Her Sweet Alpha
Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

“Halle, you can cover for me tonight, right? I’ve got two weeks’ worth of soaps saved on my DVR and since Emmett will be out with friends, this is my chance to watch them. You understand, don’t you?”

Halle stopped Angie before she could rush off to tell Emmett, Sr. that she was leaving. Though she was asking Halle for a favor, Angie barely paused by the table Halle was cleaning. “Angie, I can’t. I have a date.”

Angie’s blue eyes widened behind her glasses. “A date? With who? Please, tell me it’s not with Lamar. He’s never going to leave Amy for you.”

Ignoring the pity in the other woman’s eyes, Halle shook her head. “No, it’s not with Lamar.” She was beginning to believe she would have to leave this town or her name would be forever linked with Lamar’s. It was as if no one noticed that she wasn’t pining away for him. She’d dated since their breakup. None of her other relationships had been as serious, but it wasn’t her fault. Unfortunately, she seemed to attract jerks. Which made her question her decision about allowing Dade to come over to cook her dinner tonight. He seemed perfect. Too good to be true. Probably a jerk in disguise. She really didn’t want to get her hopes up, but that was difficult to do when he made her so…happy.

After weeks of talking to him on the phone, she knew him better. It appealed to her to have a handsome guy so into her, but she didn’t know if she was willing to change her entire life for him. She liked the way he made her feel like she was the center of his universe, but she wasn’t in love with him yet. That “yet” surprised her. She was so set against him on the basis that he was a werewolf. But talking with him made her see him as more than just a scary mythical creature. He was Dade. Her Dade. Because whether or not she was ready to commit to being his, he’d committed himself to being hers. She couldn’t help but feel something about that. She just wasn’t sure what she felt.

Occasionally, she questioned whether or not she’d allowed Dade to steamroll her into agreeing to this date. And though he wasn’t a complete stranger because of all those conversations they’d shared, she couldn’t read body language over the phone. She needed to look into his eyes as he spoke to her to judge his honesty.

She’d agreed because she was attracted to him in a way that she’d never been attracted to another man. Also, Dade wasn’t taking no for an answer. He wasn’t even asking. He demanded.

“The werewolf?” Angie gasped. “Oh, shit, girl, I didn’t think you’d take me serious when I said—”

“This has nothing to do with anything you said. Anyway,” she rushed on, “I can’t cover for you tonight.” She walked away leaving Angie with her mouth hanging open. It felt so good to say no to her, she should have done it a long time ago.

“What are you doing here?” Halle asked. She didn’t have time for this. Dade was due to arrive in less than an hour and her hair was being less than cooperative. It was straight in sections and curly in others. She couldn’t decide whether to go casual with jeans or if she should wear a dress. For the moment, she was sticking with a comfortable pair of jeans and a one of her best blouses, a pale pink chiffon with a ruffled bodice and lace cuffs.

“We’re your chaperones,” Missy announced, giving her a brief hug and then brushing past her with her friend Cookie in tow. “Close the door. It’s chilly out there.”

Her mini skirt and thin floral print top belied her words. But at least she had on knee high boots. Missy was dressed like a nun in comparison to Cookie who wore a cropped tank and an even shorter skirt. If she bent over, all her secrets would be revealed.

Halle closed the door behind the two women. “What do you mean?”

Missy rolled her eyes. “You told grandma that you’d invited the big bad wolf over to your house to cook dinner. She sent the two of us over—completely ruining my plans tonight, by the way—to make sure that you didn’t become dinner.”

“Seriously ruining our plans,” Cookie echoed. Scowling, she flopped down on the sofa and trailed her long nails over of the arm of the couch. At that moment, she reminded Halle of a cat. She resisted the urge to rush over and examine her furniture for possible damage.

Halle couldn’t believe that her grandmother would do this. This was her first date with Dade and her grandmother had sent over two half naked super model types. Cookie was as skinny as her cousin. The two often shared clothes. She wasn’t as beautiful as her cousin, but she was outgoing and bold in a way that men never failed to notice.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to be rude, but the two of you have to go.”

“Really, Halle, how well do you know this guy? You’re having him over on your first date. He’s a werewolf. He’s stronger than you. What’s to stop him from attacking you?”

“He wouldn’t do that.” If he were so inclined, he could have done so the night he’d come to her home.

“I still can’t believe I’ve had to come over here to save your bacon. You said you weren’t dating this guy.”

“He’s persuasive, okay?” She glanced down at her watch. “The two of you really need to go.”

Missy rolled her eyes. “And earn one of Grandma’s lectures? No, thank you. We’re staying at least until he shows up. That way we can identify him if we need to.”

