“Do you think Dobson’s already here?” Business. She needed to talk about business.

“I don’t know. Thought you might want to try and get a line on him when we get to the room.”

She dropped her shoulders. “Oh good. We’ll get right to work then?”

“Did you have something else is mind?” He raised his eyebrows and nailed her with his distracting cobalt eyes.

Yes. “No. I’m happy you want to get to work. I don’t think I could fall asleep right now. I’m too keyed up about finally meeting Dobson. I’ll use your laptop to access my email and retrieve the documentation I’ve been accumulating over the years. It’s not much, but maybe you’ll see something I haven’t now that we know he’s connected to the Wolf Seekers.”

They reached the tenth floor and Hugh held open the elevator doors. “That sounds like a good place to start.”

“I can’t help but think he’s got some connection to the Night Runners too. I don’t know why, besides the fact that he’s helping to harm your pack. Something just feels off.”

“I agree.” He followed her down the hallway.

“And I think this big meeting tomorrow night might be about you.” It seemed like more than a coincidence that the day she had to eliminate Hugh corresponded with the day of this big meeting. “And your place as pack leader.”

“Hmm.”

“I mean besides me, there is that Banoth that tried to kill you.”

He led them around a corner, paying little attention to her. “Good point.”

“You’re not saying much.”

As they reached the door of their suite, Hugh stopped and finally looked at her. “You seemed to be on a roll. I didn’t want to stop you.”

“Since when don’t you interrupt me?” She put her hands on her hips and jutted her chin out. The bag on her shoulder slid down to her elbow, but she made no move to right it.

“Since I’m not in charge. I’m biting my tongue here, Tess. And it sure as hell isn’t easy. I’m about ready to strangle myself with this self control crap.” A low growl escaped his lips. “I don’t like putting our win-lose strategy in your hands.”

“What is that supposed to mean? Win or lose what? And I’m perfectly capable of being in charge and succeeding.”

He slipped the keycard into the door slot and ushered her inside. “Do you think you’re just going to stroll into that meeting and get the answers you want? I’ve got a lot at stake here too. I’m the alpha and the Night Runners are my responsibility. I don’t want harm coming to them.”

“Strolling isn’t what I had in mind.” Truthfully, she had no idea what she had in mind. She hadn’t had time to think things through. Not that she ever made a plan, anyway.

Suddenly, she found herself pushed up against the wall by Hugh. Muted light from somewhere behind him illuminated the angle of his jaw, the slope of his nose. His dark eyes were difficult to decipher, but enough heat radiated off him to make her own temperature spike up a notch.

“Crashing through the window isn’t the best plan of attack either.”

“What makes you think I’d make such a grand entrance? I’ll have you know I’ve got a little more self control than that.”

When it came to controlling the desire to kiss him, to wrap her legs around him and spend the night making love rather than strategizing, she hoped she had the strength.

“How much?” He inched a little bit closer.

“How much what?” Her heart pounded in her ears, warmth spread between her legs, and every rational thought flew out of her head.

He slipped a hand around her waist, and with a voice sexy enough to lodge a permanent lump in her throat, said, “How much self control do you really have?”

Once again, confusion swamped her. She wanted nothing more than to tell him to strip her naked and do everything they’d done a few nights ago. But he was her target. She was supposed to eliminate him or harm could come to Kensie and Francesca. As much as she didn’t want to, as much as she planned not to, she wasn’t sure what to do to get herself out of this predicament and save him. She did know making love to him again would only make her fall harder for him—if that was even possible.

Somewhere between Los Angeles and San Diego during his lecture on saving her from P.I.E., she realized she’d fallen in love with him. Listening to him declare how much he wanted to save her, she discovered he cared more about her than she did herself. No one had ever thought her that special before.

“Well?” he asked when she didn’t answer right away.

Maybe it was a defense mechanism because she didn’t know if his caring meant love, but either way, something struck her. He was taking control. Manipulating her with his sex appeal. And she didn’t like it. Not one little bit. Well, maybe she liked it a tiny bit. Okay, she liked it a lot. But he didn’t have to know that.

“More than you, bucko.” She pushed him out of the way, hit the light switch and took a good look at the suite.

His laugh drew a smile to her face. Thank God she had her back to him and he couldn’t see it.

The suite was a giant open room with a contemporary yet elegant feel. Near the expansive window was a sitting area with a settee, chairs, coffee table and lamp. A huge flat screen TV filled half of one wall, and to the left stood a desk and armoire. Across from that was a king-sized bed with a French headboard and linens that looked good enough to stay in for days.

“I’ve got to use the bathroom,” she said, because she didn’t know what else to say and per usual when she was alone with him, needed a chance to take a few deep breaths and get her body and thoughts in check.

“Take your time.”

Without looking at him, she hurried out of the room and to the doorway on the right. His take your time sounded like he’d wait for as long as it took. He wasn’t letting her off the hook.

She flipped on the light, gently shut the door and took those deep breaths. The bathroom was lovely with a marble counter, a curved glass enclosed shower, designer amenities and best of all, thick, soft terry robes hanging on the back of the door.

She moved to the sink to splash cold water on her face. Dabbing a towel across her forehead and cheeks afterward, she studied the face in the mirror.

At twenty-eight, she could still pass for a college student when her hair was up in a ponytail. There were slight bags under her eyes—no doubt due to lack of sleep this past week. And she’d never liked the freckles across her nose. But when her appraisal fell to her mouth, she studied her lips and smiled, remembering the first time she’d kissed Hugh. She’d done it to save his life, but thinking about the sensations coursing through her body while they’d locked lips, she knew the kiss had meant more than a good deed. It was the beginning of a new life for her.

After losing Jason, risk became her greatest pleasure. She lived and breathed work, taking on any case without much regard for her own personal safety. She went undercover to investigate and eliminate dangerous individuals. The belief that she fought evil justified her every move and made the chances she took worth it.

When she wasn’t working, she was pushing boundaries in extreme sports to keep busy and help her forget the loss of her parents and Jason.

But now, staring at herself in the mirror, she realized the adrenaline rush she got from living life on the edge and being fearless in her job wasn’t enough to make her forget she was alone.

She’d met someone who pumped life back into her deflated heart.

Hugh.

Even though it scared her to death to love someone again and risk losing him, maybe companionship was the biggest gamble of all. The biggest thrill that led to the biggest reward.

Was she ready for that? Her body shivered before she noticed a pair of unbearably keen eyes trained on her from around the doorframe.

“Hey, you okay? You’ve been in here a while and when I called your name, you didn’t answer.” Hugh’s head moved farther into the room.