Once outside, I turned to her on the sidewalk. Even though I’d be seeing her on the group date tonight, I wasn’t ready to go our separate ways just yet. The chemistry between us was undeniable, and I wanted to spend more time with her. Just the two of us—away from the cameras and the contest. The calls to my agent and my lawyer could wait. “Let’s go grab a bite to eat.”
She fidgeted with her beach bag, shifting it to her other shoulder.
“Poe’s Kitchen is a favorite among locals,” I cajoled. “It’s right around the corner.”
“Edgar Allan Poe,” she said under her breath. “Figures.” She twisted her hands together, looking pretty conflicted.
It seemed like she wanted to say yes, and yet she was hesitating. Why?
Earlier, I’d have said it was the whole werewolf/human thing, but I knew that wasn’t it. We’d kissed twice, and she didn’t seem the least bit scared. Okay, so the first time, she technically was the one who kissed me, and it was before she knew about my true nature.
Could I be giving off scary-werewolf vibes and just not know it? I thought about Fairy Rock, the hospital visit, and her goofy elevator antics. No, I was certain she wasn’t afraid of me.
“I…can’t,” she said, looking away. “I’ve…um…got some errands to run.”
“No problem. We can run your errands together and then have lunch. There’s plenty of time before nightfall.”
“No,” she said quickly, eyes widening, the playful spark in them gone. “You can’t— I’ve got— No.”
If this part were being filmed, this was where they’d add the screeching sound of brakes.
She pointed back to the hospital. “That was fun. You werereally good in there and made a lot of people happy. But I’ll…uh…see you tonight, okay?”
I was an alpha-male, not an alpha-hole, so I wasn’t going to press the matter further. Even though my inner wolf was pushing me to “alpha-up” andmakeher do my bidding.
Before I could answer, she spun on her heel and left, the price tag on her sarong flipping against her leg.
I stood there on the sidewalk, mouth agape, not entirely sure of what had just happened.
For one thing, I had just been turned down for a date. That sort of thing didn’t happen often. Not to me.
Was she not attracted to me? Had I read her wrong? That first night, she did say I was bad boyfriend material. Maybe she still felt that way. But then why had she said yes at the charm ceremony?
And later—when I’d kissed her at Fairy Rock—why had she responded like she was as into it as I was?
I rubbed my neck and headed off in the opposite direction.
Or maybe... Was she hiding something? Did Daphne Dupree have secrets of her own?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Daphne
As it turned out, our group date wasn’t all that memorable. Since I knew we were going to be strolling through the carnival on the boardwalk, I wore a pair of breezy palazzo pants paired with a crocheted tank and flats. Sarah dressed sensibly as well with a cute patterned skirt that swirled around her knees, a graphic tee and tennis shoes. Mia, on the other hand, dressed to impress, with a body-hugging red dress and sky-high heels that made her look like a supermodel. Had she not realized we were going to be doing a lot of walking? I hoped she wouldn’t get blisters.
After Travis and I had parted ways at the hospital earlier, I’d spent the rest of the afternoon trying, in vain, to find the address Portia had given me. But every time I thought I must be getting close to the place, I turned onto a street and realized it didn’t match up with what the map was telling me.
Then it occurred to me it might be the map. When I’d confronted the hotel concierge about it, the blue-skinnedwoman with two tiny horns at her temples had told me it was because the address was in Wickedville and that the hotel’s maps were family-friendly.
I’d been more than a little irritated at that. Portia’s talk about dark wizards and bad juju had really shaken me up, and I wanted to get rid of the stupid book as soon as possible.
The concierge had told me it wouldn’t do any good trying to go there during the day, anyway. Most of those shops were only open after dark. I’d have to go another time.
Now, with the camera crew in tow, Mia did everything she could to monopolize Travis’s time. She hooked her arm in his and wouldn’t let go, looking into his face with stars in her eyes, relegating Sarah and me to following along behind them like puppies.
Which gave me a prime view of his ass, though. God, the man was beautiful. From the frontandfrom behind.
He wore the kind of trousers that were cut like jeans but not denim, a collared shirt that showcased his muscular chest and arms perfectly, and leather shoes with athletic-shoe soles. He could be both an actor in a popular TV show and a CEO in a boardroom. Or, if my ovaries had their way, a hot dad who’d be ready to jog after his small child on the boardwalk if he had to.
