The Wolf's Call (Two-Natured London) by Susanna Shore Read Free Book Online

to recognise his scent down at the lobby
when he was already on her – and saw that he was dressed in jogging gear. The
slightly damp t-shirt clinging to his body revealed abs even better than she
had imagined. His wide shoulders stretched the shirt to its limits; his bare
arms were strong with sinewy muscles and thick veins, and they were covered
with fair hair, sun-bleached, too. Would his chest be hairy as well?
    Imagining
his bare chest made her arousal return and she inhaled sharply. A definite
mistake, for it brought his wonderful scent to her, as irresistible as earlier.
She couldn’t help glancing down and noticing the erection that still stretched
his sweatpants. Blushing, she lifted her gaze hastily. She wasn’t used to men
who were so unashamed of their sexuality.
    The
look in his eyes was amused and self-satisfied. It had strength too, making it
very difficult for her to keep her eyes fixed on his, but she gritted her
teeth. She would not let him get the better of her twice.
    His
smile deepened. “You didn’t answer my question.”
    Charly
blinked. “What was that?”
    “Why
are you walking Bob?”
    She
looked down, remembering the dog only then. Bob was lying on the floor with its
big head resting on its front paws, looking bored. “I, ah, am looking after it
for my brother this week while he’s in New York.”
    “Jack
Thornton is your brother?” He looked relieved, as if he had thought she was
Jack’s wife or something. She didn’t question how Rafe knew Jack. Important
businessmen all knew each other.
    “And
why are you here?” Since he didn’t look disappointed at hearing Jack wasn’t
home, he couldn’t be here for him. Not that he would visit in sweaty jogging
gear anyway, she was sure.
    “I
live there,” he said, indicating the flat next door, startling her. It hadn’t
even occurred to her that he might live here; his firm was based in Epsom. He
sneered at her surprise. “What, you didn’t think a construction worker could
afford a place like this?”
    She
hadn’t thought anything like. He might look like he spent most of his time
outdoors like a construction worker would, but the air of authority surrounding
him made him exactly what he was, the owner. This was an expensive and
exclusive building for the extremely rich, and if he could afford the services
of Latimer & Holby, he could afford to live here too.
    “I
just haven’t seen you here before.”
    He
smiled, mollified. “Well, it’s a company flat we only use when we need to stay
in town. We built this place, you know.”
    That
truly surprised her. “But that was almost a hundred years ago.”
    “It’s
an old company.” And obviously one with a much higher profile than she had
thought. Then he got serious. “Do you usually walk Bob this late? Because I
meant what I said. It’s not safe.”
    An
image of the wolf-shifter flashed in her mind and she nodded instead of getting
angry again. “I know. I just stayed later than I thought I would at work.”
    “Because
of me?” His look was hopeful now, an oddly endearing expression on such a
strong face.
    Absolutely. And not because of his case either. Some of her fantasies returned, but they
seemed to pale in comparison with reality. “I got immersed in the papers,” she
said, refusing to blush again.
    He
nodded, accepting her words. “I have a solution. Why
don’t you take my case home with you and work it here? You could come home
earlier that way and still bill the hours. And
I can keep you company.” He lifted his hands, mollifying, when she was about to
argue. “I won’t be a guard, I promise. But then I wouldn’t have to worry about
you when you go walking Bob.”
    It
warmed her heart that he actually worried for her instead of just wanting to
boss her around. It was the only explanation for what came out of her mouth. “I
saw a wolf-shifter today.”

Chapter Eight
    Raphael froze. Why would she
bring the wolf up when she had practically bitten his head off