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The elevator doors dinged and slid open, letting out a smiling Nero. “Ready?” he said as he made his way over to her.
“Yes. We should probably grab something quick to eat.”
He shook his head. “Sorry. Nope. That won’t work for me. I’m a wolf. I need all kinds of sustenance, and really, what I need is about a half hog’s worth of bacon.”
“Is that a shifter thing?”
He nodded. “Fast metabolism. We need to eat. A lot. And often. Especially breakfast. Most important meal of the day. It won’t be as good asTails and Syrup, but that’s okay. If everywhere was as awesome as Greenlee, the wolves wouldn’t stay put.” He took her hand in his and dragged her out of the hotel.
Valentine wanted to pull her hand out of his. She could walk without an escort, but she didn’t actually want to let go. His hand was strong and firm in hers.
Holding the man’s hand as he led her down a few city blocks didn’t mean anything.
Nero only stopped walking when they arrived at a small hole-in-the-wall diner. “Here.” He opened the door for her.
She arched a brow. “How do you know this place won’t be tragic.”
He tapped his nose. “I’ve got a sense for these things,” he said.
“It’s a shifter thing?” she deadpanned.
Nero nodded.
Soon enough, they were sitting in a corner booth. The red vinyl had seen better days, and there were stains on the white-tiled floor, but the chipper oldies playing over the jukebox were a nice touch. The smell of cooking breakfast foods tickled her nose, and if it all smelled good to her, she could only imagine that it smelled even better for a wolf.
Nero ordered pancakesandwaffles, baconandsausages,andham. “I’m hungry,” he explained with a shrug.
“I’d tease you about it, but I’m scared you’ll steal my breakfast.”
He stared down at her bowl of oatmeal, and her fruit yogurt like it was the biggest sin in the world. “You can keep it.”
She jabbed a strawberry with her fork and waved it in front of his face. “You should at least eat one fruit.”
Valentine thought he would take the offer with his fingers. That he would be civilized about it. She was dead wrong.
Nero leaned over the table and ate the strawberry right off the fork, looking deep into her eyes as he did so. Her throat went dry, and she was vaguely aware of the little gasp that escaped her lips.
“Not bad,” he said, chewing it slowly. “You good?” he asked like he didn’t know exactly what he had done.
“Yup,” she squeaked a little too loudly. “Fine.”
As they continued their meal, Nero planned out their route for the day. According to his calculations, they only needed to spend one more night on the road before they got to New York.
It was a relief.
Until she remembered there would be a drive back. At least on the way back home, they would have Lilliane in the car with them.
Hopefully.
If everything went well.
God, I hope it all goes well.
* * *
Valentine wasbehind the wheel for the third hour straight without stopping. They’d established a rule that whoever drove had the right to choose the music.
Good thing, too.
