Emmett.” The last was a moan as he buried himself to the hilt.

He didn’t move for several seconds, knowing he was a big man. But then Ria began to shift beneath him in slow rolling movements that drove him out of his mind. The leopard took control and he only just had the presence of mind to take her mouth in a kiss before he surrendered to the driving hunger to take, to mark.

Mine, he thought, mine.

A moment later, even that thought was lost.

Ria stared at the ceiling over the muscled slope of Emmett’s shoulder. He was heavy, but she didn’t mind being squashed. Not right now. Not when her body was so loose and sated, she felt like a big lazy cat herself. Which, she thought, was exactly what Emmett was acting like. He sprawled over her . . .

inside her.

Her cheeks heated. How could she still be shy after what they’d done? But well, she hadn’t expected him to start revving up for a second go so fast.

“Fast recovery time?” she asked, not quite sure where she found the sass.

“Something like that.” It was a rumble against her throat.

She ran her fingers through his hair, smiling.

“Ria?”

“Hmm?”

“Were you a virgin?”

The question made her cheeks burn. “Technically.”

He sounded a little choked as he said, “Technically?”

“I’m twenty-two, Emmett. Just because I chose to wait for the right man doesn’t mean I wasn’t curious.” She thought she might have shocked him when he remained silent for several long minutes.

She should’ve known better.

“Where do you keep the stuff you used to satisfy your curiosity?”

Her throat dried up. “Never you mind.”

A squeeze of her hip. “Please?”

Her heart tumbled over. This man, she thought, could enslave her. “No.”

“Next time?”

“No.” She didn’t know if she could survive the eroticism.

Emmett grazed her throat with his teeth. “I’ll buy you some. And make you open them in front of me.”

Her mind overloaded. She felt her body ready itself for another ride, and dear Lord she wanted it. “Less talk, more action, pussycat.”

That got her a pinch on the butt, a low male growl, and all the action she could’ve hoped for.

Ria couldn’t meet her mother’s eyes the next morning. Not because she was ashamed—how could she possibly be ashamed of the glory of what she’d

done with Emmett? The sex was one thing, but he’d been so affectionate afterward, not leaving until almost dawn. She’d felt petted and adored.

That was the reason she couldn’t meet Alex’s eyes. She was sure her mother would spot the bubbling joy in her, the certain knowledge that she was in love with a man who was almost perfect. And that almost, she thought with a frown, might yet be a big problem. She had more interviews lined up this week, and while Emmett had hinted that they were close to catching Vincent, that still left her with a bodyguard.

The phone rang as Alex was muttering about it being nine already. Since the shop opened at ten, she had plenty of time to get there, but Alex didn’t like being late. “I’ll grab it,” Amber said, having just walked into the room. “Hello? Yes, she’s here. One moment.” She held out the phone to Ria, mouthing DarkRiver Construction.

Ready to hear the bad news, Ria took the receiver, not bothering to step out of the kitchen/dining room—Alex, Amber, and Miaoling would simply follow her. “Ria speaking.”

“It’s Lucas Hunter.”

“Good morning.” Her eyes narrowed. “May I ask a question?”

A chuckle. “No. Ask Emmett.”

That was the problem, Ria thought. Emmett wouldn’t answer her questions. His protectiveness was starting to get on her nerves—even the nerves that loved the bejesus out of him. “Then what can I do for you?”

“How about sorting out my filing system?”

Excitement shot through her . . . before coming to a crashing halt. “No, thank you.”

A pause. “Ria, this has nothing to do with anything else. I’m an ice-cold bastard when it comes to business—I need an assistant who can deliver the goods.”

“And the fact that I’d be protected at DarkRiver HQ is coincidence?”

“Yep. If you suck at your job, I’ll boot you out after the probationary period.”

Hearing that delighted her. “I,” she said, starting to grin, “am very good at what I do.”

“Then when can you start?”

Ria blinked. “Today if necessary.”

“I’ll see you when you arrive.”

Hanging up, Ria looked into three pairs of avidly interested eyes. The symmetry of it struck her deep in the heart. Miaoling, with her wise, laughing gaze.

Alex, so energetic and impatient. Amber, with both Miaoling’s sense of calm and a slight wickedness it took even friends and family a long time to see.

