Chapter Eight

Monday morning found Lucy at her desk, yawning. She was tired but well satisfied. She opened her purse, pulled out an envelope. Inside was a stack of bills. Five hundred dollars, a gift from her wolf. In keeping with tradition, the Doms often gave a gift to their subs to show their appreciation for the weekend. But it wasn’t the cash that made her go gooey inside. It was an appointment card for one of their favorite, exclusive clubs.

The Wolf wanted to see her in two days. She sighed. Would he reveal his identity? She wanted so much to get to know him, all of him. What was he afraid of? Was he disfigured? Did he really think she’d care?

She closed her eyes and thought back to that last morning, the gentle loving in bed, a breakfast of Danishes, coffee, OJ, and fruit on their patio, then a long, leisurely kiss before he walked her, hand in hand, to the front of the mansion where a limo awaited to take her home.

The phone rang, startling her out of her daydreams. She took a message and hung up just as Bryce walked in and headed straight for his office. He spun around. Lucy narrowed her eyes. She was not happy with her boss.

“Did you tell her I’d be in today?”

She nodded. “Yes, sir.” Her voice was stiff and prim.

“Quit the formality, Lucy.”

Lucy slumped back in her chair. “I feel guilty, Bryce. She’s my friend. You’re my friend. What the hell got into you? Fifty grand? You made her feel like a whore. This would have thrilled her.” She waved her five bills. “A note inviting her to the club would have pleased her.”

“Yeah, but that wouldn’t have pissed her off.”

“You did that on purpose,” she said. Sneaky Toad. Jaimie had that one right.

He sighed, ran his hands through his hair, and dropped into the chair beside Lucy’s desk. “Yeah, I did. I blew it, okay?”

Lucy tilted her head to one side. “You fell for her, didn’t you?” Her boss looked miserable.

Bryce jumped up and paced. “I didn’t think I’d love anyone again after I lost Annie.”

Lucy grinned. Her boss had fallen hard. “Maybe I’m not quite so mad now.”

He rolled his eyes. “Better hold that judgment until I tell you about the special project I’ve assigned you. Going to require some overtime. You up for it?”

Lucy nodded. “Sure.”

Bryce set his briefcase on her desk and pulled out a large manila envelope. “Everything you need is in here. I’ll be in my office. Hold all calls.”

Lucy answered the ringing phone, took a message, turned on her computer, put on a pot of coffee, and was about to see what her new project entailed when Jaimie burst into her office.

She glared at Lucy, waved the damning check in the air. “I’m going to see him. Don’t even try to stop me.”

Lucy lifted a brow. “Wouldn’t dream of it.” She snagged Jaimie by the arm. “I’m sorry, Jaimie. I truly am.”

Jaimie sighed. “I don’t blame you, but that sneaky toad has some explaining to do.” Without waiting for Lucy to announce her presence, Jaimie stalked to the door, shoved it open, and slammed it behind her.

Lucy leaned back in her chair, her coffee cup in her hands, and hoped they worked it out. It pleased her that Bryce had fallen in love with Jaimie.

“You’re looking pleased.”

That voice! That geeky voice. Lucy turned her head to see Graham Winters standing in the doorway. For a moment, she saw the tall lean body of her wolf and only now realized they were of similar build and coloring. She smirked. And that’s where the similarities ended.

“Busy, Graham. Go play with your geeky friends down in the basement.”

Graham sauntered into Lucy’s office, sat on the corner of her desk, and looked his fill. After three exquisite days with her, last night had been long and lonely. She looked a bit tired. Maybe she was worried about Jaimie. The woman who’d been set up as an embezzler had ridden the elevator up with him, and her cloak of mad had smothered him. “Not a good weekend? Figured you’d come back rested and pleasant.”

She swatted him with her envelope. “Ass off. If you’re here for Bryce, you’ll have to wait. He’s not to be disturbed.”

“Yeah. He’s with Jaimie.”

