Chapter 3
Juliette turned off the engine and stared out the windshield at the tavern.
The Amber Howl’s well-lit sign was bright against the darkening sky, a beacon on the river like a small lighthouse.
There were two things she’d never done before in her life: crossed the bridge over Pine Run River to the shifter town of King Lake and sat down in a restaurant to eat a meal by herself.
Neither of those things were dangerous in any way, shape, or form, but that didn’t stop her heart from pounding and her palms from going clammy.
Was it the fact she was human in a mostly shifter town, regardless that humans – hell, anyone was clearly welcome at the tavern – or was it the odd worry in the back of her mind that people might think she had no friends.
She wasn’t sure why she even cared about the latter. She wasn’t planning to make a regular habit of eating at The Amber Howl by herself. Unless, of course, the burger was so incredible she wouldn’t be able to help herself. Then all bets were off.
She opened her wallet and took out her ID and cash to cover the meal and then stashed the wallet and keys in the console.
Her phone had an app for her car so she didn’t need her keys or the clunky keychain that tinkled like Christmas bells.
With a determined grunt, she opened her door and stepped out into the cool night.
Shutting the door, she looked down at herself.
She’d driven directly from the bookstore to the tavern, but instead of her romantic boho-inspired long skirts and blouses, she’d picked jeans and a soft pink oversized button-down that she tucked in the front.
A quick curl of her long, blonde hair in the bookstore bathroom and a bit of mascara and blush made her feel put together in a way she didn’t normally bother with.
But she felt pretty, and she also felt daring in a weird way.
Get it together, girl!
She opened the phone app and locked the car, then tucked her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, squared her shoulders, and headed to the front door. There was a big man leaning against the open door, arms crossed, with the tavern’s logo barely visible on his shirt.
She showed him her ID and he smiled and said, “Sit anywhere, Tara will be with you in a minute.”
“Thanks.”
She scanned the half-full room and took a small table by the back wall of windows. She had just set her phone on the table when a woman appeared with a laminated single-page menu, with food on one side and drinks on the other.
“Hiya, hon, what can I get ya to drink?”
“Coke?”
“Sure. Do you know what you want or do you need a minute?”
“I’d love the Blue Monster burger with regular fries.”
“Great choice, I had one before my shift today.”
Juliette handed the menu over and said, “It’s the reason I came here tonight, I saw the social media post yesterday about it. I love blue cheese.”
“It’s our cook’s favorite cheese, too. I’ll put that in and be right back with your drink.”
Juliette folded her hands and looked around the room.
Couples and small groups were eating and drinking, the long counter with black leather stools had a handful of people at it, and a guy was behind the bar filling drink orders.
Music played at a low volume from a colorfully lit jukebox in the corner, and low lights along the ceiling made the whole place look like it was lit with amber light.
Maybe that’s where they got the name for the place.
Or…probably from the way shifters’ eyes turned amber when they were in their shifts. Except for dragons – she thought she’d heard once that their eyes were silver in their shift, but she’d never met a dragon. Or any other kind of shifter.
She rubbed the back of her neck, her spine tingling.
Was someone watching her?
She turned slowly to look behind her and a big guy stood in the kitchen doorway wearing a half apron. Dark hair, strong jaw, amber eyes.
Holy crap.
He stared at her like he couldn’t look away, like he’d been waiting for her to walk into the tavern.
And then he walked toward her.
Not rushed, but confident.
He got even better looking the closer he got to her.
She’d never actually seen such a gorgeous guy, all broad shoulders and kissable lips.
She actually forgot how to breathe.
He stopped at her table, towering over her. He was so close she could see the faint stubble on his jaw and pick up the scent of grilled meat and something wilder, like the woods in the fall.
His gaze dropped to her mouth before coming back up to meet hers.
“You ordered the Monster?”
“I – yeah.”
“I’m Osiris.”
“That’s quite a name.”
His mouth quirked up at the corner. “You can call me Sigh.”
