The Fire Inside Read Free Page B

flipped the locks, twisted the knob and sucked a breath
into her lungs as she pulled open the door. “You…”
    Her words died away as she stared at the very large and
naked male on the other side of her door. All that tan, hard body exposed for
her viewing pleasure. A whistle from downstairs caught her attention and
brought her out of her dumbstruck state long enough for her to grab his arm and
pull him inside, slamming the door behind him. “Have you lost your damn mind?”
    “Tyra, I—”
    She yelled over the top of him. “You can’t run around in
this area buck-ass naked. Hello , it might draw attention.”
    “Mate, I don’t give a damn about those humans down there,”
he ground out between clenched teeth. “I won’t allow you to stay here
unprotected. I can’t believe your alpha would allow it either.”
    “Where I stay…is none of your business.” She couldn’t keep
her gaze from roaming over his bare flesh. Fine dark hair covered his chest and
continued in a trail down his rock-hard abs.
    “The hell. It’s every bit my business.”
    Her gaze snapped up to meet his. “No, it’s not.”
    He stalked toward her. “I appreciate the fight in you, mate,
but I’ll not bend when it comes to your safety.”
    Her back came up against the wall. She hadn’t even realized
she’d been retreating. He stood in front of her and she had to tilt her head
back to hold his gaze. “I’m perfectly safe here.”
    “Who’s your alpha?”
    “It’s none of your business.”
    “Mate, either tell me who your alpha is or I will just say
fuck it, and risk the coming fight with him when I take you into my territory.”
    Her body shook as anger rose in her, warring against the
lust his proximity created. She wouldn’t have her life dictated to her. “I’m my
own alpha. I’m a lone wolf. So what do you think about that? Are you going to
try to drag me, caveman-style, back to your den now? Because if you try, you
better be ready for one hell of a fight.”
    He placed his hands on the wall, caging her in. “Get one
thing straight, mate. I will never take you unwilling. When I do take you, it
will be because you ask me to.”
    Liquid heat gathered between her legs. What would it be
like? No. She couldn’t think like that. She closed her eyes and raised a hand
to push him away. When it came into contact with his chest, it became more of a
caress though. The fine hairs tickled her palm as the heat of his body warmed
her hand.
    “Tyra,” he said in a husky whisper.
    Her breasts felt full and her nipples hardened. Warm breath
fanned her lips as his mouth hovered above her own. His body seemed to whisper
promises of hidden delights beyond her wildest dreams. She just had to give in
to the temptation. One word and she would know what it felt like to be pressed
up against him, filled by him. All she had to do was say yes.
    A loud bang above them had her eyelids popping open, and her
head tilting further up. The fight upstairs had picked up a notch. She looked
back at Konrad, who hadn’t taken his gaze from her. This time she did push,
with both hands, and he backed up a few steps, dropping his arms to his sides.
    A deep breath filled her lungs. She’d been close to making a
huge mistake. Her gaze met his once more. “You need to leave.”
    “Tyra, why are you fighting this? I know you want this.”
    “My body wants this, not my mind.”
    “Then let me ease your body.”
    “I don’t need you to ease me.” Another quiver of
desire rolled through her, her body’s rebuttal to her words. It would be so
easy to say yes. Her gaze roamed over his face, taking in the stubborn set of
his jaw, then continued lower, noticing the powerful set of his wide shoulders.
She fought the desire that had her wanting to look lower, her teeth sinking
into her lower lip. She squeezed her eyes shut and balled her hands into fists.
“For the love of God, put a towel on or something.”
    She heard his sigh followed by his footsteps going