Elixxir (The Brethren Series) by Deena Remiel Page A

dropped.
     
     
    What the hell was that all about ? Did he do what I think he did ? Damn. The man just came on to me ! Anger warred with arousal as she tore the tags off her new clothes and collected her things from the bench. She whipped the curtain open and stormed out toward the cashier’s counter where the insufferable oaf leaned nonchalantly.
    She gave the tags to the salesgirl, smiled, and turned to him, speaking in a hushed but intense voice. “You and I are gonna have words when I’m done here.” She heard him snort as she turned back to the girl and smiled, paying for her clothes, but paying him no mind. Grabbing the plastic bag with a couple pairs of skinny jeans and her own shorts and top inside, she marched past Nathanael and out the door.
    “Have a great night!” an oblivious saleswoman called out to her. She waved her off with a grunt and a “Whatever.”
    She watched as the overly-confident Neanderthal sauntered out of the store and headed straight over to her. Even though they were outside, he seemed to take up all the usable space in the immediate vicinity.
    “You got words for me, Red?”
    “I got plenty for you, Nate.” She poked his chest, trying to push him back a bit. “Wanna hear some? How about, you’re a jerk for walking into my dressing room without permission? How about, what the hell was that back there, asking my dress size and calling me sexy as hell? How about—”
    Her next words were gobbled up by a hot, urgent mouth pressed against her own. Strong hands held her shoulders, guiding her closer to his body as he deepened his assault on her lips. At first, she didn’t know what to do. He’d shocked the hell out of her with his aggression. She couldn’t help noticing some of her protective walls had been torn asunder, and well-guarded ramparts were crumbling. Eyes that at first had flown open wide were now fluttering closed as her mind claimed temporary insanity.
    She gave in. Her hands crawled up his stomach to his chest and on up to his face, where she held him and retaliated with her own brand of attack. Their tongues, like swords, thrust and parried while she let her hands roam onward through his thicket of wavy black hair.
    A horn blared, bringing her back to reality and the cracked sidewalk where she stood, with lips being molested by a beautifully dangerous man. Not again ! I won’t fall for another employee of Brethren Security ! She ripped herself away and stepped back. Breathing heavily, she shot him a look she hoped would convey death if he so much as moved an inch toward her. In case he wasn’t good at reading signals, she raised her hands to stop any forward advance. To his credit, he looked possibly even more stunned than she, and stood his ground.
    “I…I’m sorry. First, you were looking all pouty, and then you were in my face all angry, and I don’t know what came over me.” He raked a hand through his hair.
    “You don’t know? Well, I’d hate to see what you’d do when you do have your wits about you.” She shook her head. “Nate, I can’t…we can’t….”
    “I know. I know. You don’t have to spell it out for me. Come on, let’s go to the bus station and try to forget what just happened. Let’s do what we came here to do.”
    “Right. That’s all I want. And to stay alive.”

 
     
    Chapter Eight
     
     
    Nathanael pulled the Harley into a parking space close to the entrance of the bus terminal. He tapped her knee, signaling her to get off, and grabbed her hand possessively, letting anyone who cared to know that she was his property. She flinched at first, but when he gave her his go-along–with-me-or-else look, she seemed to get the hint.
    As they entered the station, they squeezed through a wall of unsavory people. His senses were bombarded by the flickering fluorescent lighting and an acrid odor of urine and cleaning fluid. Immediately, he raised his olfactory shields at the offense. Looking over at Callie, he saw her grimacing