Lucy lowered her brows. “How do you know?”

He shrugged. “Saw her on the elevator. Woman looked royally pissed. Guess she didn’t have a good weekend. Gotta say, mine was fantastic.”

“Good for you. Now begone.” She flicked her fingers. “I’ve got work to do.”

Grinning, Graham leaned over and tapped the envelope. “I suggest you open this. We need to talk about it.”

Frowning, she opened it and drew out a thick sheaf of documents. As she read the cover sheet, her brows rose in disbelief, then lowered into deeper, more displeased frown. His sub was not going to be pleased. He mentally rubbed his hands.

“Any questions?”

She glared at him. “Plenty. Like how did you manage this?”

He shrugged. “Bryce needs people he can trust. After what happened, his trust factor is a bit dented and thin.” He stood. “Gather what you need, Luc. You’re moving to my domain for a week or two.”

Lucy’s jaw fell. “No way. Someone has to be here. I can do my work from here.”

“Nope. Secure computers. No network.” He thumbed to the second page of her paperwork and pointed. “You are mine, Lucy.”

A shiver skated down Lucy’s spine. Graham’s voice had dropped a hair, and for a split second, he reminded her of her wolf. Her panties had even gone damp at the tone. She blinked. No wolf. Just a geek, and one who looked downright pleased that she had to go with him to the basement.

Now, if he told her he was taking her to the dungeon? Yeah, right. Graham probably had no idea what went on in the sexually liberated world. She’d bet the five bills in her purse he was as vanilla as they came.

She put thoughts of The Wolf from her mind and scanned the paperwork. Graham was right. She had to work with him in the geek basement. The scope of the project was both exciting and challenging. It was her job, and the geek’s, to make major security changes to the system and prevent another embezzling scheme.

If only she didn’t have to work with Graham. She sighed. No matter what she thought of geeks, he was geek god when it came to computers, and her boss trusted them both. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

Emily Aikens stood in the doorway. “I’m supposed to take your place while you’re working on another project?”

Lucy stood, gathered her purse, the paperwork, and a handful of files from the cabinet that lined the wall between her office and Bryce’s. She tipped her head to one side, heard muffled cries, and grinned as she turned back to Emily. “Bryce is unavailable. No phone calls, no visitors. Do not interrupt him, no matter what. I’ll write up a list of things that need doing and email it. Oh, there’s—”

“Emily can figure it out, Luc. Bryce wouldn’t have given her the assignment if she wasn’t capable of filling your shoes temporarily.” He grabbed the pile of files and, with an arm hooked around her shoulders, ushered her out the door.

Lucy was a bit flustered, and not just because of the sudden job relocation. Graham’s arm around her shoulders did funny things to her lower belly, as did the warmth and strength encompassing her.

He leaned down. “You looked like the cat who ate the canary when you were gathering those files. I take it Jaimie has found her prince?”

Lucy, trying not to think about his face so close to hers, made mental notes of what Emily needed to know.

“None of your business.” She entered the elevator and frowned when he punched the lobby button. “That’s not the basement.”

Leaning against the reflective walls, Graham smiled every bit as wolfish as her wolf. To her shock, her nipples puckered, and deep in her core, a slow tingle began.

“We’re not working here. We’ll be based at my home for this project.”

****

Lucy’s first glance at Graham’s house reminded her of how Jaimie reacted to Bryce’s mansion. Her jaw dropped, and awe filled her. It wasn’t quite as large as a mansion, but it was one hell of a house in the hills above the bay. For some reason, she’d assumed he’d have a typical single man’s apartment.

She’d known he was rich, but this exceeded her expectations. Inside, she received another surprise. No mismatched furniture and bare walls with clutter strewn around. His furniture was high quality, gleaming wood. Many were antiques. Pictures and art graced the walls. Several sculptures sat on smooth, shiny surfaces. “Wow. Not my idea of a geeky pad.”

