuded happiness. “Can I help you?”
“I’m Gabriella, Gabby for short. I’m the new electrician.” She paused and Sparrow looked at her wondering if she needed anything. “My friends and I were wondering if you wanted to go to lunch with us. Sorta like a welcome to the neighborhood gesture.”
Sparrow smiled at the perky woman. “Sure I would like that.”
Gabby smiled widely. “Ok see you at lunch.” She bound away causing Sparrow to liken her to a puppy. She chuckled and walked back into the office. At least she met someone nice today unlike a certain jerk of a boss. She growled as she thought of him. She refused to be treated like that again.