Smile cracking her face, Ria pumped her fist in a victory salute before jumping over to do a little dance around the three most important women in her life. Alex opened up a bottle of champagne she’d secreted away—though Amber had to be satisfied with grape juice—and did a toast. “Here’s to my daughter. Much too smart for that imbecile, Tom.”

Emmett walked into Lucas’s office area and winked at the assistant sitting primly at her desk.

“Boss in?” “You look like a hoodlum,” he was told, before Ria got up and came over. “Did you even brush your hair after you showered?” She was threading her fingers through that hair as she spoke.

Emmett savored the feel of her so close. Hearing Lucas’s door open, he bent down, picked Ria up, and planted a bone-tingling kiss on her lips.

She was panting for breath by the time he finished, her cheeks adorably red. “Emmett! I’m at work.”

Shrugging, he met Lucas’s eyes over the top of her head. His alpha held up his hands, his amusement open. “We ready to go?”

Emmett nodded. “He’s parked about half an hour out of the city.”

Ria looked between the two men. “Vincent?”

“Yes,” Emmett said as Lucas made a signal that he’d be out in a minute and walked back into his office. “Bastard’s ass is toast.”

Ria put a hand on his chest. “Are you going in with lots of backup?”

“Don’t worry about it, mink. I know what I’m doing.”

“Emmett!” Her voice was a whip.

Surprised, he looked at her. “What?”

“Don’t tell me not to worry! Don’t pat me on the head as if I’m a brainless bimbo and tell me everything’s going to be okay.” She poked him with a finger.

“If we’re going to be in a relationship—” Snapping her mouth shut, she folded her arms and returned to her desk.

Stupefied, he prowled after her. “If we’re going to be in a relationship, then what?”

“Nothing.” She began to order papers on her desk. “Just don’t get yourself killed. That would make me seriously angry.”

He knew that wasn’t it. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her toward him. “I’m not leaving till you tell me what’s up.”

Ria looked toward Lucas’s open doorway. “This is not the time and place.”

He waited.

She blew out a breath. “Are we in a relationship?”

“What did you think last night was?” This was one of those times when he didn’t get women.

Scratch that. When he didn’t get his woman.

“Well, men don’t necessarily equate sex with a relationship.” It was a whisper, her eyes flicking to Lucas’s door again.

Emmett decided not to remind her that Luc could probably hear everything anyway. “That wasn’t sex, Ria. That was fucking-amazing-sex.” He grinned at her blush. “And I equate everything I do with you to a relationship. Try going out with another man and see where it gets you.”

She tried for a glare but a smile peeked out. “Go. Be careful.” A tight hug. “We’ll discuss the other stuff when you’re back safe and sound. I’ll be waiting.”

He walked out with the scent of her bound into his very skin, her promise in his ears.

Ria found herself escorted home by an older man called Cian that day. “Any word?” she asked him as they reached the front door.

A shake of his head. “I don’t think they’ll move until a few hours after dark.”

Something about Cian struck Ria as oddly familiar, but she was sure he’d never been on protection detail before. “Will you let me know if you learn anything?”

His eyes were warm when he looked at her. “Of course, Ria.”

Nodding, she thanked him and walked inside. Her father had beaten everyone home and was at the stove, concocting his (in)famous secret spaghetti sauce. “Hey, Dad.” She bussed him on the cheek. “Where’s Amber?” she asked, guessing her grandmother was catching a nap as she sometimes did.

“She thought she might be having contractions—Jet came home and took her to the hospital.”

Ria stopped in the process of taking off her coat. “Is she in labor?”

“Doctor thinks it’s false, but he’s keeping her there for a couple of hours to make sure.” He touched his back pocket. “Jet’s gonna buzz me if it looks like my grandbaby’s going to come early.”

Smiling, she hung up her coat and went to stand by his side, sliding one arm around his waist. “Smells good.”

He put his free arm around her shoulders. “So, you involved with that cat?”

“Yep.” She’d never lied to her father. Skirted around the truth maybe, but never lied. “I’m crazy about him.”

A sigh. “Invite him to dinner.”

“So you can grill him?”

“It’s what fathers do.” A squeeze of her shoulders. “I only want what’s best for you. Have you considered how this man is going to support you?”