He lifted a brow. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Luc.”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “I know enough. Let’s get to work.” She didn’t plan to spend any more time than necessary with the geek, even if he lived in the lap of luxury.

She followed him into an office. No clutter, no racks and tables of bare bone computer innards, hardware, and cables. Graham’s office consisted of two large desks in dark wood with matching bookcases, credenza, and hutches with glass doors. The room was larger than the living area of her apartment.

“This is yours.” He pointed to a U-shaped desk that looked new and faced his. “There’s a bathroom through those doors and a kitchenette in there with a small fridge, microwave, and coffee pot.”

Lucy peeked into both rooms. His office was almost as large as her apartment. She studied her desk. “You didn’t have to get another desk. A table would have been good enough.”

She sat in the leather chair and sighed as she noted she had everything to work here and be comfortable. Yeah, a table would have sufficed, but this was heaven on earth, better than her office at work. Okay, working from his home wouldn’t be drudgery.

“Wanted you to be comfortable. Besides, when I marry, my wife can share the office.”

The thought of Graham getting married and another woman sitting in her chair, at her desk, made her frown.

Graham planted his ass on the corner of her desk and grinned. “Let’s get to work.”

****

Hours later, Graham stretched his arms over his head. “You managing?”

Lucy nodded. Bryce had given them one hell of an assignment. Part of her task was to come up with stronger security measures like background checks, and that involved lots of legalese. “Yes.” Her stomach growled, and she realized she’d skipped breakfast.

Standing, he grinned. “Me, too. Starved. Let’s eat.”

She saved her work and followed him to the kitchen, peeking into rooms as they passed. She stopped in the doorway of a large room. A baby grand dominated one side. “Who plays?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “I do.” He shoved open a pocket door and pointed to the cozy, corner nook. “Have a seat.”

Sitting, Lucy stretched her arms overhead, then sat back to allow the warm sun to soak into her. She glanced out the windows. The small patio nearly reminded her of the one at Bryce’s mansion. Instead of being overgrown with flowers, planters and pots were arranged carefully along the edges. Steps led down to a wide expanse of grass.

“You have a beautiful place, Graham.” Woods surrounded the grassy meadow.

“Want to take a walk after we eat?” He set a basket of rolls and a platter of fruit and cheese in the center of the table, handed her a plate, fork, and linen napkin.

Spearing some juicy melon and fat, red grapes, she nodded. “I’d love to see your grounds.” She sighed wistfully. “Growing up, we used to go camping every summer. Lake Shasta or Pine Crest mostly.”

“How about Big Basin? All those redwoods?”

Grinning as she popped a grape into her mouth, she held up a finger, chewed, and swallowed. “Love the redwoods. But my absolute favorite place to go is Yosemite.”

“Hiking or rock climbing?” He made a show of sucking a grape into his mouth, his eyes twinkling.

She rolled her eyes and bit into a freshly baked roll. “Hiking. Won’t catch me clinging to some rock high off the ground. Nope. That’s crazy.”

“Agreed. What’s your favorite trail there? Mine’s the Mist Trail.” He leaned back, stretched his long legs out, brushing against hers beneath the table.

“Ah, Vernal and Nevada Falls. Those are great. Too many people though. I like the Snow Creek Trail. Not so crowded.” She laughed when he sat straight.

“That’s not one of the easy trails. What is it, five miles?” He stood and cleared their plates.

“Seven point two with an elevation gain of twenty-seven feet.” She rose to help with the clearing up, then went out onto the patio with him.

“So what kind of music do you play?” She honestly had no idea what to expect. The fact that he even played the piano was a surprise. Most geeks only played with their joysticks, controllers, or keyboards. They strolled along a path with a meadow on one side and trees on the other. Definitely reminded Lucy of her weekend with her wolf.

“A bit of everything. I guess I like New Age piano the best.” He grinned and sent her a strange look. “Even been known to play a waltz or two.”

“Hmm, I love to waltz.” She hummed and danced along the path. “Don’t suppose you dance?”

