Lukyan was the most level-headed member of the Volkov pack, a fact that made him an irreplaceable adviser to Dimitris, but Lukyan’s logic did nothing to appease the alpha this evening. “I would rather mating happen sooner rather than later, so please try to be on your best behavior.” Without warning, the warm scent of cinnamon and coffee filled his nose. His mate was here. He turned toward the door to find her, but the entry was filled to bursting. Craning his neck, he strained to catch a glimpse of her. “Hurry this line along,” he said to his family. “She is here. I can smell her.”
The mantra Cate had repeated over and over on the ride to the party continued to play on a loop inside Cate’s mind.You are sexy. You are smart. You are confident. You can do this.Cate sucked in a breath and stepped into the foyer. Immediately past the threshold, a servant asked to take her coat. She handed it over and turned to look at her surroundings. The foyer, large and expansive, was filled with people.
“The line ends there, Ms. Darling,” the servant said. “If you will get in line, the Volkovs will greet you.” Cate looked at the extensive line and inwardly groaned. The glass of wine she had bribed herself with would have to wait a while longer.
Despite the line’s length, it moved quickly. In less than five minutes, she was standing in front of Alek Volkov. Standing next to Dimitris, Cate could understand how she mistook one for the other today by the pool. They looked very similar, though Dimitris was a few inches taller, his shoulders a bit wider, his eyes more golden. “Cate,” Alek said, a look of genuine pleasure on his handsome face, “so good to see you again. I was told you met my brother, Dimitris, earlier today.” Alek had a smirk on his face, but she refused to allow him to embarrass her. “Dimitris, you have already had the pleasure of meeting our beautiful chef. Lukyan, allow me to introduce you to Ms. Catherine Darling. Cate is an instructor at the Coyen Culinary School of Art. Her students have prepared tonight’s food.”
She smiled and extended a hand to Lukyan. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Volkov.” Like Alek, he looked a lot like Dimitris.She looked from one man to the other. Though each man was distinct in his appearance, they all the same square jaws, high cheekbones, and patrician nose. Lukyan’s coloring was different, though. Lighter hair and blue eyes signaled that he was not as closely related to Dimitris as Alek. She looked back to Dimtris, flanked on each side by his family. Yes, all the Volkov men were handsome, but Dimitris was, without a doubt, the best looking of the three.
Lukyan clasped Cate’s hand in his much larger one. “It is very nice to meet you, at last, Ms. Darling. My cousin tells me tonight’s fare will be superb. I’m told I have you to thank for that.” She smiled in response. His words were accented like Dimitris’ though his voice didn’t seem to have the same low rumble, and his eyes darted around, never quite keeping contact with hers.
Lukyan struck her as being wildly uncomfortable with small talk, yet he pressed on. “So tell me, how long have you lived in this area? I do not believe that I have ever seen you before.”
“You haven’t seen me before because I haven’t been around much. I only arrived in the area about four months ago. My son and I moved in from Chicago. I had a great opportunity to teach in the school that I just couldn’t turn down. All my time since then has been spent working, playing with my son, and getting my house in order. I haven’t had much free time to get out.”
She sneaked another look at Dimitris. He had not yet said a word since her arrival. She had seen him talk to others in line before her. Why was he not speaking now? Was he embarrassed about how they had acted when they last saw one another? Cate felt heat infuse her cheeks.Do not think about it. If he regrets what you did, you can simply not do it again. There is no need to be embarrassed for doing what adults do.She admonished herself for being unsure of herself. It had been many years since she had let a man make her feel less than confident, and she would not start now.
Dimitris drank in the sight of his mate.My Cate.Mine.She was more beautiful than he had remembered. He longed to run his fingers through her thick, dark hair. He had been too busy rubbing her ass by the pool to touch her hair, but he knew it would be soft and luxurious. His fingers tingled with desire to touch it.Tell her she’s beautiful,his wolf scolded, but Dimitris held his tongue in check, fearing that only howls and growls would escape when he tried to speak. What was wrong with him? As alpha, he was the most assured and confident person in the pack, and yet this woman tied him in knots.
“If you haven’t been in town long, I guess it’s safe to assume that you don’t know anyone at the party,” Lukyan continued. He shot Dimitris a glare suggesting that Dimitris snap from his stupor and greet his mate. Dimitris heard Cate admit that she knew few people in the area and did not expect to know anyone at the party. “Then you need someone in the know to introduce you,” Lukyan concluded. Turning to his left he said, “Dimitris, you’ve been standing here the longest. Why don’t you stretch your legs a bit and introduce the lovely Ms. Darling to a few of the guests.”
