The brooch rested in his pocket like a lump of coal, ready to burn his life to ashes. It wasn’t fair, but then, life wasn’t fair. He was old enough to know that truth.
Keri stepped from the bathroom and joined him with a happy smile. “Ready to go.”
He put his best face forward. “We’ve got plenty of time. We’ll come back to change if that’s okay.”
She wrapped her fingers around his arm and they stepped together up the hallway.
They were quiet as they strode the hall. Jared was too busy thinking about what the hell he was going to do to solve this shit of a mess to make polite conversation.
Keri cleared her throat. “It’s weird, isn’t it? This whole mate thing?”
The question helped him focus, the innocent query deceptively complex. It was as if she were completely a part of him and yet completely hidden behind a wall. “I can sense little things I didn’t expect. And I like your sense of humour. I know a lot of people who have found their mates, and they’ve always told me that the relationship was totally right, just what they’d been looking for.”
Keri stumbled a little, and he braced her. “You okay?”
She nodded then blurted out, “Am I what you’ve been looking for?”
The brooch slowed his step, a ball and chain of worry weighing him down.
Her fingers tightened before he could respond. “Jared? You okay? I…I’m sorry if I put you on the spot. Let me say that differently. I
hope
I can become what you’ve always wanted in a mate.”
And with those brave words, all his fears vanished. He turned her into his arms and rested his forehead against hers. Taking slow breaths, looking into her eyes and seeing her soul.
Finding out his mate was possibly the thief everyone was talking about belowdecks had momentarily freaked him out. But she was right—people could change. He was going to support her every way he could, and they could move forward into a new life together.
“I know it’s early, and we don’t know each other completely yet, but Keri, I’m going to fall in love with you. Thoroughly and completely. So you’d better bet you’re what I’ve always wanted in a mate.”
A tiny crease marred the corners of her eyes as she fought back tears.
“We can do this, can’t we? We can fall in love, as well as our wolves?”
“Oh yes.”
Jared pushed his wolf as far into the corner as he could. For once the beast went with only a second’s
pfft
at being told to bugger off.
“We’re going to fall in love so hard our wolves are going to be jealous of our human sides.”
Keri laughed out loud. “Yeah, right.”
Jared kissed her laughing lips, her mouth still open as he captured her. It was a short exchange, with more tenderness than passion. A kiss of hopeful need and yearning to belong mixed with promises of long days and years to come.
Jared would make sure they fell in love.
But first, he had to find some way to return the brooch to the Fedoras without Keri being caught. Because the distinctive arrangement was most definitely his father’s handiwork and had been a family gift to the rulers a few years back.
Chapter Eight
“Shut. Up.” Tessa wasn’t bouncing, she was staring, slack-jawed, as Keri attempted to tug her hand free from Jared’s firm grasp. “You are the special guests dining with the Fedoras? And who’d you steal the dress from?”
“It’s a long story. Really, very boring. You don’t want to know the details at all because they’d literally make you tip over and fall asleep.”
Tessa waved a dismissive hand in front of Keri’s face and stepped closer to Jared, eyeing him down, then up, then down again. Jared all cleaned up and dressed in a formal suit was enough to make any woman’s knees weak. “Well,
well
. When my friend goes hunting, she finds lovely prey.”
How Jared managed to keep a straight face, Keri wasn’t sure. “You have such a way of setting everyone at ease. You must work as the cruise director or something.”
“Just saying.” Tessa dipped her chin politely at Jared a second before Keri suspected she was going to jump him. “When you decide you’re tired of him, I’d be happy to take him off—”
Keri’s wolf growled. Tessa’s eyes shot wide open even as she stepped back in defense, the cat grin breaking free.
“Oh my, there’s more to this story than a shipboard fling, isn’t there?” Tessa swung a finger between the two of them before leaning forward slightly to whisper conspiratorially. “You guys got that doggies-in-love-forever thing happening, don’t you?”
Jared bowed formally. “You are the soul of discretion, I can see. Yes, we’re mates, and I’m very happy to have found Keri. You’ll have to tell me all about your college days some time.”
Keri wondered that Jared could small talk so easily. Although the charm-the-panties-off-the-women bit he’d shared about? Was an ix-nay orever-fay from this point on. “Personally, I’m all for stringing her into a corner and hanging catnip about a foot out of reach. You’re being far too nice to her.”
“Your friends are my friends, right?”
Yeah, sort of. Unless that meant he was going to introduce her to the mafia and expect her to accept them as well. A little of the glow of happiness left the moment.
She turned to Tessa, who now wore this shit-eating grin. “Stop that.”
“What?”
“You know.”
Tessa snorted. “I’m thinking about all those stories you told me during college, and how much you’ll pay me now to not reveal your secrets.”
“She’s a feisty one, isn’t she?”
Jared asked.
“BFF. Means I love her to pieces but occasionally want to throttle her.”
“Understandable.”
Jared tugged Keri closer to his side. “Sorry, Tessa, but I need to steal Keri away. We’ll talk to you soon, but we don’t want to be late for our dinner date.” He dipped his head politely, the crisp cut of his suit almost squeaking as he moved.
Tessa sighed and wiggled her fingers. “You all have fun. Unlike some people, who have work to do.”
The walk across the thick plushy carpet felt different today, and not just because they were headed to a meeting with a couple so far above her current position Keri was afraid she’d get a nosebleed. It was the glittering lights of the formal chandeliers overhead. It was the silky slide of the fabric over her bare skin—Jared had convinced her she should leave off the undies along with her bra to avoid having panty lines. But most of all, it was her mate walking beside her, his elbow bumping her lightly as she clung to his arm, his fingers folded over hers. How he managed to look as if that suit was his normal everyday wear impressed her and scared her to death.