“Sure.” Graham gyrated his hips and flapped his arms and shuffled his feet.

Lucy burst out laughing. “Not precisely what I had in mind.”

He shrugged, then offered her his arm and led her onto a path that snaked through the woods. Their voices carried, arguments tempered with laughter.

****

Two weeks later, Lucy paced her apartment as she waited for Graham’s car. The man had his own driver. It still shocked her to discover he was as rich as Bryce was, if not richer. She shook her head. She’d never forget the first sight of his house or his furnishings. Even his kitchen was a dream. No mismatched plates, glasses, or silverware like she had. He even had a gleaming, copper cappuccino machine and knew how to make the yummiest lattes.

She peered out the window and saw the limo pull up. She grabbed her purse and briefcase and left her apartment. In the car, she found a go cup, a platter of fruit, and a single daisy, her favorite flower. Sighing, she leaned back.

“I could get spoiled,” she muttered and took a sip of the latte with a hint of rich mocha and caramel added.

Yawning, she pulled out her notes, but her neat handwriting blurred so she tucked it back into her purse. She was too tired. “What you get for being out till two. And not just last night.”

Every night for the last two weeks had been spent with The Wolf. She shifted on the leather seat. Sex last night had been utterly fantastic. As always.

Yet, something was missing. Sex was all she had with her wolf. At Bryce’s mansion, she’d had her Dom for three, wondrous days. She’d enjoyed the sex and games, of course, but she’d also enjoyed simply being with her wolf day and night.

They’d talked about normal everyday things like movies, books, and discovered common interests—museums, roller coaster rides, and dancing. When they met at the club, there wasn’t time for normal dating rituals. Their time together was intense. And sexual. With a start, she realized that sex wasn’t enough. She needed more. Most of all, she wanted to go to sleep with him at night and wake beside him each morning.

Noticing they’d arrived at Graham’s, she put her wolf from her mind. It took everything in her to keep up with Graham when he was in full geek mode.

He met her at the door. As was his habit, he wore a tee with a faded design and jeans, reminding her of a college boy, not a rich-as-sin man, but she had to admit the shirt clung to him and emphasized his broad shoulders and lean, tapered torso. His jeans might have a hole in the knee, but they were tight in the ass. As she followed him to the office, she wondered what he’d do if she reached out and dug her fingers into that tempting ass.

Lucy nearly dropped her coffee. Holy hell. She must really be tired to be tempted into ruining their working relationship. It was one thing to admire his body, after all, she was a woman who appreciated a good-looking man, but to actually think about taking it further? Especially with this man? No, not a good idea. Not good at all.

But as they set to work, she realized she’d softened toward Graham. He was attentive, made sure she understood what they were doing without resorting to geek speak, and during breaks, she discovered they had a lot in common.

Each day, after lunch, he took her for a walk in his woods where they discussed—or argued—about books, movies, and even politics. It surprised her that they had so much in common, even some of the same things she and her wolf both enjoyed. At least with Graham, she could, if she wanted, ride a roller coaster or go to a museum. Not so with her wolf, who showed no sign of ever revealing his identity.

She took another sip of her coffee. Another thing in common. She and her nerdy co-worker were both addicted to caramel. Too bad her geek wasn’t into dancing or spanking. Those were deal breakers. But he loved hiking and camping, loved Yosemite.

Putting both men from her mind, Lucy took her seat, flipped on her computer, took her notepad from her purse, and worked in silence, listening with a grin as Graham alternated between muttering and cursing, his fingers flying over the keys. Engrossed in her part of the project, she eventually tuned him out until he set a fresh cup of coffee in front of her.

“I’m taking you to dinner tonight. In the city.” He sat on her desk, which she now found endearing rather than annoying.

She set her purse into an empty cabinet and lifted a brow. “You’re telling me?”

He shrugged. “If I ask, you’ll say no.”

“I have plans.” With The Wolf.

