“This isn’t a fundraiser for the Girdwood Springs Pre-School?”
He started digging around in his pocket, leaving Diana standing there holding the drink out and feeling increasingly foolish.
The man pulled out a couple of one-dollar bills and placed them on the table, tucking them under the edge of the cash box. “Here. I’m not about to turn up lateandstiff you on the price.”
Diana stared at him, mouth open, ready to protest… but really, he was offering her a lifeline. Shedidwant to raise money for the school, and really, it was just a relief to know that he was someone who cared about raising money for kids, rather than taking advantage of the situation.
Not that she should really care about his personal moral code, given that he was a stranger passing through town who she would never see again. Obviously.
“If you insist?” she managed to get out, the statement coming out sounding more like a question.
“I do,” he said firmly, and Diana’s heart did a weird little flutter.
“No problem. Here you go, sir,” she said, holding the cup out a little farther and willing her hand not to tremble.
What is going on with me today? Are these the early stages of heatstroke?
“Thanks,” the man said in his deep, oddly soothing voice, and he reached out his hand to take the cup.
The two of them brushed fingers ever so slightly as she started to pass it over, and –
Whoa!!
Diana didn’t know which was more surprising – the sudden shock of electricity that ran through her fingers and up her arm, or the fact that the table was now covered in lemonade.
“Oh. Oh, crap!”
Diana froze, staring at the spreading yellow stain on the tablecloth and mentally despairing about having to deal with the mess… before she realized the much,muchbigger issue at hand – i.e. that she’d just deprived the handsome, civic-minded man of his hard-earned lemonade.
“I’m so sorry!” She could hear herself babbling, but somehow, she couldn’t stop. “I cannotbelieve I just did that! I’ll definitely get you another, no charge, of course – you didn’t get any on you, did you –”
And if you did, can I pat you down gently with a moist paper towel?
Well, at least she managed to stop herself from blurtingthatout. But the more she talked, the more she couldn’t help but notice the man was simply standing there, a silent, hulking figure.
Is he mad I spilled the lemonade?
Forcing herself to stop talking, Diana looked up – and up – to find the man staring at her, a look of complete shock –and hopefully not horror?– on his face.
Chapter 3
She – this woman is –
Calvin stared at the woman in front of him in shock, his mind blank except for the hissing and roaring of his wyvern as it spread its wings and did a squirmy dance of triumph, its jaws wide open, its eyes glittering as it cried out from the depths of its very soul:She is our mate! Ours! The one we have waited our whole lives to find!
But… I don’t even know her name,Calvin thought, bewildered, as he continued to stare in silence – and he was pretty sure his mouth was hanging open too.
But knowing her name or not didn’t seem to matter to the wyvern – or his own heart. It was true: as soon as he’d seen her he’d noticed her beauty, with her long, ringleted hair and wide smile, which had made her dark eyes sparkle.
But my mate? Here? Out of nowhere? I hadn’t counted on this… andwhatam I wearing…?
It matters not!His wyvern writhed about, insisting that hedosomething about this revelation, though it didn’t seem to have many ideas as towhatexactly Calvin should do.She will see into our soul. She is our mate! Outer appearances mean nothing!
Be that as it may, Calvin thought in dismay, he’d always thought that when he did finally meet his mate, he’d be able to sweep her off her feet while wearing a tux and presenting her with a dozen – atleasta dozen! – red roses and a glass of champagne.
At the least, I thought I’d have my hair combed,he thought. He wouldn’t just be showing up sweaty and disheveled in hiking boots, a tank top, and shorts. Meeting his mate wasimportant,after all – and he wanted to make a good impression.
Well, fat chance of that now, Calvin thought, despair creeping up inside him. Not after he’d – he’d –