Goddess bless you, Lukyan.He had been saved by Lukyan’s quick wit in the past, but never was he so grateful for it. “Yes,” he said, “I would be more than happy to escort you, Ms. Darling.” His voice rumbled deep and low, animal-like but not quite a growl. Dimitris graced his mate with his most devastating smile and held out his elbow for her to take. She placed her hand on the inside of his arm and he tucked it close to his body. This was not the contact he craved, but it would do for now.
Cate allowed Dimitris to steer her into the ballroom. “Would you like a drink,” he asked, indicated the bar in the corner with his free hand.
“I would love a drink. A glass of chardonnay has been calling to me since I walked in the door.”
He smiled. “You weren’t nervous about coming tonight were you?” She ducked her head. “I must admit that I, too, was a bit nervous about this evening.”
Cate was shocked. “You? Why would you be nervous? You’re giving the party.”
“I wasn’t nervous about the party, I was nervous about you. I wanted you to come and worried that you wouldn’t. Or that you would come but only in the capacity of chef. I feared that you would lock yourself away in the kitchen and refuse to see me. And then, when you arrived, I was nervous because I worried that I would say something to make you run away again. You left far too early this afternoon, my beautiful Cate.” He gave her a mischievous wink. His wolf had found his rhythm now.
“So, I apologize for my lack of a warm welcome when you entered. I simply could not pull myself away from relishing in your presence to find the words to say how happy I am that you are here.”
Warmth from Dimitris’ words crept through her body until she was sure that she glowed from them. He was happy to see her and he did not regret their actions by the pool. Her rational mind told her that this thing between the two could not go anywhere, not really. She was too old for him, too encumbered by family and work obligations, and yet she basked in his praise.Careful, Cate,she cautioned herself,don’t let your emotions get out in front of you. This is just a fling.
He led her to the bar and ordered their drinks. Vodka on the rocks for him, and a glass of chardonnay for her. Cate watched the bartender pour the drinks, but Dimitris only had eyes for her. She could feel the weight of his stare, a visual caress. She wanted to look at him as he was her, but she was overcome with an uncharacteristic shyness. Cate was used to being in charge. No one in life intimidated her. She went after what she wanted and, more often than not, got it. Why couldn’t she do that with Dimitris? What was it about him that made her unsure and nervous?
He handed Cate her drink and guided her away from the bar. “Tell me about yourself, Cate. I want to know everything about you.”
“I grew up in Chicago. My parents were both professors at Northwestern. They wanted me to go to school there, but I was obsessed with cooking and insisted on going to culinary school. I applied and got in to Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago and loved it. After school I worked as a chef in too many Chicago restaurants to mention, until I finally managed to become the executive chef at an upscale boutique restaurant. That’s where I met my ex-husband. He was the head chef at the owner’s other restaurant, which was just down the street from mine. We got married way too fast. A few years later we had Peter, and almost immediately after he left. I stayed on in Chicago for a few more years until this summer.” Her words came out in a rush. She had shared far more than she intended.Stop talking,her brain insisted. Che bit her lower lip in response.
“What brought you to New York?” he asked. “Though we are near the city, Coyen is a small town. It must feel very different from Chicago.”
“I came to teach.”
“But why, Cate?” Dimitris stepped closer, too close. She felt crowded. “I said I want to know about you, so tell me. I know you are here teaching, but what really brought you here?”
Cate swallowed. She had not expected Dimitris to try to get to know her. Hot sex, heated glances, stolen kisses — that was the best she had hoped for. She had not dared to imagine that he would find her interesting and want to learn about her life.You’re playing with fire, Cate.
“I came because of Peter. When he started school I felt like I never saw him. Each morning I would get him up and ready for kindergarten and we would walk to his school. When he got out each afternoon, I was already at work. My restaurant was only open for dinner during the week. And when I would return home, he would be in bed. I realized that I had a choice. I could stay as a chef and work ungodly hours and never see the son that is so precious to me, or I could find a job that would allow me to work during the day and see my child at night and on the weekends. I decided on the latter option. I only get one shot at being a mom, and I want to do it right.” She thought about her own mother. Though she was often busy with her work as a professor, she always had time for Cate, often taking her daughter on trips around the world to study new evidence about the queens she loved so much.
“You look nostalgic. What are you thinking?”
Cate chuckled. “I was thinking about my own mother, actually. She would lug me around the world with her to investigate her research topics. I loved it. Actually, we have something in common.”
“Oh, what’s that?”