He tipped her chin up. “Cancel them.” His lips brushed hers, then he deepened the kiss.

Lucy’s insides clenched at the feel of his warm mouth against hers and the taste of coffee with a hint of caramel, his favorite kind. She closed her eyes, her lips moving with his. His tongue dipped into her mouth, and she moaned, leaning into him.

Then he broke the kiss and walked away.

Lucy gaped at him. Her insides melted, and that familiar longing zeroed in on her center and pooled between her legs. Shit. She was attracted to her geek. Very attracted. Too bad he wasn’t her wolf. Now, if Graham were as good as her wolf in bed, she’d have found the perfect man.

She sighed. Yep, too bad. So what now? Two dates, two men equaled complications.

Her lips turned downward tightly as she got to work. She loved her wolf-lover, but their relationship was not completely satisfying or fulfilling. Not rounded and balanced. Graham, on the other hand, was open. She knew who he was, shared many common interests, and most of all, Graham didn’t have any secrets. What she saw was what she got with him. In a way, she preferred that to the mysterious and secretive.

“All right,” she said.

Graham glanced up, his eyes unfocused. “Huh?”

Realizing three hours had passed, and he was totally immersed in Geekland, Lucy wadded up a sheet of paper and tossed it at him. “Come back to earth, Graham. Dinner. Date. You. Me.”

His eyes cleared, and a huge grin lit his entire face. His blue eyes shone with pleasure. “Great.”

His smile slipped into a frown when she stretched her arms and back. “You tired? Need to stop?”

“Yeah, need to cancel my plans for tonight and stretch my legs. Want to walk outside with me?” His grounds were beautiful. Calm and restful with formal groupings, waterfalls, and a small forest that reminded her of the woods surrounding Bryce’s mansion, the woods where she and her wolf had played and strolled. She shook off the memories.

“Give me ten. You can go explore the house if you want. I forgot to give you the tour.” He grinned. “My bedroom is up the stairs, straight ahead.”

Lucy had been dying to see the rest of the house, and yes, that included the man’s bedroom, but she rolled her eyes for good form. Didn’t want him to know how eager she’d been to see the upstairs. “Okay. Twisted my arm.”

She left the office and headed for the stairs. She’d seen most of the downstairs from the formal living and dining rooms, the open, airy kitchen, a small, cozy family room, and of course, his huge office. The idea of seeing the man’s bedroom made her feel excited and sinful. What would it tell her about the man? She smirked. He probably had satin sheets and mirrors on the ceiling. Geeky. And clothes all over the floor.

No. If she’d learned one thing, the man was neat. The long corridor went both left and right, and beckoning in front of her, a shorter hall led to double doors. She decided to check out the other rooms first. She opened each one and found bedrooms, bathrooms, and at each end of the hall, a large, three room suite.

“Wow.” She walked around a suite done in peaches and creams. Leaving the room, she spotted a narrow staircase and climbed. The door at the end was locked. “Attic,” she decided.

Back on the second level, she took a deep breath, opened the double doors to Graham’s bedroom and stepped into another era, a very romantic era. A huge postered bed on a pedestal dominated the room. She ran her hand over the crimson and black satin spread. Matching curtains in a sheer fabric were tied to each post. The canopy matched.

An image of her wearing only heels with her hands tied to the bedpost sent her heart racing. “Down, girl. But damn, that’s a bed fit for a king.”

She peeked at the sheets. No cheap satin. Gray Egyptian cotton. She groaned at the feel. She should have known he’d have pricy, high-quality sheets that would feel like satin against her naked body. No, not hers. His.

Shit. Her body grew hot and uncomfortable thinking about Graham naked on those sheets, so she tore her gaze from the bed and noted the large sitting area in front of a fireplace. She wandered into not one, but two dressing areas and the biggest master bath she’d ever seen.

