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But maybe after she got his approval on the things she needed and had him lift the restrictions on her limits of power within Base.
Command and Security she understood; the day-to-day running of the base itself was another matter.
After being delayed several times for different requests, she stepped into his office nearly fifteen minutes later, and came to a hard stop.
That scent. She almost quivered in longing. Coffee. Real, caffeinated, dark and rich coffee. She almost whimpered as she watched Del-Rey lift a cup to his lips and sip slowly.
“You hate me,” she sighed, longing making her tongue almost curl. “Now I know you hate me.”
He grinned back at her, black eyes dancing as he leaned back in his chair and lifted his cup up to her. “Want a drink of mine?”
She licked her lips. More than she wanted chocolate. She stepped forward slowly, eyes narrowed as his lips quirked. She bet he tasted like that damned coffee. Coffee and male heat and hunger. Tempting. Very, very tempting.
Her eyes narrowed. Cunning, calculating damned Coyote.
She smiled. “I’ll take half a cup when I’ve finished.”
His brows lifted. They both knew what that coffee would do to her within hours.
“You could have a sip of mine now,” he offered.
Anya settled in the chair in front of his desk and stared back at him with a knowing smile. “Mongrel.”
He laid his hand over his heart, his eyes widening despite the wicked laughter in the dark depths. “Coya, you wound me.”
“I’m going to wound you.” She barely managed to contain herself from rolling her eyes. “What are you trying to get out of, Coyote? Lifting the restrictions on my basic powers or the uniforms for our soldiers?”
Del-Rey took another sip of the coffee and regarded his mate over the cup. She was slick, he had to give her that. As bad as she wanted the coffee, and she did want it bad, she wasn’t about to allow herself to be deterred.
Lowering the cup, he sat on the side of his desk and leaned forward. “We can incorporate a rotation of kitchen duties . . .”
Her hand lifted as her expression became shuddered. “Lift the restrictions on my duties, Del-Rey,” she told him firmly. “Kitchen duties and our rotations there are not your department. I don’t tell you how to run Command and Security, or how to train your men. I expect the same respect.”
“This isn’t about respect, Anya,” he finally told her. “This is about maintaining a functioning military base here. This isn’t Sanctuary and it isn’t Haven. We don’t have cuddly little cabins with pretty little flower beds around them.”
She sat back in her chair, crossed her arms and stared at him silently. Hell, she was going to get pissed off.
“I run this base when you’re gone. I’ve learned how to do what has to be done at any given time, and I do it with resources so limited they’re laughable,” she said calmly. “You have no right, Del-Rey, to keep a limit on my authority.”
And he’d considered that fact. For days. Unfortunately, he and Anya differed in several areas regarding the base. Areas he knew would change if she were given the authority to change it. He didn’t want to fight her. There had been too much conflict between them already. He liked her soft and sexy in his arms, not angry with him.
“Anya, I don’t want humans in this base, neither do I want staff that we don’t have control over. The Coyote soldiers coming in here from the Bureau rescues are going to feel out of place if they have beds, blankets and pillows without working for them. This isn’t a Council facility. It’s a military-run base. I can’t lift the restrictions on the powers you have until I’m assured that you understand this. Until then, my signature will be required on any changes you request.”
He could smell her anger simmering now. Low, fierce, barely held in check. But he felt her hurt, and it pinched in his chest.
“Is that why you haven’t signed off on the requests I’ve sent you?”
“I don’t believe the changes you’re requesting are for the good of the base.” He kept his tone soft, gentle. “It isn’t so bad here, is it?” he finally asked. “A little rough at times, I admit, but your personal requests are never restricted.”
She rose slowly to her feet, her chin lifted with that surfeit of pride he knew she had.
“Haven and Sanctuary are homes, to their alphas as well as their mates and children. If you prefer a military base rather than a home, then that’s your choice. Excuse me for taking up your time Alpha Delgado. Perhaps if you find the time from all your duties to fuck tonight, I’ll see you then.”
“Anya.” He came out of his chair as she moved from hers and headed for the door. “Dammit, that was uncalled for.”
She paused and turned back to him. “Was it?” she asked, the hurt in her voice thick now. “I had more freedom when the separation order was intact. I’ve become the one thing I swore I would never be, Del-Rey. Your pet, nothing more.”
“That isn’t true,” he growled. “Anya, you know better than that.”
