"Do you hear that?"
As we were walking through the ground floor, I'd noticed the faint strains of music in the distance.
Dwayne paused to listen. "It's probably the mating party – they rented out the ballroom for their reception."
"Oh, the triad, right? We saw them this morning at breakfast."
"Yeah..." Raising an eyebrow, he turned to look at me. "You want to go check it out?"
I frowned, "You mean crash it? Wouldn't you get in trouble?"
Dwayne shook his head, "Not if we just drop by to take a look. After all, why wouldn't I want to ensure the satisfaction of such important customers?"
Glancing aside, I bit my lip. "Okay, But, seriously, just a look."
Taking my hand, Dwayne grinned and led the way toward the music.
Passing by the gym, the spa, and the dining room from breakfast, we eventually found ourselves standing outside of a pair of glass double doors leading into a packed ballroom.
Up-tempo music pumped out of the sound system and over the crowd on the dance floor. As Dwayne and I wove around the edges of the room, dodging busy servers and hyper kids, I looked over the scene.
Will our reception be held here?
I could almost see it – Mom fretting over the tiniest details, trying to make things perfect. Dad circulating and socializing, chatting up relatives and strangers alike. Dwayne, looking utterly mouthwatering in a tuxedo. Evan-
My train of thought derailed.
Tonight was about Dwayne and I. It wasn't fair to be thinking about Evan right now...
Approaching the other side of the ballroom, I saw a man in formalwear glance our way and then do a double-take.
He moved to meet us, radiating newly mated happiness as he greeted Dwayne.
"Alpha, what a pleasant surprise!"
Dwayne accepted the man's offered hand and shook it. "We heard the music and decided to offer our congratulations and to see if everything is to your liking."
The man smiled, "Absolutely – your staff has done a fantastic job!"
Dwayne smiled, "Wonderful; we pride ourselves on our customer satisfaction, so please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything."
"Of course! Thank you so much for stopping by!"
"Thank you for choosing the Belhurst to host your special day."
This tennis match of cordiality was interrupted by somebody calling "Phillip" over the music. Glancing behind him, the man, Phillip, held up a finger before turning back to us.
"You'll have to excuse me – please, feel free to stay a while."
"Oh, no," I spoke up, "we don't want to impose-"
Phillip laughed. "And you won't – seriously, at least have some cake. The damned thing is six tiers tall, and we're going to have to take home at least three of them." Giving us a quick nod, he made his way across the room.
Dwayne leaned down to whisper in my ear. "You up for dessert?"
I shook my head, "I'm way too full from dinner – I'd be miserable. You?"
"Nah." Then his fingers entwined with mine, "How about a dance?"
The warm comfort of his hand had me smiling. Turning my focus to the music, I noticed that the songs had switched, and couples of all ages filled the dancefloor.
The thought of having Dwayne in my arms was too enticing to resist.
"Sure – but don't expect much."
"Oh?" He pulled me closer, tugging me against him as we began to sway.
Resting my free hand on his shoulder, I explained, "I have two left feet. Three years of dance classes went down the drain before I came to terms with that."
"You took dance classes?" His free hand came to rest on my waist, and his eyes devoured me.
I chuckled, "I was seven, and I wanted to be a ballerina." I paused, "And an astronaut. And a princess."
"Ambitious. How did you decide to become a chef?"
I breathed in, tasting his intoxicating scent on my tongue.
Meeting his hypnotic stare, I began, "In my junior year of high school, I had no idea what I was going to do. My dad kept pushing for something that would make me a pack asset and wanted me to follow him into accounting or something similar.
"It was a lot of pressure with taking college prep classes, studying my ass off for the SAT and agonizing over college applications. The stress... it was honestly driving me up the wall.
"Then, the summer between junior year and senior year, I took a job at a local restaurant. It was just to earn some spending money, but I loved it. Being in the kitchen was exciting and challenging and energizing – and once my shift was done, I got to leave it all behind me and go home. I didn't have to drag around this constant stress like a ten-ton weight around my neck."
Dwayne's hand squeezed mine. "I'm guessing this doesn't end with your father being thrilled that you found your passion?"
I shook my head. "There were words said about me 'wasting my potential' and making 'the mistake of a lifetime'."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"Senior year was rough, to put it mildly..." Leaning my head against his chest, I sighed, "...but, I don't regret my decision."
"No?"
"College would have been an absolutely miserable time for me. I was ready to crack from the pressure of high school – there's no way I would have gotten through it."
His thumb caressed mine. "I don't know – I think you could do pretty much anything you set your mind to."
Glancing up, I smiled, "You think so?"
Dwayne grinned, "You proved it within twenty-four hours of our first meeting – you're unstoppable when you want to be."
The rear of the ballroom opened up to a paved patio lit by paper lanterns and the distant gleam of stars.
With Dwayne's hand in mine, I let him lead me down one of the many landscaped paths winding across the property.
A soft wind swept in from the lake, and the heat of the day had cooled down with the arrival of the cloudless night.
As our steps drew us closer to the shore, I knew it.
It's time.
I swear, I could almost feel it – the matebond. It was like this faint, but undeniable pull toward the man next to me.
It wasn't complete though.
Not yet.
It had the potential to become so much more – I'd seen it time after time from my packmates and my family.
All it needed was for the mates to accept the connection.
And, right now, I was the only one holding back.
Glancing over to the starlit waters of the lake, I tried to muster my courage to take that last step.
I'd imagined this moment so many times – it was just always with Evan-
No. You are not bringing Evan into this – not right now.
Sighing, I shook my head.
What did it say about me, as a person, that I could even have Evan on my mind at this moment?
I was on the brink of making a lifetime commitment to one man, but I still felt this way about another...
Freezing, I couldn't stop the sudden pang of self-disgust in my gut.
Dwayne doesn't deserve this...
A mate who was still hung up on her ex?
It wasn't right.
"Lauren?"
I stalled, tucking a tendril of hair behind my ear. Planting a smile on my face, I glanced up, "Yeah?"
"What is it?"
Dammit.
Of course he could hear my pulse pounding through me.
How could he always tell?
Hoisting my bravado, I turned, taking his lapels in my hands and pulling him closer.
"I'm taking a romantic stroll with an absurdly attractive man. You'll have to forgive me if it does things to my heart rate."
Dwayne grinned, "Absurdly attractive?"
"It is absolutely unreasonable that you look this good."
I watched as the warmth in his eyes kindled into a flame.
Tell him.
I wanted to, but...
Evan's face flashed in my mind.
Why did I have to be like this?
"Say," I began, clasping my hands behind Dwayne's neck, "there's this giant bed up in my suite." Leaning in, I ghosted my lips over his, "Wanna see?"
I can tell him later. There's no rush.
Right?