“What are you doing?” Mandy asked, trying to turn over to face Cameron.

“Just lie there and be a good girl,” he told her, holding her flat on her belly with one powerful hand.

“But what are you doing?” she asked with a laugh, laying her head back down on the pillow.

“I’m creating a work of art.”

“What sort of art?”

“The kind that has made me famous.”

“You’re putting graffiti on my back?”

“Very funny.”

“Well, you do have a mugshot online for spray painting a pedestrian overpass.”

“It was a labor of love.”

“It got you arrested.”

“Well worth it.”

A week into their dating he had been arrested for spray painting a message to her on the side of an overhead walkway. It was juvenile and yet, she’d found it completely endearing. Walking through the park one morning following a night of phenomenal sex, she had stopped and stared at the huge letters above her head with a mixture of amusement and horror.  They spelled out “Mandy” in neon green, followed by “Came” in hot pink. They had just discussed that she walked this path every morning on her way to work the day before. There was no doubt it was his work.

They had a good laugh later when he had told her that he was mid-stroke when he’d spotted cops walking up the path with mag lights. One had yelled at him and he’d run before he could finish spelling out “Cameron” and add the bright yellow “&” sign he had intended to put in the middle. They weren’t quite as amused a few days later when he had been arrested based on nearby camera footage that clearly showed his face. He ended up with a slap on the wrist and some community service time, plus a story that probably wasn’t quite appropriate to tell.

“This might just be a masterpiece,” he commented, moving the marker in a flourishing stroke across her backside. No doubt he was signing his name as he was known to do.

“I hope you aren’t planning on putting it on display somewhere.”

“Absolutely not. At least not where anyone else can see,” he told her, blowing against her skin as if to dry the paint marker.

“Are you finished now?” she asked, attempting, once more, to get up.

“Yes, but it needs to dry. I’m afraid you’ll have to lie there for a moment. Don’t worry. I’ll watch and let you know when it’s cured.”

“And how long will that be?”

“Just long enough to make you come is what I’m thinking,” he told her, his fingers slipping between her legs and caressing dampening pink folds.

“If you make me squirm, it might mess up your artwork.”

“Then I suppose I will have to keep you pinned down, won’t I?”

“I suppose you must,” she replied, her words punctuated by a moan as he began teasing her clit with a single digit.

“There you go. Don’t hold back. I love listening to you when you’re excited. You sound almost angelic, even though we both know what a little devil you are.”

“You make me that way,” she muttered, biting the pillow as his thumb slipped upward and into her ass, slipping in and out in perfect coordination with the fingers that were buried inside her dripping pussy and simultaneously massaging her clit.

“We’ve only just begun.”

Mandy moaned loudly as his strokes increased in frequency and force. He continued fucking her with his hand as he leaned down over her, slipping one hand beneath her to pinch and twist a single nipple. A loud cry created from a mixture of ecstasy and delicious pain emanated from her center as she arched into the bed, eager for more.

“Not yet, beautiful,” he told her, slowing his movements so that he was gliding in and out of her wetness slowly, deeply.

“Please. Please let me come,” she begged.

“In time. I’m not ready to let you come just yet.”

Under Cameron’s guidance, Mandy had been progressively trained to hold off on her orgasms per his instructions. He was every bit the alpha male his profile on the ComeShift dating app had indicated. It was a fluke that she had even been on there, having always opposed dating sites. She’d only given it a shot based on a friend’s recommendation after having such bad luck trying to date normal men. The site was designed for shifters like Cameron to meet women more accepting of their special abilities. She had never expected to find her soul mate there, but after four weeks, Cameron certainly seemed to be exactly what she had been looking for.

“Yes,” she replied, her voice a needy whisper against the pillow.

“Do you want to come now?”

“Yes.”

“Too bad. I’m not done with you yet.”

Cameron pulled her up on all fours, back toward him, positioning himself between her legs. She gasped loudly as he entered her, forcing his girth inside her slippery pussy with one powerful thrust. His hands moved beneath her again, grasping her full breasts in his hands and kneading them as he fucked her from behind. Their combined groans filled the room around them. Mandy whimpered as his strokes grew more eager, pounding her from behind until they both shattered into shards of orgasmic bliss.

“I love the way your muscles constrict and squeeze every drop of pleasure from me.”

“I can’t get enough of you,” she replied, her head still resting against the pillow as she collapsed down onto the sheets beneath her.

“Come on. Let’s show you what I’ve created,” he told her, standing. He playfully pulled her ankles, so she was halfway off the bed.

Mandy stood and looked at him, took his hand and followed him to the full-length mirror situated on one side of the bedroom in her apartment. He turned her around slowly so that the mural he had created on her back was visible and handed her a small mirror, so she could see. Mandy looked at it, speechless. It was incredible what he had done with just paint markers on bare skin, but what really took her breath away was what he had written in the center. It said, “Mandy and Cameron FOREVER” and below that, just above where he had signed his name with a flourish was “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she replied, her voice full of emotion.

“I know you do. I love you more than anything in this world, Mandy.”

She smiled happily up at him for a moment before looking back in the mirror at the beautiful vines and exotic flowers he had created around two caricatures of them. It wasn’t his usual dark and erotic style art—which he sold like hotcakes at local art shows and galleries—but it was special. She hated that it was something that she would never be able to keep.

“Here, let me take a picture of it. That way you’ll have it forever,” he said, as if reading her mind.

Mandy watched as he retrieved his cell phone from her bedside table and snapped a few photos of his masterpiece. Then he kissed her. It was the kiss of a man in love, a man she intended to spend the rest of her life with. Cameron was not like any other man she had ever met and perhaps that was why her love for him had grown so fast and so fierce. The art was short lived, washed away in the shower, where they made love once again. This time, slowly, softly. It was magical. Not a doubt existed in her mind that he was her destiny.

Time seemed to stand still when Mandy was with Cameron. They never argued or even disagreed for that matter. Their similarities were so many and their differences virtually non-existent. Mandy often found herself just looking at him, watching him as he moved or spoke. The quiet moments when he was reading or painting and unaware that her eyes were on him were the ones she cherished.

Just like now. He was absorbed in his laptop, talking with a potential buyer on Skype regarding some art she wanted to purchase for her studio. Mandy sat looking at him, at the way his bright green eyes sparkled in the glow of the backlight. She noted how his wild curly brown hair wisped around the nape of his long, slender neck. He was delicate but powerful. He was beautiful.

“What are you looking at?” he said with a huge smile, looking up to catch her watching him.

“You.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to. I like looking at you.”

“I like looking at you too,” he told her, closing the computer.

“I didn’t realize you were done.”

“I am. I have something else on my mind now.”

“Yeah? What is that?”

“Fruit. I’m hungry.”

“Oh,” she replied in a disappointed tone.

“Fruit that I intend to eat from your naked body.”

“Oh!” she said a bit more enthusiastically.

“Get undressed for me. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Mandy did as he asked, spending the next hour being used as a fruit bowl, a wildly ecstatic one, at that. Cameron took his time enjoying his little mid-afternoon snack, including giving her multiple mind-numbing orgasms with his commanding tongue and eager mouth, before licking her completely clean. She marveled that their sex life had not waned in any way, not gotten stale or mundane. Instead, every time with him was even better, more delicious.

“I thought we might go away for the weekend,” he told her as they lay there in the afterglow.

“Yeah? Where did you want to go?”

“My parents have a place up in the mountains. I like to go up there from time to time and, you know, just cut loose. I can’t really run free here like I do there, so I like to go and let my hair down sometimes.”

“You mean let your tail out, don’t you?” she laughed.

“Something like that,” he said. “I want you to come with me. You’ve never seen me shift before. Are you ready for that?”

“I don’t know. I mean, it’s hard to think about that part of you. I can’t imagine what it will be like, so I don’t know how I’ll react to it at first, but it doesn’t bother me about you. I’d have never gone on the site if I was concerned about that part of it.”

“Yes, I can imagine that it’s different for someone like you. Especially for someone who has never seen it before, but I want you to see it when I can show it to you in a controlled environment and not because I’m forced to for some reason. You’ll be spending your life with a man who sometimes turns to a wolf and, one day, when we have a son of our own, you’ll need to understand his gift, as well.”

“I…I don’t know what to say. I’ve never heard you talk about having children before.”

“You do want children, don’t you?”

She smiled widely at him. “Of course I do. I think you and I will have beautiful children.”

“I think we will too.”

Mandy’s heart felt as if it might burst with joy. Not only had she found the right man, but he wasn’t just some player who would use her and move on like so many of the men she had met before. This one was here to stay. He loved her and wanted to have children with her. Finally, she had found what she’d always wanted and each day she spent with him only felt more spectacular.

“Then you will go with me this weekend?”

“Yes. Of course I will. I can’t wait,” she told him, leaning over him to kiss him softly.

He pulled her down closer to him, kissing her softly before pulling away and getting out of bed. She watched as his perfect naked form padded across the floor and into the bathroom. A moment later, she heard the faucet running in the tub. Getting out of the bed, she started to pull on some clothes, intending to wait for him until he finished with his bath, but she was interrupted by the sound of his voice.

“Well, are you going to join me or not?”

Mandy smiled and made her way toward the bathroom, dropping the clothes in her hand onto the bed as she passed. Stepping into the large garden tub, she sat between his legs as he took his time washing her with a soapy sponge. She breathed slowly in and out, overcome with how wonderful her life with him continued to be.

“We should spend the night at my place sometimes,” he told her.

“Yes. I like your place. I don’t know why we spend so little time there.”

“It’s just more convenient here during the week. It’s closer to my studio and your work. We could start staying there on weekends when we don’t have to make the commute though.”

“That sounds good.”

He ran the sponge down her arm. “Eventually, we’ll need to decide where we want to live.”

“What do you mean? We both have places.”

“Together, I mean.” He kissed the side of her neck. “Perhaps not today or tomorrow, but when you feel comfortable with it, we should decide which place we want to keep or if we want to get rid of both and find a new place.”

“You mean live together?” she asked, her heart racing.

“For starters.”

Mandy leaned her head against his chest and smiled. The implication was clear. All this talk of moving in together, children. It was only a matter of time before he would propose to her. It felt incredible to be wanted, to be loved. No one had ever been this serious about their feelings for her and she found that she returned that love wholeheartedly.

“That sounds wonderful,” she said happily.

“I’m glad you think so. Now, let’s get out of this tub. It’s getting cold and we’ll be prunes.”

Mandy laughed and climbed out, grabbing a towel to dry off and handing him one to do the same. They made their way to the bedroom to get dressed before heading back into the living room. Cameron returned to his laptop, doing some sort of research, she assumed. She headed off to the kitchen to make dinner for them, all smiles at how great life with Cameron had become.

“This place is beautiful,” she marveled as they pulled onto a gravel road leading up toward the base of Mount Evans.

“Isn’t it? I loved this place when I was a kid.”

“I’m sure you did. How old were you before you knew you could shift?”

“Oh, not until my teens. Before that, I was just a normal kid, or so I thought, running around these peaks and valleys. Once I learned who I was, what I was, it took on a whole new meaning though.”

“How so?”

“It was just different. I saw it through the eyes of a wolf, not those of a boy.”

“I guess that’s something I can’t understand really.”

“I wouldn’t want you to understand it fully. It’s not entirely a pretty picture.”

“Were you traumatized by learning about your true nature?”

He shrugged. “No, not really. It was just a different way of life.”

Mandy wasn’t quite sure she believed that, but it wasn’t something she felt she should continue to explore with him. If he wanted to elaborate on it, he would do so when he was ready. She was relieved when they pulled up to his parents’ large rustic cabin so that they could just let the conversation fall away naturally.

“This is it!” he said happily. “Mom and Dad are going to adore you.”

“I’m nervous,” she admitted.

“Don’t be. Mom is a sweetheart. Dad, well, he’s a bit of a salty dog, but you’ll like him.”

“Salty dog? That’s funny.” She grinned at him.

“I thought so,” he said with a chuckle, getting out of the car and running around to open her door, ever the gentleman.

They walked up to the door, hand in hand. It swung open before they could even knock, a large smiling woman greeting them with open arms.

“It’s so good to see you, son! And this must be the lovely Mandy we’ve heard so much about,” she said, hugging them each in turn.

“Yes, Mom. Mandy, this is my mom and that hulking giant behind her is my dad,” he said, smiling at the huge shadowy figure standing just behind her inside the cabin. He stepped forward and Mandy’s breath caught in her throat. He was a huge man, well over six-five and broad, but not fat. He was all muscle. Cameron was about six-two and slender. He looked very much like his dad, but was dwarfed by him.

“It’s nice to meet the both of you, Mr. and Mrs. Trousdale,” Mandy said politely.

“Oh, honey. We aren’t formal at all around here,” his mother said. “Just call us Sam and Anita.”

“Okay. Thanks,” Mandy said, smiling nervously.

“Mandy, go on in with Mom and I’ll get our things out of the car,” Cameron told her.

“I’ll help you, son,” his father told him, waiting for Mandy to slip inside the door before trotting out behind him. A moment later they returned with bags in hand.

“Just put those up in the guest room,” Cameron’s mother told them before turning toward Mandy. “We aren’t those old-fashioned kinds of parents that are going to make you stay in separate rooms. Don’t worry.”

Mandy could feel the heat of her embarrassment rise up her face as she attempted an awkward smile. She was grateful when Cameron returned to rescue her from her discomfort.

“So, Mandy. Cameron tells me that you’re an editor at the local newspaper,” his father said as he sat in a chair across from where Cameron joined her on the sofa.

“Yes. I’ve been there since I graduated college.”

“He says that’s how you met,” his mother added.

Mandy glanced curiously at Cameron, who squeezed her hand lightly and addressed his mother on her behalf.

“Yes. She was editing a piece on one of my art installations and contacted me to get some additional information to clarify the writer’s article,” Cameron told them.

“Must have been love at first sight,” his mother commented.

“Pretty much,” Mandy replied, unsure as to why he had lied. It was something she had never known him to do before. Still, she chalked it up to him having his reasons. She would ask him about it later when they were alone. She also noted that he quickly changed the subject.

“So, Dad, have you been getting any fishing in lately?”

“Here and there, when I can. Your mother keeps me busy around this old place with her endless honey do lists.”

“Hardly. He likes to blame me, so people don’t know what an old nester he really is. He’s done nothing but create projects for himself.”

Sam laughed and shrugged in response. “Damn woman is always telling my secrets. If I didn’t love her so much, I’d have kicked her to the curb three decades ago.”

“You couldn’t survive this world without me, old man,” she shot back playfully.

Mandy smiled at them. It was easy to see where Cameron got his sense of humor. The relationship between his parents seemed lighthearted and happy. It only made her even happier to be with him, knowing that he was cut from the same cloth as such a happy marriage.

“Oh, good grief. I’m being rude. I haven’t even offered you anything to drink and it must have been a long ride.”

“I’m fine, really,” Mandy told her.

“I’d like some of that lemonade I know you have stashed in the fridge, but I can get it,” Cameron told her, getting up and trotting off to the kitchen. He returned only seconds later with a large glass of lemonade on ice. He took a few sips and offered her a drink. “Here, you have to try this.”

Mandy took a sip, knowing it was more about him knowing her so well than about the lemonade. He knew that she was just too polite to ask his mother to get up and get her something to drink, so he did it and shared with her. It was his nature to make sure she was taken care of, whether she asked him to or not. It was just one more thing she loved about him, how attentive he was to her needs in all aspects of their relationship.

“It’s delicious,” she told him.

“Want me to get you a glass?” he asked.

“No. I’ll just drink yours,” she teased, taking another sip.

“Sounds about right,” he laughed, kissing her on the cheek before turning to his mother. “What’s in the oven, Mom? It smells delicious.

“You know what’s in there. Your favorite. Pot roast with all the trimmings. I trust you brought your appetite with you.”

“You know I did,” he said with a laugh.

“Just try to leave enough for Mandy,” she laughed.

“Always do, Mom,” he replied, putting his arm around her and hugging her close to him.

A half hour later, they all settled down at the dinner table and enjoyed what might have been the best home cooked meal Mandy had eaten in a long time. The conversation was lighthearted and loving. Mandy could only see it as a good omen for what her life with Cameron would be like. There was always this fear with any woman that the man you chose to spend your life with would change, become someone you couldn’t accept, but if the relationship between his parents was any indication of things to come, she could only see a wonderful future with him.

