Charmed by the Werewolf (9 page)

The stress from the last few hours finally caught up with her. She chewed a fingernail
. Why did she care so much about their fictional relationship?

“And you don’t understand me.
” He handed Sophia a snowy white handkerchief. Her fingers tingled when they brushed against his as she accepted it. “It seems we’re at an impasse.”

“But you have made great progress.
” Mirela beamed. “Let’s sum up what we’ve learned.” She settled behind the desk and consulted her notes. “Xavier, you need to work on your listening skills when Sophia has something to say. You need to accept the fact you won’t always be right. Marriage is a compromise, a give and take. Some friction is good to keep interest in the relationship.”

When both Xavier and Sophia nodded, she made a checkmark next to an item on her clipboard then continued. “In the future you should limit your romantic attention to only your partner. If you want your marriage to prosper, you must have eyes only for Sophia. She deserves your full attention.
” She frowned. “I really don’t see how your fondness for meat has any bearing on the relationship though.”

“It does because I’m a vegetarian!
” Sophia glared at Xavier and resisted the urge to stick out her tongue. “Why can he not negotiate with me on this issue?”

“Hannah suggested I restrict my diet to venison. She
didn’t mention going meat free.”

Another wave of anger washed through her. “Oh, then by all means if
Hannah
suggested something it must be the law!” Sophia threw up her hands.

Xavier narrowed his eyes. “What does that mean?
”

“You tell me.
” She shrugged. “I’ve been living with Hannah’s specter since you arrived in my life. Now you spout off this stuff about you and I being life mates. What the hell am I supposed to think?”

“You
’re the one meant for me, but Hannah is....” Sadness filled his amber eyes.

“Forget it.
”

“Again, the existence of the other woman will need to be dealt with, Xavier.
” Mirela frowned as she studied the werewolf. “My dears, you’ll have to come up with a concession that works for you regarding meal time.” She cleared her throat, her gaze darting between them. “Now for you, Sophia. You need to make an effort to dress in a more becoming manner, be a bit more strong-willed in the matter of your work and personal lives, and find it in your heart to understand Xavier’s illness.” She smiled. “Excellent.”

With a sniff, Sophia twisted the handkerchief between her fingers. Her tears had dried
, but her stomach churned from the accusations and emotions. Agreeing to help Xavier wasn’t one of her better ideas, yet she had no clue just how horrible it could become, especially since her own mind couldn’t settle on how she felt about the werewolf. Why had he decided to come waltzing into her life? Did he intend to destroy the last shred of her sanity? Was he really her soul mate? Did she want him to be?

“Sophia?
”

“Yes?
” She yanked her head up. Both the marriage counselor and Xavier stared at her.

“Madame Mirela wants us to try an experiment.
” A tiny smile lifted the corners of his mouth, his expression inscrutable. “Would you like to continue?”

“Uh, I suppose…
” How much worse could this afternoon be?

“Wonderful! You’ll find a piece of masking tape at each end of the room. I need you both to stand on one of the lines.
” Mirela clapped her hands. The sequins on her blouse quivered with suppressed excitement as they did as instructed.

“What now?
” The tips of Sophia’s brown loafers hung slightly over the tapeline. She acknowledged to herself that perhaps she
could
go shopping for something a bit more feminine. The thought depressed her. She was fashion impaired.

“This is an exercise in trust.
”

She
groaned. “Do you really think this is necessary?”

“Come on, Sophia, it will only take a few more minutes,
” Xavier cajoled, his hands deep in the pockets of his trousers. “You want to save our marriage, don’t you?” He waggled his eyebrows.

That little gesture nearly made her cry all over again, but for different reasons.

“I want you to think of what you admire most about your partner and say it aloud.” Mirela’s expectant grin practically lit the room. “Once you say your word, step to the next piece of tape.”

“Can I go home now?
” Sophia avoided Xavier’s intense gaze and the way her stomach fluttered from his attention.

