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what?”
    “Not angry,” Eric said. “Frustrated. What kind of Shifter?”
    “How am I supposed to know that?”
    “You’ll know. Come on. Give it your best shot.”
    Iona leaned closer, her eyes closing as she drew in a long breath. Her hair brushed his cheek, and Eric’s body tightened.
    “Felines,” Iona said, opening her eyes and drawing back. “And another kind, but I don’t recognize it. I’m only familiar with Felines.”
    “Lupine,” Eric said. “The Felines were my sister and son at breakfast. I hugged them both before I left. The Lupine is Graham McNeil, the asshole who’s being shoved into my Shiftertown. Which is why we need the new houses.”
    “Which you want constructed to your specifications.”
    “Without mentioning it to anyone,” he said.
    Iona drew back. “How am I supposed to have my crew build houses without them noticing what they’re building?”
    “You’re having your sister’s house remodeled without telling her.”
    “Only until she and her husband get back from their trip. I think she’ll notice the guys hammering and sawing and putting up walls then. It can’t be done.”
    He liked the way she stood and glared at him, not bowing her head and meekly promising him whatever he wanted. She was strong, this lady. A survivor.
    “Find a way,” he said. “I’ll keep my Shifters from you, and the humans from finding out about you, and you alter the plans to my specs without telling anyone. All right?”
    “And if I refuse? You’ll expose me?”
    “You think I’m threatening you?” Eric came out of his nonchalant, Eric-is-everyone’s-friend stance, and leaned over the desk to her again, not stopping the predator. Iona stood her ground, but her eyes widened, and her wild scent washed over him.
    “I don’t need to make deals with you, Iona. You’re an unmated, unprotected female in my territory. I could make you mine right here in this office, carry you home, and sequester you, and you couldn’t do anything to stop me. Could you? You’d fight, but in the end I’d win.”
    He leaned closer, the desk no barrier, and she stepped back, catching herself on the chair behind her. Her eyes flickered, and he smelled her fear, but she wouldn’t look away.
    She wet her lips, which made them red and sultry. “Is this how you romance all the girls?”
    The little bit of defiance kicked hot need through Eric’s body. Having her was going to be good, so good.
    “Sweetheart, an unprotected female raises the capture instinct in all unmated males, and most aren’t strong enough to control it. McNeil’s Shifters are just this side of wild, and they’re not about to control anything. Females protected by a clan or family are safe, but someone like you…” Eric reached across the desk and touched her cheek. “When Shifters see you, alone and unmated, their beasts will come out. The wild things we once were just want .” His touch grew firmer. “And they take.”
    She drew a quick breath. “But you control your beast?”
    “Barely.” Eric brushed her skin with his fingertips, liking how her cheek flushed. “I can keep it together, but whenever I see you, it’s one hell of a struggle.”
    “But you hold it in. Is that why you’re the alpha?”
    “One of the reasons.”
    Eric felt his eyes change to Shifter, and Iona’s flicked toShifter in response. He smelled her desires, the wild frenzy in her fighting to take over. She tried to tamp it down, but Eric’s own frenzy was responding.
    He could do it. He could pull her across the desk to him, strip her down, make her his in the most inescapable way. It wouldn’t take long.
    Eric leaned closer and licked across her lips.
    Iona jumped, but she didn’t back off. He felt her body shaking, sensed her rise in temperature, tasted the mustard from her sandwich that lingered at the corner of her mouth.
    He licked her again, and this time, Iona’s tongue came out to meet his.
    Eric slid his hand to the back of her neck and