Later, after they had retired for the night, she lay her head on his shoulder in the double bed of the guest room, tracing her fingers lightly across his chest. He stroked her hair lightly with one hand as he sighed.

“I know you’re wondering why I lied to my parents.”

“Yes,” she responded, wondering, as she often found herself doing, if he could read her mind.

“They’re just old fashioned and very secretive about the shifter part of our lives. They would be livid if they knew I had just put it out there for strangers to see. I hope you understand.”

“I do. It makes sense.”

“I’m afraid it will have to be our one secret, our one dishonesty,” he told her.

“It will be then.” She lifted her face to his, kissing him.

They made love slowly and quietly so as not to be heard down the hall. He was gentle, tender. Each touch, each thrust only made her ache for him more. She had never felt so loved, so complete in her entire life. Cameron was the man of her dreams. There would never be a time when she didn’t want him like this, with all of her being. Their bodies rose and fell in perfect unison in a passionate dance of ecstasy until they quaked with orgasm. Finally, sated, they fell asleep in one another’s arms, waking the next day to sunshine streaming through the bedroom window.

The weekend was incredible, their bond sealed with long walks along the trails and long talks with his parents. Every bit she learned about Cameron’s life, from his childhood to well beyond, only made her love him more. On their last day there, he showed her his true self, shifting into a large gray wolf before her eyes and trotting off into the forest. His wolf form was every bit as playful as his human side, darting back and forth to show off for her. He had a distinct white streak running down the side of his face, and he nuzzled against her when she stroked her fingers down it. Finally, he shifted back to his human form, standing naked in the remote area where he had stripped down to change.

“You’re beautiful,” she told him breathlessly.

“Don’t let it fool you. I can be brutal when I need to be, but not with you, never with you, Mandy.”

“I know,” she replied, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the forehead.

Mandy hated to leave once the weekend ended, but she reluctantly said goodbye to the solitude they had enjoyed the past few days and his mother’s home cooked meals.

“Don’t be strangers,” his mother told them as they left. “We’ll expect to see the both of you again soon.”

“Oh, you will. You’ll be seeing both of us for a long time to come,” Cameron told her.

“I like the sound of that, son,” his father replied, waving to them. “Goodbye, Mandy. We’ll see you again very soon.”

“See you soon,” Mandy replied with a smile.

“Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad,” Cameron said as they climbed into the car and left.

“I had a fantastic time,” Mandy told him as they pulled away.

“I did too, baby. I am so looking forward to many more trips here with you in the future.”

Mandy smiled and reached for his hand as he headed down the road leading away from the house. He squeezed her hand in his and smiled at her briefly before turning back to focus on the road ahead. This was what it felt like to be happy. After all the bad experiences with men that weren’t right for her, she had finally found the one man she had been meant to be with all along. Wasn’t that alone a miracle? She watched the distance float by as they headed back home, quietly enjoying one another’s company as the trees faded away and became the steel and concrete of the city once again.

***

“I have to leave for a few days,” Cameron told her the following week.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, frowning. Something was a bit off about him.

“No, babe. Nothing’s wrong. I just have to go check on that job for the woman who wants me to redecorate her studio for her. I’ll only be gone until the end of the week and then I’ll be right back here in your sweet arms,” he said, pulling her to him and kissing her.

“Okay. I’ll miss you though.”

“Not nearly as much as I will miss you, but I won’t be gone long. I’ll be back, and we’ll have our entire lives together.”

“I suppose I can survive a few days without you, but it will be awful, just awful.”

“It will be just as awful for me. I’ll get back to you just as soon as I can though. I promise. This is a big job and I need to do what I can to land it. You understand that, right?’

“Of course I do, Cameron. It was bound to happen that you’d have to go somewhere away from me eventually. It won’t be the last time, I’m sure. I suppose I best get used to it, especially when you really make it big. People are already clamoring for your pieces. It’s only going to get busier for you.”

“Yes. I hope so. Still, I promise you that I will always have time for you. You’re always my first priority. Always…”

“I know. You go and do what you need to do. I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.”

“Naked, I hope.”

“However you want me to be.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” he told her. “I need to pack. I’m going to have to leave on an afternoon flight tomorrow night.”

“Okay, she told him. She kissed him goodbye before he left to go back to his place and pack his bags. “Will you be back?”

“No, not tonight. I need to pack, and I need to put together some things to take with me for presentation and selection. Will you be okay without me?”

“I suppose one more night won’t be any more painful than the few that follow,” she laughed.

He grinned wickedly at her. “I’ll make it up to you when I get back. I promise.”

Cameron kissed her on the forehead, stopping to look at her as he pulled away. She could see the love in his eyes, but there was something else too. Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on and it bothered her. Still, she smiled and said her goodbyes, already hating not having his arms to sleep in for the rest of the week.

The following morning, Mandy awoke with a feeling that she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Cameron hadn’t called her to tell her goodnight and that was unlike him. Usually, they were together at night, but on the rare occasions that they hadn’t been, he’d always called her to tell her to sleep well and that he was lonely without her. Last night, nothing. Opening her phone, she sent him a message before heading off to the shower.

“Hope you got some rest last night. I missed you. Did you get everything done for your trip?”

Stepping into the shower, she tried to shake the inexplicable uneasy feeling she had. There was no reason for her to be concerned really. Cameron loved her. She could see it in everything he said and did. Perhaps he had just fallen asleep or his phone had gone dead. A small part of her said something might have happened to him, but he was a wolf shifter, for cripes’ sake. She seriously doubted there was anything he couldn’t handle.

“You’re just being ridiculous,” she told herself, dismissing her thoughts as she washed her hair beneath the steamy stream of water.

Stepping out to dry off and dress for work, she picked up her cell phone. There was no message. But it was early, he could still be asleep. She chastised herself again for being so needy. Wasn’t that what it all boiled down to? She wanted him there with her and he wasn’t? She shook her head and put the phone back down, doing her hair and makeup before slipping into a skirt and blouse for work. By the time she was ready to go, there had still been no response from Cameron, but she forced herself not to be a basket case over nothing.

Walking down the path to work, she glanced up at the overpass. Though the graffiti Cameron had put there months ago had been long ago whitewashed by the city, there was still a faint glimmer of the words through the thin coat of cheap paint they used. She smiled thoughtfully and continued on her way, quickly becoming absorbed in her work once she arrived. When her phone buzzed, shortly before lunchtime, she was certain it was him. No way would he get on a plane without calling her first. Instead, it was from her friend Kellye, asking if she wanted to go to lunch.

“Why not?” she mumbled to herself, sending back a reply that she would meet her in the cafeteria at noon.

Cameron hadn’t said anything about having lunch before he left, and she realized she wasn’t even sure what time his flight was. For that matter, he hadn’t even told her where he was going. It all seemed a bit odd now that she thought about it more, but she was sure there was a logical explanation for it. She tried to push it out of her mind again and finished up the article she was editing for the morning edition before heading down to meet Kellye.

“You haven’t heard anything from him since last night?” Kellye said over salads and water.

The cafeteria served the water in large tea glasses with ice and a twist of lime, but everyone knew the water here came straight out of the tap, unfiltered. It was for this reason that Kellye always ordered bottled water, but tap water didn’t bother Mandy at all. She drank it at home and it came from the same place as it did here. She never saw the need to be pretentious or paranoid. The thought made her smile, realizing that she was being extremely paranoid at the moment.

“I’m sure it’s nothing. I’m just being a big baby. He’s always around these days and I’ve gotten used to it. I need to learn to handle him having to travel without me sometimes.”

“You’re most likely right. You know men, they sometimes like their space. It means nothing. They spend a few days without you and can’t wait to get back to see you. Just think about the ‘missed you’ sex!”

“You’re right. It’s all new to me. I’ve never been one that needed or even wanted someone around all the time. That’s just how it’s turned out. He wanted to be with me every day and I wanted him there. It just seemed natural. I guess I’m just freaking out a little because I’ve gotten used to that.”

Kellye smiled at her, shrugging. “It’s been less than a day, Mandy.”

“Yes. You’re right. I’m just being fickle. That’s why I like you, always keeping me in check when I get crazy.”

Mandy walked away from their lunch feeling better. It was just that she missed him so much already and that was only going to get worse. At least hearing his voice would make it better. She took a deep breath and reminded herself that she wasn’t this clingy, demanding woman that she felt like at the moment. He was only gone for a few days and he was busy getting things done. No doubt he would call her soon.

***

“He still hasn’t called,” she lamented to Kellye a few days later on the phone.

“Have you tried to call him?”

“Yes, once. I got his voicemail and just left a message that I was calling to make sure he made it there okay, wherever ‘there’ is. I don’t even know that. I didn’t want to seem like I was spazzing out or anything, but I am. I’m completely panicking. What if something happened to him?”

“Well, you’ve only been together for a little over a month, right?”

“Yes.” She put her hand on her forehead. “I know what you’re going to say, Kellye. It’s too soon for me to be so attached to him, but you don’t understand. Everything with him was perfect. It will seem too quick to you, I know, but he told me he loved me. He was talking about living together, mentioning kids one day. He even took me to spend the weekend with his parents!”

“I don’t know, Mandy. Just call him. Tell him you can’t find the toothpaste or something and need to know if he knows where it is. You know, a reason you need to contact him and get an answer other than you’re a worry wart.”

“I hate games. I don’t want to play them. Why wouldn’t he have called me already? It’s not a matter of checking in. Why wouldn’t he want to call me? Doesn’t he miss me as much as I miss him? Oh God, what if something did happen to him?”

“Whoa, slow down there, girlie. You’re getting yourself all worked up without any facts. Maybe you’re right and you should just call him and tell him you were worried because you haven’t heard from him. There’s nothing wrong with that if you have gotten that close. I just thought it was a lot more casual than all that.”

“It wasn’t…isn’t.”

“Then, call him and see what’s up.”

“Okay. I’ve got to go.”

“Call me later and let me know how things went.”

“I will.”

Mandy ended the call and immediately opened her speed dial to call Cameron. Once again, she got his voicemail, but it was still early and he might be with his client. She left a message for him to call her when he got a moment, telling him she was very concerned that she hadn’t heard from him. When hours went by with no reply, she grew even more concerned that something was wrong. She contemplated calling the police and reporting him missing. Was that too extreme?

Instead, she opened her computer and went to his Twitter page. He had posted nothing there. The same was true for his Facebook page, which was unusual, as he usually bantered there a good bit with friends and family or posted works in progress so that he had more public visibility for his art. He really must be busy. She noticed that another woman had posted on his page. It was nothing significant, just a funny cartoon about starving artists, but she had never seen the woman before. Looking at his friends list, she noted she was listed in the recently added section. How recently, she wondered. She had never noticed her before.

“Don’t be a stalker,” she mumbled to herself, but it was useless.

She clicked on the woman’s profile, but it was blocked to all but friends. All she could see was the woman’s picture. She was an attractive brunette. Mandy switched to Twitter, the woman was there too. She could see that she had been added within the last week based on a contact before her, one that Mandy remembered him adding while they were talking about his work as an author. This felt bad, really bad.

Mandy held her breathe as she went to his ComeShift dating profile. It was still there. While she had deleted hers several weeks into their dating, he never had. She hadn’t thought to check because things were going so well and even if it had been there, it could just mean he hadn’t bothered dumping it yet. Now, she could see that not only had it never been deleted, it was showing that it had been updated. Her heart ached as she stared at the screen where it read “Last online: Today”

She continued to stare blankly at the screen, at the new picture he had added. It was a great full-length photo of him that had been taken on a cliff overlooking a deep forest in the valley of Mount Evans. She knew because she had taken it during the trip to his parents. What was going on here? Was he cheating on her? And how could he have the audacity to use a photo she had taken during a presumably happy trip?

Her emotions ran the gamut between anger and hurt. How could he do this to someone he claimed to love? Was it something he had been doing all along and she had just been blind to it? When would he have even had time? She asked herself why endlessly, blaming herself for it. Why hadn’t she been enough for him? What was she going to do when he came back? Should she confront him? Doing so would force her to reveal she had been nosing around like a jealous school girl, but how could she not say anything and still see him in the same light?

As the hours flowed away with no return call from him, no texts, no emails—she laid on her bed and cried herself to sleep. The night brought no answers, only a restless slumber filled with bad dreams. She awoke the following morning looking and feeling like one of those hideous blob-fish things lurking in the depths of the ocean. Her eyes and face were equally as puffy and distorted from crying all night.

“You look like hell,” Kellye said flatly when she stopped by her office the following morning.

“I know. I tried to fix it with some ice and lots of makeup. Now, I just look like Adele after a night of binge drinking. I wonder if she felt this bad when she wrote all those gut-wrenching songs.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s all that bad, but what happened? Did he call you?”

“No. I decided to do a bit of digging though.”

“Oh, my. That never goes well.” Kellye pulled up a chair. “Tell me what you found.”

Mandy told her what she’d seen on his ComeShift page and about the girl on his Facebook and Twitter.

“Yeah, but you have no idea who she is. She could be an old friend, a client…hell, she could be his cousin for all you know.”

“What about the dating profile?”

“That’s a different matter. He’s obviously looking, but maybe it isn’t that bad. Maybe he just has cold feet. Let him look around and chat with the usual lot of liars and freaks that exist behind their computer screens, and he’ll see that he got lucky with a very real girl who loves him.”

“I don’t get why he would even look. He seemed so happy with me. I’m not the one that was pushing for more, not ever.”

“Perhaps that’s the problem. Maybe he thought you weren’t as into him as he was you? He could have been frightened by that.”

“No. I don’t buy that. It doesn’t make sense. He could have just talked to me if that was the case.”

“Yes, he could have, and he should have, but not all men are able to relate on that sort of level. You have to ask yourself that if he can’t even discuss a concern with you, if his answer is just to reach out to other women instead, is that really someone you want to be with?”

“I suppose you’re right, but it’s hard to reconcile what I’m learning with what I’m feeling,” she said, almost in tears again.

“Okay. Okay. Just breathe. You’ve got a long day ahead of you. Try to just focus on work and we’ll meet for lunch and talk through some of this. Maybe he will call in the meantime.”

“He’s supposed to be back today I think. He said a few days, so I assumed three. Do you think he’ll come to see me?”

“I don’t know, honey. If he’s being so evasive, I think that you might have to at least steel yourself for the possibility that he won’t. Just keep your chin up and I’ll see you in a few hours. Okay?”

Mandy nodded sullenly, getting up and following Kellye down the hallway toward her office, but parting ways to go into the women’s restroom to try to gather herself up a bit again. She felt like she could barely move or breath. There was this huge weight that sat squarely on her chest and compressed everything. She walked on legs of jello, pushed forward by the momentum of her racing heart. The anxiety was unbearable. The looming depression insufferable. Combined, they were akin to being in hell.

Two weeks passed with no word from Cameron. At first, Mandy looked at his social media, trying to find answers, but there were none there for her. The only thing she found online was more pain. While she was devastated, he seemed to be moving forward with life as if she had never existed.

“I was talking to someone about what happened to me and she said I’d been ‘ghosted’,” she told Kellye over their usual work salads.

“Ghosted?” Kellye said, an eyebrow raised.

“Yes. Apparently, it’s become pretty common these days. People just disappear. There’s no formal split or decision to not see one another. One just decides to be done with it and goes away.”

“That’s awful!”

“You’re telling me?” She stabbed a piece of lettuce with her fork. “It’s maddening. I went through days of worrying about him and then of beating myself up about anything I could think of that I might have done to make him do something so drastic. Turns out, it’s not that uncommon for men to do that these days. I don’t understand it. It’s so hurtful and disrespectful to just treat someone like they never mattered.”

“Do you think he was lying the whole time?”

“I don’t know, Kellye. I honestly don’t know. The way he was with me, the way he looked at me, even the way he touched me… I felt like he loved me. I never doubted it for a moment. If he was lying, he’s very good at it. Do you think he’s some sort of sociopath?”

“I don’t know. I’ve only ever heard you talk about him and you always talked about him in a positive way. I never met him.”

