Mated to the Wilde Bear

“Are you always so persistent about your job?” he asked.

“Are you always so hard to work with?” she shot back. He laughed.

Laurel leaned in, drawn to the way he seemed to let all his walls down when he laughed. She wanted to be the one to make him laugh.

“Not always,” he admitted. “Only for you, it seems. You bring out the grumpy alpha in me.”

She felt her lips curving. “Funny, I was hoping only to bring out the grumpy alpha in myself.”

His brow quirked. “You like being in charge, huh?”

She tried to decide whether he was poking fun at her, but he looked serious enough. “I guess I like being in control of things,” she admitted. “Probably a little too much sometimes. It’s a gift and a curse. But I’m pretty sure my boss calls it management material.” In fact, her boss, Gerald, was the only friend she’d made here and the only one she let joke with her like that. Until now.

He grinned. “You’re way more fun when you’re not trying to piss people off.”

practically feel his hot breath on her face, she couldn’t remember why she’d want to make him mad enough to

darkened. “What do you mean? Did one of them

said quickly. She put her hand on his chest to stop him from getting so riled up and the same jolt shot through her again. Just like

me feel strangely alive,” he murmured

the crap out of me.” She felt

exposed—but Xavier just gave

her secret safe, and here was her opportunity. If she shut him down now, she was sure he wouldn’t try again. But in the end, she couldn’t. Something about Xavier Wilde called to her. And not just her animal, but her; the woman. She wasn’t

past. Rejection. I guess that’s why I piss people off. Keeps them

before she could be sure, but she had her suspicions. People at work talked. Rumors, mostly, since none of them knew Xavier personally, but she’d heard about his past. The parties and the

was? Hard to believe someone like Xavier Wilde was scared of getting close to anything. But

tentative hand on

throat, and when he re-focused, he studied her so intently she knew there was no other thought on his mind besides her. “I know what you mean about keeping people out,” he said quietly. “I know a thing or two about that.” He cast a quick glance behind her, probably at his guys. She had no doubt they were watching and listening to the entire exchange. But she didn’t care. Not when Xavier was staring at her like she was the sun. “My crew taught me that’s

that,” she said,

head yes he’d already slid his arm around her hip and