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Knowing he risked losing her to someone else, he had to make a move quickly. He stepped out of the shadows, his eyes glued to her, waiting for her to see him.
The moment she did, the moment their eyes met, his heart skipped a beat.
Mate.
Ignoring his bear, Oliver focused his attention on the woman. By the way she looked at him, he knew she felt the same way. He was what she wanted. For only the night, of course.
With thoughts of what she tasted like swirling around in his head, he said the only thing he could think of.
“I’m Oliver. Can I interest you in a drink?”
It sounded lame even to him, but the next word out of her mouth was like music to his ears.
“Please.”
She slipped her hand in his, and his bear reared inside of him. This woman would be the perfect distraction for the night. Unsure of what was going on with his animal side, he decided to squelch it for the time being.
Tonight was about pleasure, and he was certain he could wring a lot of that from her slender body. He’d give it and receive it. He wanted to hear her scream his name, and before the night was out, that wouldn’t be the only thing she screamed.
“My name is Lillian. You can call me Lily if you want.”
Now that she spoke, he looked down at her, taking her in. He found her stunning. He had the ability to imprint people in his mind, a useful skill as an alpha. He’d know if he ever met them before. He went through the index of acquaintances in his head. Lily was not in there.
“Lily … that’s a lovely name.”
She smiled, showing a row of even white teeth under her black mask. “Thanks. Your name reminds me of Oliver and Company.”
Oliver gave her a look that implied he had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.
“You know … the movie with the stray cat named Oliver. And Billy Joel is the street-savvy dog that takes him under his wing. Oh, my God, no? It’s so good. It’s a Disney movie.”
Oliver felt a grin spread across his face, followed by a small chuckle. “No. I can’t say I’ve seen it.”
She shrugged a thin shoulder. “You’re missing out. Bette Midler is in it too. So is Dom DeLuise.”
“All right. I do like Dom DeLuise.”
She laughed. The sound pierced through eardrums and gave him pause. His bear paced rampantly inside him, clawing at him to get out. “Everyone likes Dom DeLuise.”
Mate. His bear kept insisting that the woman in front of him was his mate. Still positive the notion was not possible, he was surprised to find himself nervous at the prospect of being left alone with Lily.
Usually, when Oliver attended Callum’s parties, he’d shift and go for a run in the woods. After that, he’d shower quickly, find a woman to spend some time with, and then go home in the morning. Tonight, however, something was different. Something was off.
His grip on Lily’s hand tightened. What the hell did he, Oliver Ursus, have to be nervous about? He was the bear sleuth alpha of Dsorloo. He was unstoppable and powerful. Women threw themselves at him.
Why was this one any different?
Her fingers around his squeezed in response to his tightening grip.
“So,” she began. “Tell me about the owner of this place.”
“Callum?” Instantly suspicious, he tensed and ceased walking. “If you’ve been invited here, shouldn’t you know about him?”
She smiled shyly. “Don’t tell, but technically, I never received an invite. I came with my friends who did.”
He relaxed and started laughing. “Sneaky. Callum hosts this masquerade every month so the shifters can get out their more primal urges. You should start coming.”
She batted her eyelashes. “Maybe I will. So, tell me, does Callum have an art collection here?”