“See, that’s the thing too. I was so blind to some things. Even though we were together all the time, he kept me separate from other portions of his life. We never went out with his friends or with mine. The only people I ever met from his life were people we just happened to run into while we were out and then that one trip to his parents’ place. He stayed at my place a lot, but he always brought a bag and took it back out with him. The only things he ever left were small things of no consequence. You know, disposable razors, shampoo…things like that.”

“Do you think he was planning to do this all along?”

“I don’t know. I don’t understand any of it. How someone could be so loving one day and then so cold and callous the next is beyond me. I just wish I knew what was going on in his mind. I don’t do well without closure.”

Kellye nodded, taking a drink from her water before responding, “None of us do, especially not when it’s such a bizarre situation. Common or not, it just seems weird to me.”

“Weird doesn’t begin to cover it. He might as well have just yanked my heart out and stomped on it.”

“He’s a coward, Mandy. You deserve better.” She smiled suddenly. “I know what you need. Fun! You need to just get out and enjoy yourself for a while. How about you come to my sister’s costume party next weekend? It’s Halloween. You can get all dressed up and be someone else for a night.”

“I don’t know. The last thing I feel like being right now is social.”

“That’s exactly why you should go. You’re never going to get back out there unless you force yourself to do it. No sense moping around the house when you can be out having fun, no strings attached. Just friends, food, and lots of good booze!”

“I’ll think about it.”

“No. Say you will go.”

“Fine. I will go. Okay?”

“Mean it?”

“Yes. I’ll go.”

“Good girl. I’ll send you the address and all that later. You can go with me tomorrow after work to find a costume. A Halloween party is just the thing for you since you’ve just been ghosted,” Kellye said with a half grimace/half laugh.

“Not really funny yet,” Mandy said, laughing despite herself.

“I know, honey. I know. It got at least a little chuckle from you though, so that’s improvement.”

“I’ve got to get back to the office.”

“Yeah, me too. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Yep. See you then, Kellye.”

The following afternoon, the two of them stood in a small shop trying on different Halloween costumes. Mandy laughed as Kellye walked out of a stall wearing a latex Catwoman suit that was so tight she could barely move her legs. By all accounts, she should be jealous of Kellye’s perfect figure. She was model thin with long blonde hair and big blue eyes. Heads turned wherever she went, but the truth was that she was so down to earth and sweet that you couldn’t hold her good looks against her. She really didn’t even seem to realize how she looked.

“How in the hell do people do those stunts in the movies wearing this thing?”

“I have no idea. It looks amazing on you though.”

“I’m glad, because I’m not sure that I am going to be able to peel it back off without taking half my skin with it.”

Mandy laughed. “Surely it isn’t that bad.”

“No? Just wait. I may not even need a costume when I get this thing back off. I’m going to have huge patches of missing skin and look ghastly enough to just go out as myself!”

“I doubt that.”

“I swear it’s true. I can’t wear this to the party. If I get sweaty dancing, it will get trapped in here with me and I’ll drown in my own perspiration. Help me get this bastard back off.”

Mandy laughed as she followed her back to the dressing room and helped her peel the costume off. Kellye wasn’t kidding when she said it was tight. Mandy marveled that she had been able to get it on in the first place.

“Let’s go as Laurel and Hardy,” Mandy suggested.

“What? No way. We have to go sexy. I mean, I need a man like I need a hole in my head. I’ve got way too much going on to deal with idiots like everyone I know is finding out there, but you need to look devastating. I want every man in that party looking at you.”

“No. I don’t think so. Even if I could pull off getting that kind of attention, I’m just not interested in meeting anyone.”

“Good. That’s when the unexpected happens,” Kellye said, slipping back into her clothes. “Now, let’s go get you something hot.”

An hour later, they walked out with two costumes in hand. Kellye had opted to go for gruesome, selecting the makeup and tattered clothing to go as a zombie stripper. Mandy had gone more historical, yet risqué, with a dark colored medieval executioner’s outfit. The bustier revealed more of her breasts than she would like, but Kellye had insisted she buy it and she did have to admit that the hourglass shape it gave her looked fantastic.

“You’re going to blow them away in that,” Kellye laughed as they checked out and made their way down the street, stopping in a nearby pub for a couple glasses of wine.

“We’ll see about that,” Mandy said, laughing in spite of herself. She had to admit that she was beginning to feel better. Cameron had left his mark on her, a scar that wasn’t going to go away anytime soon. She didn’t know when she would be able to trust a man again, but she had accepted that he was gone and that there was no rhyme or reason to it that she would ever know. She had to either accept it and move on with her life or continue wallowing in the self-pity he had left in his wake.

***

On the night of the party, she took her time getting dressed. Her long dark hair hung in a single braid down her back. It was interwoven with strips of ribbon bearing the likeness of the grim reaper and his signature sickle. Soft sprigs of loose hair hung breezily around the edges of her faces, softening it a bit from the severe braid in back. She applied her makeup in a gothic style, with heavy eyeliner that brought out her bright green eyes and dark red lipstick that enhanced her full lips.

“You look alright, Mandy,” she said to her reflection in the mirror. Kellye had been right about this being the perfect costume. It did look fantastic on her. She felt good about herself for the first time in weeks as she walked out of her apartment and made her way down to the subway, garnering several catcalls along the way. By the time she arrived at the party, she felt almost human again, but it would be short lived.

“Oh, wow! Look at you! You look fantastic!” Kellye squealed as she walked through the door. “You’re going to have these boys eating out of your hands.”

“Or I’ll have their heads!” Mandy said playfully.

“Yikes! Come on and I’ll introduce you to some folks. There are some other people here from the office, but it’s mostly my sister’s crowd.”

They roamed around the room meeting people even as more poured in the door. At some point, Mandy became engrossed in conversation with a writer for a different newspaper. He wasn’t someone she would be interested in, but he was nice enough and she was enjoying their discussion of common interests when she happened to glance up and see a familiar face. She stopped speaking mid-sentence.

There, in the middle of the makeshift dance floor, was Cameron. He was wearing a sheep’s costume, but the head was only a hoodie style, revealing him in his wolf form beneath it. It took a moment for it to sink in due to her initial shock at seeing him but then it did. He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Just the idea of that angered her, as it was too close to the truth for her taste. With him was a woman, also in her wolf form, but wearing a Little Bo Peep costume. Mandy’s stare was broken as the two of them became entangled in a hot kiss, practically dry humping one another in the middle of the dance floor.

“Mandy? Are you okay?” the man asked.

“What? Oh. Yes. It’s just maybe a bit hot in here. I need to get some air,” she told him, hurrying away toward the sprawling deck beyond the double doors in the large den. Without waiting for a response, she made a beeline for the outdoors and didn’t stop until she was in a quiet corner of the backyard. She stood there trying to catch her breath, feeling as if she had been punched in the stomach and might be sick at any moment.

“Are you okay?” she heard a male voice ask from behind her.

Mandy turned to find a man completely covered by a sheet with holes cuts for his eyes, nose and mouth. She could see a pair of nice Italian loafers jutting out from beneath the bottom edges of it.

“I’m fine. Thank you.”

“You don’t seem like you’re fine. Want to talk to someone?”

Mandy looked him up and down. “I don’t even know you.”

“No, but you could, in a matter of minutes even. I’m not that complicated. I mean, look at my costume. I went all out on it and everything. This is my best sheet!”

Mandy laughed, despite herself, but she still wasn’t about to tell her problems to a complete stranger. She nodded woefully and began to walk away.

“I’m sorry. I just can’t,” she said, her voice trailing off as she made a hasty retreat toward a nearby bar manned by Kellye’s brother-in-law, Mickey.

“Well, look at you,” he said cheerfully as she approached. “If I weren’t a happily married man, I’d confess to anything just for a few minutes in your noose.”

“Been mixing a few of those drinks for yourself, Mickey?” she laughed.

“Meh. Perhaps, but you do look lovely. What can I get for you?”

“Something potent. Poison Hemlock, maybe.”

He grimaced. “Oooh. Rough night?”

“More than just one night. Things have gone to complete shit lately.”

“Oh, I see. You can yak it up with the bartender, but not a ghost. How do you know that I’m not the ghost of someone you executed? You might owe it to me,” came the voice of the guy in the sheet as he walked up beside her.

“Weston? That you under there,” Mickey interjected.

“Yeah, man. What’s up?”

“Not much. Just having a good time. You enjoying yourself, buddy?”

“Mostly. I was trying to get this beauty beside me to give me the time of day, but she is apparently afraid of ghosts. I knew I should have come as a superhero, damn it.”

Mandy laughed as Mickey shook his head woefully at the ghost.

“Man, you’re just trying too hard. You can’t pick up chicks in a ghost costume. I don’t care who you are. Now, if you had come to the party in your natural state, your animal magnetism would have won her over. Seems now that you are out a bed sheet and out of luck.”

“Story of my life, my man. Story of my life…and death, apparently.”

“I tell you what. I like you, so I’m going to help you out,” Mickey told him, handing Mandy the drink he had been mixing. She had no idea what was in it, but if it numbed the pain she felt at this moment, she’d probably have another when this one was gone. “Mandy, this is Weston Parker. He’s a partner at my law firm. Weston, this is Mandy Caldwell. She’s an editor for the Daily Sun. Take your drinks and go get to know one another better,” he finished, handing the ghost a beer.

“I knew I liked you best. I’ll add this to my ‘reasons to make you a partner’ list,” Weston told him.

“I do what I can,” Mickey said with a wide smile before turning to take a drink order from a couple dressed as Bonnie and Clyde…after they had been shot more than fifty times. They were gruesome to look at, even if it was a hilarious idea.

“Jesus Christ,” Weston said as she got a glimpse of them standing there, guts and gore dripping off their bloody costumes. They were eerily realistic looking. So much so that they only added to Mandy’s emotional nausea. She turned to walk away and Weston followed, still chuckling to himself a bit.

“They were hideous,” she said, stopping by a bird bath in the backyard to glance back toward the bar.

“She speaks to me!” Weston said enthusiastically.

Mandy looked at him sheepishly. “I’m sorry if I was rude before. I’m just having a really bad day today. I thought coming to this party would help me out of a funk I’ve been in lately, but it only made things worse.”

“Let me guess. Man troubles?”

“More like little boy troubles from the way he has acted,” she said dismissively.

“Well, you know, the best revenge is living well. That’s what they say anyway. Why not let me take you out and show you what a great time you can have without him?”

Mandy smiled at him. “Thanks, but I’m just really not in the right frame of mind to date right now. It’s not you or anything, I’m just not interested in seeing anyone.”

“He must have done some number on you,” he replied, his voice sympathetic.

“Yeah. Anyway. It was nice meeting you, but I think I really need to get out of here before this night gets any worse. I hope you have a great evening.”

“Very well, Mandy. It was a pleasure to meet you. I’ll let you be on your way.”

“Goodnight, Weston.”

“Goodnight,” he told her, watching as she sat her glass on a nearby table and walked away.

Mandy wove her way carefully through the party. It was packed in both the yard and the house. She caught a glimpse of Cameron and his date, both of whom had now reverted to their human forms. He was still in the sheep costume, but she was just wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Mandy couldn’t help but notice that the girl looked very much like herself. That just made everything seem more confusing to Mandy. Why would he choose someone who looked so much like her when he hadn’t wanted her?

Walking home in a daze, Mandy made her way up to her apartment, shedding the costume and washing off the heavy makeup. She looked at herself in the mirror for a few moments and then climbed into bed, crying herself to sleep, something that seemed to have become a very unfortunate habit of late. It was getting old, but the pain was still so fresh to her. She didn’t know how to get past it. It only hurt more to know that he’d had no problem moving on. Although, since he was able to cut her off so easily, she probably never really meant anything to him in the first place.

By the following Monday morning, she had decided not to let herself spiral downward any farther into the depression she’d been falling into for weeks. If she had meant so little to Cameron, why was she wasting her emotions on him? Hadn’t she cried enough over a man who was an asshole at best and a sociopath at worst? What sort of person promises you the world and then just suddenly disappears without a word? The more she considered what he had done to her, the more her disappointment turned to disdain for him.

“He did you a favor,” Kellye told her over lunch the following day.

Mandy scowled, picking at her salad. “I don’t know about that.”

“He did. It’s better that you know he’s a piece of garbage now than to have found out years down the road after you were married and had children tugging on your skirt tails when he abandoned the lot of you.”

“That’s true, I suppose. It just doesn’t feel very nice.”

“I know it doesn’t, honey, but it will get better. Hey, tell me about Weston.”

“Who?” Mandy asked, the name not registering at first.

“Mickey said he met you at the party and hasn’t stopped asking him questions about you. He was really taken with you it seems.”

“Oh, the ghost. I don’t even know what he looks like. I kind of blew him off. I’m just not ready to date again yet.”

“You should reconsider. I haven’t met him, but Mickey says he’s a super nice guy. Most importantly, he’s not a psycho like Cameron.”

“Maybe in time I’ll want to go out with someone again. I’m just too jaded right now.”

“You know what they say. The best way to get over a man is to get under another one.”

“Certainly seems to be Cameron’s philosophy based on what I saw. Of course, he wouldn’t have to get over me if he hadn’t skipped out on me. I guess there was really nothing to get over for him.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you at the party. My sister grabbed me the moment I came in and put me to work in the kitchen. By the time I tore myself away from her indentured servitude, you had already left. I didn’t know why until you told me. Then, I remembered seeing him practically climbing down Amelia’s throat in the corner.”

“Amelia? That’s her name?”

“Yeah. She’s a friend of a friend of my sister’s. She brought him to the party. No one there knew him. I didn’t either. I’d never met him. It wasn’t until you told me what happened that I put two and two together as to who he was.”

“Great. I’ll look forward to running into them again,” Mandy said sarcastically.

“That won’t happen. She told my sister that she hadn’t heard from him since the party. He told her he would call her the next day and didn’t. Then he blocked her from all his social media like she was the freak.”

“Sounds right. He blocked me too. It took him a couple weeks. Maybe he was deciding if he was going to talk to me again or something, I don’t know. But then he blocked me and that’s when I really began to realize it was over.”

“It took you that long?”

Mandy grimaced. “Unfortunately, yes. I just thought he was having some sort of personal crisis and would come back. Which obviously didn’t happen.”

“Awful. I don’t know why we let men do that shit to us.”

“Me either, but no matter what we tell ourselves, we all do it. We all let them drag us down to their level and hurt us in ways we can’t just bounce back from, no matter how hard we try.”

“Well, it’s over now. It’s time to move on. Why don’t you let my brother-in-law give your number to Weston?”

“Hold up! I’m getting over things, but I’m still not ready to jump back into the cesspool again!”

“Alright. I’ll tell him I tried. If you change your mind, I have the feeling the invitation will be open for a while from what I’ve heard.”

“Perhaps the damsel in distress syndrome. I don’t know why men can’t resist a woman in pain.”

“Or putting her in pain.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Mandy groaned. “I’ve got to get back to the office.”

“Yeah, me too. I’ll talk to you later.”

The two women parted ways, both returning to their offices. Mandy felt oddly content, at least more so than she had felt for quite a while. She knew that there would be moments where the discontent would seep in like rain water through any crevice, but she was grateful to just feel at peace for whatever time it lasted. The night would take it away. It always did. But it was getting better. The dreams had lessened. The loneliness had subsided. She didn’t think about him as much, but unfortunately the result was a sort of numbness that held her in a gray area she couldn’t seem to shake.

Still, life went on and the shock of seeing Cameron with someone else, while it had been devastating at first, had somehow been cathartic for her in the end. It had shown her just how wrong she had been about him and what a complete waste of time pursuing him after their demise had been. There was something innately devoid in his narcissistic personality that she had missed while looking at him through the eyes of love. Now, that love was fading and there was no disguising who he was ever again.

“Mandy? Is that you?” a voice said from nearby.

Mandy had been lost in thought. It was her day off and she had ventured downtown to do some shopping, deciding that she was well past due for a treat for herself. After buying a few articles of clothing in some nearby shops, she’d sat down to have a quiet lunch at one of the sidewalk cafes that were common in this part of town.

“I’m sorry. Do I know you?” she asked. Something about his voice seeming familiar, but she would have most certainly remembered him had she seen him before. He was tall and slender, but athletic. His olive skin complimented his jet black hair and soulful brown eyes. With good looks like that, she would have remembered seeing him before wouldn’t she?

