“You know that tavern across the river?”
“The wolf one? Howl something?”
“The Amber Howl.”
“Yep. You went?”
Juliette stared at her for a long moment, and then word-vomited the story to her in a rush, how Sigh had made her see stars, and then she’d run away like her ass was on fire.
“So let me get this straight,” Emery said as they walked to the counter together. The bookstore was empty, so they could talk freely. And good thing, because Juliette’s cheeks were flaming. “You met a, and I quote ‘sexy guy’ who made your dinner special, and then he sent you to heaven, and you ran away? What the hell for?”
Juliette lowered her head to the counter with a groan. “I don’t know! I was flustered.”
“Is that what you call it?”
“Stop making me feel bad!”
“You should feel bad. Oh my gosh, do you know what I’d do if a sexy guy told me that I was his, that he was waiting for me, and then got me off? Plus, he can cook? Holy shit, girl.”
Juliette snorted and lifted her head. “What would you do?”
“I would grab hold of him and never let go.”
Why hadn’t Juliette done that?
She was wildly attracted to Sigh. And she liked him.
He was funny and sweet, and the way he smiled at her when he was in the kitchen made her feel like she was the only person in the world.
“But love at first sight isn’t real.” She touched the corner of a romance novel on the counter. Even as she spoke the words, she wasn’t sure she believed them. Because whatever was going on with her sure as hell felt like love at first sight and fate wrapped up together.
“I think it is,” Emery said. She waved her hand dismissively over the book. “Not fiction, but real life. Maybe not if both people are humans, but shifters? They know on sight that they’re with their truemates. And I’ve heard that the humans who areshifters’ mates can feel that connection themselves. Maybe we humans call it love at first sight, or instalove, but shifters just call it being mates.”
“It felt too fast,” Juliette admitted. “Like I just laid myself out for him without even knowing him. I didn’t want him to think I was the sort of girl who did that kind of thing.”
“I think you’re thinking too hard,” Emery said. “Did you tell Cass? What did she think?”
“I didn’t tell her. I wasn’t ready to talk about it when we walked to work this morning.” And she wasn’t sure she wanted to tell her anyway. Her friend might think she was buckass crazy.
Emery said, “You know what? I don’t think shifters think about sex and love the way we do. Not entirely. He wanted to touch you, you wanted to let him. You’re mates. It seems like a natural thing.”
“You’re so sure we’re mates?”
“Aren’t you?” she challenged.
The bell chimed and a customer walked in. Juliette didn’t answer the question, and instead turned to get back to shelving the new books. But she let the thought roll around in her mind.
Mates.
Truemates.
Why had she run away?
Several hours later, the bell chimed over the front door and Juliette didn’t have to turn around to know that Sigh had walked in.
She could feel him, like he was part of her.
Turning slowly, she faced him.