Halle threw her hands up in the air. “If I had more time, I’d argue this with you. But I need to fix this.” She gestured to her unruly curls. She hurried off to her bathroom. Fifteen minutes and three hair products later, she was satisfied with the soft curls that framed her face and brushed against her shoulders. She swiftly swept a mascara brush over her lashes and slicked on a layer of berry lip gloss.

The doorbell rang just as she put away her makeup and wiped off the bathroom counter with a dry cloth. She hurried out but Missy beat her to the door and whipped it open. Dade stood on her porch with two large brown paper bags in his arms. His gaze skated over Missy and then Cookie before locking on her. Halle stumbled to a halt.

God, she thought, he was more gorgeous than she recalled. He’d shaved for her. Even from this distance, she was amazed by the beauty of his eyes. They were a startling yellow surrounded by a deeper gold band. Thick dark lashes only served to highlight the unusual color. His burnt umber hair was struck through with lighter shades of copper and gold.

Though he was clean shaven and he’d trimmed his hair, there was a wild, untamed aura about him. A breeze blew in behind him, bringing his scent to her nose. She couldn’t identify the smell, but she knew it wasn’t from a bottle. It was pine and rain and wind. And all Dade.

Cookie waved a hand in front of her face. “Halle,” she said, her tone sharp as though she’d called her several times before. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Oh!” She hurried over and took one of the bags from Dade. “Dade, this is my cousin Missy and her best friend Cookie.”

“What have you got in the bags, handsome? I just love a homecooked meal.” Cookie popped out a hip and placed her hand at her impossibly tiny waist.

Dade’s eyes finally left hers. His gaze flicked over Missy and Cookie before returning to her. “I bought steak.” He paused. “I have more than enough for all of us,” he added slowly.

Missy shook her head. “We—”

“We’d love to!” Cookie cut her off and clapped enthusiastically. “Nothing is sexier than watching a hot man cook.”

Her galley style kitchen was too small for three people to comfortably navigate and barely capable of accommodating two. Dade unloaded his grocery bags on the counter. After grabbing a glass of wine, Missy retired to the den to watch television while dinner was prepared.

“Wow, you really thought of everything,” Cookie gushed. “When most men cook, they pick up meat, but they never think about vegetables. A girl has got to watch her figure,” she said with a smile. She leaned against the counter, practically draping herself over Dade’s arm.

“One of Halle’s favorites is a Caesar salad,” he said with a glance in her direction as he pulled out a salad kit that included the croutons and dressing in the bag with the precut lettuce. He put the kit in the refrigerator and when he returned to unpacking, he stood a few steps away from Cookie. The other woman quickly closed the distance again, peering into the bags as though groceries were suddenly the most fascinating items in the world.

“What do you need?” Halle asked him. She bumped into Cookie as she passed. She retrieved salt and pepper and other spices that she thought he might use from her spice rack.

“Do you have a grill pan?”

She nodded. “Excuse me, Cookie.” Halle wormed her way between them and opened the lower cabinet to pull out the requested pan.

“Thank you, baby. Could you put that on the stove for me? I’ll have these seasoned in a minute.”

Halle had never been so delighted to have a man call her “baby.” He’d done it before on the phone, but this was in front of a third party. It was everything she could do to not gloat about it. That brought her up short. Somewhere along the way, she’d begun to think of Dade as hers. He’d proclaimed it so often.

“So, Dade, what is it that you do for a living?” Cookie asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Halle has told us so little about you.” Halle wondered at Cookie’s gall. She spoke as though they were friends. As long as they had known each other, Cookie had never liked her. Halle didn’t know why as she had been nothing but nice to the other woman. She chalked it up to clashing personalities. Fortunately, they weren’t forced to endure each other’s company on a regular basis as their only mutual interest was in her cousin Missy.

“My family owns a construction company.”

“Really? I’m impressed.” Cookie giggled. “But I could have guessed from the size of your biceps.” She wrapped her fingers around his upper arm. “Damn,” Cookie exclaimed.

Dade stepped out of her reach. “I almost forgot.” He produced a couple of pints of gelato. “Sorry. I only got two of these—salted caramel for you and chocolate for me.”

Halle took the pints from him to put them in the freezer. “We could share,” Cookie suggested. “I love chocolate ice cream.” Halle bumped into the other woman as she tugged open the freezer drawer. It wasn’t as though she had much choice. When she opened the drawer, it spanned the kitchen floor horizontally and almost touched the lower cabinet on the opposite side. But she probably didn’t have to almost knock Cookie away from Dade. That was just happy coincidence.

“Hey!”

“Sorry,” Halle mumbled as she shifted around packages of frozen dinners to make room for the gelato.

