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Heath’s words woke something primal in me, and my wolf preened at the idea of three alpha males bending over backward for her. Then I felt Gage’s powerful presence at my side. He guided me past Heath, who moved aside for his pack alpha.
At the front door, Gage’s fingertips slid down to my lower back, caressing my naked skin. Goosebumps flared to life across my body, and I shivered with his touch.
Flint waited at the bottom of the stairs and opened a car door for me. “You’re beautiful.”
I beamed from the praise, a little annoyed that Gage and Heath hadn’t complimented me, and then instantly got annoyed at myself for thinking they ever would. They were both muscle-headed brutes. Not sweet gentlemen like my mate, who deserved all of my attention.
So why did I crave them as much as I did Flint?
I sighed as I got into the car, wondering when my heat might hit so I could just get all of this awkward pining over with. That had to be the explanation, no matter what Flint thought. After my heat, I would convince Flint to claim me, even though I wouldn’t be able to bite him back until I could shift… if I ever could.
Surely my attraction to anyone but my mate would fade after I’d been claimed, right?
Dark Potion stood alone and imposing on its street, with dark shutters and a deep purple door that seemed to open magically as we approached. Men in what looked like tuxedos stood to either side of the door to welcome us in. I felt like a celebrity as we passed by them both and headed through the restaurant to a darkened corner booth in the back.
It curved around the half-moon shaped table, open on one side so the server could reach us. Flint slid in first, then tugged me along behind him until we sat in the center of the curved bench seat. Heath piled in behind me, leaving Gage to sit beside Flint on the front edge.
The booth was designed to sit six or eight people, so there was plenty of space, but no, Heath crowded in right beside me. I glared at him, but he just grinned right back. So, I decided to treat him like I’d always done with any bully — not give him the satisfaction of getting to me.
Instead, I scanned our surroundings, noticing all the tables with their pristine tablecloths, place settings, and flowery centerpieces. From my vantage in the corner, I felt like I could see the entire restaurant. We occupied one of the only booths in the place. Most of the other tables were round, but smaller, with two to four chairs.
The dim lighting gave the place an air of secrecy, as did the quiet music and the volume at which the customers spoke. All of them were dressed in upscale attire, and I suddenly felt thankful Heath had insisted I wear the dress tonight. Still, I felt completely out of place among the finery and understated elegance. And judging from the sour expression on Gage’s face, I wasn’t the only one.
Heath leaned over to me and murmured, “Someday, we’ll take a job big enough to put us out of work for a while. As soon as that happens, I’ll take you to dinner at fancy places like this as often as you want.”
I glanced at Heath out of the corner of my eye, surprised by his words. It was the first time I’d heard him really talk about a future with me, and… it sent shivers down my spine. Inside, my wolf felt pleased by his promise and determined to see it come to pass.
When at last our waiter appeared, he looked completely unlike every other server in the place. He wore an all-white chef’s outfit, and from the splotches on it, he seemed to have been hard at work already.
“Oliver, how good to see you again,” Heath grinned at him.
The man nervously looked between the three of them, and his eyes barely danced over me. To my surprise, he averted his gaze, even though my weak nose sensed he wasn’t a wolf shifter at all.
“Welcome to Dark Potion, my friends. I owe its success to you, and I’m glad you saw fit to grace my humble franchise with your presence.”
“Right,” Gage said in his gravelly voice. “You know why we’re here.”
“Indeed, your contact is already here.” He gestured toward the front of the restaurant, toward another dark corner. “I hopethat lady and the gentleman accompanying her have business that will satisfy your needs.”
“Thanks, Oliver, I knew you’d come through for us,” Heath grinned, but his wolfish expression seemed hungry and dangerous. “Hope it’s something good.”
Oliver paled. “If not, I—I can surely, I mean—”
Gage interrupted him. “Take our order so we look less suspicious. Heath will talk to them in a moment.”
“Of course.” Oliver instantly seemed to regain his footing as he whipped out a pad and pen. He rattled off a list of specials full of words I didn’t know the meaning of. I guessed that at least a third of them were in French.
“Is there… a regular menu?” I whispered to Heath, the only one who seemed in his element.
He smiled proudly at me. “It changes every night, but don’t worry, Oliver has assured us anything we order is on the house.”
He glanced meaningfully over at Oliver, who bobbed his head enthusiastically.
Even though he still wouldn’t look directly at me, he added, “Heath is absolutely right, my lady. And I’ll bring you another plate at no cost if anything fails to meet your expectations.” He raised his pen. “Ladies first.”
But it wasn’t the price I was worried about so much as what I was ordering.
“Uhhh…” I glanced over at Flint, who gave me a lopsided smile and a shrug of his shoulder as if it say, ‘I’m as lost as you.’