“Of course. You never saw my face at the party, it was covered by a sheet. Mickey introduced us at the Halloween party. I’m Weston.”

“Oh! Yes. It’s nice to see you again, Weston. Or perhaps, to see you for the first time I guess.”

“Do you mind if I join you?”

“Sure. Go ahead, though I feel a bit underdressed with you in a suit and tie.”

“Yeah. I just got out of court. You look fabulous though.” He smiled broadly at her. “I suspect you’d look good wearing nothing but a cotton sack.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” she laughed as he sat down across from her.

“Have you already eaten or did I get here in time to enjoy lunch with you?”

“You’re right on time, I’d say. He just took my drink order, I haven’t even ordered food yet.”

“Perfect,” he said, not taking his eyes off her face.

“So, you were in court? What are you charged with?” she asked, not wanting to disclose that she had already had a conversation about him with Kellye and knew he was a lawyer.

“Contempt, almost. The judge got a little flustered with me,” he said. “I’m a lawyer. I specialize in corporate litigation, but I sometimes take pro bono cases for the local social services department. I got a little out of hand in defending a single mother against her abusive ex, an asshole who was trying to paint a picture of her that wasn’t very nice in order to take custody of their children.”

“I take it that he was unsuccessful?”

“You take it exactly right,” he said with a sneer.

“A real shark in the courtroom, huh?”

“I’m some sort of animal, yeah,” he said with a twinkle.

“I’ll keep that in mind if I’m ever in trouble and need a good lawyer.”

The waiter appeared with her glass of chardonnay and took Weston’s drink order before returning with a glass of water and another place setting.

“I’d much prefer to have a glass of wine with you, but I have to be back in court in another hour. They’d probably frown on my showing up and slurring my objections.”

“Now, I just feel like a wino.”

“No. Don’t feel that way. If I could, I’d be more than happy to join you.”

“Perhaps another time then.”

“See? Now you’re coming around to my way of thinking,” he said with a charming smile.

The waiter brought out the soup and sandwiches they had ordered. They continued to talk about their respective jobs for a bit as they ate their food, but then Weston raised his hand, waving it around a bit as he finished off a bite of his food.

“Let’s not talk about work anymore. Tell me what you like to do for fun.”

“Fun? I can’t remember the last time I had any?” she said quietly.

“Then we should change that. How about you take me up on my offer to take you out. We won’t do anything boring like go to the theatre or to a dinner party. How about we go up to the lake on Saturday and have an old-fashioned picnic and a peaceful walk through the woods where we can get to know all about one another?”

“The woods? On a first date? How do I know you aren’t a serial killer?” she said playfully.

“You don’t.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, grinning. “That’s the exciting part, isn’t it?”

“Exciting for which one of us, though?”

“Remains to be seen,” he said with a big grin.

“Okay. You win, counsellor. I’ll take my life in my hands by going into the woods with you.”

“Finally! A cooperative victim, um, I mean woman.”

“Very unfunny,” she laughed.

“I’ve heard that before. Look, I hate to eat and run, but I have to get back to court for my next case. Can I get your number so I can call you and firm up plans for Saturday or should I just hope you turn up at the lake?” he asked, pulling out some cash and putting it on the table to pay for their meal.

“I suppose I could give you my number,” she replied, writing it down on a scrap of paper from her purse and handing it to him.

“Perfect. I’m looking forward to it, Mandy.”

“As am I,” she replied.

The truth was that no matter how nice looking he was, no matter how funny and charming, she just wasn’t feeling it. Lunch had been pleasant. It was nice feeling attractive, wanted for just a while. Past that, she wasn’t sure she was in a state of mind to pursue any more than just that fleeting moment of happiness. It all seemed so downhill once you got past the flattery stage. In all likelihood, she would probably cancel on him when he called to firm up plans. It was nothing personal, she just didn’t know if she could do it when push came to shove.

Later that evening, Mandy looked solemnly at the text message on her phone. It was from Weston.

“I’m so glad that I ran into you today. Looking forward to Saturday. I will call you tomorrow, if that’s okay.”

She put the phone to one side of the sofa without answering him. If only she could go back to where she had been a couple of months ago, before Cameron. Now, although she was able to discern it as being an attractive part of his personality, his charm was somewhat lost on her. She remembered an old song that she’d heard once. It was country, which she usually didn’t like, but the song had struck her as touching. The words went something like, “I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance.” In her case, she couldn’t risk dancing into more pain. She had already lost too much of herself and was just now getting it back.

Rather than thinking about any of it anymore, she got lost in a movie. It wasn’t her usual fare, but a lot about her had changed lately. She couldn’t bear the usual chick flicks that she secretly adored. They only brought her to tears with their fairytale endings, picture-perfect happiness that she would never achieve. Instead, she was soon riveted to a historical action movie that she actually found quite good now that she had given it a chance.

Climbing into bed a few hours later, she had all but forgotten the text from Weston. She no longer bothered putting her phone by her bed or even bringing it into the room with her when she climbed between the covers. After many nights of waiting, hoping for it to ring or buzz with a message, she had started just leaving it out on the table by the sofa. It hardly made a noise these days, which told her that she had invested too much time in the wrong person and become alienated from her friends. She needed to start fixing that.

Her thoughts drifted away as she began to get sleepy. At least that part of her miserable life had improved. Sleep was finally returning. Sweet, dreamless, peaceful sleep. It was long overdue after all the horrid nights filled with nightmares or the nights that were entirely sleepless altogether. It was only one small step on the road to finding some happiness again, but she would take what she could get at this point.

***

“So, I hear that you ran into Weston yesterday,” Kellye said the next day at work. They hadn’t been able to lunch together due to their schedules, but they’d run into one another during a break and had a short chat.

“Yes. He happened by a little sidewalk café where I was eating lunch and joined me.”

“Sounds like kismet to me.”

“Right. Why are you trying so hard to push the virtues of Weston with me?” Mandy laughed.

“I’m not. You’re capable of making up your own mind. I just know you’ve been through a lot and Weston is a really good guy. I don’t know him as well as my sister and brother-in-law, but I’ve never heard anything but good things about him. Plus, he’s hot!”

“Kellye, I just can’t handle a relationship again so soon.”

“Who said anything about a relationship? Maybe it will be one, maybe it won’t. You need to not try to categorize things so much. Just give him a chance. Go out and have some fun. It will be whatever it’s meant to be. If nothing else, it might do you some good to get laid.”

“You sound like some sort of hippy love guru.”

“Aren’t I one? I mean, come on. Look at me.”

“You have a point, I guess. You are a little flowerchild-like.”

“You could stand to have a bit more peace and love in your life. Shit. I’ve got to go. My ball breaker bitch of a boss will be back before me and I’ll have to listen to her lecture on taking too much time on my break. I really need to get transferred out of her sweat shop soon.”

“You’ll make it. You’ve only got a couple semesters left to finish your journalism degree and I’ve already got a spot lined up for you when you do. Try not to get fired before you graduate or I’ll have a hard time rehiring you.”

“You know they’ll say you only hired me because we’re friends.”

“And they will be wrong. You’re sharp as a tack. All you’re lacking are the proper credentials I need to hire you in my department. I’ll see you later.”

By the time Mandy made it home that afternoon, she had decided Kellye was right. There was no harm in spending time with Weston. She didn’t feel anything intense toward him, which wasn’t to say he wasn’t attractive or not the kind of guy she could be with in a more serious way. She could see spending time with him as being enjoyable without it being a huge attachment, which meant she wouldn’t lose her perspective too quickly like she had with Cameron. When Weston called later that evening, she chatted lightheartedly with him. She had to admit that it felt good just to flirt and talk a bit, just like it had at lunch the day before.

“Okay, I’ll pick you up Saturday morning at ten, if that’s okay with you. It’ll take about an hour and a half to get to the lake and another thirty or so to hike in. That’ll put our picnic around noonish.”

“That sounds perfect,” she told him.

“Doesn’t it? I’m really looking forward to it. It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to just get out and enjoy nature. It seems I’m always behind a desk, in front of a judge or it’s late at night when you can’t really feel the warmth of the sunshine shining down on you. Moonlight isn’t quite the same.”

“You often go out to the lake in the darkness?”

“When I can.”

“You aren’t scared out there alone?”

“I never said alone,” he laughed.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be nosey.”

“No, not what I meant. I go there with some friends at night to escape the confines of the city.”

“You drive an hour and a half to the lake in the middle of the night?”

“Something like that. We get there a bit faster at night.”

“Ah, I guess so. Less traffic and fewer cops.”

“Yeah. So, I’ll see you Saturday at ten then?”

“You certainly will,” she told him.

“I’m excited about seeing you again. We’re going to have a good day, Mandy.”

“I believe we will,” she replied, smiling broadly.

After ending the call, Mandy smiled into the empty space of her living room. Everything was going to be okay. It wasn’t that she was investing too much interest in what happened with Weston, but she felt like she was moving forward for the first time in a while instead of being stuck in the limbo where Cameron had left her. It had been a struggle, but she was feeling more like herself now. His latest hurt, seeing him with someone else, hadn’t done as much damage as it had felt like in the moment. Instead, it had freed her to move on.

Mandy found that she was nervous as she dressed for the lake on Saturday. It was always this way when she was going out with someone new and today was no exception. She had to manage to look chic and casual at the same time. It was getting cooler outside, winter was right around the corner, but she didn’t want to look like a whale in some huge sweater. Instead, she opted for jeans, hiking boots and a fitted sweater that showed off her figure quite nicely.

Topping it off with just a hint of makeup, lip gloss, and a sleek ponytail, she looked appreciatively in the mirror at her reflection. She looked pretty good. Slipping a simple pair of tear drop earrings on, she decided it was a good look for her and waited anxiously for his arrival. It didn’t help that she was ready at least a half hour early. She had never been one of those women that made a guy wait when he’d already told her what time he would arrive. Her heart raced as the doorbell rang promptly at ten. Apparently, he believed in being timely, as well. So far, so good.

“Wow. I never knew a woman could look so good in a ponytail and jeans,” he said when she opened the door.

“You lawyers, always trying to sway the jury,” she quipped.

“Yes, but it’s true. You look beautiful. Are you ready to go?”

“I am. Do I need to bring anything with me?”

“Nope. Just yourself. I’ve got everything we need for the day.”

“Great,” she replied, retrieving her small backpack, which she’d filled with the items that normally belonged in her purse. She’d already moved her things into it while waiting on him, having decided that a purse would be awkward out in the middle of the woods.

“I am so glad you agreed to come with me. I was going to go either way, but it’s going to be so much nicer with you there to keep me company,” he told her after they had gotten into his car and headed off toward their destination.

“I’m glad you asked,” she replied.

“I just brought a simple lunch. Some ham and cheese sandwiches, potato salad, and fruit, along with some bottles of water. I hope that’s okay.”

“Oh, um. I guess I forgot to mention that I’m a vegetarian.”

“Oh, God,” he said disdainfully. “I didn’t even consider that you might not eat meat. I’m so sorry. I don’t know how I could have not even have thought about that.”

“It’s okay. I guess I’ll just eat the potato salad and fruit,” she said in a disappointed tone.

“The potato salad has eggs in it and small bits of ham,” he said woefully, looking ashamed.

“I guess it’ll be just fruit then. You didn’t put ham in that too did you?” she groaned.

“Wow. I’m just so embarrassed. Look, we’ll stop by somewhere along the way and find you a vegetarian meal of some sort. I just can’t believe I didn’t think to ask before putting together the food for the day.”

“It’s okay. The fruit will be just fine. Don’t sweat it,” she said, trying to hold back a snicker.

“If you say so,” he said in a tone that told her he was livid with himself for his oversight. She smiled broadly at him as he frowned over the steering wheel. She was about to let him off the hook when he suddenly looked over at her, noting her smile and made a clucking noise with his tongue.

“What? Did you put ham in the fruit too?” she asked, an eyebrow raised in disapproval.

“You little minx! You aren’t a vegetarian. I can’t believe you got that over on me. You were eating a chicken salad sandwich when I ate lunch with you!”

Mandy burst into laughter as he scowled at her, even as a smile began to spread across his face. Before long, he was laughing too.

“I thought I was going to have to confess I was yanking your chain before you remembered that,” she laughed.

“You almost did have to tell me. I was sitting here wondering why I wouldn’t have thought to ask you that in this day and age and then it dawned on me. I hadn’t asked because I’d already seen you eating meat. You got me pretty good though before I remembered that. I was mortified. I wanted so much to make a good first impression on our first official date and I thought I had really fucked it up! Bad girl!”

“I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist. Don’t you hate that though? When you offer someone something delicious like a juicy steak or rack of lamb and they give you that condescending ‘I don’t eat meat’ tone?”

“Yes! It’s like you just told them that you murdered your mother and ate her liver with a bottle of white zinfandel.”

“You can’t eat your mother’s liver with white zin. Human liver is always served with chianti.”

“I take it back. You aren’t just a bad girl, you’re a twisted girl!”

“What? You never saw Silence of the Lambs? ‘I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.’”

“Yes. I’ve just never heard anyone agree with it so wholeheartedly. Maybe I should be the one worried about being out in a secluded area with you instead of the other way around.”

“Be afraid. Be very afraid!”

“I think I am.”

They laughed again, continuing to have a rather macabre, but comical discussion on their way to the lake. By the time they pulled onto the road that led to the small country park in which it was situated, both of them were in stitches, their sides hurting from laughing so much. Mandy couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed so much. In fact, she had hardly smiled or felt happy for weeks. It was a change for the better.

“Alright, we’re here. Just wait until we get out of view before you kill me. Otherwise, you’ll have witnesses to deal with. It’ll be much easier to escape conviction if you can claim self-defense or temporary insanity for killing one person. You start committing mass murder, it’s a whole new ballgame. Get caught and you might end up in the chair. Trust me, I’m a lawyer.”

“Trust me. I’m a lawyer?” she repeated. “How can you even say that with a straight face. No one likes lawyers, much less trusts them.”

“No one? No one at all?” he said, poking his lips out in a pout.

“Well, maybe one person likes one lawyer. In fact, because I do like you, I might just kill you last.”

“That’s good news!” he laughed, retrieving the bags with picnic fixings in them from the backseat after they had piled out of the car.

“I thought you’d be pleased.”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of hungry. Perhaps you might even let me eat before you do me in.”

“I swear, give you an inch, you take a mile.”

“Consider it my last request,” he joked, holding the bags with his left arm and reaching for her hand with his right.

They were still laughing at their playful conversation as they wound their way, hand in hand, along the path up one side of the lake. They passed by several other couples who seemed to have had the same idea in mind. When they finally reached the lake, they made their way to a less crowded spot on the far side. There, Weston pulled a thin blanket from one of the bags and spread it on the ground. He even pulled out a couple of inflatable cushions for them to sit on. Mandy burst into laughter again.

“Are those the cushions they give people who have hemorrhoids or that get shot in the behind?” she said between howls.

“Maybe,” he said with a big grin.

“Do I want to even ask?”

“Probably not, but the answer is that another lawyer gave them to me as a present.”

“A present? I’m not sure I want to know what the occasion for such a gift might be.”

“It was after a very long, drawn out case. I lost. He presented me with a small gift bag and inside, there was a pack of two of these that he had gotten from a friend that worked at the local hospital.”

Mandy looked at him, not really grasping the implications of such a gift until he said the words.

“He said I’d need them until I got over the ass whipping he’d given me in court.”

She burst out laughing again. “That’s hilarious.”

“Not so much so at the time. Question is whether it is as hilarious as bringing them along on a first date?”

“I’m not sure. Let me get back to you on that.”

“You do that. The truth is that I knew the ground would be hard and I didn’t want to drag full sized cushions out here. I saw these still hanging out in my closet and thought they would suffice.”

“I’ll give you one thing, Weston. You’re one of a kind.”

“I think that’s good. That’s good, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty great.”

They sat eating their lunch and chatting while looking out over the lake. It was a bit crisp out today, but by the time she had gotten a bit chilled, they were finished with their food and ready to go for a short hike along one of the trails. Weston packed up the remnants of their meal and they walked back to the car to deposit them in the trunk before heading toward a tree with a large blue arrow on one side as a guide.