“Cookie, was it?” Dade asked.

“Yeah,” Cookie replied so breathlessly that Halle rolled her eyes.

“This kitchen is really too small for the three of us. Why don’t you grab a glass of wine and relax until dinner’s ready? It shouldn’t take us long.”

“Well…I was hoping to help.”

“As I said, this won’t take long and I need Halle since this is her kitchen. I won’t be able to locate anything without her.”

“Okay,” Cookie said with obvious reluctance. “But only if I get to sit next to you during dinner.”

“Sure,” Halle agreed with a smile. Her table was round with four chairs. She gave Cookie a glass and allowed her to pour her own wine. Cookie fussed over the pouring as long as she could, but she could only procrastinate over the small task for so long. By that point, Dade had finished prepping the steaks and was carefully placing them on the hot grill with tongs.

The sound of meat sizzling filled the kitchen. Now that they were alone, she didn’t know what to say to him. “So,” Dade began after a minute of silence, “was this your way of avoiding me?”

“No. I didn’t invite them. Missy said they’d leave once you arrived. I think Cookie took one look at you and couldn’t tear herself away.”

Dade looked away but not before she saw him blush. He cleared his throat. “I thought you were afraid of being alone with me in spite of everything.”

“Wait. Is that why you invited them to stay for dinner?”

He shrugged broad shoulders. “I wanted you to be comfortable.”

That was incredibly sweet of him. She wished more than ever that they were alone. It might have been a bit awkward, as it was now. This was essentially their first date and that was to be expected.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Why’d you bring so much food?”

He grinned. “I’m a big man. I need lots of protein. How do you want your steak?”

“Well done.” She laughed at his answering grimace. “How do you like yours?”

“Rare.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me? I’d better check with Missy and Cookie about their steaks.”

“Thanks. This shouldn’t take long.”

She nodded. “Thanks again for doing this.”

“It’s not a problem.”

As promised, Cookie was allowed to sit next to Dade. Since the table was round, Halle sat on his other side. Cookie had barely been able to hide her chagrin at seeing the small dining room table. She recovered quickly. “This is delicious,” she said, staring down at her plate. “You own your own company. You look like, well, that. And you cook like this. How has some lucky woman not snapped you up?”

“It doesn’t work that way for werewolves.” His gaze caught Halle’s and held. “We get one true mate. Anything less is settling.”

Cookie cleared her throat, interrupting the moment. “I didn’t get the chance to tell you that I own my own business, too. We have that in common.”

“You co-own that nail salon with your mom,” Missy pointed out before popping a piece of steak in her mouth.

Cookie waved that aside with one long nailed hand. “That doesn’t mean that I don’t still understand the responsibilities of managing a business.”

Missy shot her friend a look. She chewed slowly before swallowing. “Dade, thank you for cooking dinner. It was so nice of you to invite us—especially as we were unexpected.”

“It was no trouble. What were your original plans for this evening?”

“We were going to a club a few towns over.” Cookie bounced in her seat. “Oh! Oh! Oh! You should come with us! It’ll be so much fun.”

Dade shook his head. “Not really my thing.”

“Is that a werewolf thing?” she asked.

“No, it’s a Dade thing. I don’t really…blend in with humans.”

“But that’s what’s so great about it. Missy and I’d be the only girls there with a werewolf.”

Dade visibly stiffened. “Aside from the fact that I’m not a dog that you trot out for ‘show and tell,’ do you think I’d leave Halle alone? She’s the only reason I’m here.”

Cookie had the decency to look uncomfortable as she shrugged. “Sorry, it’s just that Halle hates clubs.”

“Then I guess we have that in common.”

Halle beamed at him. “Dade, I—”

“So, is it true that werewolves like it doggy style?”

Missy sputtered and sprayed tea down the front of her top. “Damn it, Cookie!” Standing, she dabbed frantically at the stain with her napkin. She sighed. “This is ruined. Now, we’re going to have to go back to my place before we can go out so that I can change.”

“I’ll wait here for you.”

“No,” Missy said firmly. “We’ll leave from my place.” She stood. “I’m going to clean up and then we’ll leave my cousin to enjoy the remainder of her date.” Her cool tone brooked no argument. “Halle, do you mind if I use your bathroom?”

“Of course not.” Halle began gathering up their plates.

“I’ll help you with that.”

Halle put a hand on Dade’s shoulder and urged him back into his seat. “No, you cooked. I’ll handle the clean-up.” She marveled at her level of comfort with leaving Dade alone with Cookie. She’d been lied to and cheated on often enough in the past that trusting a man was no small feat.

