He rested his head on top of her leg, the weight substantial.

“This is unreal,” she whispered.

A low, rumbling noise vibrated out of him. The sound jolted through her, tripping a response in her that was as primal as the sound he’d just made. A longing filled her. For what, exactly, she couldn’t say, but part of her felt a little sad that this wasn’t something she could ever be part of.

“You’re so beautiful.” She smoothed her hand down his head and ran her fingers over the muscles of his back. Power seemed to thrum within him. “I wish I could know what it feels like to be such a magnificent creature.”

He opened his eyes, snorted softly, then backed up. A shimmer of magic, a second of time, and Alex stood before her again. Human, except for the lingering gold gleam in his eyes. “I wish you could too.”

“Thank you for showing me that side of you.”

“Of course. Anytime.” He glanced at the window into the kitchen. “I’m sure it’s time for dinner. Are you ready to go in?”

She got the sense she’d said or done something to make him uncomfortable. She hoped that wasn’t the case, but after the last three days without him, she didn’t have the energy to dig into it. She lifted her phone. “Let me send a quick text to Delaney and I’ll be right in. You might want to fix your shirt. It’s on backwards. I noticed it before but we were sort of busy.”

He looked down, then pulled the shirt off, giving her an up close view of his incredible body. She sighed loudly, unable to help herself.

He got the shirt on the right way and looked at her. “Everything okay?”

She smiled. After days of no Alex, this was Alex overload. In a good way. Mostly. It was just a little awkward ogling him with his mother in the other room. “Everything’s fine. I mean, it’s not that that I didn’t enjoy that, but there’s just so much a girl can take. I am only human, you know.”

His smile faltered for a split second. “I’ll, uh, see you inside then.”

“Okay.” As she texted Delaney about meeting the next day, Roxy couldn’t help but wonder if Alex was disappointed that she wasn’t a shifter too, or if it was something more. Was there some kind of shifter law about humans and shifters interacting? Or being involved? Or maybe something else that might be required of her now that she knew his secret?

Could be a vow of secrecy that she’d have to take. A meeting with the pack? Pride? Clan? Whatever his group was called. Her writer’s brain spun out a thousand different scenarios. Would she have to swear some kind of blood oath? Make a sacrifice? Perform a ritual? Hmm. Could humans and panther shifters mate? And if they did, would she have a baby? Or a litter of kittens? Her phone chimed, and she jumped.

Delaney had responded. They were on for tomorrow.

Roxy took a breath and stuck her phone back in her purse. She picked up her glass of sangria and headed inside. Maybe just for tonight, she could stop letting her brain get the best of her and let her heart do the thinking.

Because her heart wanted more time with Alex. Whatever the consequences.

Three hours later, Alex walked Roxy to her door. She was a little tipsy, perfectly full, and abundantly happy. After the last three days she’d just had, she’d needed a night like tonight. She was in a state of pure bliss, and a very welcome one at that. She started to reach for her house keys, then stopped, wanting more than anything to keep him at her side a little longer. She turned to face him. “You want to come in?”

Gold flared in his eyes. He put a hand on the door behind her and leaned in. “Yes. But my mother’s here.”

“I know.” She wanted to touch him. Again. And with the sangria in her system, there was nothing to stop her. She reached up and trailed a finger down his chest. Too bad he was wearing a shirt now. “But I’m not ready for tonight to end.”

He bent a little and brushed his mouth across the line of her jaw. “Neither am I. But all things considered, rushing the next step might not be the best idea. As much as it kills me to say that.”

She laughed softly, but the scrape of his teeth on her skin turned the laugh into a sigh. “Then you should probably stop doing that.”

“Okay.” His hands went to her hips, pulling her in for a long, slow kiss that took her already-Zen mood to a new level.

Desire wound through her in languid spirals, curling around her limbs in a warm, easy way that caused all other thoughts to leave her head except one. She wanted Alex. Plain and simple.

“You make me crazy,” he whispered against her mouth.

Her hands lifted and her fingers threaded into his hair. A real live shifter. And he wanted her just as much as she wanted him. “Better you than me,” she whispered back.

He laughed softly, breaking the kiss, but not the contact of his hands on her body. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I should get back. If I leave my mother alone in my house too long, she starts rearranging things.”

“I understand.” She stared up at him, taking him in. Now that she knew what he really was, so much about him made sense. She could see the panther in him, in his eyes, the lines of his face, the graceful movements of his body. She’d seen it before, even decided he’d make a great big cat shifter hero, but to know that’s actually what he was…was amazing. “How long will she be here?”

“Not sure. But if she doesn’t go home tomorrow, you can anticipate another dinner invite. Or maybe we’ll all go out to eat. That might be good. Just don’t make plans, because she’ll expect you to be there.”