Chapter Nine
Falkan
I was honored that Kyle allowed me to take him out on a date, one on one.
I would have preferred Griffith come with us, but Kyle was an omega who needed a handle with care label plastered over his heart.
Whatever he asked for, we were willing to give him.
The compromise was all on us. Griffith would have his own date tomorrow at lunch.
The limo I’d rented pulled up to the hotel lobby where Kyle said he’d be waiting.
I’d decided to do this date all out, dragon style. I’d made reservations at a posh place in La Jolla. I had the only suit I’d brought, cleaned and pressed. I told Kyle to wear “something nice.”
“Do I need a tie?” he’d asked.
“Only if you want.” The restaurant was nice but not that picky.
I saw no one hanging about the hotel pick-up station, so I got out of the car. As I did, Kyle came walking out the automatic front glass doors. He tilted his head, much like his wolf had when we’d first met, and said, “Falkan, is that really you?”
“In the flesh.”
“You rented a limo?” His mouth dropped open.
I held my hands out. “I wanted our first official date to be special.”
He stepped toward me, eyeing the limo then looking me up and down. “You dress up nice.”
“Thanks. So do you.”
He wore casual pants, a black blazer, and a white button-down shirt. His long auburn hair was tied back in a neat tail. He looked breathtakingly handsome.
The driver had already gotten out and held the door wide open for both of us to get in the back. I waved Kyle in and got in behind him.
Once inside, I poured us each a glass of bubbly, and we took off.
“It’s all so formal.”
I chuckled. “You’re dating a dragon right now. We tend to go all out. And it’s not super formal. You can just relax and enjoy yourself.”
“Sure. Fine.”
Alarmed, I leaned forward. “You’re not uncomfortable, are you?”
“It’s expensive, though. All this.” He stared at his champagne.
“Not for me. Dragons have hoards. I’m fine. Don’t worry about that.” I grinned. “I like having fun with my money. It’s no fun all alone with it. I love sharing.”
“You’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”
“I’ll take that compliment and gloat a little, if you don’t mind.”
That got him to laugh. His body relaxed. By the time we reached the restaurant, he’d drained his glass.
Once inside, we were escorted by a host in a tuxedo to a private table with a candle flickering in a crystal glass. As he read the menu, Kyle balked.
“There aren’t any prices on here.”
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s go wild and order appetizers and desserts as well.”
With wide eyes, he pointed out some things he liked. I ordered them all. We could take leftovers if need be.
The spread was lavish and the good food kept coming. By dessert, we couldn’t eat another bite. A scoop of ice cream was all either of us had room for.
During dinner, Kyle was open and kind. He talked about himself and asked me lots of questions about my flight and where I grew up.
Ever the talker, I gave him any details he wanted.
“What’s New Mexico like?” he asked.
“In my opinion, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen New Mexico at sunset. The skies are wide open, deep, and endless, perfect for dragon flight, and the people—my people—are generous and kind. I want to take you to meet them someday.”
I was still a bit disappointed he had yet to acknowledge the fated-mate energy between all three of us. Hinting around couldn’t hurt.
He ducked his cute head as if shy then said, “I think I’d like that.”
“I’ll arrange it anytime.”
When we left the restaurant, it was still early. The moon was up, and I instructed our driver to take us to the boardwalk down by Belmont Park and the roller coaster.
We walked around the busy area and played some of the carnival games. He won a small orange stuffed fish and jumped up and down in sheer happiness. Then he handed it to me.
“For me?”
“Yeah.” He grinned sheepishly. “Do you love it?”
“With all my heart.” I held it close to my chest.
We sat on the wall facing the sea. It was gentle tonight, the waves soft and foamy, reflecting a verdant blue sheen in the moonlight.
“This is the last thing I expected to happen,” he said softly.
“This date?”
“No. All of it. Being here was just going to be a quick business trip.”
“No regrets, though?” My heart burned as I waited for an answer, the goldfish toy squeezed between my hands.
“No. Not now. But I do want you to know. I was adopted when I was little, and my pack never actually accepted me.”
“What? Why? Lots of people are adopted, and their families love them.”
“I guess I always felt like an outsider. My parents are kind of emotionally, uh, distant. It’s just the way they are.
Judgmental, you know? Like you’re trying your best and waiting for approval, but you never get it.
So I always thought something was wrong with me.
Maybe I brought that with me into school, and kids sensed it. ”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. Bullying sucks.”
“You were bullied?”
“Yeah. Like, that’s common, though, right?”
I wanted to put my arm around him, tell him it was not normal or right. The damage that must have done to him and his wolf—no wonder they didn’t trust me and Griffith when we first met and his wolf refused to shift back to human.
“Didn’t your parents help you?”
“Not really. They minimized everything. It’s their way. They said, ‘it takes two to tango.’ I tried to understand that. Maybe I was also to blame. I guess I did things wrong but didn’t realize it. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. You make me want to tell you stuff. How do you do that?”
Fated mates. That was the answer he still wasn’t ready to hear.
Our mate needs comfort. Nuzzle. Under wing.
Patience, beast. I let my thought speech roll over him. He backed off.
I quickly replied to his question. “How do I make you want to tell me stuff? I guess because I like you and that makes me care about you. And I think you sense that.”
“My beast does. I do, too, but I’m slower.” Tentatively, he reached out with one hand and covered my hands holding the fish. “I like you, Falkan. I like you a lot.”
I turned my face to his, my smile so big it hurt.
Before I could register the motion, Kyle leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. Warm, plump, sweet. Skyrockets went off with such force in my mind that I swayed with the sudden onslaught of emotion.
Nuzzle now?
I put my arm around him and pulled him to me. The fish fell into the sand below the wall but no matter, I’d grab it later. I was going to hold onto that gift for the rest of my life.
We kissed for a long minute. I never wanted it to end. Couldn’t he feel it? The bond was there just waiting for the door to open between us. It was already tingling, a live wire ready to play its role in our lives.
I felt drunk as we made our way back to the limo. The sleek black car was humming at the back end of a huge, crowded parking lot.
When I dropped Kyle off, I gave him a big hug and another kiss. I shook the fish at him. “Thanks for the gift.”
Back in the limo, I got out my phone and called my family’s favorite private detective. In business, such employees were utilized probably more than they should have been, but at least he was someone I could trust.
I gave him Kyle’s family name and asked for an investigation. I wanted to know more. Who was the leader of this pack? Why had they hurt him? Maybe spying on the omega mate I wanted so badly wasn’t cool, but I couldn’t help myself. I needed more information.