But Halle trusted Dade. Despite Cookie’s obvious flirting, he’d shown no interest in her. She didn’t expect that to change the moment her back was turned.

***

Granted, he’d never dated a human before and dating a female werewolf was vastly different, but Dade didn’t think this date was going very well. He scowled at the cause of this debacle. She smiled serenely at him. “What has Halle ever done to instill such contempt in you?”

She rolled her eyes. “Halle is okay people. But you just know that she’s always looking down on you and judging you for not being as straitlaced as she is.”

He imagined Cookie had done plenty worth judging, but he doubted Halle was judging her. You had to be thinking about someone to judge them. During their phone calls, Halle had spoken of late her parents, her grandmother, her cousin, and even of her co-workers. Before tonight, he didn’t even know of Cookie’s existence.

Cookie leaned forward and squeezed his knee. “So…you never answered my question. Do werewolves like it doggy style?”

Dade pushed her hand away. The smell of her desire was nauseating. “We’re individuals. We each have our own preferences.” But, yeah, he couldn’t wait to get Halle on her knees. He refused to reaffirm any stereotypes but that one was probably true for most.

“You’ve picked the wrong girl for your needs. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if she was still a virgin.” Her gaze flickered over him. “Big guy like you, an animal inside, you need a real woman, someone with experience who can handle everything you can dish out.”

Other than Lamar, he’d not discussed former boyfriends with Halle. He didn’t doubt that there were others. She was too beautiful. If she wanted to tell him, he was willing to listen, but it wasn’t necessary that she tell him. He was her future. That was all that mattered.

“And I suppose you think that woman should be you?”

She smiled flirtatiously. “I’m stronger than I look.”

“Halle is my mate. As far as I’m concerned, there are no other women.” He stood. “If Halle needs me, I’ll be outside on the porch getting some fresh air.” Attempting to cool his temper. He didn’t know how his mate could tolerate having this woman in her home. When Halle moved in with him, Cookie would not be welcome.

Stepping into the cold, crisp air outdoors did help clear his head. And his lungs. The smell of Cookie’s desire and her obnoxious perfume had ruined his dinner. The scent made him nauseous.

Tonight made him realize that he had other things to worry about with a human mate. Humans and werewolves had differences other than the ability or lack thereof to sprout fur and claws. No female werewolf would have permitted another to insult her—period. He always kept a tight hold on his beast, but that control had been sorely tested this evening. And as Halle’s mate, he’d spent the evening digging his claws into his thighs to stop himself from going for Cookie’s throat. He hated anyone disrespecting his mate. He’d held back because he didn’t want to terrify Halle.

He believed Halle when she said she didn’t invite the other women as buffers. But she was still nervous. He’d been hoping for more when he arrived here. He’d always considered himself a patient man. He didn’t feel that way right now.

***

“Halle, we need to talk.”

Halle looked up at her cousin. There was a large wet spot down the middle of her chest. “You really need to change.” She closed the dishwasher.

Missy leaned her hip against the countertop. “I’m sorry about Cookie. She’s such a ridiculous flirt.”

“It’s fine.”

Missy sighed. “Listen, I don’t think seeing him is a good idea.”

Halle blinked. “Really?” She wasn’t so stupid as to consider tonight a success, but she thought Dade had proven himself worthy. Other than his rather feral good looks, she wouldn’t have even known he was a werewolf based on his behavior. “Why not? He’s been a perfect gentleman.”

“Halle, what is he—like 6’5”? Even if he were a regular guy, what would you do if he got violent? With him, you don’t stand a chance.”

Halle lay a hand on her cousin’s wrist. Due to her cousin’s painful experience with domestic abuse, she was always looking for signs of it. “Missy, if he ever hurts me or scares me, it’ll be over. I promise.”

She frowned. “Are you already in love with this guy?”

“No.” Halle was sure she wasn’t. Not yet. “But I trust him.”

Missy pulled at her top, fanning it to make it dry faster. “Are you even thinking this through? He’s not just white. He’s a werewolf. We’re talking interracial and interspecies. Have you thought of how the locals are going to react? I mean, even the grandmas around here tote shotguns.”

She hadn’t thought that far ahead. She lived a rather solitary life. It was peaceful. That peace could easily be shattered if her neighbors decided she was married to a monster. Talk in the dinner concerning werewolves remained the same. People considered them a threat. They wouldn’t hesitate to shoot or kill a werewolf and call it self-defense.

“I’m sure Dade is used to defending himself.”

“Oh, sure. And what would that lead to? An all-out war between humans and werewolves? It’s not like you to be so short-sighted.”

“Just like it’s not like me to have any kind of excitement in my life?” she couldn’t help sniping.