“This is the easy path. If you’re up to it one day maybe we can go on one of the harder ones, but I thought that today it might be nicer to just take it easy and go for a stroll that will allow us to talk to one another.”

“That sounds like a great plan.”

In fact, it was an incredible plan. They walked, once again holding hands, as they talked. From time to time, they stopped to look at nearby landmarks that could be seen from their path or to watch small animals play along the wooded area that was quickly swallowing them as they continued further into the forest.

Mandy felt oddly at ease with him in a way she had never experienced with Cameron. Though she had loved Cameron deeply, she had always felt like she was trying so very hard to please him. Weston was effortless, but for her, that meant there was no passion, that perhaps he was someone who would become a great friend, but not really a serious relationship. She was okay with that. Her heart needed time to mend and having someone who wasn’t so intense would be a nice change of pace.

“Do you have any pets?” Weston asked, noting her fascination with a nearby squirrel working on entry into an acorn.

“No. I love animals, but I’ve just never had time to really invest in one. You know, they need to be fed, watered, walked, house trained. I just can’t deal with all of that on my schedule. You?”

“No. Same problem here. I spend so much time in court or the office and when I’m at home, I tend to review briefs that I’ve brought back from the office. Even if I managed to take care of a dog’s material needs, I wouldn’t have time to pet him and how sad is a dog that can’t get a good scratch behind the ears?”

“I don’t know. Pretty sad, I’m guessing, but why just a dog? There are other pets available. You could get a cat. They’re much lower maintenance.”

“Cat? No, I don’t think so.”

“What’s wrong with a cat?”

“They don’t like me. Not a single one of them.”

“So, what you’re saying here is that even cats dislike lawyers,” she teased.

“They certainly don’t like this one,” he laughed.

“I wonder why?”

Weston looked at her for a moment as if he wanted to say something, but then he looked back at the squirrel, now carting his acorn up the side of a tree as others turned up to dig around in the fallen treasure.

“Ah, you know cats. They are just finicky little creatures.”

“Yes, that they are,” she said.

“So, no pets. What do you usually do for fun when you aren’t taking your own life in your hands with strangers who lead you into the woods for who knows what nefarious purpose?”

“The lawyers I have chained in the basement keep me amused.”

“The basement? I thought all the missing lawyers were at the bottom of the ocean?”

“No. That’s just a good start.”

They both laughed as they turned a corner into a nearby clearing that led to a cliff. At the edge, they stopped to sit on a large rock situated near the edge, allowing them to rest for a moment while looking out over the large lake, which was now below them. The path had been at such a slight incline, that it was hard to realize they had traveled so far above it, but it was well worth the hike. The view was spectacular.

“I can’t believe I’ve never been up here before. It’s gorgeous!”

“Yes. I spend a good deal of time up here. It’s one of my favorite places. Stick with me and you’ll know every inch of this property as well as I do.”

“Well, we’ll see. It depends on whether I survive this first trip, I suppose.”

“Ah, rest assured that even if I were the most maniacal serial killer on the planet, I would never be able to harm a hair on the head of such a majestic creature as you,” he said softly, looking down at her.

Before she knew what he intended, he had taken her face between his hands, and brought his mouth down to meet hers. His mouth was soft but firm on hers, insistent without being demanding, powerful without being pushy. Mandy felt a surprising surge of electricity go through her body and she pulled away, her heart racing. Only moments ago she had been busy putting him firmly on a center rung of the friendship ladder. Now, she felt something stir inside of her, something completely unexpected and it frightened her a bit to feel anything at all after so many weeks of pain.

“Thank you,” she said, politely, mentally distancing herself from the way his words and his kiss had affected her. “Shall we head back down?”

“Sure. If you’re ready to go.”

“I should get back home. I didn’t realize it was getting so late and I have other plans for later.”

The look of disappointment and perhaps a little hurt were evident on his face for a moment, but he quickly shielded that, standing and turning to look at the path back down toward the lake.

“Absolutely. Let’s get going,” he said, smiling faintly as he offered her hand to stand up.

Mandy instantly felt horrible. Not only had she lied about having plans, but she could see that he took it personally. She knew the feeling. How often had Cameron made her feel this way when it had been him that was the problem, not her? The fact that she was doing the same thing to someone else only reaffirmed that she had no business dating anyone. The conversation between them lagged on the way back down, as well as on the way back to her place, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

“I really enjoyed today,” she told him as they pulled up to her apartment.

“I did too,” he said.

“I guess I’ll get upstairs.”

“I’ll walk you up,” he told her, shutting off the car and hopping out before she could refuse, which she had been debating. Mandy wanted him to walk her up, but a part of her felt things had become awkward between them. She wanted to avoid any further discomfort for both of them.

“Thank you,” she replied.

They walked up the stairwell to the landing outside her apartment in silence. Mandy kept wishing she hadn’t blown him off so quickly, but she could hardly take it back now. It was just her way of keeping some distance between them. The kiss, her reaction to it, had spooked her.

There was something about him, something much more primal than she had anticipated. On the surface, he seemed like your average guy. He was obviously very much the alpha male, but he had a sweet and kind side you didn’t usually find in his kind. She had a hard time envisioning him as the cutthroat attorney he made himself out to be, but when he’d kissed her, she felt something else entirely. Put simply, his kiss had shaken her to the core and that frightened her. She wasn’t ready to want someone else, not so soon.

“Thank you for walking me up, Weston. I really did enjoy today.”

“Enough to do it again soon?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“You aren’t certain?”

“Listen, Weston. I’m sorry. I had a great time today, I really did, but I’ve just recently gotten out of a horrid relationship and I’m just not quite myself I guess.”

“Fair enough. I won’t push you too much, but I would like to see you again. Very soon.”

“Call me. Okay?”

“I will. Talk to you soon, Mandy.”

“Yes. Bye, Weston.”

He didn’t try to kiss her again, instead turning to walk away as she made her way inside her front door. Mandy closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a loud sigh. Why must she feel so confused? What had become of the days when she could just date someone without worrying about how it would turn out? She hated how much Cameron had screwed up her thinking, making her overanalyze everything. Weston was a perfectly nice guy and she felt attracted to him. The only thing holding her back was her own fear.

***

“Well, how did your date with Weston go?” Kellye asked on Monday.

“It was okay,” Mandy told her.

“Just okay?” She frowned. “That doesn’t sound very promising.”

“Honestly, it was a good first date. I enjoyed it, but I just can’t seem to wrap my head around dating anymore.”

“You can’t stay home and pine over Cameron forever, Mandy.”

“That’s just it. It’s like we talked about before. Seeing him with someone else hurt, but it also helped me to get over things. I mean, why should I sit around all hung up on a guy that obviously isn’t hung up on me at all?”

“Then, what’s the problem?”

“I don’t know. I just can’t move forward. I guess I’m afraid that if I give Weston a chance, it will just be more grief for me.”

“I know you have to do what you feel is best, but you’re going to have to just let things be what they are. You can’t try to anticipate what will or won’t happen with someone and hold back because you think you might get hurt.”

“I tried. I told myself that it was just casual dating, to just enjoy the day and not worry about it. I was having fun, but then he kissed me and I panicked.”

“He kissed you?” Kellye said, a big smile spreading across her face. “How was that?”

Mandy bit her lip, remembering. “I felt it all the way down to my toes.”

“I’ll bet. He’s such a cutie pie.”

“Yeah, he is that. I can’t believe he’s never asked you out.”

“I’m not his type.”

“You’re everyone’s type.”

“Not really. I intimidate some men and others just don’t take me seriously. It’s a weird thing. They take one look at me and either feel like I’m out of their league or I’m a bimbo based on nothing more than my looks. I know that sounds bad for me to say, but it’s true. The ones who do want to go out with me are more interested in my getting undressed than getting to know me. I probably date less than any woman on the planet.”

“I guess we all have our issues.”

“Yes, and yours is being too fickle because you had the misfortune of dating one sociopath. If you aren’t all that into Weston, fine, but don’t kick him to the curb just because you had a bad experience with someone else.”

“I know I shouldn’t be faulting him for something he had no control over. I just can’t seem to help myself. I can’t seem to shake off my reluctance.”

“Well, I guess it’s better for you to shrug him off than to let him get close to you and then flake out on him. That will just hurt him and make you feel guilty. It’s not like I really know anything about romance. I’m nearly twenty-eight and have never been in a serious relationship.”

“I think our relationship is pretty serious. I mean, we see each other several times a week, at least. I can see forever with you,” Mandy teased.

“Ah, not quite the same as true love, but I’ll take it. You know you mean a lot to me.”

“I do know. That’s why I keep coming back for more.”

Their conversation drifted off to work as they finished up their meal and headed back to their offices. Kellye was completely right, but it was much easier to know something than it was to really embrace it and put it into action. She made the decision just to focus on herself for a while and not see Weston. Then, she immediately kicked that idea to the proverbial curb an hour later when he called her.

“Listen, I need a favor and you’re the only one that can help me,” he said from the other end of the line.

“Um, okay,” she said uncertainly. Favors usually ended up putting one or both people in an unfortunate position.

“It’s a bit personal. I don’t want to ask over the phone. Can you meet me for dinner tonight?” he asked.

“Well, I…” she began, thinking about this for a moment. Her other plans had consisted of eating the leftover pizza in her fridge and hadn’t she just decided not to see him? Instead of making up a viable excuse, she found herself agreeing to dinner. It didn’t mean she would do whatever it was he planned to ask, but dinner was an innocuous deal otherwise. “Sure. What did you have in mind?”

“I thought that we might meet at Chuck O’Cheesey.”

“That’s funny. Where did you really want to meet?”

“I’m serious. I have a meeting there with the owner to discuss a case. It’s near your apartment, so I thought it would be a good place to meet up and just have a bite when I’m done.”

“Interesting. Okay then. What time?”

“Is six too early?”

“Nope. Six will be fine,” she replied.

“Great. I’ll see you there then.”

Mandy hung up the phone and laughed. What sort of guy takes you to dinner at a children’s pizza buffet? Chuck O’Cheesey was one of those places where kids could go and have a meal and then play in a ball pit or assorted video games with other children. She would definitely have to duck into her apartment and change from her business suit into some jeans and a t-shirt beforehand. It occurred to her that Weston might just be cheap. After all, his first date had been a picnic and this one was low budget pizza.

***

“Did you find the place okay?” he asked when she arrived, meeting her in front of the place.

“Yes. It’s hard to miss what with the giant mouse in yellow overalls eating a slice of pizza in day glow colors,” she laughed.

“You know how mice love cheese!”

“Apparently they’re the only ones. This parking lot is almost vacant. No wonder this guy needs a lawyer. Bankruptcy maybe?”

“Not quite yet. He’s just now taking over and needed some tax advice. Come on in.”

Mandy followed him through the door and into the large, empty space inside. There was nothing on the buffet and only a couple of staff members present. Surely they were open. It was too early to be closed for the day. Weston led her to a single table, the only one covered with a red tablecloth and two candles in the center.

“What’s going on here?”

“What do you mean? Just a simple dinner for two.”

“Where are the other customers and why is there no buffet set up?”

“Oh, that. The owner I was counseling is my brother. He just bought this place. Since he doesn’t feel like he should have to pay me for services rendered, I decided he was providing dinner, but they aren’t open yet. We have the place to ourselves other than the two employees who are testing some recipes tonight.”

“So, we’re guinea pigs?”

“Pretty much.”

“I assume we’re test tasting pizza.”

“You assume incorrectly, madam. Part of the space is being utilized by a startup catering business. The two employees that are here are the master chef and his assistant. I’m not entirely sure what they’re feeding us, but both are trained chefs, so it’s bound to be good.”

Mandy laughed. She had to give him points for originality. He certainly wasn’t boring. Their conversation continued as the chefs began delivering assorted plates of food, starting with a light soup and a delicious vegan salad. By the time she had nibbled from one plate, another was arriving for her to taste and, just as Weston had promised, it was all very good.

“Oh, God. This is the most delicious tiramisu I’ve ever tasted!” Mandy exclaimed, still savoring the velvety texture of it against her tongue.

“I am going to have to agree,” Weston said, finishing off the last bite of his own.

The meal was almost over and Mandy realized that Weston had not made mention of the favor that he had brought her here to discuss in the first place. She wanted to broach the subject but they started talking to the chef, praising the food.

“It was amazing,” Mandy gushed.

“Thank you. We’re excited to get started. Our first wedding gig is on Saturday and we have several others in our sights, but it takes time to build a clientele. Hopefully, you’ll tell anyone you know about us,” the man said, offering her a business card.

“Absolutely,” Mandy said enthusiastically. She glanced at the card, noting the name as “Side Bar.”

“So, you enjoyed everything then?” Weston asked, nodding for the couple standing by the table to leave them.

“Enjoyed isn’t even the word for it. It was all incredible.”

“Good. I’ll let them know that they have my investment,” he said.

“What?” she asked.

“That’s why they were feeding us. It’s sort of an audition for food,” he said.

“Oh, now I see. Your brother owns this place, but you’re planning on investing in the catering company that will be sharing his kitchen.”

“Yes. They will be doing a good bit of their work from home, but they need the larger amenities that can be set up here for major events.”

“You should do well. They’re truly gifted.” Now that they were alone, she finally asked him about why she’d shown up here in the first place. “By the way, what was the favor you wanted to ask of me?”

“You’ve already answered it.”

“I have?”

“Yes. I just wanted you to help me sample the food.”

“You could have just said that,” she laughed.

“Where’s the fun in that? Speaking of fun, how about we go play in the ball pit?”

“You’re kidding right now, right?”

“Nope, I’m not kidding at all. Come on. How many chances will we ever get to have a ball pit all to ourselves without screaming kids that are undoubtedly shitting their diapers and wiping snot on the balls?”

“That just makes it sound less appealing. It’s full of germs already!”

“Nope. My brother emptied it, cleaned the barriers with disinfectant and put in all new balls. This may be your only chance to get in a completely clean one and relive your childhood. He opens tomorrow, so it’ll be tainted within moments of the door opening.”

Many looked at him for a moment. He looked almost boyish, grinning at her. She could tell that he really wanted to and that made her want to, as well. Rather than responding, she took off running and jumped into the large pit that sat to one side of the room, laughing as her body sank down into the colorful plastic orbs.

“That’s more like it!” he told her, following her into the pit and bouncing about a bit before making his way through them toward her. She dove down into the balls and hid from him, suppressing giggles while listening to his playful taunting that he was going to kiss her when he found her.

“I’m over here,” she said from one corner before slipping along the wall underneath to the deepest part of the pit. He found her anyway.

“Gotcha!” he said, his hands landing on one shoulder before drifting down toward her waist and pulling her upward to face him.

“So?” she replied, beaming back at him.

“You were warned!” he told her, pulling her close to him and kissing her softly on the lips.

Mandy was a little disappointed. She wanted more, a deeper kiss, a longer one, but she had to remember that she was the one who’d made it clear she wanted to keep things light. He seemed to be making sure that he kept to his word, pulling away from her and leading her out of the pit.

“Come on. I’ll win you a stuffed animal,” he told her, digging in his pocket for change.

Mandy followed him to one of those big standup machines that held all sorts of creatures and a crane. It had been years since she’d played games like this. On some level, it was very relaxing to just get out and do something completely silly like this.

“Which one do you want?” he asked.

“The unicorn,” she said, pointing toward a pink, sparkly one in a back corner.

“Oh, sure. You would make it difficult,” he laughed.

“You strike me as the sort that likes a challenge,” she told him.

“You know me well already. Alright. Stand back and just watch the master at work. I’ve got this.”

Mandy watched as he made a half dozen attempts at retrieving the unicorn and only managed to move it a few inches. Digging around in his pocket, he frowned down at the change in his hand.

“I’m out of quarters. Let me go see if they’re still cleaning up in the kitchen. I’m sure they can break a bill for me.”

“Don’t be silly,” she replied, laughing.

“No. That unicorn is yours! We’ll have it before we leave here!” he said, trotting off.

Mandy looked around the room at all the arcade games and spotted an air hockey table. She had loved playing that as a teen. When Weston returned, he was all smiles, holding an entire roll of quarters above his head.

