Circle of Desire (Damask Circle 3)

Kat picked up the bottle of wine. “You want a glass?”

He nodded and held his glass out. He would have preferred a beer, but he couldn’t be bothered calling the waitress out again. He sipped the cool liquid carefully. A little sweet for his taste, but drinkable.

“Did you call your grandmother and tell her we’re okay?”

She nodded. “She said it’s important we get there by nine.”

He frowned. “Why? What difference is a few minutes going to make?”

She studied him for a minute, then glanced out the window. “If we don’t make our presence felt, another kid will be kidnapped.”

Then they’d definitely be getting there by nine. “So, basically, we’re bait.”

She nodded. “If they’re worrying about us, they’re not stealing little kids.”

“Won’t that just force them to run again?”

“Gran doesn’t think so. She thinks it’ll all end in Rogue River, one way or another.”

“You put a damn lot of faith in your grandmother’s visions, don’t you?”

Her gaze flicked to his. “I have no reason not to.”

And therein lay the cause of her remoteness. Trust. Or more precisely, his lack of it. “I’m a cop,” he said softly. “We tend not to trust anyone.”

She leaned back and studied him for several moments. “That’s just an excuse.”

Yes, and she was reading him better than anyone ever had. “It’s nothing personal.”

Her look suggested it was very personal. She took another sip of her wine, then said, “Why?”

He shrugged. “The nature of the beast, I think.” And an easy scapegoat in situations like this.

“The beast being the werewolf rather than the cop?”

“Yeah.” He hesitated, but he knew he owed her at least some honesty. “I can’t help the way I am. I don’t need or want any complications in my life. All I’m after is a good time while the moon is full. After that, it’s thanks for the sex, but bye-bye, sister.”

“So there’s never been anyone you’ve felt the slightest bit emotional about?”

“No.” The lie slipped easily off his tongue. “And there won’t ever be. As I said, it’s the nature of the beast.”

“So what lies between you and me—”

“Could be mind-blowing. But I won’t allow it to be anything more.”

She studied him for a moment, eyes bright and judgmental. Then she nodded. He wondered if that meant she accepted his terms. He hoped so, because he had nothing else he was willing to offer. The waitress approached with their meals, and silence fell as they began to eat.

When she’d finished, Kat leaned back in the chair. Her legs brushed his, charging his skin with electricity and sending a flash flood of heat to his groin.

“That was wonderful. All I need now is chocolate and my life would be complete.”

Hopefully not too complete. He drew out the chocolate bar he’d bought earlier and offered it to her.

Her eyebrows rose. “And you think that trumps the chocolate cake I was eyeing for dessert?”

He glanced at his watch. They had only half an hour of free time left, and he needed her so fiercely it was becoming painful. “That rather depends. If we’re to be at Rogue River by nine, we either have time for the chocolate cake here or a … walk on the beach, and a chocolate bar later. Lady’s choice.” He hoped to hell he hadn’t misjudged her intentions.

Her cheeks dimpled. “Walk and lackluster chocolate bar it is, then. Want to ask for the check?”