Missy frowned. “What are you talking about?” she asked. Then her eyes widened. “Wait. Is this about what I said? Come on, this is not the time for you to go contrary on me. I hope you’re not dating this guy because of some stupid flip comment I made about your life being boring.”

It may have begun that way, but she’d be damned if she’d admit to such a childish motivation. “I like him, Missy.”

“You’re sure? Because you know I didn’t mean it. I’m all about parties and clubs, but that doesn’t mean that’s the life for everyone. I mean if you—”

Laughing, she cut her cousin off. “Okay, Missy, I get it. I really like him. He’s honest and hardworking. He takes care of me. And he’s loyal.”

“I’d hold off on calling him loyal,” Cookie said as she sauntered into the kitchen. “He was all over me just now.”

Missy scowled at her friend. “He hasn’t given you the time of day all evening.”

Cookie shrugged. “Some guys are like that. Total innocents when their girl is around and total lechers when they think nobody’s watching.” She shrugged again. “Sorry, girl.” But she didn’t sound at all sorry. She looked smug.

“I don’t believe you,” Halle said. And she didn’t. Despite all the crappy experiences she’d had with the men in this town, she knew that Dade was different. The man’s middle name might as well have been Commitment. She trusted him implicitly.

“Bury your head in the sand, see if I care. You should be thanking me for warning you. But believe whatever you like. I mean, it’s not like he was hanging all over you all night either.”

That last barb hit home. Other than the intense stare directed her way when he arrived, he hadn’t said or done anything to show the same level of interest he had when they first met. That had been off the charts and overwhelming. And she didn’t want that again. Or did she? It’d been a bit scary. But also…flattering…and hot. Even now, recalling the way his eyes glowed as he stared at her made her body flood with heat.

“Cookie, shut up. Don’t listen to her, Halle.”

“What?” Cookie rolled her eyes. “Like you want her with him? You dragged me here to make sure he didn’t hurt your cousin. If he’s looking for some, I’ll give it to him. Guy like that’s bound to be rough in bed. And we both know Halle’s not cut out for that.”

Missy’s expression grew contemplative. When she opened her mouth, Halle interrupted her before she could speak. “It’s time for the two of you to go.” She placed a firm hand on each of their backs and helped them along. “This is my decision. No one gets to make it but me.” She didn’t pause in her forward momentum until they were in the den. She gave them a moment to collect their purses before opening the door. She was surprised to see Dade standing on the porch. Her heart sank. “Were-were you leaving?”

“No, baby. I was getting some air.”

“Oh.” She smiled shyly at him.

Cookie made a strangling sound and noisily clopped down the stairs, grumbling the entire way. “I’ll be in the car.”

Missy squeezed Halle’s shoulder. “I’ll talk to you later. Maybe tomorrow morning?” Though they were family, they weren’t close. They were just too different and shared few if any common interests. But they did love one another. Missy saying that she planned to call in the morning was her way of reminding Halle that she had family support if she needed it. At Halle’s nod, Missy bounded down the stairs.

Halle wrapped her arms around herself as a shiver ran through her frame. “Let’s get you inside,” Dade said. Though he had short sleeves, he didn’t appear to notice the chill in the air. He slung his arm over her shoulders and pulled her close, surrounding her with his warmth. “Are you too cold for gelato?”

“Never,” she declared and led the way to the kitchen. She got spoons for each of them and then pulled out the pints. She handed him the chocolate and popped the top off hers. “We can eat on the sofa.” She slid her spoon into the creamy mixture. Before it even hit her tongue, she knew it would be delicious. Rich swirls of caramel ran through a richly colored gelato. She moaned as the sugar hit her system. She crashed into her sofa. “This is so good.”

Dade grinned down at her. He hadn’t opened his own container. He put it on the arm of sofa and balanced the spoon on top. “Halle, I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation you had with Missy and Cookie in the kitchen.”

Her eyes widened. “You could hear that.”

He nodded. “Werewolves have really sensitive hearing.” He shrugged. “And your house is small.”

She swiftly ran through her memory of everything they said, trying to recall if she’d said anything embarrassing. It wasn’t anything that she’d said that caused her skin to heat. Humiliation stiffened her spine as she recalled Cookie and Missy’s comments.

“Halle, if I wanted you any more than I do….” His gaze roamed over her form, his eyes glowing briefly as he took her in.

“What?” she asked rather breathlessly. She needed him to finish his sentence.

Dade ran his tongue over his full bottom lip. His sharp teeth bit into the flesh. He curled his hands into fists before flattening them out against the denim on his thighs. “Are you sure you’re ready to hear this?”

