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I tried on several outfits before deciding on a simple fitted black dress under a dark red cardigan in case it got cooler tonight. I finished with a favorite pair of sheer stockings with a seam down the back that showed off my legs.
Dressing demurely but still sexily was an art form, one I think I’d perfected. I caught him staring at my ass today in my pencil skirt. I loved that skirt. It was long enough to wear to work, and the style was simple and unassuming, but the fit was dynamite. It made me feel like a sexy siren.
I still couldn’t believe we’d hidden behind that shelf feeding each other forbidden cupcakes today. I’d felt like a teenager trying not to get caught making out. At least I knew now that the attraction I’d felt was real. It hadn’t been because of the love spell. And it was definitely just as strong now as it had been at the gala. Our chemistry was off the charts. The undying love he claimed he felt might not be real, but the lust sure was.
The secret to making a simple dress and cardigan look sexy, aside from the seamed stockings, was dark red lips and winged liner.Red lips always took things to fuck-me territory.
I was ready as I’d ever be, though a part of me still wondered if this was a horrible idea. Like, what if the spell had faded and he realized he actually wanted a social butterfly like Iris, not a boring librarian like me?
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the way I was and never planned to change, especially not for a man. But if Shane was supposed to be the perfect match for Iris, then surely, he couldn’t be perfect for me. I resolved not to think about it too much and just enjoy my night.
He arrived at my building driving his understated dark green Mercedes S class sedan. Classy without the flash. Nice.
Shane looked good. Same as at the gala and earlier today, he’d chosen to forgo any glamour spell and appear in his natural form.
“You look stunning,” he said as he opened the door for me and helped me into the car. “You can pull off bright pink, but this…” He swallowed, and from the look in his eyes, I’ll bet he was imagining peeling my dress off me.
“Thank you.” The goal of today’s date was to get to know him more outside of the bedroom, but I suddenly got the feeling it was going to be hard to keep my hands off him until the end of the evening.
Shane had made reservations at a Brazilian steakhouse I’d always wanted to try, but never had the opportunity. They seated us in a quiet corner, and on the suggestion of the waitress, I ordered a caipirinha. I’d never had one before. It reminded me a little of a mojito.
After returning to our table with our plates piled high from the salad bar, I asked him about his woods that had propelled him to photography fame. His eyes immediately softened as he told me about his little piece of land and all the creatures who called it home. I couldn’t miss the hint of sadness behind his happy words.
“You miss it?” I asked.
A look of wistful longing flashed in Shane’s eyes. “I’ve been so busy traveling for my work that I’ve only been able to go back a few times this past year. And when I’m not on location, I’m here in Darlington, because it’s easier to run my exhibitions and other parts of my business from the city. It’s off grid, but I’d put in solar panels so there’s electricity, but no internet. Sometimes I feel guilty for not spending more time there, but…”
“Don’t beat yourself up. You had to focus on your photography. But now that your career is established, do you think maybe you could slow down and spend more time there?”
“I should. I mean, I still want to explore the world, show it to people through my lens. But I also want to spend more time where my heart is.” His eyes were glowing as he took my hand from across the table. “I want to show you my woods, Ivy. Come with me next weekend. I know spending time out in the middle of nowhere with no internet might not sound like a lot of fun, but—"
I gave his hands a squeeze. “Actually, that sounds wonderful, especially if I can bring some books.”
“Yes, of course! I have a little lake. I go fishing on it sometimes. I can fish, and you can read.”
That sounded heavenly. “It’s a date, then.”
A server came by to slice perfectly grilled top sirloin onto our plates. Shane savored the food with a zeal that reminded me of his passion in bed.An unwelcome thought suddenly crossed my mind. As much as I wanted to visit his country home, I wasn’t sure I was keen to meet the nymphs.
The green-eyed monster clouded my vision with jealousy. Which was just crazy. Shane wasn’t my anything, not yet. It was just the love spell. And besides, whatever he’d done in the past was in the past. I had no right to be jealous of it, just like he had no right to be upset about anything from my past.
“Hey… What’s that look for?”
Argh! I must be frowning at the mere thought of him dallying with nymphs. Stupid spell.
I decided to be honest. “I’m not sure I’d want to meet all your nymphs. That’s a thing, right? The whole satyrs having orgies with the nymphs of the forest?”
He chose his next words carefully. “It’s a thing…yes… But I don’t have a bevy of wood nymphs living on my land. And even if I did, now that I’ve met you, they’ve lost all appeal. No more moonlight, drunken frolicking with them for me.”
I only sensed honesty, and I was sure he meant every word. But how much of that was just the spell talking? What would happen when the spell faded, and I was just another human woman, one affected by time and gravity? While not actually immortal, wood nymphs were said to live as long as their associated tree, which could mean hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. And they stayed young and beautiful to the very end.
“You don’t look convinced, and I don’t blame you. Us satyrs earned our reputation. And, full disclosure, I’ve done my part to solidify that reputation, and while no nymphs live right on my land, there are some who live nearby. I’m only telling you this because I’d rather you find out now from me, rather than from bumping into one later.” His foot found mine under the table, as if needing more contact as he continued. “It’s not widely known, but sometimes a satyr does find a special nymph, or perhaps a human woman, with whom he settles down and spends the rest of his days. We are not immune to the mate bond.”
“Really? I’ve never heard of that.” I remembered Iris talking about demons who settled down.
Shane chuckled. “Of course not. Most bachelor satyrs, myself included—well, up until last week—try to convince themselves that it doesn’t happen. The ones who are mated claim it’s a wonderful thing, but no one believes them. We try as much as possible to perpetuate our reputation as the playboys of the woodland.”
I knew what a mate bond was, of course. Most of the world did, now that The Wall had fallen. But sometimes it caused just as much heartbreak as it did happiness. Like that awful story I’d read about the daughter of a wolf shifter leader who had to marry into another pack to strengthen pack relations, only to find out her true mate was the first son of a rival pack in the area. What a mess. As far as I knew, that story had not ended happily. Also, a mate bond could mean different things to different species of monsters.
