Diamond Dust

The massage began, and other than the initial rush of holy cow, we did it and holy shit, those bears are scary beasts, her thoughts drifted into nothing more than holy moly, this feels wonderful.

The room had darkened when she finally opened her eyes, the nap that had ambushed her once her massage was done washing away the final bits of nervous stress from her limbs. The low lighting from the wall sconces was enough to guide her to the bed where she found another of the outfits from Boutique Belanger laid out. The shimmering blue gown felt like a caress as she pulled it on, sad to cover the sexy underwear she’d also found there.

The shoes? She had to take a closer look because otherwise she’d have sworn each was carved from a single diamond.

There was a vanity in the corner of the room, a full-length mirror beside it. She wasn’t surprised when she discovered a jewelry box waiting for her.

Were the diamonds really blue, or was it the light reflecting from her dress? She clasped the necklace in place, and the earrings, before stepping back to see the final result.

The Caroline she knew had vanished.

Or at least the rough-and-tumble girl who’d clawed her way to the top of the Takhini pack with nothing more than driving need. Gone also was the no-nonsense individual who thrived in the pack chili cook-off and hands-free eating challenges during Spring Thaw festival.

There was a princess in the room wearing her face.

The illusion lasted for all of thirty seconds, because that’s as long as Caroline could keep her smile from breaking free. It wasn’t a delicate, polite and how is the weather in the south of France smile. It was a full out, hell yeah, this is fucking cool smile.

Caroline wasn’t gone. She’d never be gone, because this was the real her—what you see is what you get. Didn’t matter how pretty the packaging.

She paced to the top of the stairs following the scent of food, her stomach reminding her it had been a long time since that morning’s bacon and eggs.

She startled him. Tyler stood with one foot on the bottom rung, his hand on the banister as he caught a glimpse of her. The fitted tux and well-groomed hair proved he’d found time to do something other than make his phone calls.

He swallowed hard. “You are astonishingly beautiful.”

His compliment sent a thrill through her. “Thank you, kind sir.”

Caroline considered the stairs and doing one of those princess-descends-without-looking-at-her-feet deals like in the movies, but decided chances were that in the full-length gown, she’d trip and end up spending the rest of their getaway time in a hospital bed in traction.

So instead, she took a final peek at him, just to last her until she hit the main floor. Then she concentrated on the heels, dress and the rest of her all making it to the bottom in one piece.

His hand slipped over hers on the railing and he lifted it to his lips. “Goddess.”

Heat flashed from his lips to her arm and way way farther in a sharp jolt. Good- looking duds, but it was his smile that enchanted her the most. Not his polite-greeting version, but one she’d seen in more private moments.

The one that involved eating her up with his eyes and promised he’d be eating her up more intimately later.

“Dinner?” Tyler offered an arm.

She accepted and let him lead her into the dining hall. “I hope we didn’t kick anyone from their home.”

He seated her before settling at her side. “No. And once dinner is over, we’ll be alone.”

Promises of relaxation with a more sexual twist were there in his eyes.

She’d expected soup or some kind of appetizer to arrive, followed by a long list of other courses, all the while she’d slowly grow more impatient for the meal to be over so they could be alone. Because while the trappings of luxury were fun to play with, she was ready for him.

Only everything arrived at one. Servants lowered platters to the table and poofed away as if they owned magical vanishing spells.

Caroline lifted a cover, and the rich scent of a cheese sauce seduced her. “I like the casual style of the place.”

“To be honest, the only reason I gave you the gown for tonight was I desperately wanted to see you in it.” He scooped a serving of vegetables onto her plate, and she smiled. “Once dinner is over we have pyjamas we can trade into.”

Caroline laughed. “Flannel?”

Tyler didn’t skip a beat. “Of course. We live in the north, what do you expect?” He clicked his tongue as if scolding her.

He poured her wine and lifted his glass in a toast.

He paused for a long time, and Caroline laid a hand on his thigh. “You don’t have to have pretty words. We can toast to surviving my bright idea to have a casual get-together with the ladies.”

They clicked their goblets together.

“We more than survived. You made an incredible difference in a woman’s life. By offering the truth. Thank you for having confidence in me.” He cleared his throat. “Thank you for sharing your trust in me.”

Caroline took a sip of her wine, staring over the edge of the glass as he fixed his gaze on her. They were totally going to waste the food, she could sense it in her bones. Any moment he would sweep her up in his arms and they’d go satisfy a different kind of hunger.

Which, okay.

She lowered her wine glass and placed it carefully beside her plate before facing him.

His rapidly changing expressions were priceless. Lust, confusion, a moment of complete seriousness. “Tyler, is something wrong?”

He blinked then pulled himself together. “I’m trying to plan the best way to tell you something that will produce the least freaking out on your part.”

Hmm. “Freaking out is something I like to avoid,” Caroline warned, half-seriously.

“I know.” Tyler winked. “But there are good bits and bad bits to the conversation.”

“More than one thing.” He was as bad as Evan had been when in a say-nothing- while-talking-your-ear-off mood. Must be something to do with Alpha shifter blood. “How about you order the items from the least oh-my-Gawd to the most.”

Tyler nodded. “I’m in love with you.”

Caroline’s heart jolted hard enough she swore the pretty blue outfit over her chest leapt out a foot before returning to its regular position. She gasped for control. “That’s the thing on your list least likely to freak me out?”

He caught her hands in his. “It’s the most important thing there as well. I know it’s fast, I know—”

“Holy smoking gun, you ain’t kidding.”

“I did warn you.” Tyler made a face. “Okay, I even outdid my fellow bears this time in terms of falling hard and fast. But, Caroline”—he cupped her face in his hand—“you’re unique. That’s why my bear has been shoving me so hard since the first time we met. You understand shifters. You understand power…”

A moment of fear intruded, an icy finger of doubt. The I love you bit hadn’t been expected—she’d known something was growing between them. She’d felt it as well.

She didn’t want this to be about admiration for her prowess in shifter-power games.

Tyler didn’t let her get a chance to complain, though. He was out of his chair and on his feet, pacing beside the table. He twirled on her. “You understand love.”

What kind of statement was that? “I…think I do.”

He shook his head. “I saw you with your sister. I know what you did for her, to make sure she could achieve the goals she desired. You might have stepped over a few human boundaries, but you did it out of love. Sacrificial love.”

Her throat was tightening. “You’ve given this a lot of thought, for it being such a short time.”