She nodded. Her throat was so dry she didn’t think she was capable of speaking in that moment. Dade leaned over her, caging her in, bracing himself with one hand on the arm of the couch and the other on the back. “Halle, I want you so much…that if you’d been alone tonight, I would have fucked you in your doorway. There wouldn’t have been any hellos or polite conversation. Hell, I probably wouldn’t even have bothered to close the door before yanking down your jeans and trying to get inside you.”

He trailed the tip of his nose over the shell of her ear before burying his face in her neck. He inhaled deeply. “God, I want that kiss. I need to know your taste. Can I kiss you, Halle?”

With shaking fingers, she set aside her dessert. “Y-yes.” The word had barely left her lips than he swooped in to cover her mouth with his own. The soft pressure made her moan. Dade traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, seeking entrance. Plunging her hands into his thick hair, she gave him what he wanted.

He growled softly and deepened the kiss. When his tongue touched hers, a shiver of desire raced down her spine. She couldn’t recall ever being kissed so passionately. The kiss went from a gentle exploration to a hungry devouring in no time flat. Halle melted into the sofa cushions. While his mouth was on hers, she felt like she would give him anything he desired.

And then Dade broke the spell. He stood abruptly, breaking their kiss. “We need to talk—before it’s too late.”

“T-talk? Now?” She blinked trying to shake off the stupor of lust.

Grimacing, he adjusted the thick bulge in his jeans. Halle’s mouth dropped open at his size. Either he was truly blessed in that area or the lighting and his denim were creating a generous illusion.

Dade cleared his throat. “Believe me, I’d rather be exploring more of your delicious scent, but this is important.”

She nodded and straightened. Since he paced rather than sitting, she asked, “Should we put away the gelato?”

“No. I’ll be brief.” He stopped in front of her. “Your faith in me isn’t misplaced.” He swallowed and ran a hand over his face. “This is embarrassing as hell. There are some facts about werewolves that haven’t been made public.”

Halle shrugged. “I haven’t really kept up with the news.”

He gave her a brief smile. “I know. What I’m about to tell you is common knowledge among wolves, but we don’t really like to discuss it.” He took a deep breath. “Before I met you…shit….” His expression became pained. “I was basically impotent. Male werewolves who haven’t taken a mate by the age of thirty become impotent. I couldn’t fuck another woman if I wanted to…and I can’t want to. I can’t get hard for anyone but you.”

Her eyes widened. “You mean….” Wow. She would never have to worry about him being unfaithful. That was such a relief to someone like her who had suffered the pain of infidelity. “Yay for me, but that must suck for you. And for any male unfortunate enough to not pick a mate by thirty. But…why did you wait so long?”

“I wanted a strong mating—like my parents and my brother have. I wanted to replace my true mate. I could have chosen some other female years ago, but it never would have been the same. I would have always been drawn to you.”

“Was there someone else?”

He shook his head. “No.” His eyes seemed to glow as he vowed, “I’ve never been tempted to claim anyone else. Halle, you are my true mate.”

A feeling of elation claimed her. This man was hers and hers alone. At the same time, it made her nervous. This wasn’t casual for him. When he asked her to marry him, he meant it. From the moment they met, he was prepared to make the ultimate commitment to her.

She didn’t know if she was there yet. She liked him. Since they’d been talking on the phone, he hadn’t set off any warning bells. He was a bit bossy. But even with that business about her car, he’d been honest when she’d confronted him. And he had been looking after her best interest. In her previous experiences with men, they’d deny, deny, deny unless they were confronted with solid evidence.

And there was no discounting how incredibly hot he was. She didn’t think she had a type. The men she’d dated in the past didn’t fit any particular mold. Some she hadn’t even really been attracted to—they’d just been nice guys who’d asked her out. Or, at least, she’d thought they were nice when she agreed to date them. Unfortunately, she rarely got beyond a date or two before she found out she was mistaken.

Looking at Dade, she feared that she now had a type. And it was big, sexy, and growly. That kiss had set her panties on fire. She really wanted to kiss him again.

Some of what she was feeling must have shown in her gaze, because a slow smile curled his lips. “Maybe we should put away that gelato.”

As he stepped toward her, she held up her hand. “I’m-I’m not ready to get married, be mated.”

“Once I bite you, all your doubts will go away.”

“That may be, but by then it will be too late, won’t it?”

He tilted his head to the side as he studied her. “It’s not bad, Halle. You can never go back to being human, but you won’t want to. I’ve been told it takes a bit of an adjustment at first, but we’re really not so different.”

There was something she’d been curious about and since he seemed to be in a receptive mood, she decided now was her opportunity to ask. “Can I see your wolf?”

He grinned. “If you don’t mind me stripping down naked in your den.”

