“Okay, Mr. Just Dillon. I’ve got to get back to work.” She started to turn away from him.
“Hold up.” He reached out and wrapped his hand around her arm, making sure to keep his grip gentle. She was human and much more fragile than he. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Lilly stopped and turned slightly so she could look at him. Several seconds ticked by before she replied. “Why would you ask me out?” He saw confusion in her eyes, and her brow wrinkled. “Women have been chasing you for as long as I’ve been in this town. And as far as I know, you’ve not accepted any of their advances. So why me?”
“Because you smell good.” That hadn’t been what he meant to say, so he quickly followed it up with something he hoped was a little less creepy. “And you intrigue me.”
Lilly’s eyes went wide. “I … smell good?”
“I’m sorry. I guess if I had said you looked good, you wouldn’t have thought that was as creepy, huh? But think about it. The sense of smell is just as important, isn’t it? At least to some species, anyway.” His attempts to sound less creepy were not going well.
“Some species? Um, I guess so.” She shook her head and grinned. “Are you some kind of dog, judging me based on my smell? I guess I should be thankful you haven’t tried to sniff my butt.”
He smiled as he saw humor in her gray eyes. She was enjoying the fact that he was the one who was uncomfortable for a change. “It’s just a date, Lilly. We both need to eat. I’m tired of eating by myself. Do you have anyone to eat with?” The thought of Lilly dining with someone else bothered him. Weird. Why the heck would that bother me?
It shouldn’t, his wolf said. It doesn’t bother me. She can eat with whomever she wants. She is NOT ours.
Again, Dillon ignored the wolf. He watched Lilly’s eyes dart away, and she shook her head. “No, I don’t have anyone to eat with.”
“So eat with me.” He sounded more nonchalant than he felt.
After what felt like an eternity, she gave a curt nod. “Okay. I’ll eat with you. When?”
“Do you work tomorrow?”
She nodded. “I get off at five.”
“I’ll meet you here at five-thirty.” He grabbed a random book from the shelf and started to back away, his eyes fixed on her. “Don’t chicken out on me.”
Her gaze sharpened, and she smirked. “I’m not scared. Especially of a man who reads werewolf romances.”
Dillon glanced down at the book in his hand and shook his head as he chuckled. The cover was of a half-dressed male with clawed hands wrapped around a wanton-looking female. “Don’t judge a man by what he reads, wild Lilly.”
“I’ve found it to be a pretty good standard.” She held his gaze until he winked at her. The blush came back, and she dropped her eyes immediately.
Dillon turned and walked to the register and paid for the book. The woman at the register looked at the cover and then at him. The gossip mill would be in full working order within the hour about what the weird bachelor reads. Dillon shook his head as he took the bag and left the store. He wanted to look back and see if Lilly was watching him, but he forced himself to have a little dignity. He’d practically begged her to eat dinner with him. And she’d said yes. Dillon took a deep breath of the warm night air. For the first time in a long time, he was looking forward to waking up the next day.
Chapter
Two
“It’s possible to experience the highest levels of joy and deepest depths of sorrow simultaneously. The experience is not something I’d wish on my worst enemy.” ~Dillon
Summer 1991
Dillon stared up into the gray eyes of his wild Lilly. His head rested in her lap as her fingers ran through his auburn hair. Clouds scattered across a blue sky framed her face. Despite seeing Lilly as nothing more than a female he cared for, Dillon’s wolf rumbled. The beast loved being touched. She’d been the only touch he’d experienced since leaving his pack, and both the man and wolf craved it. Did it hurt that the woman doing the touching was beautiful? The wolf refused to answer.
He stared up at her and noticed she seemed deep in thought. Though her eyes were looking at him, he could tell her thoughts were far away. “What are you thinking about, beautiful? You look sad.”
“I need to tell you something. And it’s going to be hard to believe.”
Dillon chuckled. “I’m pretty sure there’s nothing you could tell me that I wouldn’t believe.” Considering I’m a werewolf.
Lilly clenched her fists. He could tell she thought what she was about to say was very big news. She inhaled deeply, as if mustering enough courage to speak. She told him that for as long as she could remember, she had gut feelings. Her voice shook as she spoke, and she cleared her throat several times. She continued to share with him about the foreboding sensations that always came in regard to someone she knew and something that would soon happen to them. They were never wrong.
He sat up and turned to face her. “Have you ever told anyone about this?” He took her hand and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles enjoying the feel of her silky skin.
“Um, no.” She laughed. “I don’t really want people thinking I’m crazy.”
