His nostrils flared, then a slow smile spread across his face. “You’re jealous again.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Your scent can’t lie.”

“Maybe your senses aren’t working correctly.”

He grinned, that lazy smile turning into an all-out Cheshire Cat grin.

Stupid man.

“Have I ever told you how much I enjoy talking with you?”

“Why? Because I constantly insult you?”

He chuckled. “I’ve never had that with a female before. It’s quite . . . enjoyable.”

“You’ve never spoken with other women before? If you weren’t talking, then what were you doing?”

Oh my gods, I did not just ask that. Knowing what he’d most likely been doing made my insides fire like a cauldron with bubbling jealousy, because Carlos had claimed that the Fire Wolf was a womanizer. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Just don’t think about it!

The hunter stepped closer to me again, totally invading my personal space, and fuck me, if my stomach didn’t dip at the feel of his hard chest pressing against mine. “What are you so jealous of?”

“Nothing.” I ducked down under his arm before he could trap me and begin doing things to me that I was firmly committed to resisting.

He sighed, his head raising before he faced me. “If you don’t want to fuck right now, then what do you want to do?”

Fuck right now. Yep, the dude totally just said that. And damn my vagina and the liquid heat that just pooled between my thighs.

I backed up even more. “First, I’m going to shower. Then, I’m going to eat all of that amazing food your sister very thoughtfully left for us, and then I’m going to town.”

He straightened more. “To town?”

“Yep. I’ve decided I want to meet your non-pack after all.” Before the Fire Wolf could question my plans, I snatched clean clothes from my bag along with my toiletries. Making a beeline for the bathroom, I slammed the door behind me and locked it. Not that the lock would stop him if he wanted to force his way inside, but I hoped he would at least give me some privacy to clean up.

Of course, I wasn’t going to think about the thought of him showering with me . . .

A vision of the demon hunter’s hard muscles dripping with water entered my mind. Then the scorching image of my tongue running along his chest while his erection brushed my entrance.

Nope. Not thinking about that, ’cause I wasn’t interested in him. I snorted. Just keep telling yourself that, Tala.

Since my libido definitely needed some cooling off, I turned the shower to cold, then stripped before forcing myself under it.

I bit my lip to stop my squeal when the cold spray hit me, but at least any wayward thoughts about the Fire Wolf were extinguished. My teeth were chattering by the time I finally warmed the water up, but the icy plunge had done the trick.

Since my raging hormones had been vanquished and I could once again act like a sane person, I washed from head to toe using the expensive body wash that Tessa had packed in my bag. She’d either been feeling very generous when she tucked it between my clothes—since the stuff cost nearly as much as our rent—or she’d mistakenly put it in my bag.

Whatever the case, it felt good to scrub off the sweat from my earlier training session with Prisha.

When I finally finished, at least thirty minutes had passed and my skin tingled with the pleasant fragrance.

After toweling off, I took my time getting dressed, knowing that the hunter wouldn’t mind since something told me the last thing he wanted to do was go to town. So I blow-dried my hair, lathered my entire body in lotion, and even applied makeup. If I was going to meet the hunter’s non-pack, then I was going to make a good first impression. Because even though I wouldn’t be the next alpha’s wife birthing his pups, I sure as hell could show them that I wasn’t some scumbag from America who reeked of sweat and had questionable hair choices.

When I finally emerged from the bathroom, I snuck a glance into the master bedroom. My bags still sat on the bed. Huh, he’d managed to control his mate instincts after all.

I quickly unpacked them, then put my suitcases in the closet. Out of curiosity, I opened the top drawers. Stacks of neatly piled male clothes sat in perfect rows.

It reminded me of when I’d been in the Fire Wolf’s man cave and he’d used fairy charms to wash and fold my laundry following our run-in with the warlocks in the insane asylum. It seemed that the hunter did indeed have a domestic streak. I smothered a laugh. Who would’ve thought the scourge of society could be a housewife.

I finally shoved the dresser drawer closed and ventured back downstairs only to spot the Fire Wolf seated on a comfy-looking leather chair, his long body sprawled out in front of him, his feet propped on an ottoman. He held a book in one hand, and a glass of what appeared to be whiskey in the other. The fire still crackled in the hearth, and the food on the island remained untouched.

The corner of his mouth tilted up even though his gaze hadn’t drifted from the novel he was reading. “Did you enjoy your shower?” His nostrils flared. “Is that perfume you’re wearing?” He finally lifted his gaze, and when he spotted me, his jaw slackened, his book literally dropping at his side.

His gaze raked up and down my frame in a slow perusal. With every second that passed, the heat in my cheeks grew. The dude was checking me out like no tomorrow.

Forgetting his dropped book entirely, he rose to his feet. “You look . . .” He eyed me again, and I seriously felt like his favorite lollipop at a candy store. “Fuck, you look good.”

My heart rammed against my ribs as the hunter stalked toward me. I spun to the island and grabbed one of the plates beside the tray of food. Maybe dressing up hadn’t been a good idea, but I hadn’t dressed up that much. I wore tight ripped jeans, cute suede ankle boots, and an off-the-shoulder thin sweater. The top’s angled neckline and push-up bra enhanced my breasts, and the array of delicate necklaces I wore wasn’t exactly helping as it drew attention to that entire area, but the sweater wasn’t indecent or draping so low that one would stare.

Although, the Fire Wolf was indeed staring.

I just piled more food on my plate. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“I was waiting for you.”

Oh. Well, that was polite.

“What’s the new scent you’re wearing?” he rumbled from behind me.

“It’s not perfume.” I heaped even more meat slices onto my plate, then nervously popped a few cubes of cheese and some grapes into my mouth as I moved around the island.

“Then what is it?”

I shrieked when the hunter’s voice came from directly behind me. I carefully set the plate on the counter. If I didn’t, I would probably drop it or do something really graceful, like throw it in the air next time he startled me.

I spun around, my chest heaving. “You need to stop doing that.”

He stood right in front of me, golden light blazing in his eyes as one of his dark eyebrows cocked upward. “Stop doing what?”

“Sneaking up on me. One of these days, I’m going to punch you involuntarily.”

That sly grin lifted his lips. “I might like that.”

I rolled my eyes even though a smile tugged on my lips. “There is something seriously wrong with you.”

He leaned in closer, his hands drifting to the counter until he had one placed on either side of me, effectively caging me in. The desire grew in his eyes before his head drifted down and his nose trailed along my neck.

Goosebumps sprouted across my entire body, and it felt as if a meteor blazed all the way down to my toes. “What are you doing?”

“Scenting for that delectable fragrance of yours. While the perfume, or whatever you’re wearing is nice, I much prefer your true scent. Now please, will you release your cloaking spell?”