Another staircase led to the next floor. Attic again, she assumed. Back in the bedroom, she couldn’t resist testing out the bed. She stretched out, let the bed engulf her in silky satin and Graham’s scent. Immediately, images of her wolf came to mind, him leaning of her, spreading her thighs, and shoving his hard cock inside her. Then came images of Graham, slipping in beside her, his smiling eyes holding hers.

Two men. Light and dark. God, she was falling in love with two men.

“Well, that’s a sight for sore eyes,” a voice drawled from the corner post of the bed.

Horrified, Lucy jerked up. “Oh, my god, I’m sorry. It looked so comfortable I had to try it out.” She scooted off the bed and almost tripped down the pedestal steps.

Graham’s eyes held a predatory gleam that again reminded her of her wolf.

“God, Graham. I’m sorry—”

His mouth closed over hers, and he kissed her hard and deep. Shocked, her lips parted, letting him in. His tongue took control, dancing and twining with hers, setting her mouth and body on fire. He ended the kiss way too soon. “Don’t be sorry. You looked damn good stretched out on my bed, Lucy.”

Her mind was numb. He was one hell of a kisser for a geek. He backed her against the bed post, his hands planted beside her head. “I’m going to kiss you again.”

She should stop him. They were coworkers. But as soon as their mouths mated, she was lost. She wrapped her arms around his neck, wove her fingers through his hair, and pulled him closer. She slid her tongue into his mouth and tasted to her heart’s content. His silky, blond hair teased her palms, and her nails scraped across his skull as they made their way to his neck.

And that was when she felt it. That hard knot on the back of his head.

What the fuck? Her wolf had the same bump. She loved to play with it when he kissed her. With his mask, she didn’t have hair to run her fingers through so she’d learned the shape of his head.

With her mind whirling, her body lost in the passion of Graham’s kiss, she deliberately explored his head, imagining a slick mask instead of hair. No doubt. No way could two men have the same shape, the same bump, and even that bit of a ridge at the top of the skull. She concentrated on his mouth, his scent, the feel of his body pressed against hers and accepted the glaring truth.

Graham Winters was her man in black. Her wolf.

She pulled back, breathing hard. Normally, her wolf was the only man who could reduce her to this level of need with a single kiss, yet her panties were soaked.

Her big, bad wolf. Her pain-in-the-ass geek. They were the same damn man.

Graham was breathing hard. “Gee, I’m sorry, Lucy. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

Lucy lifted a brow. How easily he fell back into the role of a fumbling geek. She opened her mouth to tell him she knew the truth but changed her mind and decided not to reveal what she knew. She needed to think.

The sound of an alarm drew his attention. “I’ve got to get back downstairs.”

She nodded. “I’m going to freshen up if it’s okay.” She had one more thing to check out.

As soon as Graham left, Lucy raced on light feet for the stairs and ran up them to the door. She turned the knob, expecting it to be locked like the other door. It opened. She peeked in and gasped.

Her wolf had told her he had a playroom, and if Graham was her Dom, then it stood to reason that he’d have one. And by god, here it was. Her nipples tightened, and her panties went from wet to soaked as she took in the huge bed with mirrors on the ceiling, the wall with assorted whips and cuffs, and the spanking bench in the corner. A swing hung from the other corner.

“God,” she whispered as she hurried out of her wolf’s lair. Back on the first floor, she went to the office, and just stared at Graham, a hand to her stomach.

He glanced up and stood. “Ready for that walk?”

Walk, hell. She wanted to jump him, get him naked, and fuck him senseless right where he stood. But no. He had to tell her the truth first. “I’m not feeling well, Graham. Didn’t get much sleep last night. I need to go.”

She had plans to make. A laugh bubbled up in her throat, but she swallowed it down. Plans with two very different men. And that gave her a glimmer of an idea.

Graham hurried to her side. “Are you all right? If it was my kissing you—”

“No.” Hell, yes, it was his kiss. That and learning she wasn’t in love with one man and was falling in love with another. It was learning that two men, each lacking in some way were one and the same. And when she put them both together, she had the whole of all she’d ever wanted in a man. “No. Just tired.”

