Page 8 of Darrin: The Wolves

“It seems so. My other brother Trick is behind the bar covering for me. He’s also been paying attention.”

She let her gaze slip to the bar where Trick lifted his hand in greeting because he’d clearly been eavesdropping. She giggled and Dare loved the sound.

They talked while they ate, about various things. The sort of surface topics that people talked about on first dates. But underneath all the chatting about jobs and families and friends, was a hum of heat that was steadily growing. He noticed everything about her. The way her fingers curved around the glass, her thumb rubbing up and down. The way she smiled at him and her eyes crinkled at the corners. The way she sucked in a quick breath when their hands touched reaching for the saltshaker for the fries.

He wanted to touch her more.

Explore her curves with his fingers and tongue, until he was drunk on what he was certain would be the intoxicating taste of her. He’d never been so singularly attracted to a female before, and he knew it was because he’d never been in the presence of his mate.

It wasn’t just that she was beautiful, it was that every cell in his body was attuned to her now. She was his sun, the center of his world, and they’d just met.

When the table had been cleared, they spent the better part of an hour trading questions about their lives. Dare didn’t want the evening to end. He’d never been so enchanted by a female before.

But she was human. What was she feeling?

“Would you like to check out the deck? It’s not opening to the public until the first Friday in June, when we’re starting our summer concert series on the weekends.”

“Sure,” she said.

He took her hand and led her out to the deck, closing the door behind them so no one followed.

“Oh, it’s beautiful out here,” she said, stopping at the railing and looking out over the river.

The night was cool but not cold, the afternoon heat slipping away once the sun set. The moonlight rippled on the river’s lazy current below, and the sounds of the tavern and the town across the river were a low hum around them.

He leaned against the railing, watching her and not the scenery.

She seemed to know he was watching her, because he caught the subtle scent of her arousal, and saw her skin slightly darken on her neck from blushing.

“Thank you for dinner,” she said, her voice low and soft.

“I’m glad you came.”

“So am I.”

Silence stretched between them, their gazes locked, their bodies close but not touching.

She moved a little closer.

He moved a little closer.

Now they werenearlytouching, but not quite.

“I don’t usually do this,” she said.

“Do what?”

“Feel so connected to someone I just met.” Her head tilted slightly. “I can’t figure it out, but I’m wildly attracted to you. And I don’t even feel a little weird about saying that out loud.”

His heart kicked hard in his chest. She felt the connection! Even if she didn’t get it, shefeltit.

He closed the distance between them, slipping his free hand to her lower back and drawing her against him. “I feel it, too, Audrey. You’re gorgeous, and I feel like I’ve known you for a long time, not just a couple hours.”

Her lips parted and that was all the invitation he needed. He leaned down and kissed her.

The moment their lips touched, his wolf howled in his head. Audrey made a soft sound in her throat and curled her hand into his shirt. He kept the kiss gentle, but then she stroked her tongue against his, and his plan to keep things PG while they were on the deck in public went out the window.

He pivoted so her back was to the railing and she was blocked from view inside the tavern, and he kissed her back with all the feelings he could muster.