home?” He hadn’t thought of the evening ending. Had somehow pictured himself leaving with her, but one didn’t barge in on the life of a princess, and Lily Cheval was the closest he’d ever come to royalty.
She shrugged and glanced to both sides. “Actually, I’m headed across the bridge to Mount Tam. I really need to run tonight.”
“Would you care for company?” He took her empty glass from her hand and set it on the table beside him.
She smiled. “I wish, but I plan to shift. My wolf hasn’t had nearly enough freedom this week.”
“That works for me.” There, he thought. Let’s see what she makes of that.
Lily frowned. “Are you Chanku? I don’t sense it in you.”
He shook his head. “Not Chanku, but I have other skills. I’ve mastered a trick or two.”
Her eyes went wide for a moment. “I see.” Narrowed, as if she judged him more carefully than she had earlier. “Then yes. I would love to have company. Please. Will you join me?”
His heart thundered in his chest, but he merely nodded. “Did you bring a car?”
She shook her head. “No. I came in the company limo. We can take that, or . . .”
“I brought my car. Do you have a wrap?”
She nodded, and he wondered if she regretted accepting his invitation. They waited while one of the staff retrieved a dark, glistening shawl that wrapped her in russet and gold fire.
Her aura spiked. The reds were back. Darker, deeper, flashing true crimson, more brilliant than before. Did she have any idea how openly she broadcast her own arousal?
Then he wondered if she saw auras as well. If she knew he was hanging on to polite behavior by a thread.
He touched her back lightly with his fingers, guiding her toward the door. More than a few noted the fact they left together, and he wondered how long it would be before his father got word.
Wondered if he already knew.
They waited in front of the museum while the valet retrieved his vehicle from the large lot. Lily dismissed her car and driver, but her thoughts were hidden behind strong shields. Sebastian wondered what Lily was thinking, why the easy communication between them had ended so suddenly.
He opened her door, and she climbed in, every move graceful and composed. Had she been born with grace or did she have to learn it? Had she always known her place in the world or, like him, had she ever wondered where she belonged?
No. Not Lily. She knew who she was. Why she was.
He tipped the valet, got behind the wheel, and headed north toward the Golden Gate Bridge. They traveled in silence through light traffic. This late at night, the bridge was almost empty of vehicles. A gibbous moon, almost full, cast a soft glow across the water flowing beneath the bridge on the incoming tide.
Mount Tamalpais was a dark shadow against a glimmering sky when Sebastian pulled into the lot overlooking the Golden Gate. He shut off the engine and glanced toward Lily. She studied him with eyes gone dark in the night.
“Do you shift magically?”
He nodded. “I do. I’m still learning. At home, in Montana, I pull energy from an ancient oak. Sometimes I think the damned oak is sentient, it has such rich power. I’m hoping I can do it here without my favorite tree.” Chuckling softly, he added, “I’ve got this terrible fear I’ll be left standing in the dark, bare assed and buck naked, unable to shift.”
She laughed and grabbed his hand. Squeezed it like an old friend. “That would totally ruin your image, wouldn’t it? C’mon. I’ve had enough of fancy clothes and high heels. Let’s hunt.”
The parking lot was empty when they both got out of the car. He’d parked toward the back of the lot, in shadows cast by a windblown cypress. This was nothing like the tree he called on at home, but he sensed a similar power in the tree, in the air, in the mountain behind him.
It would have to do. Turning his back to give Lily privacy, he quickly shed his jacket, tie, and shirt. Kicked off his shoes and
She shrugged and glanced to both sides. “Actually, I’m headed across the bridge to Mount Tam. I really need to run tonight.”
“Would you care for company?” He took her empty glass from her hand and set it on the table beside him.
She smiled. “I wish, but I plan to shift. My wolf hasn’t had nearly enough freedom this week.”
“That works for me.” There, he thought. Let’s see what she makes of that.
Lily frowned. “Are you Chanku? I don’t sense it in you.”
He shook his head. “Not Chanku, but I have other skills. I’ve mastered a trick or two.”
Her eyes went wide for a moment. “I see.” Narrowed, as if she judged him more carefully than she had earlier. “Then yes. I would love to have company. Please. Will you join me?”
His heart thundered in his chest, but he merely nodded. “Did you bring a car?”
She shook her head. “No. I came in the company limo. We can take that, or . . .”
“I brought my car. Do you have a wrap?”
She nodded, and he wondered if she regretted accepting his invitation. They waited while one of the staff retrieved a dark, glistening shawl that wrapped her in russet and gold fire.
Her aura spiked. The reds were back. Darker, deeper, flashing true crimson, more brilliant than before. Did she have any idea how openly she broadcast her own arousal?
Then he wondered if she saw auras as well. If she knew he was hanging on to polite behavior by a thread.
He touched her back lightly with his fingers, guiding her toward the door. More than a few noted the fact they left together, and he wondered how long it would be before his father got word.
Wondered if he already knew.
They waited in front of the museum while the valet retrieved his vehicle from the large lot. Lily dismissed her car and driver, but her thoughts were hidden behind strong shields. Sebastian wondered what Lily was thinking, why the easy communication between them had ended so suddenly.
He opened her door, and she climbed in, every move graceful and composed. Had she been born with grace or did she have to learn it? Had she always known her place in the world or, like him, had she ever wondered where she belonged?
No. Not Lily. She knew who she was. Why she was.
He tipped the valet, got behind the wheel, and headed north toward the Golden Gate Bridge. They traveled in silence through light traffic. This late at night, the bridge was almost empty of vehicles. A gibbous moon, almost full, cast a soft glow across the water flowing beneath the bridge on the incoming tide.
Mount Tamalpais was a dark shadow against a glimmering sky when Sebastian pulled into the lot overlooking the Golden Gate. He shut off the engine and glanced toward Lily. She studied him with eyes gone dark in the night.
“Do you shift magically?”
He nodded. “I do. I’m still learning. At home, in Montana, I pull energy from an ancient oak. Sometimes I think the damned oak is sentient, it has such rich power. I’m hoping I can do it here without my favorite tree.” Chuckling softly, he added, “I’ve got this terrible fear I’ll be left standing in the dark, bare assed and buck naked, unable to shift.”
She laughed and grabbed his hand. Squeezed it like an old friend. “That would totally ruin your image, wouldn’t it? C’mon. I’ve had enough of fancy clothes and high heels. Let’s hunt.”
The parking lot was empty when they both got out of the car. He’d parked toward the back of the lot, in shadows cast by a windblown cypress. This was nothing like the tree he called on at home, but he sensed a similar power in the tree, in the air, in the mountain behind him.
It would have to do. Turning his back to give Lily privacy, he quickly shed his jacket, tie, and shirt. Kicked off his shoes and
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