And if everything went as planned, she’d be totally exhausted by morning.

“I’ll take you.” He fished keys out of his pocket.

“No. You have a deadline. I’ll be fine with your driver.”

“I’ll pick you up for dinner.” He ran his hands along her arms.

She heard the desperation in his voice and took a deep breath. Here goes. She put deep regret in her voice and let it tremble. “I have to be fair to you, Graham. It won’t work between us.” She glanced up through her lashes. “There’s someone else. My nights belong to him. I’m sorry. I love him with all my heart. I’ve got to go. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She hated to put that stunned disbelief on his face, but hopefully, by tonight, his little ruse would be over. She ran from the office and out the front door to the waiting limo before he could try to change her mind. If he took her back into his arms, she’d confess she knew the truth.

As the car pulled away, she leaned her head back and planned her next phone call. If this didn’t work, she was going to have to head-slap her geek into telling her the truth.

Now that she knew Graham was The Wolf, her wolf, she didn’t want to wait for him to end the game. She wanted all of her Dom—his Dominant side and shockingly, the geeky part of him, too.

****

Graham paced in his bedroom. He should be downstairs manning his computer, but as soon as Lucy left, he’d come up here where her scent lingered, as well as the image of her stretched out on his bed.

“You blew it,” he said to the empty room. “Shouldn’t have kissed her.”

The wolf had gotten him the girl, and the geek just scared her away. He flopped onto the bed. Dammit, he wanted Lucy in his life, needed to share with her both his geeky and the wolf sides. He was a Dom and she was the perfect submissive, but she was also perfect for daytime Graham—long walks, going to the movies, dancing, and roller coaster rides.

But damn it to hell and back, once he’d seen her stretched out on his bed as though she belonged there, every sane thought flew from his head.

And damn it again, but she did belong here, with him. In his bed, sharing this huge monstrosity he called home, and exploring his dungeon with him. Him. Graham Winters. Not some made-up persona.

He laughed without humor when he recalled her saying her nights belonged to another. His Red loved her wolf, and she was well on her way to falling in love with him, Graham, the man who worked with her. These last two weeks had changed their relationship.

Thank you, Bryce! He owed his friend more than he could repay for giving him Lucy for this project. She had warmed up to him, and together, they discovered many common interests, besides sex and dancing.

He sat up. How the hell was the geek going to compete with the wolf? Getting to his feet, he headed downstairs. He had a date with her as her wolf. He’d tell her the truth tonight, bring her here, show her the room upstairs, and prove that even a geek could be a wolf in disguise.

Hours later, after he’d made use of his home gym and swum laps in his pool, he was back in his playroom, planning out his evening with Lucy. He’d reserved a room at their favorite club. Tonight, he’d reveal the truth.

The vibrating ring on his phone went off in his pocket. He pulled out his phone—his wolf’s phone. Lucy!

He deepened his voice. “Yes, pet?”

“I can’t meet you tonight.” She sounded tearful.

“What’s wrong?” Worry sharpened his voice.

She sniffed. “I can’t see you ever again, my big, bad wolf.”

Graham’s gut twisted like the string of a yo-yo. He dropped the mask he’d pulled out of a drawer. “What the hell is wrong?”

“I love someone else, and that means I can no longer play with you at night. I’ll miss you, Mr. Wolf.” With a sob, the phone went dead.

“What the fuck!”

She’d told him, Graham, she loved someone else, and now she was telling him, The Wolf, she was in love with someone. His mind whirled. Did she have someone else besides the geek and her wolf?

Graham picked up his keys, opened the garage door, and in minutes, he was racing down the mountain.

****

Lucy was nervous as a mouse being stalked by a cat with an owl swooping overhead. The old caught between a rock and a hard place. If the mouse ran to escape the cat, it ran the risk of being caught by the owl.