“I see you hit the jackpot,” she told him.

“In so many ways,” he told her with a little glimmer in his eyes that just melted her.

“Let’s play air hockey,” she told him.

“Oh, you don’t want to play that with me. I’m very competitive and quite good at it.”

“Let’s see what you’ve got. I think I can take you.”

“Oh, yeah? You’re on. Care for a friendly little wager?” he said, seeming to forget all about the unicorn.

“What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t know. Let’s keep it fairly open. How about the winner gets to ask the loser to do one thing and the loser will do it?”

“Within reason, right?”

“Of course, both legal and moral. How’s that?”

“Done. You’re going down, counselor.”

“We’ll see about that, Little Miss Newsprint.”

The game was intense. Mandy had forgotten how fast the puck moved. She could swear it moved faster now that she was a little older, but it was probably just her imagination. Weston was a formidable opponent. His reflexes were spot on, not letting her get anything past him at first. Then things took a turn and she was suddenly winning, slipping the puck past him very quickly three times in a row as he looked at her with a shocked expression.

With the score tied and whoever got the next puck tipping it for the win, Mandy decided her only option was to cheat. Holding up her hand for a moment before serving the puck back to him, she reached up and unbuttoned her blouse a bit, revealing just a hint of cleavage.

“It’s a bit hot in here, don’t you think?”

“Well, it certainly is now. You know, if you think that showing off a bit of skin is going to distract me from the game, you’re probably absolutely right,” he said, laughing.

“What? Surely you don’t think I’m the sort of girl that would do something like that just to win a silly game,” she said in a serious tone.

“No. Of course not. You are above such things. I’m sure it never crossed your mind,” he said, grinning.

“It didn’t,” she replied, licking her lips slightly as she leaned forward to give him an even better view down her blouse. It was a bit naughty, but not vulgar. Though she told herself it was just being playful to win the game, she hoped it had a much more powerful effect than that. She realized that her fear was fading away, replaced by a desire for him to want her the way she was finding herself wanting him. Sure, it was soon, but Kellye told her to have fun, so perhaps she should do just that.

Leaning even further down toward the table, she lined up the puck and bounced it off one side of the table, sending it skating down the ice at a rapid rate of speed and directly into the goal on the other end. The table flashed with the scores, indicating that she was the winner.

“Double or nothing!” Weston shouted with a pained look on his face.

“You’ll do no better the second time around!” she taunted.

“Sure I will. Give me my chance at redemption, woman!”

“Nope. You lost. That’s the end of it.”

“That is just not fair.”

“Life isn’t fair. Suck it up, buttercup.”

“How can you be so cruel?” he said, a mock horrified look on his face.

“I’m a woman. It comes with the territory doesn’t it?”

“Oh no. You’ll never get me to agree with you on that. I’m not a fool!”

“Wise man. Well, let’s see what I want as my prize for winning.”

Weston walked around the edge of the table and faced her, crossing his arms and smiling down at her. Without another thought, she raised up on her tiptoes and kissed him. It wasn’t a soft, light kiss either. Instead, she found herself leaning hungrily into him, kissing him passionately. Weston didn’t hold back, a low growl escaping the back of his throat as he pulled her tighter against him and kissed her feverishly. They jumped apart as someone nearby cleared their throat.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but we’re closing up in a few moments,” the female half of the catering team told them with an embarrassed look.

“Ah, yes. Thanks, Beth,” Weston told her sheepishly.

“Thanks again for the gorgeous food,” Mandy added, trying to offset her embarrassment a bit with conversation.

“You’re more than welcome. I hope to see you again soon,” she replied, quickly making herself scarce. The couple burst into laughter as she disappeared back toward the kitchen.

“Come on. I’ve got to win you that unicorn before I go,” Weston told her.

“No way can you win that in a few minutes.”

“Want to bet?”

“Another bet? You’ve already lost the first wager.”

“Did I, Mandy? Did I really lose?” he asked with a smile, leaning over and kissing her on the lips. It was brief, but soft and sweet. She felt it just as much in her toes as she had the previous, more heated one. Mandy smiled up at him happily and shook her head as he pulled her back toward the game with the unicorn. He made a production of trying to win the unicorn a couple of tries before turning to her with a shrug.

“Oh well, you gave it your best shot,” she said.

“Ah, screw it,” he said, walking to the back of the machine and opening the plexiglass door. Reaching in, he pulled the unicorn out and handed it to her.

“That is cheating,” she replied.

“So? Takes one to know one,” he said. “Now, about the terms of our wager.”

“We never made any official terms.”

“Guess I can ask for whatever I want then,” he told her.

“I guess you can.”

The lights went off around them, leaving them standing in a nearly dark restaurant. Beth called out to them that they were about to leave and lock up.

“Sounds like our cue. We’re being evicted. How about we drop our cars off at your place and then walk to that little pub a few blocks down for drinks?”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. It’s a work night, after all.”

“I wasn’t planning on getting completely shit faced and ending up in jail or anything,” he laughed.

“Okay. Just a couple then.”

“Deal!”

They walked hand in hand out to their cars, saying their goodbyes to Beth and her partner, who was named Jacob, according to their business card. Weston made sure she was safely behind the wheel of her rather sedate Toyota Camry before climbing into his much more substantial Mercedes GLE. Making her way the few miles from the restaurant to her apartment, the smile never left her face. It only broadened each time she looked in the rearview mirror at him following her.

Parking in the garage attached to her apartment building, they made their way directly down the ramp and onto the sidewalk, covering the few blocks to the pub with their arms wrapped about one another’s waists. Mandy marveled at how quickly she had abandoned her reservations about getting closer to Weston. Yesterday, she had felt only fear at even getting to know him better. Today, he had somehow won her over completely, making her feel so at ease that she no longer gave a second thought to how things might go wrong.

“I almost didn’t call you,” he told her over drinks.

“I wouldn’t have blamed you if you hadn’t,” she admitted.

“You just didn’t seem to be all that interested in me. Of course, being stubborn, I decided that was a challenge I had to take on.”

“So, I’m just a challenge for you then?” she asked.

“Hardly. There’s something about you, Mandy. I saw it right at the start, at that party. You give off this soulful vibe that is intoxicating. I couldn’t help but make a beeline for you before someone else snatched you away from me.”

“There’s that silver tongued lawyer again,” she laughed.

“No, just an honest man. I wanted to tell you that on the first date, but I was afraid it would frighten you away. Then I thought I’d done that anyway.”

“It wasn’t you. It was all me,” she said.

“And now? Should I plan on you tucking tail and running away if I try to get too close to you?”

“No, but I still don’t want to rush things. I just need for us to take our time, to just be whatever we become without pushing the envelope and trying to make it something it might not be.”

“That sounds like fear still talking to me, but I understand. Still, what you need to know about me is that I have very basic instincts when it comes to finding a woman I want to be with. You’re the first woman I’ve ever met that felt like some sort of destiny for me. Does that scare you?”

“More like terrifies me,” she told him.

“Well, just know that I will honor your wishes to take things easy, but I have no intentions of letting you slip away now that I’ve found you.”

“Noted,” she replied, not sure what else she could say to something like that.

“Alright, enough of the heavy discussion. Let’s dance.”

“Dance? Are you kidding me? No one here is dancing at all,” she said, waving her hands to the half populated bar and empty dance floor.

“They will be when they see how much fun we’re having,” he told her, standing to pull her up from her chair.

Mandy followed him reluctantly to the floor, the house music playing a slow ballad in the background. He turned out to be a beautiful dancer, gliding across the floor with her and twirling her about playfully. Everyone around them seemed to fade away into the gray as they became completely lost in one another. After a while, the music changed to something a little more spirited and Mandy looked around to find they had been joined by a half dozen couples. She smiled at how right he had been about inspiring others to dance.

“Want to sit this one out? Perhaps have one more drink before I take you home to get your rest for work tomorrow?” he asked.

“That sounds like a plan,” she said, following him off the dance floor to their table.

The night had gotten very chilly by the time they finished their drinks and made their way back toward her garage. They were standing at the door to his Mercedes when she realized something. She wasn’t ready to end their night together.

“I guess this is goodnight then,” he told her.

“It doesn’t have to be,” she replied. “Maybe you could come up for a while. It’s probably too soon to be driving anyway, after our drinks.”

“Well, honestly, I wasn’t going to. I had planned to just call a cab and leave the SUV here,” he laughed.

“Come on up for a while then,” she told him.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to overstay my welcome with you,” he replied.

“I just don’t think that’s possible,” she told him softly.

They were barely inside her apartment door before they were all over one another, each of them unable to contain their animal urges any longer. It was if they couldn’t get one another undressed quickly enough as they created a line of clothing that trailed from the door to the bedroom. Weston seemed to easily lift her, carrying her to the bed and laying her down before climbing in after her, his body pressed against her own.

The sensation of his bare skin against her own caused a familiar clench inside her, and she felt herself melting her at his touch. The stiff hairs scattered plentifully across his chest tickled her nipples, leaving them hard and aching against him. His hands stroked her naked form almost delicately, sending delicious shivers throughout her body.

“God, you’re gorgeous. I’ve wanted to do this since I met you,” he breathed against her ear, the vibrations of his voice teasing her even more.

She cooed softly beneath him as he stroked her back and stroked her sides, his hands moving upward to cup her full breasts. Every nerve ending seemed to sing with life and a need for more of him. She ached to have him inside of her, but he took his time, teasing her endlessly. His fingers rolled around her terse pink nipples, soothing them before pinching and twisting them one by one. It filled her with a delicious mix of pain and pleasure that drove her wild.

An almost involuntary groan arose from deep within her as his hot mouth nuzzled against her neck. She arched her hips upward, pushing into his own in an attempt to ease some of the tension that had built so rapidly between her legs. It did nothing to ease the need for him. Her nails dug into his back, pulling him tightly against her as he continued to slowly drive her insane with his touch.

“Weston,” she said breathlessly, his name coming out as not much more than a gasp.

“Shhh,” he replied, drawing a single nipple into his mouth and sucking hard. His teeth scraped against it painfully, causing her once again to arch upward against him and dig her nails deeper into his back. It seemed to only encourage him. Everything about him was intoxicating. She couldn’t have dreamed a man into life that could have been more in tune to what she needed.

“Please,” she begged, his mouth on her driving out all rational thought. All she could think about was her need for him, the ache that permeated her entire being as he relentlessly teased her with his tongue, his teeth, his hot skin against her own.

Her plea went unanswered as he drifted from one nipple to the other, creating an ever increasing tension that vibrated throughout her being. She had never felt so safe with a man. No man had ever seemed to desire her in quite the same way he did. She was more than happy to hand over control to him, to let him take over in any way that he wanted.

Even his scent was overpowering. It was earthy, overwhelmingly powerful. It called to her in such a primal way, beckoning to her inner animal to join his and do whatever felt natural without hesitation. She gasped as he tangled his fingers in her hair, tugging at it with a grasp that was hard, almost painful. It brought nothing but more pleasure as she gave into his roughness with wild abandon. Time felt like it stood still as she stepped outside of herself and enjoyed every little nuance of how he was manhandling her in all the right ways.

“You are perfect,” he moaned as her hand found its way to his cock, slipping her fingers slowly around it as it pressed heavily against her belly. She knew that he was far from wrong. She was anything but perfect, but together they seemed like sexual ideals, as if they were built for one another. His mouth found its way to hers once again, drinking her in, his tongue exploring hers enthusiastically as his hands continued their slow dance along her skin.

She lay there, looking up at him as he suddenly pulled away and got to his feet, looking down at her. She had forgotten all about her usual self-consciousness about the few extra pounds she carried or any imperfections. Instead she was focused on his perfectly chiseled body and the protruding cock that proved how much he wanted her. Reaching for her legs, he pulled her downward, easily flipping her over with what seemed like unnatural strength. She moaned loudly as he began a slow trail of bites down the center of her back and dug his fingers into the soft cheeks of her ass.

There was something about what he was doing to her that was filled with just as much tenderness as it was roughness. An emotional reaction seemed to flood over her, sucking her down into a violent pool like you’d find at the bottom of a waterfall. She was completely overwhelmed by feelings for him that were far beyond what she could have ever expected so soon. She felt as if she was spiraled down beneath the water and the only thing for her to hold onto was Weston.

His large hands slid between her legs, pushing them apart as he knelt at the foot of the bed and lapped at her already dripping pussy. She tensed and dug her fingers into the covers as he alternately licked and sucked at her clit, his fingers teasing her inner walls as he tortured her with making her wait for him.

“Ohhhhh,” she moaned, no words capable of forming beyond that as her legs began to shake violently with orgasm. Flooding his mouth with her ecstasy, she was given only a few seconds of a reprieve before he brought her to another climax. It was almost more than she could stand, the only words she could now form came in the form of pleas for him to fuck her.

“Not yet, beautiful. Not yet,” he told her. His words were accented by his sinking his teeth into each of her thighs and then squarely into her swollen, aching pussy. She cried out in pain, enjoying the way it felt as he sucked at her clit until she thought her entire body might just explode with need. She felt helpless as she lay face down on the bed, unable to do anything but allow him to continue the endless teasing.

She felt so weak, lightheaded. Was it really possible to pass out from having so many explosive orgasms? Just when she thought she might find out, he was flipping her over, sliding her body back upward so that she was squarely on the bed. He rose over her, holding himself up on strong arms, before slipping into her heated center. He made love to her in a rhythm that was hard, but slow and deep. The friction was rivaled only by the hormones that seemed to have taken control of her body, leaving her with no thoughts other than how he felt inside of her.

Her teeth sank into his shoulder as he quickly brought her to another unexpected climax, her body breaking apart around his throbbing cock as he pulsated inside of her. He returned her vigor by kissing and sucking at the side of her neck without even the slightest change in his perfect rhythm. Her hands found their way downward, digging her nails into his ass as her own hips rose and fell to meet his every thrust. Their bodies slammed violently into one another until his body convulsed against her own, a loud groan of pleasure escaping his lips as his body seized with the force of his own orgasm.

Sated and content, they fell to each other’s sides and lay silently in the barely lit bedroom, only the light from a nearby outdoor flood light shining through the window. Mandy lay her head in the crook of his arm and he put his arm across her, the weight of it feeling incredibly comforting. She felt so safe in his arms, so complete. Their smells mingled together, creating an imprint that would stay with her in remembering this moment.

She contemplated what this all meant. Things between them had happened so suddenly, so completely. She had told herself to keep her distance and she had done anything but that. There was no taking this back, pretending they hadn’t crossed some invisible line that no longer allowed them to be just casual in their dating. It frightened her to already be so invested in him, but that fear was quickly overcome by a sort of calmness that seemed to settle over her in his arms. Before she knew it, she was drifting off into a peaceful sleep. Not a concern in the world could penetrate the tranquility left behind by his touch.

The following morning, Mandy awoke with Weston curled up to her back. His warmth spread along her skin in a way that made her want to do anything but get out of her bed and get dressed for work. Still, she had no choice.

“Mmm, morning already?” Weston mumbled as she climbed out of bed and began padding across the floor to the bathroom.

“Yes. I was about to wake you. I wasn’t sure when you had to be in,” she told him.

“Not long from now,” he laughed, climbing out of bed and walking toward her.

“Do I need to let you shower first then?” she asked, her words giving way to his kiss as he bent forward to pull her to him. He tasted just as wonderful as he had last night.

“No. I need to go home and get a clean suit. I’ll just shower there. Let me get going so you can get on with things here and I’ll call you later. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said, leaning in as he kissed her softly one more time before getting dressed. She drew on her robe and walked him to the front door.

“It’s going to be a very long day trying to concentrate on my cases when all I can think about is how incredible you feel,” he told her.

“It won’t be easy to focus on my work either,” she told him, kissing him once more before he had to go.

Mandy’s paranoid brain half expected him to be a one-night stand. She told herself that he was one of those guys that had only been interested in her because she hadn’t fallen at his feet to begin with. He had said he liked challenges, after all. All day she waffled between smiling as she remembered how his hands felt on her skin, how he felt inside her, and grimacing from the anxiety that she might never hear from him again. She had to keep reminding herself that it was just fun and not to make too much of it.

