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She nodded, he pumped his fist in the air, and she laughed. He loved hearing her laughter. It cheered him. Not only because of that, but it was the first time she’d agreed to stay overnight with him, and he felt he might be making real progress. He was always unsure what to say or do to make it right with her.
He wondered if he should bring up the next topic or just let sleeping wolves lie, but he wanted her to know he understood how she felt about her birthday and the ex, and he had to tell her what he wanted to do about it. “About your birthday party.”
She finished another bite of her hamburger and cleared her throat. “I keep telling my sister and brothers it should be just one party for all of us. That way everyone can come to one celebration.”
“I agree. If that’s what you want, then that’s the way it should be.” Nate figured she neededsomeone in her court on the issue. He knew her siblings wanted to keep the status quo, but it really was Kayla’s choice.
“Thank you. I didn’t think anyone would ever agree with me. I just feel with the babies coming we need to… I don’t know. Consolidate the birthdays because they’re just one day after the other. And we’re quadruplets, together, like it should be.”
“Everyone enjoys going to both parties, I’m sure, but it really is up to you. You don’t need to offer any reason for feeling that way either. Now, if it were me, I’d opt to have my own birthday party.”
She smiled. “Because you and Nicole always have yours on the same day.”
“Right. It’s always been a two-for-one birthday party. I have a proposal to make. If you want, we can celebrate your birthday with your siblings and then the next day—or week, actually—I want to take you someplace special. Listen, I’m making kind of a muddle of this. I’ve just been worried about asking you and then you, um, saying no. I keep worrying you’re not ready to stay with me yet. Maybe not ever.”
She smiled. “Nate, you are the sweetest, most caring, and considerate man I know. It’s not you. It’s just me.”
“Okay, well, if we keep an open dialogue, I believe we can talk through any issues we might have. We can talk about it more after we run as wolves if you’d like, okay?”
“Wait! Where were you planning on taking me for my birthday?”
He smiled. She sounded like a little kid ready for Christmas Day and unwrapping presents. That’s one of the things he loved about her. “I thought we’d go to one of the pack cabins in the woods. I made reservations in case you wanted to do this—no pressure. It’s the one with the view of the waterfalls, a river, and a lake. We can watch the sunset from the deck or climb up to the top of the cliffs and see the sunset up there. Hikes in the woods, run as wolves, barbecues, swim in the lake. We can just get away from it all.”
“But can you afford to take off that much time what with work commitments?” she asked, frowning.
She hadn’t jumped for joy at the prospect of being with him for a week at the cabin, he noticed. Maybe she didn’t even like camping. He knew she was all for hiking. He’d been with her and several of the family members taking long hikes in the woods even when they weren’t in their wolf coats.
“Yes. A couple of the PIs from the Green Valley wolf pack who have family here in Silver Town are willing to step in if Nicole needs some help while I’m gone. And the same with our pack leaders as far as ensuring everything at the ski lodge gets done while you’re away if your siblings need extra help.”
“Ohmigod, yes!”
Surprised Kayla had agreed to it and seemedthrilled about the prospect, he was overjoyed. He was afraid she’d have to think about it for a couple of days and check with her family first just to make sure they were all right with it. Nicole was right—again. He had worried Kayla was going to reject his proposal, and that’s why it had taken him so long to ask.
Kayla smiled. “That means wehaveto have my birthday party the day before with the others.”
He laughed. “Is that theonlyreason you’re going camping with me?”
“No, of course not. I need a break, and I am ecstatic about it. I’ve really gotten a bunch of work done, and we should be good. I know that the cabins don’t have Wi-Fi, but that’s okay. If I’m gone for a while, everyone will know how important I am.”
He smiled. “They know. Okay, good. I told you it is totally up to you. If you want to have your birthday party the day before, that’ll work. Or if you want to have it the day we leave, we can do that. It’s your birthday celebration, after all.”
She finished her drink, and he finished his. Then she rose from the table, and he did too, thinking they were going to clear the dishes, but she threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him. “I believe you’re my knight in shining wolf coat.”
He pulled her close and kissed her mouth with eagerness and tenderness. “That’s all I want to be for you.” And he sure as hell wished he’d asked her sooner!
Chapter 8
Once they were finished with dinner, Kayla kissed Nate and hugged him tight. She wanted to take this so much further, but she was worried about the incoming storm. Before the weather became too nasty, she wanted in the worst way to run as a wolf with Nate. “More of this later, okay?” She kicked off her sandals, ready to be a wolf with Nate. “Ready for a run?” She wasn’t letting the fun end there.
“You bet.” He smiled at her and yanked off his shirt.
She pulled hers off and then unzipped her jean shorts. That was the thing she really liked about Nate. He liked being casual, and so did she, so no sense in dressing up for dinner at his place or hers. Of course, if he took her out for dinner to the Silver Town Tavern, they both dressed up. They didn’t have to. They could be as casual as they wanted to be at the wolf-run restaurant that catered only to wolves, but they still liked to dress up when they went there together—to show they were a couple, in case anyone was in doubt. Even though they always seemed to be meeting up with family when they ate there.
They eyed each other with intrigue. He was so hot—a well-toned body, tanned, and just sexy wolf material. They both smiled at each other, and then naked, they hugged before shifting, turned into their wolves, and raced out the wolf door, Nate letting her go first. It certainly wasn’t like when she and Roxie were trying to get through the door at the same time. Of course with Nate, since he was a bigger male wolf, they probably would have gotten stuck.
Since the apartment building was wolf-run in a wolf-run town, they had woods behind the apartment complex they could run in, and all the apartments had wolf doors to make it easy to come and go.
They ran full out, enjoying the run, though they heard thunder off in the distance.
