Page 9 of Link with Me

Tara laughed. “I know,” she winked. “Now let’s get you laid.”

Oh, lord.

She opted for minimal makeup since she usually kept things natural. Her tanned skin was one of her best features. That and her curves. Her heritage gave her both. The dress clung to her body like it was made for her. The hem landed mid-thigh and she worried if she bent over the wrong way she’d show the world her ass.

“I don’t know-”

“You’re wearing the dress,” her mother and sister said in unison.

“I feel half naked,” she mumbled.

“Good,” her mom retorted. “Maybe by the end of the night, you’ll be fully naked with a hot man.”

She didn’t even bother arguing with her mom. Not like that wasn’t what she was hoping for anyway.

“So this Alex guy,” Tara started while tossing lip-gloss and things from Lena’s backpack to a cute little black purse. “Do you think he’s like someone you might want to get to know for more than sex?”

Lena thought of the way Alex’s gaze bore into hers and the way he seemed to read her soul when they’d spoken. “I don’t know. I think so, but I haven’t really had this type of connection with a man before. It could be lack of sex.”

“Yeah,” Tara agreed. “That’s true. But don’t dismiss any other emotions he evokes in you just because you’ve never experienced it before.” Tara met her gaze and held her hand when she handed her the bag. “Feel your feelings, sis.”

Feel her feelings. Great. What the hell did that mean?

She and Alex had exchanged phone numbers at his shop and he’d given her the name of the perfect restaurant he wanted to take her to. She kept her sister’s words in her mind as she headed to dinner. Would she feel the same punch-drunk dizzying flow of emotions she’d had earlier? It was time to find out.

The moment she arrived at the small Italian restaurant, there was no turning back. The rush of desire hit her square in the chest. Alex waited for her in the parking lot and waited until she parked to open her door.

He offered his hand to help her out of her car. Electricity sizzled between them.

“Hungry?” she asked, her voice thready and soft.

He stared deep into her eyes and she swore his eyes flashed gold. “Starved.”

FIVE

Alex had to talk his wolf into letting him enjoy his date with Lena multiple times. The savage side of him wanted Lena in the most basic of ways and it wasn’t letting Alex forget it.

The clink of cutlery and the soft murmur of conversations set the background music as Alex and Lena were seated at a cozy corner table in his favorite Italian restaurant. It was the place his parents had gone to on their first date and they made a point of going there on the anniversary of their first date every year. They sat away from the prying eyes and eavesdropping ears of the rest of the world.

Alex watched Lena as she perused the menu, her brow furrowed in concentration. “Anything jumping out at you?” he asked, his voice low, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Lena looked up, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’m leaning toward the spaghetti carbonara, but I’m worried—will I be judged harshly if I am not very ladylike while eating?”

Alex chuckled, his gaze unwavering. “Only if I can’t join you in making a mess. Fair is fair, after all.”

Their order placed, the real dance began—a tango of words and laughter. “So, Lena,” Alex started, leaning back in his chair, “when you’re not chasing rare books or dodging blind dates arranged by your mother, how do you spend your time?”

She tapped a finger to her lips, a playful gleam in her eye. “Well, I dabble in amateur wizardry, and I’m on a first-name basis with every video game console known to man. How about you? What hidden hobbies does the mysterious bookshop owner harbor?”

Alex grinned. “Am I that transparent? But since you’ve asked, I’m an aspiring sommelier with a passion for night runs. The quiet of the evening is perfect for... clearing one’s head.”

“Night runs, huh?” Lena’s tone was light, teasing. “Is that code for howling at the moon?”

“Perhaps,” he admitted with a grin. “But only on the clearest of nights.”

The waiter arrived with their meals, and conversation paused as they both took a moment to appreciate the dishes before them. The first bite was a symphony of flavors, and he watched Lena moan and close her eyes in appreciation.

“Good?” Alex asked, his voice a low rumble.

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