“Not until we fix this marriage.
” The werewolf’s grin was very predatory. “You’re mine, Sophia, and I refuse to lose you to misunderstandings.”

“Damn.
” Sterling’s wrath was much more welcome than dealing with feelings and emotions for a man she may or may not be attracted to. “Let’s get this over with.”

Never again would she make fun of guests on
the
Dr. Phil
show. Sharing was painful. She suspected no matter how far she ran or how fast she went, she’d always come back to the werewolf and his shining golden eyes.

Crap!

Mirela cleared her throat. “Please continue.
”

“What I admire most about my partner.
” Xavier grinned. To see Sophia so discomfited by the whole process amused him. The simple fact she
was
uncomfortable revealing her emotions made him wonder what exactly she’d been through by working for the Portal Master. His respect for her rose. “I admire your tenacious pursuit of the truth.” Since he insinuated himself into her household, she’d been vocal about his need to stay out of Sterling’s clutches. If she were as evil as she claimed, she’d never want to shield him. She’d be a strong mate. He was a lucky man. He stepped to the next piece of tape.

When he winked, a reluctant smile tugged at Sophia’s lips. “I admire your ability to remain calm in the face of adversity, well mostly. That whole thing ea
rlier was scary…and I…” A stain of red filled her cheeks and she moved to the next line without finishing her thought. Eight feet of floor now separated them. “Are we finished?”

“Hardly. I’m good at my job, but I’m not a miracle worker.
” Mirela snorted. “Now tell your partner why you respect them.”

As
Xavier looked at her, warmth spread through his gut, stirred his groin. By the gods, she was tempting with vulnerability clouding her blue eyes. “I respect the fact you feel compelled to protect those who come into your inner circle.” He stroked his goatee; still uncomfortable with the fact she tried to shield him. He was the one who should protect her, not the other way around. He was her mate, and he’d make their decisions. He stepped to the next line of tape. How could he convince her of that fact? “You’ve tried to protect me since I set foot on your doorstep.”

“I can’t help it.
” Shrugging, she scuffed the toe of her shoe against the carpet. “I don’t want you to get hurt, and well, you’ve met Mona. If I don’t stick up for her, she’s liable to do herself serious bodily injury.” Sophia twisted the handkerchief. “I respect the deep love you have for your friends—even if your love, or whatever it is, for Hannah is a tad weird and beyond what I would consider normal.” She moved forward to her tape strip. “I mean, she’s married and pregnant for Pete’s sake!”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Hannah is a close friend, nothing more.
”

“Well, you certainly don’t act like any friends I’ve ever seen.
”

He frowned. “Did you think we
’d been intimate? I may have wanted to be more than friends at one time, but that urge died an early death long ago.” Had he unintentionally mislead her to think otherwise? His chest tightened. Did Sophia’s excess of emotion stem from a budding attraction to him? The thought sent tremors of desire down his spine. Had she finally accepted his need to court her, of their destiny together? “We never slept together.” He met her gaze. “There’s only one woman I want to warm my bed.”

“Is that true?
” Sophia’s blush deepened. “She came across as extremely possessive to me.”

“It
’s a long story.” Xavier’s expelled breath became a laugh. “I promise to tell you one day when we’re not so busy working on
our
relationship.” He cocked an eyebrow as new hope welled within.

“Make sure you do.
”

“You
’re mine, Sophia, never forget it.”

“We’ll see how things go.
” Her beautiful lips twitched with what he hoped was a grin.

“New beginnings are always so delightful.
” Mirela cleared her throat. “That insight is all well and good, but we must follow the program.” She consulted her clipboard. “Next, I want you to identify the physical attribute which attracted you most to your partner.”

“That’s an easy one, Mirela.
” Feeling as if he’d just come through a test by fire unsinged, he glanced at the councilor. “It would have to be Sophia’s smile. She seldom shows it, and it’s a fleeting phenomenon, but when she does, it lights up her whole face.” Like a schoolboy, he jumped to the next mark. “If you’re lucky enough to be the reason for the smile then you know you’ve truly done an amazing thing.”