She hadn’t thought of that. “Um, you could shift in my bedroom.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “Okay.” He took a few steps then halted. “Don’t be afraid, okay? I’ll still be in control. I’ll recognize you and accept you even in my wolf form.”

“Okay. Does it take long?”

“No. It’ll take me longer to strip.”

While he was gone, she scooped up another spoonful of her gelato. It really was delicious. Then she covered it and returned their desserts to the refrigerator.

Back in her den, she couldn’t believe that she was calmly awaiting the appearance of a wolf in her home. She didn’t know what to expect. There were all sorts of videos online of shifters. Out of curiosity, she’d watched a few since meeting Dade. Many of the videos were clearly fake. Then Dade told her that they were forbidden from posting videos online of shifting or of their shifted state. It was bad enough that they’d been exposed, but they didn’t want all of their secrets revealed.

Nails clicked on the wood floors. Her first thought was that Dade’s wolf was beautiful. His thick fur was the mix of gray, black, white and tan. Having never seen an actual wolf in person, she couldn’t be sure, but she suspected that he was larger than normal. His paws eclipsed the size of her hands. His eyes were a slightly lighter shade of yellow than when he was a man.

He padded to a stop a few feet away from her. He sat and tilted his head to the side. She knew he was studying her for signs of fear. Strangely, she wasn’t afraid. Though he was large enough to easily kill her, his eyes were soft and his face was relaxed, a bit of tongue hanging out. He reminded her of a giant dog. Knowing Dade, it was affect he adopted on purpose to put her at ease.

She’d forgotten how much she’d once admired wolves. Throughout high school, she’d had wolf calendars posted on the wall of her bedroom. Money was tight in college so she’d had to make do with free calendars from local businesses.

“Can I pet you?”

To her surprise, he lowered himself to the floor and rolled over, showing her his belly. She knew that was the ultimate sign of trust and submission. As an Alpha, he would never do this for another wolf.

Reverently, she sank her fingers into his fur. It was soft and warm. She rubbed him briskly. If the look of joy on his face was anything to judge by, he was enjoying himself as well. She’d never been allowed to have a dog, but she’d always wanted one. But she could have one now. There was no one to deny her. Without thinking about it, she voiced her thoughts aloud. “I want a dog.”

Suddenly, her hand rested on a hard, naked male chest. He had a smattering of hair on his pecs that narrowed as it grew down his belly. She refused to look lower. “Did you just compare me to a dog?” Dade growled.

“Um…no.” He could be really touchy about that.

His eyes narrowed. “Good. But we can’t have a dog. Many of them were bred to hunt wolves. They sense my true nature and, therefore, most are naturally wary of me.”

We. It constantly amazed and surprised her how he saw them as a committed couple. He had no doubts. She should be terrified by his certainty. Surely, it was a touch crazy. If he were a regular human male, she’d think he was a stalker. Instead, his level of commitment made her feel secure in their relationship. She felt free to be open with him in a way that she’d never been with anyone.

“You’re naked,” she said, pointing out the obvious. She curled her fingers into a fist to resist the urge to explore the big body stretched out in front of her like a buffet.

“Werewolves aren’t ashamed of nudity.”

She scoffed. What she’d allowed herself to view of his body was magnificent. “That’s because you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of.”

Dade grinned. “Are you flirting with me?”

“I…I guess.”

He covered her hand where it still rested on his ribcage. “I’d like to kiss you again.”

“Right here? Right now?”

His smile was gentle. “Well, I’d like to get off the floor. It’s a bit uncomfortable.”

“Oh, um, you don’t want to get dressed?” She didn’t mind making out with him, but she wasn’t ready for more.

“Halle, I know you’re not ready for the mating. God knows, I hope you are soon.”

“I’d feel better if you were wearing something.”

He hesitated, but then he grunted. “I’ll get my briefs.” He disappeared into her bedroom and came back before she could grow nervous. As promised, he wore briefs, though they did little to hide his thick erection. The cotton material molded his strong thighs and showed them off to his best advantage. The elastic band was pushed out and barely managing to hold his cock in check.

He settled on her couch and patted his thighs. “Sit on my lap.”

Halle eyed his broad shoulders. She hadn’t sat on anyone’s lap since she was a child. She bit her lip. “I’m too big.”

“Bullshit. I’m a big man, Halle. You can’t hurt me. Take off your jeans and climb on.”

“My jeans?”

“I want to feel your skin against mine.”

She wanted that, too. She undid her jeans but hesitated before pushing them down. “You’ll tell me if I’m too heavy.”

