Aislinn knew that if the conversation went too much further he was going to lose it. “Well, hopefully, if I start spending more time trying to be social they’ll all figure out that I’m just a normal person and not trying anything. Cullen are you sure I couldn’t just go back to waiting tables here?” she asked hopefully. “I mean if I don’t look like I’m trying to be in charge of anything and I’m willing to do my part maybe it’ll stop.”
Liam looked at her again. He was trying to read her. He had never had too much contact with her but this didn’t strike him as a girl trying to take over a pack, mentally or any other way. Cullen shook his head at her. Liam cleared his throat before Aislinn could argue some more. “Aislinn,” he said, “it’s not appropriate for the alpha’s mistress to be doing things like waiting tables down here. Even if you were an omega it wouldn’t be allowed and from what I’ve heard you could qualify as a beta if you wanted to. But you don’t want to, do you?”
Aislinn shook her head. Liam just stared into her eyes. He nodded back and sighed. “You are quite the enigma. I think that you’ll win them all over eventually. Just keep being you and you’ll be fine. That is after Cullen stops carrying you upstairs so often.”
Sarah grinned and looked at Cullen with and I told you so expression. At which point, Cullen got out of the booth and held his hand out to Aislinn. Sarah had to move in order to let her out. “I’ll do as I like,” he said. Then he grabbed Aislinn. She squealed as he tossed her over his shoulder and headed out of the Taigh-Oèsda toward the elevator.
“Cullen put me down,” she growled and pounded on his back. “This is not dignified.”
Her protests drew quite a bit of attention and resulted in amused smiles and giggling from the few waitresses who were left in the restaurant. Liam looked over at Sarah, who sat back down and smiled to herself.
“He is the alpha,” she said. “You tell him to stop something…”
Liam started to laugh. “I guess I should be happy for him. I just wish he had better timing.”
***
Cullen set Aislinn down once they were in the elevator. Immediately, he pinned her against the wall, kissing her roughly and deeply. The doors slid closed but the elevator went nowhere, since Cullen hadn’t pushed any buttons. His hands were far too busy.
Aislinn started to protest again as the elevator went up a floor and the doors slid apart to reveal an elderly couple headed down to the casino. The older couple stepped into the elevator as if there was nothing going on. Cullen watched Aislinn blush strawberry red and he smiled with tremendous amusement. He leaned in for another deep kiss amidst unspoken protests as she tried to push him off of her. He was having far too much fun with this distraction to allow for her to win. Cullen grabbed her hands and wrapped her arms around his back as he kissed her again and tried to slide his tongue into her mouth as she softly asked him to behave.
The doors opened again on the lobby and the couple got out of the car, still pretending to not notice the young lovers. Though Aislinn heard the woman comment, “Remember when we were like that?” to her companion. As Cullen let Aislinn loose so that he could put his key in the panel and push the button for the penthouse he saw the old man reach over and grab his wife’s butt. She giggled and the two of them headed for the casino across the lobby.
Cullen chuckled. When he had the elevator on its way he turned around and his eyes shifted to swirling amber as he refocused on Aislinn. She smiled back at him widely and bit her bottom lip. “Where was I,” he asked. “Oh, I was just about to do this,” he said as if he remembered something brilliant. Before Aislinn could move he had pounced on her and was ripping her t-shirt down the back as he smashed his mouth against hers.
Aislinn gave in. She knew there was no fighting him on this. He wanted her and she wasn’t far behind him. She could feel her cat growling in the back of her mind and totally eradicating any embarrassment factor that might have been created by being caught by the older couple. When the elevator opened on the penthouse Aislinn was already naked. Her clothes were left in shredded piles in the elevator as they tumbled into the penthouse.
Cullen started pulling at his own clothes as Aislinn giggled and ran from him into the main room. His shirt and pants hit the floor in short order and he stalked toward her. Aislinn grinned wickedly at him. She felt the strangest sensations running through her body. Cullen could see her cat fighting to take over as her eyes swam in amber and blue, shifting to an incredible iridescent green.
He lunged to grab her and she managed to duck under his arms. She giggled and circled round to hide behind his desk. Cullen growled at her as his wolf took over, turning him to his hybrid form. He couldn’t hold it down with her teasing him like this. You play games and you’re going to get me more worked up. He warned. It’s not smart to run from a wolf.
Aislinn could feel how much he was enjoying this game. She decided that she wasn’t going to go easily. “I think you’re going to have to work for it if you want it tonight. I can’t have you thinking I’m easy.” She grinned and ducked out of reach again as he came over the desk after her.
Cullen knocked everything on his desk off onto the floor. The lamp almost tripped him as he tried to grab her trailing hand. But Aislinn was too quick and she managed to escape him again. He was growling louder and as he wheeled to see where she was he almost howled his amusement. I’d never make the mistake of thinking you were easy, mo piseagan.
Aislinn missed the lunge as he came after her. He managed to get her just around the waist. Cullen twisted so that his shoulder would hit the floor and she wouldn’t take his weight. But the consideration cost him. Aislinn’s cat wasn’t about to let her lose this easily. She felt the beast force its way free and she shifted into her hybrid form as well. It was as though some part of herself had pushed her further back in her own mind. She felt almost lightheaded as the fur grew instantaneously and her body changed. When they hit the floor, Cullen’s grip loosened just enough for her to twist free of his grip.
Aislinn seemed to fly across the room and through the bedroom door. Cullen only barely caught the change, it happened so quickly. He was more than a little impressed, considering how much trouble she was having with it. I guess given the right situation you’ve got enough control over that beast of yours, he threw at her as he charged toward the door, only barely stopping himself from barreling through it after her.
I didn’t do it on purpose. It just slipped out, she thought back.
Cullen could feel the concern tinting her thought. But it was overridden by the desire to continue their game. By the time he opened the door she was nowhere to be seen. He smiled and raised his nose to the air. There aren’t that many places to hide in here, piseagan. And I could find your scent anywhere. By the time he finished the thought he had already honed in on her. She had gone out onto the balcony. He pushed the curtains aside and headed slowly out onto the balcony.