“Well, it certainly seems as if Xavier has let go of his anger.
” Mirela scribbled on her clipboard. “What about you Sophia? He’s paid you a high compliment. Can you match it?”

She glanced at Mirela. “I’m thinking.
” The blush staining her cheeks intensified. “I, er, I like his curls.” She clutched the handkerchief as if it alone would keep her in the room. “In fact, I
really
like those curls.” She stepped forward, a stunned expression on her face. Only a mere two feet separated them now. One mark remained on the carpet.

Never had Xavier wanted a woman more. She was perfect as if the Immortals themselves constructed her especially for him—maybe they did. Threads of uncertainty snaked through him when he thought of a possible future. Would her tentative attraction for him go the distance if he was compelled to shift into a wolf for the rest of his days? If so, could he subject her to that fate of never knowing if she’d be safe? Would he be tempted to harm her as a wolf even though she was his mate? The back of his neck heated. During the dark moments of the fight with the demon lord three months ago, he and his best friend Edwin nearly subjected Hannah to the same fate.

However, unlike Hannah, Sophia owned his soul, his very being, and he’d gladly die to defend her. Xavier emitted an impatient growl. Why was dealing with women so difficult?

The gypsy interrupted his black musings. “This is your final question. If your partner were to suddenly lose all of their character traits except one, which one would you like for them to retain?
” Mirela gnawed at her bottom lip with the unfortunate result of smearing the lipstick even more.

Sophia held his
gaze, daring him to look away. Then, she smiled, and his insides shuddered with need. “Honesty.” The word rang out strong and clear as they said it at the same time.

“We cannot both stand on this line,
” Xavier mentioned casually as he attempted to hide the emotions that roiled inside.

“No we can’t.
What should we do?”

The gypsy’s laugh trilled around them. “Isn’t it obvious? The last line is symbolic of the mended relationship,
” Mirela explained. “You’ve both come through the exercises with flying colors. All that’s left is to seal your new commitment with a kiss.”

“Excellent idea.
” He reached for Sophia, but she pulled away just beyond his hand. “Our relationship can be saved after all.” Xavier stifled the chuckle that bubbled in his throat at her expression of sudden panic.

“Are you serious?
” Her brow furrowed when he nodded. With a sigh, Sophia stood on tiptoe and planted a small peck on he cheek. “There you go. Signed, sealed, and delivered.” She clapped him on the shoulder. “Well done.”

Growling low in his throat, Xavier leaned into her, put his lips to the shell of her ear, and whispered, “That did nothing to satisfy either of us, and you know it.
” Her vanilla-and-flower scent teased him, imbedded a deep hunger in his brain for more than food.
Mine
.

“Honestly, Sophia, a relationship as fiery and passionate as what you two share deserves better.
” Mirela frowned and deposited the clipboard on the desk with a clatter. “Try again.”

Alarm sprang into her eyes. “I’m a very private person—
”

“Nonsense.
” Xavier tugged her into his arms, enjoyed her warmth as it seeped into his skin. “We wouldn’t want to disappoint the woman, would we?” His breath stirred a tendril of her hair. “And we shouldn’t short-change our relationship.”

“Everybody needs to deal with disappointment at some point—
”

Tired of her flimsy excuses to postpone the inevitable, he claimed her mouth. Tightening his arms around her waist, he pulled her flush against him. Nibbling at the corner of her lip, he tasted the mint-flavored lip balm she used. Need shot through his abdomen, insisted he do whatever it took to keep her with him.
She is mine
.

“We should stop…
”

“Not now, not ever.
” Ignoring her protest, Xavier traced her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. When she whimpered and buried her fingers in his hair, he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth to stroke the silkiness of hers. He backed off the intensity of the embrace to tease her with feather-light caresses that did little to assuage the ache in his groin. “Are you sure you want to stop?” He pressed tiny kisses to her closed eyelids then traced a path back to her velvety lips. “Because I want you, Sophia.”

