“Not today, they’re not. Let me take you out for real Mexican food.”
Lucy shifted from one foot to the other, but then she smiled. “There’s a really great place over by the fabric store. It’s tiny, but it’s always packed.”
“Let’s go there. Want me to drive us?”
She climbed into his truck without hesitation, and her trust made him want to express his hope and happiness in a deep chest rumble that he held back. What would it be like to use his wolf voice in her company? If only he could. They didn’t talk much on the way there, but the quiet was simple and restful, welcome after his earlier panic. He savored her scent here, in his own truck, one of his most personal spaces.
They’d beat the dinner rush, but Lucy was right; most booths and tables were full. They were seated in a corner booth, and Lucy ordered without looking at the menu.
“Can I please get the tamale plate, one beef one chicken, guacamole on the side, and a Coke?”
He’d planned to order two of whatever she chose, but now that sounded dull. He pointed to an interesting menu photo. “Whatever that is, please. Oh, and a Coke.”
“That’s our fiesta plate,” the server said, her eyebrows gathering with a hint of caution. “So…that’s two tacos, two quesadillas, one tamale and one enchilada, plus a small beef-and-cheese nacho.”
Now that was more like it. Plenty of food and plenty of variety. He handed her his menu. “Awesome. Thanks.”
After the server stepped away looking concerned, Lucy giggled. “You really are a bottomless pit.”
“Yep.”
“Then again, let’s see if you can eat it all.”
“You like fried ice cream?”
Lucy gave a blissful eye roll. “Is grass green?”
“Bet I can eat it allandhave room for dessert.”
“If you say so.” Her smile faded, and she reached across the table, palm up.
Jeremy set his hand in hers. What…?
“Hey,” she said quietly, “we’re not eating fancy because you think you owe me or anything. Right?”
His hand squeezed hers before he could control the reflex.
Lucy nodded, squeezed back. “Okay, so…whatever your dating experiences have told you in the past…that’s not how I work. I’m really glad I found you today, so I could help. And I don’t think you’re weird or anything. A lot of people have a fear of something, Jeremy. It’s not a big deal.”
“Do you?”
She shrugged. “I don’t have one of the common ones, like you do.”
He made a scoffing sound instead of the growl he wanted to let out. “Common?”
“Sure. Tons of people faint at the sight of blood, or a needle, or whatever. At least you didn’t faint.”
His hand still gripped hers. He relaxed as much as he could, sat back in his seat, and sighed. “Let’s change the subject.”
Lucy’s pink-glossed lips pressed together, and she looked into his face as though searching for some explanation. At last she nodded, squeezed his hand again, and let it go. Then the food came, and they feasted. Jeremy polished off the entire fiesta platter, and Lucy savored her tamales with cute little groans of happiness. While they waited for their fried ice cream, her easy posture faded, and her scent gained a somber note.
“So I’m just going to come out and ask,” she said. “It’s probably too early for this, but the other topic we opened before? I’ll keep thinking about it until we finish it.”
Yes, yes, yes. His wolf heart surged with every feeling he buried day after day. Feelings for his mate. The need to claim her at the top of his lungs, to introduce her to his pack, to tell her everything, everything. He had quit shielding his nature from her on their third date, and when their eyes met for real that first time, she didn’t react with even a hint of adrenaline. Only a wolf’s mate could look him in the eyes without first being acclimated to his full gaze. That was one lesson from Patrick he hadn’t missed. Jeremy had never doubted she was his, but the confirmation brought on such giddiness he’d almost given himself away.
He knew she wanted him, knew she enjoyed their time together, knew that somehow every give-and-take conversation between them shrank the wound that someone—no doubt an idiot who had failed to appreciate the beauty and worth of Lucy—had left deep inside her. The scent of her moods clued him in on things he’d never catch otherwise. One more perk of being a wolf.
But she might not want what he wanted. Not yet anyway. So he had to let her steer the topic. He couldn’t howl at the sky for her. He had to give her room to be honest.
