High Voltage: Chapter 4
Serena slipped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her. The electricity was still out, so she carried a candle with her and set the votive holder on the vanity. She yanked the band from her ponytail and used a towel to dry her long hair as well as possible. Then she stripped down and dried her shivering body before pulling on socks and the navy blue sweatpants she'd brought with her. She dragged the silver-colored, satin and lace camisole—the first piece of lingerie she could snatch from her dresser—over her head and then followed it with her favorite heather grey NYU sweatshirt.
Taking a few moments to compose herself, she stared at her reflection in the mirror over the small vanity. What she saw was a hint of fear mixed with intense confusion.
Lord was she confused! Serena couldn't make heads or tails of the events that had transpired this evening.
In part, she wondered if she'd simply imagined some of the bizarre coincidences. But then her sensible side assured her she hadn't.
But what did it all mean?
She'd rescued what she'd believed to be an injured dog. Yet in its place had been a naked man. And not just any man. A man who owned half of Silver, for Christ's sake. And the dog hadn't really been a dog. It'd been a...
Wolf.
Serena swallowed down a lump of uncertainty as she stepped away from the mirror. Unlocking the door, she passed through it, and the kitchen, and entered the living room. She lifted the glass of wine sitting on the coffee table and tried to take a sip of it, but her hand still shook, causing the red liquid to slosh over the side. Disgruntled, she set the glass back on the table and wiped her wet hand against her leg.
Garrett Slater stood by the alcove where her bed was situated. One broad shoulder was pressed against the corner beam. His powerful arms were crossed over his muscular chest. One long leg was cocked to the side, in an arrogant stance. He still wore the towel wrapped around his waist. And nothing more.
Serena tried to ignore the natural physical pull. She found it impossible not to be drawn to him. He was gorgeous, yes. But it was more than that. He emitted a primal sexuality that called to her. Serena found it damn near impossible to ignore his innate animal magnetism.
Her insides clenched tightly and the throbbing between her legs, which had subsided once she'd reached home and all of the peculiar events with Garrett had unfolded, roared to life. Serena turned away from Garrett and stared at the fire he'd built, her gaze focused on the tall, flickering flames. And nothing else. Yet a shiver chased up her spine, regardless of her efforts to clear her mind. And it wasn't because she felt chilled. It was a purely sexual reaction.
"Look,” Garrett said in his low, sensual to
ne. “I know you're ... upset. I want to help you understand."
She shook her head and let out a hollow laugh. “I don't think that's possible."
She heard him move away from the alcove and slowly approach her. Natural instincts warned her to be prepared for anything. But her heart told her something different. Although she had no concrete evidence, no real reason to come to this conclusion, Serena sensed that Garrett Slater would not hurt her. His intentions were still unclear to her, but she could honestly say she didn't fear him.
If he'd wanted to attack her, he would have done it already. He'd had ample opportunity to advance on her. Cleary, he was strong enough to overpower her. Serena knew she wouldn't stand a chance against him, whether she was armed or not.
So, then. What did he want from her?
He stood next to her, facing the fire as she did. Towering over her by a good six inches, he seemed even larger and more powerful than before. Heat emitted from his skin, seemingly caressing her own. She felt him on a physical level, despite the fact that he wasn't even touching her.
The trembling in her body subsided and the chill in her bones vanished. In fact, Serena suddenly felt warmed to the core of her being. She turned slightly and slid a glance up Garrett's well-defined torso, taking in every inch of smooth bronzed skin and sculpted muscle. Her gaze lifted to his handsome face, so artistically crafted.
God had certainly taken his time with this man, she thought.
When his emerald eyes met hers, Serena felt that curious pull again.
"You said you'd explain this strange night to me,” she said in a quiet voice. Her gaze remained locked with his. Serena was unable to look away. The intensity in his beautiful eyes drew her in. He was emotionally compelling and physically stimulating at the same time.
The corners of his tempting mouth quirked upward. “You're right. I did say that. But I lost my train of thought."
Serena's stomach took a little tumble.
No, he definitely didn't intend to hurt her. Maybe his intentions weren't one-hundred percent noble, but it was quite clear his motivation was sexual, not evil. The heated look in his shimmering eyes and the smoldering expression on his face told her Garrett Slater was attracted to her.
Another shiver tickled her spine.
"You're still cold,” he said in a low voice.
She shook her head. “Actually, I'm not.” In fact, her sweatshirt and pants suddenly felt as confining as a heavy ski suit. The material touching her skin was smothering her. What Serena really wanted was to shed every article of clothing and bask in the warmth radiating from the fire and the man standing next to her.
She felt as though she was suffocating in the thick material that covered her. Without thinking twice about it, Serena reached for the hem of the sweatshirt and yanked it over her head. Tossing the shirt toward the chair sitting adjacent to the sofa, she let out a sigh of relief. Although she now only wore a clingy camisole with her bottoms, she felt freed of the confines that had gripped her so fiercely.