"Your eyes are the same," he says softly, reaching up to touch the fur around my face. "Gold. Pretty."
I shift back.
It's faster than the initial shift—my body remembers human shape better than animal. One blink and I'm kneeling in front of him, naked, breathing hard.
Toby's eyes drop. Then snap back up, cheeks flushing.
"Warn a guy," he says, but his voice is unsteady.
"Clothes don't survive the shift."
"That's convenient."
"It's actually really inconvenient. Do you know how many shirts I've ruined?"
He laughs, and the tension breaks—but not completely. There's still heat in his eyes when he looks at me. Still want.
I reach for my jeans, pull them on. Leave the shirt. It's a warm night anyway.
When I stand, Toby stands with me. We're close now. Close enough that I can feel his breath, see the flutter of his pulse in his throat.
"That was incredible," he says. "You're incredible."
"I'm just me."
"Yeah." He reaches up, touches my jaw. "That's the point."
I lean into his hand. Can't help it. My lion is still close to the surface, still rumbling with satisfaction at our mate's touch.
"Toby."
"Yeah?"
"Can I kiss you?"
He answers by closing the distance himself.
The kiss is soft at first. Gentle. A question and an answer all at once. His lips are warm, a little chapped, perfect. My hands find his waist, steadying him, pulling him closer.
He sighs against my mouth and opens for me, and then it's not so gentle anymore. His fingers slide into my hair, gripping. I press him back against the railing, caging him in with my body.
"Knox," he breathes between kisses. "God, I missed this."
"Missed you." I kiss down his jaw, his neck, find the spot where his pulse is racing. "Missed touching you."
"Then touch me."
Permission. Finally.
My hands slip under his cardigan, under his shirt, finding warm skin. He shivers, arches into me. I can smell his arousal, sharp and sweet, and it makes my head spin.
"We should stop," I manage. "If you want to stop."
"I don't want to stop." He pulls back just enough to look at me, eyes dark. "I want to go home with you."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." He kisses me again, soft this time. "Take me home, Knox."
