She batted his hand away, terrified that she didn’t hate wolfen as much as she used to. “Keep your hands to your—”

He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her snug against his body. The contact sent tingles she should not be feeling straight to between her legs. Before she could protest—not that she really wanted to—he dropped them both to the floor.

Something smelling worse than a skunk-spray-cow-dung cocktail flew past their heads and landed with a splat on the wall behind them. Hugh’s arms cushioned their fall so her backside landed gently on the concrete floor. His rock hard body remained over hers and she tried not to think about her breasts pressed against his chest.

“These hands come in handy sometimes. You might want to remember that.”

He jumped to his feet and extended one of those very fine hands to help her up.

She took it with secret gratitude. The instant she was vertical again, another stink bomb whizzed past them, sparing her from saying thank you. “What is that?”

“Poison to you, a pain in the ass to me. Let’s go.” He released her and ran in between the heavy-duty shelving units lining the warehouse.

She followed right on his heels. “I guess the Banoth found a way in.”

“Yeah, and it won’t stop until it sticks its fangs into one of us.”

“Us? I think it’s after you, big guy. I’m hardly the type to interest a big hairy beast like that. You must have ticked off its mother or something.” She felt a grin flank her face. Her juices were flowing, her body was pumped. Hands down, this was one of the best romps she’d had in a long time.

A piercing cry—like fingers scraping on chalkboard magnified times ten—echoed through the warehouse. The noise sent a chill over her lips and down the back of her legs, eliminating some of the excitement pumping through her veins.

“That doesn’t sound good,” she said as they turned down another aisle, this one darker and narrower.

Hugh slowed and then stopped, allowing a few seconds to pass before he spoke. “It means there’s more than one of them.”

“Don’t tell me they travel in pairs.”

“Okay. I won’t tell you.”

He stood only inches away, his nearness good and bad. She could see the wheels turning in his head, and noticed he seemed to be assessing the situation like he was clairvoyant. Which he kind of was.

“So with these killer senses of yours, you can smell and hear him even though we can’t see him?” She relaxed against the shelf, glad for the chance to catch her breath, and really happy to be on an adventure.

Her mind spun when he hesitated to answer. She could tell from the look on his handsome face that he was more concerned for her than himself. The regard caused something to shift inside her, like a vine twisting its way through her veins, awakening nerve endings she’d shut off. But feelings were something she couldn’t afford. She had a job to do. And if she discovered information about Hugh that justified his elimination, she’d follow through. Her life depended on it.

“Pretty much.” Something flashed in his blue eyes and he quickly looked away.

“Can you control your shifting?” She told herself to guard the things going on inside her head more carefully.

“Yes.”

“Are you thinking about shifting right now?”

“Yes.”

“Wanna jump off a bridge?”

“Ye—” His gaze jumped back to hers.

She smiled. “Just checking to see if you were listening. How about we grab a burger and fries when this over?”

He tiptoed closer. Her senses not too shabby either, she could feel the heat radiating off him, smell his masculine scent magnified by the intensity of the situation. She saw beyond the whites of his eyes to something that made her feel like she’d swallowed the tiny white, twinkling lights found in trees during the holidays. For a split second, she thought he might lean in and kiss her. She wanted him to lean in and kiss her.

Instead, his warm breath tickled her ear and he whispered, “Let’s focus on getting out of here alive.”

Blinking away the pleasant sensations circulating through her body, she silently cursed her trembling knees back into kickboxing mentality.

“No problem,” she said, her tone serious and tough.

What an idiot she was. He had no interest in her whatsoever. He’d flirted with her some, yes, but that was because he thought she might know something about Trey. Now that he knew she didn’t, as soon as he could ditch her at her car, she’d never see him again.

Until she started investigating him, that was. And then it would be all about the job. She’d decide on a course of action and without his knowledge, get her hands on information to prove he wasn’t as nice as he appeared. P.I.E.’s clients always had good reasons for hiring the company, so this time shouldn’t be any different.

Even though it felt different.

She pushed herself away from the shelving, forcing him back. “What’s the plan?”

“The plan is you’re going to get out of here, and I’m going to deal with the Banoth. If you go back the way we came in and—”

“Oh no—”

“Oh yes—”

“Oh hell no.” She put her hand over his mouth as he was about to speak. “I am not running away from this thing. It tried to take a bite out of my backside. Sorry, but I’m staying, and I’m going to make that SOB pay for its actions. So you can just tell me how we kill it, and the sooner we get the deed done, the sooner you’ll be rid of me.”

He grabbed her wrist and pushed her hand from his mouth with a firm, yet gentle hold. His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed. A low growl escaped his pursed lips. “I don’t have time to argue with you.”

“That’s right. So how do we kill it?”

“You’re no ordinary private investigator.” He placed her arm at her side and released his grip. His steely gaze said he was trying to intimidate her, get her to tell truths she didn’t share.

“Maybe I’ll fill you in sometime, but not right now. I think tall, dark and hairy is coming to get us.”

As if on cue, the shelving unit beside them toppled over, boxes falling to the floor with a thunderous crash. Banoths obviously weren’t keen enough to hit their target unless it stood right in front of them.

“Run!” Hugh yelled, shoving her away from the jagged pieces of clay pot littering the floor.

“Would you quit saying that? I know.”

They took off again, Tess leading them through a maze of aisles. After tearing around a corner, she halted abruptly when she noticed the shaggy savage waiting for them at the other end.

For a creature that had to weigh at least five hundred pounds, it sure traveled quietly. And if she wasn’t mistaken, its thick botoxed lips were pursed in a smile that said “come and get me, baby.”

Not sure what to do, she looked over her shoulder for help from Hugh. He wasn’t there. Great. She turned her head back to her enemy and plastered her sweetest closed-mouth smile back at him. They glared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before she wondered if he understood English and she could talk her way out of this.

“Hi. I’m Tess. And you are?”

The beast snorted and scraped one of its feet like it was getting ready to charge.

“Okay, so talking is out of the question.” Instead, she might have to play matador. The super-sized Cousin It looked ready for a bullfight. Steam even came out of the area she assumed housed nostrils. It was hard to tell underneath all the hair.

“You colorblind?” she called out, referring to the color of her dress. Red, blue, she supposed on the color wheel they might be pretty close to each other. She’d never paid much attention during art classes.

Another gruff sound answered her. Where the hell was Hugh? He wouldn’t leave her here alone with this monster, would he? Sneak out on his own and go find Trey, happy to have her occupied. No. He wouldn’t dare. Would he?