He
felt each shiver and wave course through her body, feeding his own desire until it reached the strength of a bonfire. Sophia swept her hands over his back, slid around to his chest as her fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. “No…” The minx matched him kiss for kiss, sucked his tongue into her mouth, the embrace marred when Mirela’s voice cut through the haze.

“Damn.
” He dropped his hands from their resting place on Sophia’s ribcage. “This isn’t over.” He stared into her eyes, satisfied she’d received his message when a blush covered her face. “Not even close.”

“I just knew your relationship could be salvaged.
” Mirela beamed. “Now, tear yourselves apart and sit down so I can answer any questions you may have.”

“This is an unexpected stumbling block.
” Sophia unmolded herself from Xavier’s chest. She dropped into a chair and stared at the gypsy. “This isn’t good at all.”

“I thought it was very good, but I can do much better given the proper circumstances.
” He winked, his desire spiking once more when Sophia looked quickly away. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she felt the attraction. He’d felt it in her response. Xavier wanted to spend endless moments lost in her embrace in the attempt to find out just how deep those feelings went, to convince her they belonged together.

“It certainly looked great to me. If I were you, I’d take my man home and go straight to bed. For days.
” Mirela wrote on a yellow slip of paper then handed it to Xavier. “Here’s your bill. You may mail the payment to the address at the bottom.” She laced her fingers together on her desktop. “Did you have any questions?”

All hilarity drained from him as he nodded. “There
’s something else we need to discuss with you.” Xavier stood behind Sophia with one hand resting lightly on her shoulder. “My question has to do with my illness.” Approach the subject with delicate care or go directly into it? He stroked his goatee with a forefinger. “It’s more of a curse, really.”

“Oh, I see. You want to have children and are concerned you’ll pass on the affliction?
” The gypsy pulled a leather-bound book off a shelf and flipped to a certain page.

Sophia stirred. “Uh, actually…
”

“Actually, Mirela, I
’m a werewolf.” Xavier squeezed Sophia’s shoulder hoping to relieve the sudden tension he felt beneath his hand. “My grandfather was cursed by a member of your family. I wondered if you’d be so kind as to lift the curse.”

“I see.
” The heavy silence in the room was broken when Mirela slammed the book shut. “A werewolf curse, eh?” Her eyes narrowed as she peered at Xavier. “I should have known. The name Leighton rang a bell, but I didn’t connect the two incidents.”

“I do apologize for not bringing it to your attention sooner. Sophia and I were occupied with other matters.
”

The gypsy’s gaze slid to Sophia. “Indeed.
” She fiddled with the end of her scarf. “When I was very young my great-grandmother used to tell us stories of the man she cursed in her youth. With each telling the affliction grew stronger until it has become something of a legend in our family.” A smile crossed her lips as she remembered. “And now the werewolf has come to beg a favor from me. Mamma would be tickled.”

“I can assure you I mean you no ill-will should you decide not to assist me.
” He didn’t know whether to interrupt her comment as willingness to help or not. “I’ve made tentative peace with what I am. However, if I don’t need to live out the remainder of my life as a shape shifter then it’s all for the better.” His grip tightened on Sophia’s shoulder

“In the event you choose not to lift Xavier’s curse, would there be any way for you to tell us how else we might accomplish the feat?
” Sophia leaned her head against his forearm.

“I
’d be happy to lift the curse; however, I need to ask Xavier one more question.”

“Yes?
” Cold dread held him rooted to the floor.

“In recent days, have you experienced a change with your curse? A feeling that something isn’t quite…right regarding the magic energy that binds you?
”

“Actually, yes.
” He nodded. “I mentioned it to Sophia yesterday, in fact. What does it mean?”

The gypsy sighed and pity swamped her gaze. “I had a feeling this would happen sooner or later.
” She chewed her bottom lip. “My grandmother isn’t exactly able to string lucid moments together anymore. She heard the stories more than any of us, I suppose, and in one of her more potent senior moments, I caught her reciting an addendum to your curse. I guess she was trying to avenge her mother.”