Wildflower

ZEPHYR

Days passed, yet my feelings for Lyla didn't wane. Instead, they grew.

It made no sense. Especially given how insufferably frustrating she'd become.

She drove me mad. The woman was as stubborn as a mule, as sharp-tongued as a parrot.

She defied me at every turn. What she was told not to do, she did. Where she was forbidden to go, she went.

And yet, I found myself listening for the sound of her voice even when I swore I needed silence.

I had just returned from a busy day at work, still dressed in my three-piece suit, when I heard the sound of laughter coming from outside.

I moved to the window and looked down.

Behold... Lyla was laughing.

For the life of me, she was laughing.

I blinked, momentarily questioning if I was imagining it. But no, it was real.

I hadn't even noticed the smile creeping onto my face until I saw who she was with. Nik.

The fleeting moment of happiness ended.

The smile vanished as quickly as it had come.

Why did she look so happy, so at ease with my brother?

Loosening my tie, I found myself storming downstairs, till I stood amidst them.

Lyla's eyes ran over my suit, a blush creeping up her face, which she tried to hide.

Interesting. So, she liked her men in suits.

"Hey, Zeph. You're back," Nik greeted casually. "How's work? Any luck finding that mole?"

"Not yet. But we're close," I replied, my focus locked solely on Lyla.

She met my gaze, subconsciously tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear.

I itched to thread my fingers through her hair, tilting her head back so I could have access to her pretty, feisty mouth.

Nik, oblivious, continued. "Lyla was just telling me about her life back on the farm. Didn't know she could ride horses."

There was something else I wouldn't mind seeing her ride.

I raised a brow. "Is that so?"

Lyla straightened, arms crossing over her chest. "Yes. Is that a problem?"

Problem? No. But the idea of her telling that to him instead of me…of him making her laugh… of her growing comfortable with him while she was still cold to me, didn't sit well with me.

"You look like you need a drink," Nik said, clapping my shoulder. "Come on inside, I'll pour you one. Christina brought a …"

"I'm fine," I said, a bit harshly, still watching Lyla. "Actually, I need to speak with my fiancée. Alone."

Nik's expression flashed with mild confusion, but he gave a small nod. "Alright then." He threw Lyla a wink. "See you later, farm girl."

She rolled her eyes but smiled.

A dashing, heart-stopping, breath-seizing smile.

My jaw clenched in irritation.

As soon as he was gone, I took a step closer. "You seem comfortable with him."

Her eyes narrowed. "And?"

"And I don't like it."

She scoffed. "Well, that's not really my problem, Mr Wrath, is it?"

"Mr Wrath" sounded sexy coming from her mouth.

After a tense moment, I brushed past her. "Walk with me"

She sighed dramatically, but followed.

We walked into a greenhouse, and immediately her expression softened.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, more to herself than to me.

"Yeah," I lowered myself to a bench, looking around the vast room. "It used to be my mum's."

It had been five years since her death. She was killed by a rival pack as a declaration of war. Well, now they were all dead. Every last one of them.

My father never recovered. Grief stripped him of everything until there was nothing left. A year after my mother died, he followed.

Lyla glanced at me, something unreadable in her look, but she didn't pry. Instead, she folded her arms. "So? What did you want to talk about?"

"The wedding."

She stiffened. "What about it?"

I caught the slight panic in her voice, though her expression remained stoic.

"It's not happening anytime soon."

Relief washed across her face. "Any particular reason?"

"Yes," I responded. "I've decided not to marry you by force."

Her eyes searched mine as if she didn't believe me. "Does that mean you'll let me go?"

I chuckled, rising to my feet. "Easy, Wildflower. It means there will be a marriage, just one where you accept me... where you want to marry me."

She scoffed, shaking her head. "Sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Wrath, but you'll be waiting forever. That will never happen."

Lyla guffawed in disbelief. "You're saying you'll wait for me to have feelings for you before the wedding."

"Yes," I replied simply.

She rolled her eyes. "Again, not going to happen. Don't waste your time, Zephy Wolf."

I smirked at the nickname. "Are you sure about that?" I asked, my voice lowering seductively as I moved closer.