Good gravy that was a romance novel hero name if she’d ever heard one. Emery would have a fit!
“I’m Juliette.”
“Talk about a mouthful,” he said.
“What can I say, my mom liked romantic names.”
She extended her hand and he took it, giving a gentle squeeze and running his thumb along her knuckles. A shiver raced down her spine.
“I’ll get right on your burger, Juliette.”
He released her hand slowly and turned back to the kitchen.
She sat there for a long moment, staring after him, her skin warm, her pulse racing. She pressed her fingers to her neck, feeling the heat there.
She was actually blushing.
Blushing!
All he’d done was say hello.
She looked over her shoulder at the door to the kitchen and had the urge to follow him.
Okay. No. That was crazy.
She was not going to run into the kitchen because the cook was sexy and had a great nickname.
The server appeared with her drink and said, “Your food will be right up.”
“Yes, thanks, Sigh let me know.”
The woman’s brows rose and she glanced at the bartender, who was staring at Juliette like he was trying to figure out who she was. “Well, good. I’ll bring your food out when it’s ready.”
Juliette fiddled with her phone, her heart racing like she’d run a marathon.
Her mind was spinning, all her thoughts focused on Sigh.
Calm down.
Okay, so he was attractive. Well, that was an understatement. He was the most attractive guy she’d ever seen, and those freaking eyes!
Amber.
Her brain latched onto that thought. Amber meant shifter, right?
So he was…maybe a wolf? Which made sense considering the tavern had howl in the name, and she was in King Lake, which was all shifters.
She should have expected to run into shifters.
But she hadn’t thought one would come over to her table, or look at her so intently, as if he’d been waiting all night for her to walk in.
She glanced at the kitchen door again.
She hoped he came back out.
A few minutes later, the kitchen door creaked as it opened and Juliette could not help herself and turned around to see who was coming out.
Sigh.
He held her plate in one hand and strode with purpose toward her. He set the plate in front of her and then sat down in the seat across from her.
She stared at him in surprise.
“Don’t you have food to cook?”
“The line cook’s got it handled. I wanted to see how you liked my burger.”
She looked from his brown eyes – they weren’t amber anymore – to the plate. It looked even better up close than it did in the picture on social media, and it smelled incredible. Cheese was melted over the thick patty, and the scent of grilled meat and cheese made her mouth water.
“You’re really going to watch me eat?”
He rested his forearms on the table and smiled. “Yes.”
She picked up the burger and took a bite. She promptly forgot how to do anything but moan at the incredible taste. She put the burger on the plate and pressed her fingers to her lips and savored the taste. “This is ridiculously good. I think it’s the best burger I’ve ever had in my life.”
He relaxed with a broad smile, like he’d been tense until she said she liked it. “I’m so glad to hear that.”
Sigh stared at her intently, and that same flush crept up her neck again. She’d never blushed so much in her life.
“Try another bite,” he encouraged.
She picked up the burger, took a bite, and shook her head at how good it was. After picking up a fry and trying it, finding it crispy and salted perfectly, she asked, “Do you always do this?”
“What? Sit with a beautiful female?”
Her brows lifted. “Yes.”
“Nope.”
Oh. That was… significant.
“Then why me?”
He didn’t answer right away, he let her question hang in the air between them like a tangible thing. Then he said, “Felt right.”
Her breath froze in her chest, her heart constricting for a moment. Had she forgotten how to breathe again?
She met his intense gaze, seeing a flicker of amber in the chocolate brown depths, and suddenly she knew what he meant when he said it felt right to sit with her.
Because it felt right to have him there, to be near him.
She couldn’t really explain it, because it seemed like she’d come there that night just to see him, even though she couldn’t possibly have known he’d be there.
Had it been a fluke that she’d seen the social media post for a burger and come to the tavern that night?
Or was it something more? Like fate.
“Sigh?”
“Yeah, beautiful?”
“I really…I’m glad I came here tonight.”
He reached across the table, his warm hand covering hers. “Me too.”