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Chapter 22
“No, you’re not disturbing anything. We were just going to eat. I have so much food. Come eat with us.” He hesitates, teeter tottering on a decision.
“Come on, we have steak,” I say, trying to entice him to stay.
“My family won’t bite.” Taking a breath in, he closes his door before walking toward me.
“Come around back.”
My father and mother exchange glances with one another before they busy themselves
with cutting the meat on their plates. I set another place at the table, just for him.
Dallas pauses at the screen door before coming inside. He’s looking at my family, unsure if he really should be here..
“Dallas, come in, sit down. Help yourself! Would you like some wine to drink, or I have beer?” He looks around at what everyone else’s glasses are filled with.
“I’ll take some wine, thanks.”
“Dr. Valentine, how are you?” My mother’s voice is pleasant on the ears, welcoming a strange wolf into our meal.
“Good, thank you.” He keeps his voice very polite toward her.
“Dr. Valentine-
“Please, sir, call me Dallas.”
“All right, Dallas. What brings you here?” my father asks sternly.
“Dad!” My voice raises in embarrassment.
“I just saw the smoke from her fire. I live across the lake, so I thought I would just stop by
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Chapter 22
and say hi.” He looks at my father, holding his eye
“Those leaves were giving off a lot of smoke
look toward the fire pe remotong wh just the faintest wisp of smoke spiraling toward the waning sig. wwwdonasse silence follows.
My sister and her mate stand up, holding hands, smiling at each other. “We hav*** announcement to make.” He kisses her hand.
“We’re going to have a pup.” I knew she went into her heat, but I didn’t want to ask beca the last few times weren’t very successful
Getting out of my chair, I hug her to me. “I am so happy for you.” My mother stra crying–her first grandchild. Even my father’s eyes are watering, Everyone thats happy tears, grateful tears. I send a prayer of thanks to the moon. They have been trying for years and years.
Dallas is sitting there looking slightly uncomfortable, but maintaining appearances
Once the excitement has calmed down, plates are cleared into the sink. Fresh tea is put out with dessert plates.
My mother goes to the fridge and pulls out my cake. I can’t help the stupid smile that spreads wide across my face. Nothing is better than this: my family happy, enjoying themselves. It’s like the past never happened and the future is just so full of hope.
“Happy birthday, Rya.” Excited, everyone is cheering. Dallas looks at me in question but says nothing.
All of them join singing happy birthday to me. This is the first time I have someone other than my family sing happy birthday to me since I shifted. His voice is masculine and deep against my ears. Mom places the cake in front of me with all twenty–three candles lit. Looking out the window, I see him, just the shadow of him watching us…my family celebrating another year of my life. Their voices are raised loudly, so I know he hears. He knows it’s my special day, yet he’s not sitting at my table with me.
“Make a wish.” I look at everyone’s expectant faces and wish for my own happiness. I’m selfish, but that’s what I ask for.
Chapter 22
I blow out the candles in one go. Dallas leans toward my ear and whispers, “You should have told me it was your birthday.”
“It’s not a big deal.” I glance at him with a shrug of my shoulder.
“You’re wrong! It is a big deal.” He pulls his mouth away from my car. I need to get up to
cut the cake.
anding my family slices of cake, I ask, “Dallas, would you like a piece?”
Eyes of Caribbean blue sea bore into me. “Yes, I’d like a piece.” I hand him the plate, and he takes it, letting his fingers touch mine. We make eye contact just a moment longer than it should, and it’s my turn to start blushing. He notices while I try to look some place other than his eyes.
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He’s growing out his hair. I can almost fist it with my hand and pull his mouth on mine if I wantedto. He’s starting to cloud my mind. It’s unfamiliar to me, thinking about this male wolf who almostkissed me. I can still sense the way his lips almost brushed against mine.
That thought sends such images inside me, fantasizing about his lips on ming instead of all
my night time dreaming of Clayton, Dallas is now stalking his way inside my thoughts. Even my daytime thoughts are starting to include him.
The tension between the two of us is like a string, pulling tight at the ends, ready to snap at any minute. It’s taunting us, having a good laugh on our behalf
At work, we try to pretend it doesn’t exist. I can see it in his eyes when he looks at me, looking at my lips. I have to pretend I don’t notice the wolf’s eyes that have a dominance now in his stare. He tries his best to suppress his nature, at times having to leave the room flushed with an excuse of needing to check something in his office. Nothing has happened between us since that night.
