Page 43 of Live Love Lasso

I grab it and flip it to check out the spine. “Potions of the West? What a shock.”

She hisses playfully at me and takes the book back, grabbing mine at the same time. Her eyes go wide. “Dangerous Potions? Furyon Zayle, are you multitasking right now, taking me on this date to get access to research for work?” Her eyes are wide, her smile playful.

“I’d never do that.”

There’s a pause. She stares at me. I stare right back.

Then we both burst into laughter. She presses her face to my chest and giggles. Did I ever know a woman could fit this easily with my personality? That I could be this happy just by seeing someone smile? My parents didn’t have the type of relationship I ever would have wanted for myself. I didn’t grow up around happiness like this, and I’m not entirely sure I know what to do with it.

But so far, instinct alone seems to be working.

We take our books and drinks to the far end of the car. Curved glass walls reflect the view from Mabel’s front, so even though we’re technically riding backward, we see everything ahead of the train.

Although if I’m honest, the best view is when I’m lookin’ at Lemon.

Lemon

We talk about the train while we peruse the books. It’s clear Furyon’s looking for something related to work, but it doesn’t bother me. I can’t blame him. I read through the book I picked, looking for any mention of side effects like what we’ve seen. We come up short though, and when the pager lets us know dinner’s ready, we’re eager enough to leave the research behind.

Dinner’s incredible, and the company’s even better. Furyon regales me with tales of when he first arrived in PG and how some folks welcomed him, and some folks held him at arm’s length. He’s got funny stories from that time, but he seems to fit in just fine now.

He grins at me as the pixie waitress removes our empty plates. “Dessert, Lemon?”

I smile. “I did see a lemon cheesecake on the menu, and I’m partial to that flavor, if I’m honest.”

He lifts a black flag on the edge of the table to let the waitress know we’re ready to order. She shows up immediately, taking our order with friendly efficiency.

When the cheesecake arrives, we split it, and Furyon insists on feeding me every bite from his fork. Outside the train, Pine Gulch flies past. We crawl up into the mountains again and through dense trees, Furyon pointing out ash and pine and aspen. Apparently, Aspens are the largest living entity on earth both in and out of the human world. Every Aspen is connected together.

It’s such a nerdy fact, and I love how excited he is to share it with me.

I grumble on the last bite of cheesecake, tickling his side. “If Merit and Bryony find us, we’ll be splashed all over The Gulch Gossip again.”

Furyon shoots me that crooked smile. “And I find that I don’t care, Miss Knox. I’m happy to be splashed all over the front page if it means you and I are together.”

We’re dancing around a more serious conversation about what we are to one another. It’s the strangest thing to find one’s mate in such an unexpected way. Which leads me to remembering that I haven’t talked to the girls about it, and I definitely need to. It’s a testament to how much of my brain space Furyon takes up that I haven’t already called Shadow with the news. I can imagine the look on Kingston’s and Amadala’s faces when I tell them I met my mate. And oh, by the way, he’s a country boy who threatened to tie me up with a lasso, of all things.

After dessert, Furyon suggests we deboard and go back to his place. I know what he wants. And I know, after this delightful evening, I want it as much as he does. We’re quiet at Mabel’s next stop, anticipation thrumming. Everything feels different now that we know what’s between us.

When Mable stops seemingly in the middle of nowhere, we get off and emerge into the chilly night.

“It’s so pitch black out here,” I muse, looking up at the dark sky and brightly twinkling stars.

Furyon takes my hand and lifts it to his mouth, kissing the back of it. “You wanna fly me, city girl? Or maybe we can play a little game of chase. My place ain’t far, about half a mile.”

“Depends.” I shrug. “What happens when I catch you?”

He grips my throat, pulling close as he slides one hand up the back of my shirt to rest between my shoulder blades. “Whatever you want, city girl.” Pale eyes scan my face, his lips curving into a seductive smile. “And I mean that.”

A full body shiver racks me, and I call my shadow wings, flaring them wide behind me.

Furyon stares up at them, the smile overtaking his face. “There you are…” His voice is soft, reverent. Releasing my throat, he reaches back and strokes the inside of my wings with his fingers. He trails them through the shadows, sending heat streaking along the shadows to pool down my spine into my stomach.

“Mmm.” He grins. “You like that, don’t you? We haven’t talked much about what you’re into in the bedroom. Honestly, we’ve done everything a little bit backwards. What’s something you like that we haven’t done yet?” He moves his fingers along individual feathers, stroking each one to its point then moving to the next.

The pressure of his fingertips is driving me mad, my second eyelids flashing over my irises as my fangs punch hard out of my gums.

“Dominance,” I murmur, staring into those beautiful pale eyes. “Degradation.”