Still, she breathed a sigh of relief when her phone buzzed that afternoon and she looked to see that he had sent her a text asking how her day was going. She smiled as she returned his message and went back to work. Moments later, she received another one that asked what she was doing tonight. Feeling bold and brazen after last night’s heated encounter, she sent him a simple response.

“You, hopefully.”

When nearly an hour went by without a response, she started to worry that she’d been too forward.

“Sorry, I got tied up unexpectedly. I’ll pick you up at seven.”

Mandy didn’t bother to ask what he was picking her up for. Instead, she merely replied that she was looking forward to it already and would see him then. The rest of the day seemed to crawl by as she anticipated seeing him again. As soon as work was over, she raced home to get ready for their date.

“You look incredible,” he told her, taking in the red dress and heels she wore. “I’m not sure how you’re going to trudge around the lake in that get up, but I’m sure you’ll manage.”

“What? We’re going back up to the lake?” she asked.

“No. I’m just yanking your chain. Did you not notice I’m still wearing a suit?” he said with a laugh.

“Yes, but I thought maybe you came straight from work and were going to change or something.”

“Tonight, I thought I would take you out for a proper meal at Scalini’s. You must think I’m a cheap date with picnics and free taste tester meals.”

“It might have crossed my mind,” she laughed.

“Then I must redeem myself. A nice Italian meal and great bottle of wine should set the record straight.”

“It depends. You aren’t going to use a coupon at dinner, are you?”

“Funny, very funny,” he told her, kissing her on the lips and smiling down at her. “Are we ready to go? I don’t mean to rush you, but I have reservations for seven-thirty. They tend to be busy, so I had to pull some strings. If we’re late, they’ll just give our table away and we’ll end up eating at some fast food restaurant.”

“Then, let’s go. I can’t have you taking me to the Chicken Snack Shack for dinner.”

“No, you cannot,” he said.

As the days passed, it seemed like things were only getting better between the two of them. Mandy no longer thought about her fears of being abandoned or mistreated. Weston was perfect for her in ways that she had always know Cameron was not. She had accepted her ex with all his faults, but she now knew just how much better things could be. Before she knew it, Halloween was just around the corner and they were making plans to celebrate it.

“There’s a fantastic haunted tour down at the old carnival grounds. I thought we could go check that out and then head off to the afterhours Halloween party at The Restoration.”

“The Restoration? Isn’t that the old monastery they turned into a night club?”

“Yes. That’s the place. They have the best Halloween party there every year, but we’ll have to get really inventive with our costumes. There’s a contest and I want to win it!”

“So, you won’t be going in a sheet?”

“No. We’ll have to do much better than that. I wasn’t going to that party, originally. I decided to go at the last minute. That’s how my old bedsheet ended up as my costume. Wait until you see how into costumes I can get.”

“You pulled the sheet off quite nicely.”

“The hell I did. You rejected me and left me there to cry in my drink.”

“Right. I’m sure you were devastated.”

“I was. You’ve no idea,” he said as he opened the car door for her to get in and then closed it behind her before getting in on the driver’s side. They were headed to the lake, something that they had decided would become their usual Saturday afternoon thing.

“I have no idea what sort of costume to wear that might win us a prize,” she continued as he sat down behind the wheel.

“Well, we don’t have long to come up with something. How about we take a trip into the city center after we leave the lake to get some ideas.”

“Sounds good,” she told him, reaching for his hand as he pulled out of the parking garage and headed down the road.

They were hiking up to the overlook where they had looked down at the lake on their previous trip when Weston turned to her, looking very serious. She looked up at him, wondering what he had on his mind.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“I haven’t been entirely honest with you,” he told her.

Mandy felt her breath catch in her throat. Her heart seemed to stop for a moment at the thought that he might say something that would end what felt like pure magic between them.

“About what?” she said slowly.

“I love spending time with you, Mandy. You’re so incredible,” he began.

“Okay. Just stop there. Did you bring me all the way up to the lake to dump me? You could have just done this on my doorstep so I didn’t have to ride back home with you.”

“What? No. God, no, Mandy. That’s not it at all. I think you are absolutely perfect. There is just something I haven’t told you and I don’t know how you’ll react to it. It’s not exactly something I can tell just anyone and I should have already told you. I just haven’t known how to prepare you for it. Honestly, I’ve been afraid that when I tell you, you won’t want to see me anymore and so I guess I’ve put it off so I didn’t risk losing you.”

“For God’s sake, Weston. You’re babbling. Just get it over with and tell me what you need to say!”

“I’ll just spit it out. I’m a wolf shifter.”

“You’re kidding,” she said, staring at him.

“No. I’m afraid that I’m not. Most people don’t really even believe we exist. It’s become more common lately with more and more of us coming out and being open about it, but I’ve been forced to keep mine a bit more private due to my occupation. Some people view shifters in a way that could hurt my position as a partner at the firm.”

“That’s your big secret?” she asked incredulously.

“Yes.”

“Okay. Well, I guess that I’ll be honest with you too. My ex was a shifter. I met him on the ComeShift dating site.”

“There’s a site dedicated to dating shifters?” he asked, seeming more surprised by that than by her admission.

“Yes, there is. I can’t believe you’ve never heard of it.”

“Well, I’ve never been one for dating sites. I’m surprised you would be on one.”

“Why?”

“You’re such an incredible woman. I can’t imagine why you’d have to go to a dating site to find someone.”

“A friend suggested it. I wasn’t having very much luck meeting anyone on my own,” she said, feeling a little embarrassed.

“Why a shifter site?”

“I don’t know. I heard that shifters were different, more loyal than other men, but that’s obviously not true.”

“Why do you say that?”

“My ex, the one I met on there. He was anything but loyal and certainly no different from a lot of the men I know.”

“I see,” he said, his voice trailing off.

Mandy wondered if he was more bothered by not having been the first shifter she had been involved with or her mention of an ex. Perhaps he felt like he wasn’t anything special to her since he wasn’t a novelty to her like he might be to some women. Men were always so prideful about some things.

“Listen, let’s not talk about the sad stories of exes. I’m with you now and that’s all that matters. I think that you being a shifter is incredible, but I’m happy with what kind of man you are, no matter what. I’ve felt more alive with you in the past few weeks than I’ve ever felt with anyone during my entire life.”

“I feel the same way. I don’t see any end to this,” he replied. They’d reached overlook and the sun glared down on the water, sending shards of beautiful light dancing across its surface, but Mandy barely had any time to take it in before Weston was kissing her Weston pulled away from her and brushed a strand of hair away that had fallen over one eye.

“It’s cool up here today,” she said, a shiver running across her skin.

“I guess I’ll have to keep you warm then,” he told her, pulling her closer. Pretty soon, they were oblivious to anything around them, risking being caught as they undressed one another in the bright light of day. The lake wasn’t heavily populated with visitors this time of year, since it had begun to grow colder.

A moment of fear ran through her as a cool gust of wind blew across her bare nipples, instantly hardening them. They burned with anticipation as they pushed against his bare chest out in the open air and she wanted him in the worst way. Still, they were barely out of the public eye.

“Weston, we can’t. Someone might see us.”

“Then they’re in for one hell of a show,” he told her.

Pulling her toward the flat surface of a nearby rock, he lay flat on the cool slate and guided her down on top of him. He was already hard and she fit onto him like a perfectly molded inlet. Her feet braced on either side of the rock, firmly on the ground below them as he placed his hands on her waist and pulled her down on top of him so hard that it felt like the mushroomed head of his cock was locked into her womb. She cried out as a little pain shot through her center.

“Be careful. Someone might hear you,” he said with a smile.

Mandy bit her lip and looked down at him, her hands roaming across his flat abdomen as he began pulling her upward again, slowly and deliberately. The friction from her inner walls stretching and constricting with his movements was incredible. Then he was slipping her downward, closing his eyes as he was almost fully buried inside her again. Her hands instinctively moved toward her own breasts, her fingers pulling and twisting her nipples. He opened his eyes and smiled, watching her touch herself as he guided her up and down the length of his cock with perfect timing.

“I love watching you do that. Move one hand down to your clit. Make yourself come for me,” he told her and she obeyed his simple command. Leaving one hand to tease her breasts, she let her other hand slide downward. Her fingers trailed over clit, already sensitive from the friction of his cock rubbing against it. Her body convulsed as she easily pushed herself over the edge, not once but twice, her head tossed backward and her eyes closed. She was aware of nothing around them but the sensations of what her body was feeling.

“So beautiful. Don’t stop. Keep going,” he told her.

Their bodies rose and fell with one another as she continued to repeatedly bring herself to climax. She couldn’t remember ever being so turned on. Whether it was the daring of being outdoors or of showing off for him while he watched, it was mind-numbingly erotic. She had lost complete control to his will. Cool air blew across their naked bodies once more, sending with it the mingled scent of the woods, the earth, the soil, the leaves. It was utter perfection.

Their moans blended together, drifting along the winds to places unknown as he hastened his pace, pounding heavily into her. It pushed her over the cliff to yet another powerful orgasm and this time he joined her with his own eruption. The feel of his pulsating cock as it spasmed with release, coupled with the strain and then calm that graced his face, seemed like something from a dream. She tried to memorize every nuance of this moment before it was gone.

“I think I may have dislocated my hip,” he laughed as she pulled away from him and watched him slowly get up from the rock below him.

“That’s too bad. I don’t think I can carry you back down the slope,” she teased.

“We might be stuck here then,” he replied, limping a little as he walked naked toward her and pulled her into his arms.

“That would be such a shame. Stuck out in the woods with a gorgeous, naked man. Whatever will we do to pass the time until we’re rescued?” she asked.

“I’m sure we’ll think of something,” he said, bending down to kiss her.

Mandy quickly became lost in him again, enjoying the way his tongue darted across her own, exploring her, tasting her. She felt like she could spend forever just kissing him, their skin pressed against one another beneath the warmth of the sun. Weston’s fingers wandered downward, his nails grazing softly across one nipple as they traveled along. She gasped aloud, never taking her eyes off his as he found her clit and began to stroke it, taking advantage of its already overly sensitive state.

“It is so beautiful to watch how your eyes darken when you get excited. The way you bite your lip when you’re trying to hold back. I could spend days just teasing and pleasing you until you are nothing more than a pile of come-saturated mush.”

“You do quite a good job of that as it is.”

“And I intend to continue doing so at every opportunity.”

Her body jerked as he found just the right spot and exploited it with one deft finger. She was quite literally putty in his hand, shuddering with an orgasm. His strokes increased, two more of his fingers slipping inside her as his thumb manipulated her clit with precision. She trembled, having to lean against him for support as her knees weakened and buckled beneath her.

“I love making you weak in the knees.”

“You must, you seem to keep me that way,” she panted as another wave of orgasmic bliss rocketed through her body and caused her to collapse against his chest breathlessly.

“You are perfection personified,” he told her, pulling free of her and kissing her softly on the top of her head as she leaned against him.

“Mmm,” she mumbled against his chest, unable to manage more than that.

“We best get dressed and head to the shop, I suppose,” he told her.

“Okay,” she replied, disappointed that they couldn’t stay here lost in one another longer, but it would begin to get even cloder with the afternoon passing and it wasn’t as if they could remain naked in woods forever.

Later, still basking in the afterglow of their risqué outdoor adventures, Cameron and Mandy perused the costumes in the Halloween shop. Mostly everything in the place was fairly generic, but one costume stood out to the both of them and they agreed it could be adapted to something much more original and more likely to win a contest. They gathered everything they would need together and took it to the register to check out.

“Mandy?” a voice said from behind as Weston was paying for their items.

Mandy froze at the sound of his voice. She hadn’t heard from him since the day he’d left her apartment and hadn’t seen him since the Halloween party. Turning around to face him, her face remained just as stony as she felt towards him these days.

“Cameron,” she said simply.

“It’s good to see you again,” he said, taking a step toward her. She noted that he had a red cape draped over his arm. His face curled up into a momentary snarl, as if noting something that smelled distasteful to him. It took her a moment to realize what it was. With his heightened sense of smell, of course he could smell the scent of Weston still clinging to her, within her. In an odd way, it pleased her for him to know that she had unequivocally moved on.

“Sure,” she said nonchalantly as Weston turned toward her with their bags and took her hand. Cameron’s eyes narrowed, taking in the new man in her life. “Listen, we have to get going. Take care.”

“Wait. Can I call you later? I’d like to talk to you,” he said, disregarding Weston’s presence.

“No. We have nothing left to talk about,” she replied, pulling Weston’s hand toward the door as a silent request to leave. He didn’t question her, but made his way through the throngs of people shopping and out to their car. As they climbed inside, Mandy looked up to see Cameron standing outside the shop, watching them drive away.

“That was him,” Weston said, his voice terse.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Do I need to be concerned with that at all?’ he asked.

“Not in the least little bit,” she told him.

“Good,” he replied, patting her hand lightly with his before grasping in to hold on their way back to her apartment. Nothing more was said about the encounter, which was good. It changed nothing between the two of them. It mattered not in the least bit to her that Cameron had suddenly materialized after all this time, at least that’s what she tried to tell herself.

Mandy turned the conversation toward something else, acting as if the encounter hadn’t bothered her. On one level it hadn’t. She found that she no longer felt anything for him, but the situation with seeing him while with Weston had been awkward and she hated that. Hopefully, Weston knew that there was nothing left there and wouldn’t let the thought fester. If Cameron somehow managed to ruin her current relationship the same way he had managed to ruin the one she had with him, she would be livid.

“I’m going to have to sleep at home tonight,” Weston told her back at her place. I have to be up early in the morning to go to a client’s hearing over in a different county.”

“Okay,” Mandy replied, now worrying that the encounter had already caused a rift between them.

“Mandy, it has nothing to do with seeing your ex this afternoon. I promise,” he told her, pulling her chin up so that she was facing him.

“Promise?” she replied, not denying that he was correct about her thoughts.

“I promise. As a matter of fact, why don’t you come over to my place tomorrow night and we’ll work on our costumes before I ravage that delicious body of yours again. You haven’t spent the night at my place since we’ve met. Seems like we always end up here. I’ll even sweeten the pot. I’ll make you dinner.”

“That sounds wonderful on all accounts,” she said, feeling much more at ease now.

Not only was he okay about the incident today, but he was letting her into his life on yet another level. She was already looking forward to spending the night at his place. Though she had been there a couple of times, she had never stayed for long. It was usually just a matter of ducking in to pick up something and heading back out again. Still, after he left, she found that she had a feeling of unease. It was the first night he hadn’t stayed with her since the first time they had made love. She tried not to think about what had happened with Cameron not returning, but it was difficult, especially with having just seen him.

The main difference in the situation was that, unlike the abandonment she had experienced with Cameron, Weston made sure she knew he was still thinking about her. He texted her several times before bedtime and again the following morning while she was getting ready for work. She kicked herself for even thinking he would do anything like Cameron had done to her and then grew annoyed with herself for even considering anyone could be as cold as her psycho ex.

Having her usual lunch with Kellye, she gushed about how good things were going with Weston, but then told her about running into Cameron at the Halloween store. Kellye rolled her eyes and shook her head in disgust.

“I can’t believe he even had the audacity to speak to you after all this time. You know he’s been seeing several of the girls that work at the art gallery that exhibits most of his work. He’s not much better than a dog in heat these days. Best thing he ever did for you was leave, the bastard.”

“I agree. I felt nothing when I saw him other than feeling weird about Weston being with me. You know, I always told myself that if I saw him, I would have a whole list of vile things to say to him but when the time came, I didn’t even feel like saying anything to him. It wasn’t just because Weston was there. I just had nothing to say to him.”

“That’s good. It shows that he truly does mean nothing to you anymore. Why should he after what he did? We both know that Weston is twice the man he will ever even think of being. He’s so much better for you than Cameron ever would have been.”

Mandy nodded in agreement, reaching for her phone as it began to buzz on the table. She picked it up and groaned loudly, holding it out for Kellye to read.

“That man must have balls the size of a small planet,” Kellye said, reading the message from Cameron.

“I’m so sorry that I left you the way I did. Seeing you yesterday only made me realize just what a mistake I had made. I miss you, Mandy. Can we please talk this out? I want to come home, baby.”

