Man, Istillcouldn’t believe he’d trusted me with something so vulnerable so quickly. If anything, it just affirmed that I was right about how special our connection was. I knew, without a doubt, it wasn’t something he’s shared with justanyone.Which meant, that to him, I had to besomeone.
And wow, was it nice to be someone to a guy like him.
“Let’s not jinx it now, shall we?” he asked, a slight accent slipping into his voice.
When he removed his hand, I almost leaned toward it, eager for more of his touch. It was just as soothing as it was exhilarating, like those frozen beauty tools that people would stick in the fridge and then use on their face to reduce inflammation.
“Right,” I agreed. “Lesson learned.”
“You’re a quick study, huh?” he teased.
Goosebumps rose along my skin. I’d been so worried that he was going to confess he just saw me as a friend—or that he was a serial killer or something.
“I might have been accused of being too smart for my own good once or twice in my life.”
“I’m sure it’s more than that, clever girl.”
Normally, I wouldhateanyone calling me a girl. I was over the age of thirty, after all. But it sounded so dipped in honey and tempting falling from Rowan’s full lips. Naturally, I flushed and let out a giggle. A real, legitimategiggle.
Thankfully, we reached the food cart before I could dissolve entirely. The crepe stand wasn’t my normal fare, but I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it either. I was really jonesing for some sugar after the day I had, so I chose a strawberry and cream crepe with peanut butter sauce. Although I didn’t have the ability to shift, I truly had a canine’s love of everything PB.
“You sure you don’t want chocolate on that?” the worker asked.
“No, thank you, I can’t eat it.”
“Oh, are you allergic?” Rowan asked, and he had that keen expression, like he was mentally jotting down everything he learned about me.
“No, but it messes with my stomach.” It wasn’t uncommon among shifters of all types, and sadly not something our enhanced healing could help with.
“I see.”
Rowan ordered a savory crepe. Huh, so he wasn’t a sweets guy. That was all right with me; the less I had to share any desserts, the better!
We snagged a couple of water bottles, and once we were all squared away—Rowan paying again without even giving me a chance to pull out my card—we headed to the end of the boardwalk that turned into a pier where we could sit on the end and dangle our feet in the water.
“Look at the stars,” I murmured absently as we got settled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been out here at this time of night. They really are beautiful.”
“They are,” Rowan agreed, tilting his head up and allowing me to drink up his profile like the stunning thing that it was. “My silver-sprung, erstwhile companions.”
“That’s beautiful. Is that from a poem, or something?”
“No, just a silly thing that popped into my head.”
I may have gawked a bit. Hot, sweet, funny,andcould improvise off the dome like that? How was this guy single? He had to have a skeleton or coffin in his closet!
“I don’t know, when I say something silly, it sure doesn’t sound like that.”
Those crystalline eyes landed on me, so intense I could feel myself blushing yet again. “I guess I’m a bit inspired by the present company.”
Ho
Lee
SHIT.
As he continued to look at me like I was as enchanting as the brilliant balls of light above us, I had a revelation that sort of rocked me to my core.
Ever since I learned I would never get an inner wolf or be able to shift, I’d always been the one fighting, begging, pleading not to be rejected. Whether it was a familial bond I was chasing with other shifters in our pack, my own kin, or romantic entanglements with suitable bachelors, I was always the one reaching. But now, for the first time in my life, the shoe was on the other foot. Rowan was looking tometo accepthim. Which was one hell of a concept. I couldn’t imaginenotaccepting him over something as simple as a lack of melanin. I was vaguely aware there were other complications that arose from the condition, but that really wasn’t any of my business and didn’t matter until Rowan wanted it to be my business. To me, it was another fascinating and welcome part of him.