Her cheeks turned a bright red when she saw me drawing near.

I cocked my head. "You're blushing, Wildflower."

"Stop calling me Wildflower," She muttered in indignation, folding her arms.

My smirk widened. "Why are you stepping back?"

Her blush deepened.

"You're unpredictable and stubborn as hell," I continued, my gaze not leaving hers. "Wildflowers don't follow rules. They grow where they damn well please... just like you." I inched closer. "You're my Wildflower."

I heard her pulse race faster as she took another step back. I followed.

Another step. Until her back hit the glass of the greenhouse wall and she was trapped.

"You say it's not possible to have feelings for me before the wedding," I said again, my voice roughening, "yet your body language always seems to say the opposite when I'm close."

I reached out slowly, picking a strand of golden hair and toying with it. 

"Like now," I continued seductively, tucking the hair in its rightful place before deliberately letting my fingers brush against the back of her ear.

She took in a shuddering breath at the contact, her gaze dropping dangerously to my lips before darting away shyly.

Ah. So I wasn't the only one feeling this pull…this… urge.

It was mutual.

I tipped her chin up, making her look at me. Gray eyes stared straight into mine, no longer challenging, but vulnerable.

My cock hardened, straining against my slacks. Lately, it had developed a mind of its own, hardening against my will whenever Lyla was around.

"You're always so quick to run your mouth," I scolded, teasing her by slowly running my thumb over her bottom lip. "But right now you're quiet. Why is that, Wildflower, mmm?"

"Stay back, Zeph." She said weakly. My name had come out in a whisper, her eyes drifting to my lips again.

"I don't think you want me to," I said, lowering downward till my lips were close to her ear. "Why… so… quiet. Mm?" I whispered, letting my lips brush the shell of her ear. The tip of my tongue peeked out, running over her earlobe lightly.

Lyla shivered.

The air between us didn't just crackle with sexual tension; it burned.

Seeing her like this... vulnerable, so un-Lyla-like, made it nearly impossible to resist the urge to crash my lips to hers, carry her to my room, and show her exactly how much she'd pay for defying me all this time.

But I held back, even as my cock pressed painfully against my office pants.

Before I touched her, before I gave her anything, she would have to beg for it.

"Be careful who you laugh with, Wildflower," I whispered. "Even if it's my brother. The last thing you want is to see me jealous."

Her thighs accidentally rubbed against my erection, and she gasped on feeling it, before managing to squirm her way out of my trap.

Her entire body was flushed when she faced me fully, and I crossed my arms, watching her with amusement.

I could hear how unsteady her breathing was, I could smell the depth of her arousal.

And fuck, that only made me want her more.

But just as quickly as the chemistry had sparked between us, she abandoned it.

"You don't get to keep me here and tell me who I can laugh with," she snapped. "And nice try with the proximity, Mr. Wrath. But you'll have to do better than that."

With that, she turned and walked away angrily.

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LYLA

I slammed the door shut behind me, pressing my back against the wood as if that alone could keep Zephyr out.

My heart was still racing, my skin still on fire.

What the hell was wrong with me?

I'd caved. Fucking caved.

I shouldn't have let him get that close. And even if I had, I should've stared up at him with defiance, met his gaze with pure, unyielding spite.

But instead… instead I'd…

A breath left my lips as I shut my eyes, squeezing my thighs together, the wetness between my legs making me curse under my breath.

I'd melted under his voice, his lips grazing my ear... his tongue licking my earlobe.

The memory of it caused a blast of pleasure to shoot through me, causing a tingle in my feminine core, and I moved away from the door, stalking toward my bed.

I needed to get a grip on my emotions. On myself.

He had barely even touched me, and yet my body reacted as if he had.

I had a huge problem on my hands, as huge as the man responsible for it.

How was I supposed to leave this marriage when he made me feel like this? So utterly out of control around him?

So...lustful.

So... wanted.

The feel of his erection against my legs in the greenhouse had been enough proof. Hard proof of his desire for me.

I was doomed.

Completely and utterly fucked.

I wanted to escape Zephyr Wrath, and at the same time, I wanted to be consumed by him.