She’d either mated one of the world’s most instinctively talented actors or…or… she had no idea what was going on.
“You okay?” Jared pulled her to a stop outside the first-class formal dining room.
“If there’s something wrong, please… We don’t have to do this. I can make our excuses—”
“No.” As much as she wanted to. “But thank you for asking.”
Enough mental chaos. She’d been on a damn roller coaster all day. But their conversation before hitting the salon—it was true. They could fall in love, they could make this work for their human sides and their animals.
Enjoy this moment then deal with the rest.
She kissed his cheek and stepped forward with him, shoulders squared, spine tall. And if there were butterflies still tangoing in her belly? Well, maybe they wanted to have a little dancing time as well.
Jared was impressed. More than impressed—it was once again made crystal clear why the Fedoras were in the position they were. Power as a wolf was easy to define. Charisma was harder. While a strong wolf could order you around, it took a special kind of personality to have people ignore your power and trust you and want to please you in spite of your strength.
Mr. Fedora had charmed and eased Keri through the entire meal. From the moment he’d risen and pulled out her chair, there had been light chitchat and easy conversation. No mention of anything that could be considered off topic—like their recent mating, even though that had to be all too obvious to anyone with a nose, other than himself. Mrs. Fedora had been equally attentive, and dinner had flown past.
He wondered why he’d spent so much time away from society when there were such good people there. Although—thinking back to the coffee shop and all the leaders of the Granite Lake pack—his friends might be a little rougher around the edges, but they too were awesome people to spend time with.
The music picked up and Jared rose to his feet as Mr. Fedora did.
“I am going to dance with my wife, but first?” Fedora turned to Keri and offered her a hand. “Might I take a turn with you, young lady?”
Keri’s cheeks flushed. Her gaze darted to meet Jared and that alone filled him with pride. Not like she had to ask permission, but that she wanted to check with him, and the resulting wash of connection between them? Man, this mate thing was very, very cool.
“I am so jumping you later…”
he promised, grinning as her face turned bright red.
He turned to Mrs. Fedora and offered a hand, and the four of them stepped onto the polished boards of the empty dance area.
Mrs. Fedora wasted no time. “She’s a simply lovely creature. I approve.”
Jared chuckled. “Thanks.”
Her smile widened. “You puppies are all the same. Yes, dear, I know I don’t have any say in it, but I still approve. Your mother is going to love her. Keri’s got that little bit of steel in her spine that will make it easier for her to handle the media when they get a hold of you.” She paused then stared him in the eyes. “You will have to have a formal party at some point. I mean, I understand your wolf sides are already happily together, but there is certain decorum to follow.”
He nodded, turning her smoothly even as he kept an eye on Keri, hoping she was all right. “I know, but give me the time to explain everything to Keri. It’s not that unusual a situation—mates meeting out of the blue happens all the time, but I doubt she expected me and the accompanying chaos my family will bring.”
“But your wolves understand. She can handle it.” Mrs. Fedora’s expressive face changed. “You have, in your slightly unorthodox manner, been hiding out from the world. Perhaps it’s time for that to come to an end.”
“Don’t blame me—Mom and Dad were the ones who chose Alaska to move to. And it’s not hiding out, not really.” The elegant brow went up again. “Okay, it’s hiding out a little, but it worked. We’ve been happy as a family out of the spotlight.”
She tilted her head and fell silent, and he was realized the interrogation was over.
If only the brooch burning a hole in his pocket was back in her possession. He spun his partner to check out the dance floor. Keri was still smiling, a happy kind of overwhelmed-but-in-a-good-way sensation sneaking his direction. There were more dancers now, surrounding them as they spun and twirled.
Perfect distraction. He reached into his pocket to grab the jewel, then replaced his hand on Mrs. Fedora’s waist quickly. It was only a second later he realized his idea of pinning the jewels to her and having her “find” them was a bad idea. She’d never be stupid enough to believe she’d sat through an entire meal without noticing.
Frustrated, he brought his hand back and dropped the brooch into his pocket.
Keri stumbled, and Mr. Fedora caught her beautifully. “Everything all right, my dear?”
She nodded quickly and propped up her smile, the corners feeling a little shaky. She’d just seen her mate remove a jewel from Mrs. Fedora’s dress and pocket it. All her hopeful wishes about the thievery being a misunderstanding fled.
She had to save him from himself. “It’s been lovely, but could I dance with my mate?”
Sheer elegance poured from the man as he tilted his head and smoothly brought them over to the other couple. A moment later Keri was in Jared’s arms, physical need rising and frustration not far behind.
“Are you having a good time?” he asked.
“It’s been incredible.”
Jared nodded and pulled her closer as the music slowed. She took total advantage and snuck her hand into his pocket, palming the stolen goods and bringing it out to hide it…
Shit. Hide it where? There was nothing but a thin layer of fabric covering her entire body, and unless she wanted to be doing weird body-cavity stuff, no way could she keep it around for long. She carefully rested her hand on his shoulder, thumb tucked in to hold the jewel, her palm completely covering it.
Under the table she spotted two purses, and really bad inspiration hit. She had to return the jewel to the other woman’s purse and everything would be fine.
Jared nuzzled the side of her neck lightly and she shivered.
Damn wolf hormones, cruise ships and diamonds. All of them, just damn, damn,
damn
.
Jared savoured the sensation of Keri all tight up against him, the knowledge that he was only millimeters away from her naked skin settling and riling up his wolf simultaneously. He adjusted position and two things happened. First he caught a tiny flash of dazzling light from under her fingers. Then a quick pat of his pocket revealed it was empty. All his hopes that she wasn’t really the thief vanished, and he struggled to hide his sadness.