She glanced at the clock and ran into the bedroom. If she knew Graham, or her wolf, at all, she figured she had thirty minutes before he was pounding on her door like the wolf in the three little pigs’ story. She’d already showered and put her makeup on before calling her Dom to cancel their date.

She lit the candles she’d gone out to buy after the limo dropped her off, put on some music, and turned off all but one light, one she’d arranged to fall upon her newest piece of furniture.

With the scene set, she shrugged out of the robe and swung a cape over her shoulders. Staring at herself in the mirror, she frowned. Something was missing. Shoes! She grabbed her heels, the pair her wolf loved, slipped her feet into them, and studied her reflection. Perfect!

The pounding at her door startled her. She glanced at her clock. Twenty minutes. The poor man must have broken every speed limit plus several other road rules to get here this fast.

“Who’s there?” she called out.

“Graham. Open the door, Lucy!”

Lucy flicked back her cape and opened the door.

Graham took one look at Lucy and stumbled back. She was naked. Except for the cape she’d worn as Red Riding Hood and those fuck-me-red heels. “What the fuck!”

“Oh, my, it’s the big, bad wolf,” she cried, hands going to her face. Her eyes widened, not with shock but with laughter.

Graham’s heart pounded painfully in his chest, and his back protested where the railing dug into it when he’d fallen back in shock. Staring into her bright, laughing eyes, he realized that his ruse was up. She’d somehow discovered the truth. “Let me in, Lucy. You’re naked.”

“Oh, can’t let the wolf in. Not yet. He might eat me.”

Graham’s cock went from hard to aching. “How?”

She beckoned him closer, snaked her hand around his neck, and ran her fingers up through his hair. “Here. A lovely little knot. And a few other things when I thought about it. Like using Jaimie’s name that weekend we were together. I never mentioned her name.”

She shook her head, held up her fingers, and ticked off his other tells. “In the elevator, you made a comment about Jaimie not getting her prince, and you called me Luc at Bryce’s mansion. The Wolf never calls me that. The Geek calls me that all the time. And the way my wolf sat on the table in the garden outside our cottage reminded me of you, the irritating geek. Then there was that kiss today. Want me to go on?”

He groaned. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. Been keeping my hands off you for just that reason.” He gripped her shoulders. “I was going to tell you tonight, and if you didn’t believe me, I was going to show you—”

“Your little playroom up in the attic?” She pulled the five bills clipped to the hem of her cloak and held them out. “I bet five bills my geek was as vanilla as they come.”

Graham’s laughter rang out as he took the money he’d given her. “Found that, did you?”

“Yeah,” she said dryly.

“How about it, my love. Are you going to let me in?”

She tipped her head to the side. “Depends on who’s coming in.”

Graham cupped her face in his ungloved hands. “The man who loves you, pet. The wolf and the geek, the man who decided he’d do anything to get the woman he loves to spend time with him. Can you accept them both?”

Lucy pulled his face to hers for a long, long, overdue kiss. “I can, I do. I love you, Graham. I love the Dom, and I love the geeky pain in my ass.” She pulled back and stepped into the apartment, dragging him with her. “But maybe it’s the Dom who should take charge tonight.”

Graham was completely enchanted and slightly off kilter. This was not what he expected, which made him love her even more. He trailed a finger down her nose and over her lips. “And why is that, my wonderful, lovely, Red?”

“Why, Mr. Wolf, I’ve been ever so bad. I fell in love with two men and told them each a big, fat lie today.” She stepped to one side.

The apartment was dimly lit with more candles than he could count except for one light that spotlighted a spanking bench in the middle of her living room. “Oh, my dearest, Red. I’m afraid you have been very, very bad.” He opened his arms.

She ran into them with a sob. “I love you.”

“I love you, Lucy.” They kissed for a long time, until they were both breathless, then Graham pulled back. “How about we make my fantasy of seeing you draped over a spanking bench come true.”

Lucy knelt. “Yes, Mr. Wolf.”