“Fuck, no. Let’s set something straight. I love what I see. If you were any thinner, you’d be skin and bones. I love a woman with curves, but most specifically, I want you.” He ran his palm down his turgid length, his hips lifting ever so slightly into the pressure. “Now, sit. You’re killing me here.” His jaw clenched. Arousal reddened his cheekbones.

Trying to suppress thoughts of her generous thighs, she shoved her jeans down quickly and braced her hands on his wide shoulders. His words and the desire burning in his eyes bolstered her confidence.

Halle could have moaned at the feel of his hot, hair-covered legs rubbing over the soft, sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Dade gripped her hips and jerked her forward until her pussy was flush with his cock. She did moan then.

Dade growled and his irises glowed. He thrust his hips up to hers. One large palm skated up her spine to cup her nape. “Kiss me,” he ordered, dragging her face down to his, his mouth opening beneath hers. He kissed her so passionately, so thoroughly, that she forgot to worry about whether or not she was too heavy to be sitting in someone’s lap.

Bones melting, she tangled her fingers in the soft, thick waves of his hair and gave herself over to their kiss. Dade continued to shift her back and forth so that she rode his shaft. Her panties were so damp that she could feel him as though there was nothing between them. His rough growls only made her wetter.

Barely breaking their kiss, Dade whipped her shirt over her head. His mouth was back on hers before she could think to protest the interruption. But she couldn’t fail to notice his large hands lifting the weight of her breast and squeezing. Halle arched into his touch.

“Take it off.”

“What?” she asked against his mouth.

“The bra. Take it off,” he demanded again, his dominant nature coming to the fore.

She reached behind her and undid the hooks. Not for a moment did she think of defying him. Rolling her shoulders forward, she allowed her the satin straps to slide down her arms.

“Fuck,” Dade grunted. He licked his lips before latching onto one of her taut nipples. Halle’s hips bucked at the sharp zing of pleasure as he began to suck. “Don’t stop,” Dade encouraged. “Ride me.” His tongue curled around her nipple before giving the hard bud a flick.

Halle couldn’t have stopped if she’d wanted to. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own. Her inner muscles clenched, signifying that she was embarrassingly close to reaching her peak. She dug her nails into his shoulders. Whimpers escaped her lips as she ground down against his rigid length.

Dade growled fiercely. His eyes burned with desire as he gazed up at her. “Are you going to come on me, baby?”

“Yes,” she moaned.

He stood suddenly, holding her to him. In an instant, she was on her back with him looming over her. Sliding between her thighs, he pressed her down into the cushions of the couch. He lowered his head, kissing her quickly before returning his attention to her breasts.

Halle cried out as he began to thrust, the length of his arousal stroking her from clit to cunt. She held on to his arms and tossed back her head. Tingles fluttered through her belly and her core tightened. Just as her orgasm crested and she shook beneath his big body, Dade released her nipple. He buried his nose in her neck before inhaling deeply. His sharp teeth clamped down on her earlobe, his ragged breathing filling her ears. “Oh, God, Halle. I can’t wait to make you mine. I’m going to fuck your tight, little pussy so long and so hard, the entire town will hear you screaming my name.”

Dade made a sound, part groan, part growl, and stiffened. His cock throbbed against her pussy and hot spurts of his cum wet her belly. Several seconds passed before his muscles relaxed and he collapsed on top of her. He shifted to the side so that she wasn’t crushed by his weight.

Halle’s arms fell limply at her sides. She was suddenly exhausted. It’d been a long day and an even longer and more stressful evening. And then, that climax was strongest she’d ever had with a partner. Dade lifted himself onto his elbows. He kept their hips glued together. Despite his recent release, his gaze was hungry as his eyes met hers.

As she watched, what looked like three days’ worth of stubble on his jaw receded until all that remained was a five o’clock shadow. “That’s amazing.”

He shook his head. “You’re amazing.”

She bit her lip, embarrassment making her cheeks warm. She couldn’t believe she’d let it go this far with him on what was essentially their first date. Hell, she didn’t even kiss on the first date.

Dade cupped her chin. “Don’t do that. You’re going to be my mate—my wife. And what we do together is never wrong.”

“You’re a mind reader, too?”

“No, but I am quickly learning your facial expressions.” He tapped the side of his nose. “Plus, the nose knows.”

“You can smell when someone is embarrassed?” she asked, astonished. “Will I be able to do that?”

“Yeah, I can. Over time, you might learn to decipher the different scents.”

“What’s the grin about?”

“You asked would you be able to do it without tacking on an ‘if.’”

“I haven’t decided,” she said hurriedly. She wouldn’t mislead him.

Dade rubbed his nose over hers. “It’s meant to be, Halle. It’s fate. We will be together.” He sealed his vow with a kiss.