“I’m just not going to respond. I don’t have time for his bullshit. The only reason he wants me now is because he saw that someone else has taken what he thinks is his. He thought I’d spend the rest of my life in abject misery, mourning the loss of the great Cameron. He can see how it feels to have your texts go unanswered just like I did when he ignored me.”

“That a girl,” Kelley told her, taking a bite of her sandwich. They continued their meal, talking even as the phone buzzed a few more times. “Is that still him?” Kellye finally asked as Mandy glanced at the phone’s notifications and ignored the messages.

“Yes. He’s on a messaging tirade, I guess.”

“He’s a freaking psycho is what he is. Make sure you stay far away from him, Mandy. There’s something wrong with him. He’s unbalanced.”

“Nah. He’s harmless. He’s just pissed off because he put his candy down and some other kid took it while he was off on the merry go round. He’ll get over it and leave me alone once he sees I’m not going to come running back to him begging for his affection.”

“Maybe. Just be careful. I’ve heard stories about him from some of the women he’s been seeing since you split and he’s got some psychological issues.”

“I’m not sure that being an asshole can really be elevated to the level of calling it a psychological issue. Like I said, he just can’t stand having someone take something that he feels is still his, even if he did drop it and walk away.”

Kellye scowled at her and went back to eating her lunch, changing the subject to something a little lighter even as Mandy’s phone continued to buzz sporadically.

They finished their lunch and returned to their offices. Over the course of the afternoon, Mandy’s phone buzzed several times, each time with increasingly needy messages from him. By the time five o’clock rolled around, she had put her phone on silent to keep it from going off constantly. Remembering that it was on mute, she reached for it again in her car and looked. There were over a dozen messages from Cameron and one from Weston. She read the only one that mattered and replied, telling Weston she would see him in an hour.

Flipping through the remaining messages quickly before pulling out of her parking spot, she felt more than a little alarmed. They went from sweet and begging her to talk to him to hateful and insulting. A couple were even borderline threatening. She refused to let him get to her, putting her phone in her purse and ignoring it again. Prior to arriving at Weston’s, she turned it off completely. Cameron was ancient history and he wasn’t going to resurrect himself in any way.

“Ah, you are a sight for sore eyes,” Weston told her, pulling her inside the door and kissing her when she arrived. “I had the worst time trying to sleep without you last night. I should have just stayed with you and gotten up a bit earlier to make the trip to see my client. Does that sound too clingy?”

“No, not even close,” she said, hugging him tightly.

All the messages from Cameron faded into nothing as she quickly forgot about him. She and Weston sat discussing what they wanted to do to improve their costumes as he worked at making dinner. Mandy sat at the breakfast bar situated between his kitchen and dining room and made notes about what they would need to finish them up as they talked. By the time the food was ready, they had a solid plan as to what they wanted to do and plans to pick up the rest of what they needed the following afternoon so they could put it together that night.

“If this doesn’t win us a prize, then the contest is rigged,” he laughed.

“I have to agree with you on that,” she replied, putting the notes aside and setting the table while he moved the food over to it.

“Dinner is served, madam,” he said playful with a slight bow and flourish.

“It smells delicious,” she replied, impressed by the perfectly roasted lemon pepper chicken and sautéed vegetables he had prepared with a side of rice pilaf. It wasn’t a complicated meal, but it certainly looked appetizing.

“Hopefully, it will be,” he replied, sitting across from her at the table.

Of course, it was just as good as it looked and he finished off the meal with a nice slice of cheesecake he had been hiding in the fridge. It was the best dessert she had tasted in a while, with drizzles of caramel crisscrossing delicately across it and a dab of whipped cream on top. She loved the way that Weston didn’t seem to mind that she was a few pounds heavier than she should be. Unlike Cameron, who would say little things like asking whether she should really be eating that slice of cake or suggesting she might prefer a salad instead of a full plate of whatever they were eating.

Instead, Weston seemed to not only accept her just as she was, but honestly seemed to like it. His hands often lingered on her curves, caressing her softly in an appreciative way that a man couldn’t fake. It only made her feel more wanted, more content, to be with someone who accepted her without reservations. He had no desire to see her in a size two, something she had never been and never would be. She was comfortable with her size and it was good to be with someone who was just as pleased with her slightly full figured shape.

“This is incredible. I can’t believe you made it!” she said, pulling herself from her thoughts.

“What? You’re doubting my cooking skills?”

“No, of course not. It’s just so yummy. Where did you find time after work to make something so fabulous?”

“Okay. I confess. Beth made it and had Jacob drop it by as a gift. I didn’t make it at all,” he laughed.

“Ah, Beth. She and Jacob are fabulous cooks. Still, I’m shocked at your deceit!” she laughed.

“I know. I’m a bad, bad man. Want another slice?”

“Oh, no way. I am stuffed!”

“How about a nice glass of wine while we relax on the sofa then?”

“That sounds perfect,” she told him, getting up from the table to help him clear away the dishes. They loaded everything in the dish washer and then retreated to the living room with a bottle of red and two glasses. The night passed quietly after that, with the two of them curled up against one another as they talked about things they wanted to do in the coming year.

“I’d like to travel a bit over the holidays if you’re up for it. Do you have any time off from your work?” he asked.

“Yes. I’ve hardly taken a vacation for years. I have almost six weeks accrued, so plenty of available days to use up however I want.”

“Fantastic. Where do you want to go?”

“Maybe Paris. I’ve never been,” she said hopefully.

“Paris sounds perfect. We’ll start looking at flights and hotels, get a trip planned. I also want to go to Greece and Germany. Hopefully we can squeeze them all in while things are a bit slower. I tend to have more time around the holidays than the rest of the year. People are more focused on family than business.”

“We are pretty steady year round, but I have backups at work. They can fill in for any time that I’m away.”

“Good to know. We’re going to have a fantastic time. We’ll have to make a list of all the things we want to do there and plan it all out. I’m a hopeless planner.”

“I can live with that. There’s nothing worse than going somewhere and ending up missing half of the truly special places because you waste so much time trying to figure out where to go and what to do instead of actually doing it.”

“Exactly! You and I are so in tune with one another that it’s frightening. I’m so glad that I found you. I know it must seem quick how things have happened between us, but I’ve been holding back for days in saying what I really want to say every time I look at you. I love you, Mandy.”

Mandy smiled up at him happily and inched closer to him on the sofa, reaching up to caress his cheek with her hand for a moment before kissing him softly on the lips. She pulled away and looked up at him, fighting back the happy tears that threatened to rise up against her will.

“I love you, too.”

“That’s a relief,” he laughed.

Mandy nodded in agreement. Then the moment had passed and they settled back into conversation about places they’d like to travel together. Things they’d like to see. Finally, their conversation drifted away as they sipped their wine and became lost in one another again. They ended up making love on the sofa, too eager to even make it to the bedroom. Afterwards, they made their way to bed and curled up together, drifting off into a peaceful sleep in one another’s arms. The following morning, they each went off to work without an inkling as to what was to come before they could stop it.

“Wow, that looks fantastic on you!” he marveled two nights later, taking in her finished costume.

“Almost as great as yours looks on you,” she told him.

“We are going to nail this contest,” he told her.

“I think so too,” she replied.

The two of them headed out the door, making their way to the haunted park first, enjoying the way people fawned over their outfits. It was like having a review of them done before presenting them to the main judges. So far, everyone that had seen them was bowled over by their creativity. Once they were done there, they began making their way to The Restoration, eager to get signed up for the contest and enjoy their first Halloween night together.

“Little Red Riding Hood and Her Grandma?” the young man at the registration table asked as he looked up at them.

Weston smiled. “Something like that.”

“Okay. Judging will be at midnight on the dot. Just come up to the stage area and wait until we call you.”

“We’ll see you then,” Weston said happily.

They became lost in the crowd, singing and dancing until they were exhausted. Though there were several other Red Riding Hoods about, none were done quite as well as her costume and she and Weston had a little surprise in store for the crowd during their judging time on stage. It was sure to win them the grand prize.

“I have to go find the restroom,” she told him. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Okay sweetheart. I’ll be waiting for you to come back over the river and through the woods,” he laughed.

Mandy laughed and disappeared into the crowd. She made her way through the crowd and into the bathroom, where she had to wait in line for a bit before getting in. On the way out, she bumped into another red-caped party goer and apologized.

“Don’t apologize, Mandy. It was fate seeing you here,” Cameron replied, taking a step toward her.

Her head jerked up, taking in the way he glared at her from beneath the large red cape that was nearly identical to her own. Of course, she thought, he had bought it at the costume shop; she had seen it draped across his arm. Only his lacked the special touches she’d put on it. For the first time, she wondered if he had been watching her. Had he decided to wear a matching costume for some particular reason?

“What are you doing, Cameron? I have nothing to say to you,” she said, angry that he was even there and even more so if he had planned to be, though she wasn’t sure how he would have known.

“You wouldn’t answer my messages, so you left me no choice but to follow you here so we could talk.”

“Talk? We have nothing to talk about. There was a time when I wanted to talk to you, but you couldn’t be found anywhere. And you know what? I’m glad I couldn’t find you. I’ve moved on and now I know you were just a huge mistake. Now, leave me alone!”

“I’ll leave you alone when I decide I’m done with you, Mandy. You’re mine and always will be. How dare you come here with someone else,” he said angrily, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her toward a nearby exit.

“Stop it! Let me go, Cameron!” she hissed at him, trying to tear herself away from him, but he ignored her, dragging her toward the exit as she continued to protest. When he didn’t let her go, she screamed loudly, but the sound was lost in the middle of the crowded club full of people and the blaring of the loud music all around.

“You need to shut your ungrateful mouth,” he snapped at her as they stepped into the alley behind the club.

Mandy looked around hopefully for someone who had stepped out for fresh air or to smoke, but it was completely deserted. She continued to struggle to get free of him, but he wouldn’t let go. He yanked and pulled, dragging her down the alley toward his car and shoving her into it. She tried to scream, but he clamped a hand down over her mouth and shut the door behind them. Inside, he quickly strapped duct tape over her mouth and around her wrists and ankles.

“Now, you stay here and be a good little girl,” he told her. “I’m going to go back inside and give your boyfriend a nasty little surprise and then I’ll be back to take you home where you belong.”

Her eyes widened, realizing that Kellye had been right. He was completely off his rocker. She struggled violently, trying to free herself as he left the car and returned to the club. His windows were tinted black, so there was no way anyone could see her in here. Her only hope of escaping whatever he had planned was to get free and get to Weston before he did. It was almost midnight and she had no doubt he’d be looking for her. She could only hope he didn’t venture out of the safety of the club and into the dark alley where things could get ugly really fast.

Time seemed to move so slowly as she tried to get the metal of the door handle between her wrists. It was too dull to cut the tape, but she was hoping she might loosen it by twisting it sideways. Instead, it only seemed to make it tighter, cutting off her circulation. She grimaced, but kept trying, hoping to loosen it and get it off. Her heart was beating out of her chest as she worried more about what might happen to Weston even more than her own fate. She knew Cameron was fucked up, but she never considered that he was this far gone.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She had forgotten it was tucked into the black pants beneath her cape and wondered if it was Weston trying to find her. How could she get to it to call for help? She kept working at loosening her wrists. It was her only hope of getting out of this mess. Whether he just intended to scare her or do something far worse, she wasn’t sure, but she would prefer not to find out.

Her thoughts were disrupted by a ruckus coming from outside the car. She looked up to see Cameron, in wolf form, running toward the car. The large white stripe down the side of his face was unmistakable. Behind him was a large jet black wolf with huge yellow eyes bearing down on him fast. Was it Weston? She didn’t know what his wolf form looked like.

She watched as the two large wolves tore into one another viciously, tumbling around in circles in the middle of the alley directly in front of the car. It was hard to tell who would be victorious with the way they twisted back and forth, awful howls and growling filling the air around them. Looking beyond the dog fight unfolding in front of her, she noted that a large crowd had gathered behind them, watching and cheering them on.

Then, she watched as Cameron tore into Weston’s throat, slinging him back and forth with a horrible cracking sound before throwing him to the ground. The large black wolf lay there, not moving, as Cameron turned and began limping toward the car, his menacing green eyes seeming to pierce her even through the dark windows of the car.

“Oh, God. Get up, Weston. Please don’t be dead. Please get up,” she tried to say, her voice muffled by the tape, but he didn’t move. Instead, he jumped onto the hood of the car and howled loudly. The crowd behind him, having no idea that the animal they were dealing with was more than just tonight’s entertainment, cheered loudly and began filing back into the club.

Mandy closed her eyes, resigning herself to whatever horrors Cameron intended to bestow on her, and mourning the loss of Weston. Tears rolled down her face as she waited for him to change and get into the car, taking her away with him. Then, the air around her was shattered by what sounded like the scream of a woman. Her head snapped up just in time to see the large black wolf twist his head mightily to one side, tossing the limp carcass of what used to be Cameron down beside the car.

She watched as he quickly converted back to human form and opened her car door, pulling her out to one side of the seat. He slowly peeled the duct tape from her mouth and she couldn’t help but sob.

“Oh Weston!”

“Shh, shh, it’s okay, I’m here now.” He used his car keys to tear open the duct tape and peel it from her hands and feet. It hurt like hell. He stayed there with her, consoling her as she cried, while they waited for the police to arrive.

“I thought you were dead,” she told him.

“Not by a long shot,” he told her with a smile.

It took hours to explain what had happened to the police, who took statements from witnesses that had watched as Grandma had met Little Red Riding Hood on stage. At first, they had thought it was just part of the costume competition as Grandma morphed into a Big Bad Wolf right before their eyes, but then Little Red Riding Hood had done the same. It quickly escalated into a horrible fight before the two large beasts had gone running outside, chasing one another.

The crowd had abandoned the contest, chasing the two of them outside to see what happened next, thinking the fight was something that had been put on by the club for entertainment purposes. When it ended, they all filed back inside to continue their night of fun. Cameron had apparently not been aware that Weston was also a shifter when he had decided to take him on and refused to back down once he learned that he was. His demise was his own doing.

It took months to clear Weston of any wrong doing, but in the end, it was ruled self-defense. Though they had missed their planned holiday vacation, the two of them had only gotten closer since the night that Cameron had attempted to abduct her and kill Weston. Follow up interviews by the cops had revealed a man that was much sicker than she had ever realized. He was a classic sociopath, hiding it well until he finally crossed a line. She was lucky to be alive and probably wouldn’t be if not for Weston.

“I’m sorry that we haven’t been able to go anywhere with all my legal troubles,” Weston told her one night as they sat curled up listening to music.

“Oh, Weston. You don’t seriously think I’m worried about that do you? I wouldn’t even be here if not for you.”

“I was just looking forward to it and I know you were too. Instead, we’ve been stuck here until everything was over. Plus, there’s all the scrutiny now that everyone knows what I am.”

“I know. It’s been hard, but we’re getting through it. People seem to be more accepting of it than you expected.”

“Yes. There is that. It’s a relief really not to have to hide it anymore.”

“So, we’ll go to Paris some other time.”

“Well, I hear it is beautiful in the spring. I will find a way to squeeze in some time for us to go anyway.”

“That would be nice, but I completely understand if we can’t.”

“I know you do, but I really think we deserve a vacation after all of this.”

As it turned out, they did make it. On a warm spring day in April, the two of them boarded a plane bound for France, spending a week just taking in the city and enjoying the sites. Stepping into a small sweet shop as they walked down the street, the couple sat at a small table in back and ordered a small plate of mixed petit fours and wine.

“Look at the size of that French Poodle,” he marveled.

Mandy turned her head but saw nothing. Turning back to him, she found that he was kneeling beside the table, holding up what appeared to be a small cake toward her. He reached up and flipped open the top of the faux petit fours to display a large diamond ring.

“Will you marry me?” he asked, looking a little nervous as several onlookers watched with smiles on their faces.

“Yes. Of course, I’ll marry you!” she said happily as he pulled the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger.

They kissed as the crowd around them cheered loudly. Moments later, they stepped out into the sunlight again, a newly engaged couple. It was only the beginning for them as they began to plan the rest of their lives together. Though neither of them knew it at the time, they were already well on their way. A tiny seed inside Mandy was already growing into a baby who would become one of the most powerful wolf shifters in the history of the world.

THE END