Page 35

Stepping through into the warm night air, I inhaled the scent of woods that lingered with Sam wherever he went. I looked out at the serene beauty stretched before me and smiled. It was very thoughtful of him. He’d obviously gone to a lot of trouble for this date, and I’d been using it as an excuse to question him. Guilt stabbed at my chest as I followed him down to the chairs beneath the diamond-speckled sky. I was leading him on, and that wasn’t what I wanted to do. Right now, my interest lay in Julian—as complicated a situation as that was. I knew I should be honest with him, but maybe I could make it easier on him by at least finishing out the evening.

“Do you like it?” Sam asked as he popped the cork in what I realized was champagne and not wine and handed me a glass.

“It’s amazing.” I was being honest. “I can see how it would feel like nothing else in the world existed out here.”

Sam’s grin was so wide it nearly overtook his face. “Wolves are pack creatures, but it’s hard to be around crowds that aren’t in my pack. Yet I have to interact with others all the time because of my job, so having this sanctuary is really important to me. But my pack members are out here too, each within howling distance.”

“That’s…incredible. How many people are in your pack?” I asked.

“Twelve. It used to be bigger before I was elected about five years ago. But the rest didn’t want to relocate, so they joined other packs with my blessing.” He cradled his glass, looking out toward the trees.

“Was that difficult for you?”

“I’m not gonna lie, it was like moving away from family. But I think it was the right decision. I feel like maybe I’m doing some good out here for my people, you know? I just hate politics and some of the other sects live for it. Like the vamps.” He drank deeply.

“I used to think all vampires were selfish and malicious, and that assumption managed to get people who didn’t deserve it killed.” I waited for Sam to meet my eyes before continuing. “Not all vampires are alike. They’re as individual as the rest of us.”

“When I meet one that isn’t like that, I’ll believe it,” Sam said, setting his glass aside. “No offense, but I think someone’s pulled the sheepskin over your eyes.”

“The wool?” I corrected with a grimace. “You do know that saying ‘no offense’ means I will take offense, right?”

Sam laughed. It was a loud and wild sound that brought a smile to my face. “It’s not a bad thing that you’re so kind you want to believe the best in others. But it can be dangerous.”

“Or maybe you’re too jaded,” I suggested, standing to stretch and admire the flickering flames in the brick pit. A light breeze tickled the hair at the nape of my neck.

“I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree,” Sam said from behind me. He gripped my shoulders with large, warm hands.

I froze. If I turned to face him, I was afraid he’d try to kiss me. But instead, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, crisscrossing my chest, and rocked slowly as his body pressed along mine. Compared to Julian, he was an inferno.

“The lake is pretty,” I said, trying to find something neutral.

“It’s the perfect temperature,” he said beside my ear. “Want to go for a swim?” He let go of me, and I spun to face him.

Sam had already yanked off his shirt, revealing his massive chest. Dark ink rippled over muscles, forming a moon and a howling wolf. His biceps were ringed with what looked like Celtic knots on one side and moon phases on the other.

My mouth dropped at the same time his pants did. Yep, perfectly proportioned. I may have squeaked before looking away.

“Sam! I did not agree to skinny dipping,” I said, a mix of panic, curiosity, and heat flooding me.

“You don’t have to. But I do this every night. Shifters don’t have issues with nudity. I’m sorry if you didn’t realize that. I hadn’t meant anything pushy.” His hands surrounded me again from behind, and his mouth covered my ear when he said the last word.

I could feel every bit of his pushiness even if what he’d said was true.

“I’m not a shifter, and I don’t think I’m comfortable with this.”

“Then don’t take your clothes off,” Sam said as though he thought it perfectly reasonable. “Something else about shifters… Wolves especially, like to play.”

The next thing I knew, he’d lifted me off my feet and I was flying toward the water. I hit with a cold splash and took a panicked heartbeat to break the surface, sputtering and shoving hair from my face.

“This is not playing!” I yelled, treading in circles to try and get him in my sights. I was pretty sure I’d lost my shoes.

A giant wave crashed over my head as something huge cannonballed over my head and I fought to get my bearings again as Sam surfaced right in front of me, shaking his head like a dog to fling water everywhere.

“Sam—”

But he’d dived under again, and I didn’t see him anywhere. His hand caught my ankle, and I had enough time to take a breath before he yanked me down then popped back up with me, arms around my waist.

I clutched his shoulders, afraid he’d dunk us again as I caught my breath. Then his mouth met mine, hungry and practiced. I shoved against his massive chest, and he pulled back, a confused look on his face.