C15 An elegant date

I shuddered, my body responding to him with glee. "So, do many of you know about this place?" I cleared my throat, changing the subject back to the city.

"Not many." He frowned. "We don't advertise. We like to be isolated, away from the world. And we function quite well without people following us." He smiled at me. "It's nice when we get some surprises, though."

Oh, he's too good at this. I needed to up my game.

When we arrived, there were already a few people dining in the restaurant. The owner, Angel Kent, welcomed us with open arms and took us to a separate table so we could have some privacy. He brought us the house wine, took note of our order and left with a knowing smile on his face, as if he were Cupid himself.

"This place is lovely," I said, fiddling with a blood-red napkin on a white tablecloth. "Or soft. No. I should say soft. It's elegant but cozy. Unpretentious."

My nerves returned with us tucked in the corner away from the sight of others dining and the safety of Angel . I picked up the wine glass and took a sip. The house red slid down my throat, with a tolerable sweet berry flavor. I took another sip, and another, and one more until Paul came around the other side of the table. He took my hand.

"Slow down with the wine." He smiled warmly. "It's stronger than you think."

"It's good. And I'm thirsty."

"I'll ask Angel to bring water when he gets back." He looked at me. "Are you nervous, Lara?"

"Me? Me?" I laughed. "Of course not. You control the situation. "Okay," I admitted, my lips curving into a shy smile. "I'm nervous. I didn't expect to be stranded here, let alone on a date with a man I just met. Not that this is a date." I lowered my eyes, not needing to feign much embarrassment. "I'm sorry I was presumptuous."

"Hi." His thumb rubbed my fingers. "You're not being presumptuous. I said it was a date, remember? And I want to get to know you more while you're here." So graceful, she let go of my hand, retreating to her side of the table. I snuggled mine in my lap.

"Okay."

"Then let's enjoy the evening."

Angel brought over a basket of bread. The aroma was delicious. He also brought water, and I figured I'd better drink it to keep my sanity. Then came the soup, which we had ordered from the special menu card, and I drank it with my stomach growling as the waiter placed it on the table.

"Anything else? Angel offered, the older man eager to leave us alone.

"All right, Angel," Paul drawled. "Thanks.

Needing the food and the distraction, I grabbed a roll and dipped it into the soup. A long, drawn-out "Mmm" escaped my mouth the moment the herbs danced with my taste buds. "This is good."

Paul smiled, eating his as he looked at me. "The best.

I chuckled, taking another bite. "I like the food."

"Yeah. Me too. I need it to survive."

"True. But I like good food. You know...food that's a lady on the streets and a freak in the sheets."

"What?" she laughed.

"I like it when it looks good and tastes good. And I mean really good. Like this. When it all mixes together to whip your mouth into a frenzy, it's food you have to devour." I shrugged.

His eyes crinkled as he looked at me, his beaming smile lighting up his face. It relaxed me to see him like that, to see that he had a sense of humor. It pleased me to see him act nice and funny. And ripe for getting high, so you could drag him back to Scott .

Guilt hit the back of my head, waking me up to the reason I was here.

"Tell me where you're from," he asked, throwing me off.

"Idaho," I replied without missing a beat.

"Idaho is a very big place."

I smiled. "I live near Idaho Falls."

"Ah, I see. Nice town."

"Have you been?"

"A long time ago. I understand you broke down on your way to your aunt's funeral."

I stirred in the seat and nodded. "Yes. We weren't close. But they're having a reading of the will. I warned them of my lateness and that I might miss the funeral. It's okay. I've enjoyed the trip so far."

On your way to Albuquerque?"

"Yes." I took another bite of my food, chewing and swallowing as I watched his reaction. "How about you, have you always lived here?"

"No," he replied. "Not always. But it's a place I love. I don't see myself ever leaving."

"I understand why. It's kind of a haven."

"A haven?"

"A section of the world untouched by the rest. One where you can have more control over your lives. It's nice."

"And control is important to you?"

"Yes." I held his gaze. "You could say that it is."

"Me too. I like to be in control."

Squeezing the spoon, I sensed the underlying threat-or promise. Not knowing his intentions, I didn't know how to take it.

"Shall we meet for coffee sometime?" he asked, insisting on his charm once again.

"We haven't finished this date yet."

"What can I say, I like what I see."

He smirked, and I returned the ball to his court. "Sure. I'd love to go for coffee with you sometime."

"Great. He took a bite of his bread. "Now I don't have to dread the end of tonight."

Paul

I had gone from being an alpha to a young puppy on his first date as soon as I saw Lara in that dress.

It wasn't anything over the top, but she seemed to find a way to transform herself to entice me a little more. Her ploy to discover my vulnerabilities?

She had succeeded if she was. I didn't show it. I rarely let my guard down, keeping it steady, so people would get used to my pace. I gave them the element of surprise when I needed to play my hand, and that was the plan with Lara . But the awe that reflected in her eyes at the city and the restaurant.... I could swear a part of her had fallen in love with the place and my people. And when she ate... She dove in and ate the damn food instead of playing with it. She laughed with me as an equal, without fluttering her eyelids or flipping her hair. He continued to be friendly with the staff, chatting with them, effortlessly immersing himself in my world. And I wanted to know more.

"Tell me three things about yourself," I asked him as he poured more wine into his glass. "Three things that sum you up."

"Three?"

"That's not hard, is it?

He smiled, shaking his head after taking a sip of wine. "No. But I always have a hard time doing things like that. Let me think." He tapped his chin with his fingers and blurted out, "Creative, control freak, cold-hearted bitch. The three C's. Your turn."

He played with the stem of his glass, sizing her up. "Creative. I get it. You see things from an artist's perspective. Control freak? Maybe. I can sympathize with that. Especially if someone has hurt you." I shrugged before I could deny it. "We all have a past, so many of us possess that trait. But cold-hearted bitch?" I smirked. "I've met a few in my life. I wouldn't put you in that group."

"Some people would disagree with you." He smiled. But I didn't like the pain reflected there: the weight Mary had already recognized on Lara's shoulders . "What's your three?" she asked.

"Ah... Alpha, Approachable, and Arrogant. I'll take Ace."

She laughed heartily. Unabashedly, snorting as she breathed in. It was infectious, and I laughed with her.

"Sorry." She tried to compose herself, but the twitch of her lips made me do the same. I wanted to kick myself for enjoying her so much, even as my smug wolf curled up to watch the show.