“Where is home?” he asked.
“Overland Park, Kansas,” she answered. That life seemed really far away right now, and she didn’t want to think about it. She just wanted to enjoy every moment here this week.
“Unluckily for you my game is tonight.”
“Gasp! Really?”
He nodded and leaned closer. “Ava has been busy with work this week. She’s a graphic designer and she stacks her custom Valentine’s Day orders, so she’s been upstairs working away, but I happen to know she goes to one hundred percent of Brock’s games.”
Birdie’s mouth fell open. “This is my moment.”
“Yeah, ya stalker. It’ll be your moment. I’m sure you will act super-normal for it.”
She snorted and bumped his shoulder, then tucked her sock-clad feet under his thigh and wrapped her arms around her knees. “I will go to the game to watch you.”
“We both know you’re going to meet Ava.”
“That is secondary. I’m actually excited to see if you suck.”
It was Lance’s turn to snort. “And if I do?”
“I’m going to boo you.”
He ruffled her hair as she squirmed and then he pulled her in and hugged her against his side, relaxing back against the leather cushion. “If we had more time, I would take you to see my apartment.”
“Don’t ruin the fantasy. That’s real-life stuff. We are just playing here.”
“I’m not.” He’d said it so seriously, the smile faltered on her face. Shifters could tell when someone was being truthful, and Lance? He’d just uttered absolute truth. She wasn’t a game to him.
The butterflies in her stomach were awake again.
The leather creaked softly as she buried her toes deeper under his leg, stealing his warmth. She rested her forehead against his shoulder and looked into the fire with him. Truth be told, she didn’t want to go back to Kansas. She didn’t even want to think about it.
Here, she didn’t have any stress or worry. She was smiling and laughing and had even settled into having some normal conversations with some of the campers here today. She was getting practice at socialization and adored getting to know Lance. The more she learned of him, the more she wanted to know.
Two more tiny days seemed terribly short.
“You’re not embarrassed to bring me to the bar with all your human friends?”
“Why would I be? I don’t care if you’re a shifter. I don’t think they will care either. Ava paved the way for you.”
“I think you’ll care more after you see the animal. It’s different when you see it with your own eyes and really understand I’m not the same as you.”
“I’m not looking for the same as me,” he rumbled low.
Roberto brought over a couple of drinks they had ordered and a charcuterie board with various fruits, crackers, cheeses, and sliced meats. No one else was in the main lodge right now, other than Gran who was bustling around the kitchen, and Brock who was doing paperwork in an office. She could see him through an open door across the cavernous dining room. There were a few excursions happening right now and most of the lodge was attending those, and she had to admit, it was pretty nice having this place all to themselves.
“I’ve been staring at your tits all day long,” Lance said.
“Lance! We were having a nice moment.”
“I made it better. I was being honest.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ve caught you like eight times.”
“I’m trying not to, but you are wearing the lowest cut sweater in all of creation and there are these little edges of lace from your bra that keep poking out, and you are driving me crazy.” He glanced around and adjusted himself, then leaned forward and took a drink, and made a little plate of snacks for her.
She was grinning like a buffoon when he handed her the plate and began to make one for himself.
