Cecily woke with the sun streaming through the bedroom window. A pattern of light from the slatted blinds formed along the wide-planked floor and she studied the winking design, listening to Chase puttering in the kitchen.

Scents of coffee and cinnamon drifted through the open bedroom door, and she smiled, stretching. Her inner cat purred at the feel of taut muscles, and the soreness in her legs and between her thighs. Chase made her legs shake and her body boneless. Two weeks. That’s all it had been since that rainy day in Boston when he asked her to go with him to Vegas. Somehow it seemed like a year. In a good way.

Lifting her arm over her head, she smiled to herself.

“Now what could possibly put a secret smile like that on your lips this morning, hmmm?” he asked from the bedroom doorway. He leaned on the doorjamb, steaming cup of coffee in hand.

“You know very well what,” she replied, sitting up with a wince.

“That, I do. Still, it’s nice to know I made an impact.”

“Impact? Boy, I’m lucky if I’ll be able to sit, let alone walk!”

He chuckled. “That’s too bad. It’s a beautiful day, so I thought we’d go for a hike.”

Cecily groaned, slumping down. “You might have thought of that before you turned my muscles to mush.”

“I haven’t heard any complaints, until now.” He sat on the side of the bed and pulled the covers down past her chin. Kissing her quickly, he nipped her bottom lip.

“That’s because I can’t think straight when you’re naked.”

He kissed her again, chuckling. “The feeling is definitely mutual, love. Okay then, no hiking today. What about a trip into town? The bonfire is tomorrow evening and we can’t go empty-handed, regardless of what our hosts say. It’s not how I was brought up.”

“We can have lunch somewhere cute in Cross Creek, and then shop for something to bring to the gathering. Wine, or maybe I can talk you into showing off your culinary skills,” Cecily said with a wink.

The covers dropped to her waist revealing her bare breasts. Chase’s hand skimmed her ribs to cup the soft flesh, his thumb flicking her nipple. “Since your mind is on food, how about breakfast in bed?”

“Not quite the set of skills I had in mind.”

“Really? That’s not what your hard nips are telling me.”

She met his darkening eyes with a sexy half smile. “You’re insatiable. You sure you’re not a wolf or something?”

“The better to eat you with, my dear,” he replied, slipping the covers the rest of the way down.

“This town is too cute! Did you know Cross Creek was an old mining town back in the day? Tourism is its main export now, especially for people who want to try their hand at prospecting.” Cecily showed Chase an ad for prospect camping in the travel guide.

“I know,” he replied. “A lot of people come to try their luck at panning for gold. When we stopped for gas, I met a guy who says people stake claims on the mountain to dig for gemstones, as well. Mostly turquoise and aquamarine. Some people even do it for a living.”

“Wasn’t there a show on television about that?”

He nodded. “Gold Rush or something or other.” Opening a paper bag, he took out a French cruller and held it out to her lips. “Take a bite.”

With a grin, Cecily wrapped her hand around his and licked the end of the long donut, swirling the tip of her tongue over the sugared rim.

“You are such a fucking tease.” He pulled the donut back, kissing the sugar on her lips.

With a soft laugh, she tucked herself under his arm. This was heaven. Or at least as close to it as she’d ever been.

“Penny for your thoughts,” he said, plopping a piece of the donut in his mouth before holding the rest out for her.

She took the donut and bit the soft sweetness as they walked. Chewing, she sighed.

“Okay, now I have to know what’s going on in that pretty head.”

Cecily glanced up at him. “Nothing’s going on inside my head. That’s just it. For the first time in my life I am completely at ease. Relaxed. I want to be nowhere else but here,” she paused, “with you.”

He kissed the side of her head. “Good. My plan’s working, then.”

“Oh, so this was all part of your plan for what? To seduce me into a puddle and then make me never want to leave?”

Chase stopped, turning her in his arms. “Something like that.”

Her eyes met his, and locked. “If that’s true, then it’s working. If you asked me to move into our enchanted cottage on the mountain and stay forever, right now my answer would be a big, fat yes.”

“What about the wedding reception to end all receptions? Your dream since you were little?”

“Yeah…I forgot about that.”

He laughed out loud. “And there she is.” He kissed her mouth, picking her up in the process. “And I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Cecily’s heart squeezed, and she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was where happy lived, and it didn’t matter if it was Cross Creek or Boston, New York or on the moon. It was Chase.

The skin at the back of her neck prickled, interrupting the poignant moment. Her inner cat chuffed, pacing suddenly. Cecily cocked her head for a moment and then scanned the street.

“What’s wrong? Is it what I said?” Chase asked, concerned.

Cecily shook her head. “No, I loved what you said. It meant the world to me.”

“Then what?” he asked, letting her down gently.

She lifted her chin and inhaled. “I’m not sure. There’s something strange in the air. Whatever it is, it’s hiding beneath the scent of pine and ordinary town dust.”

“I don’t smell anything,” he replied, wrinkling his nose.

She shook her head. “It’s not a scent. Not a physical one, anyway.” Whatever this was, it set her cat on edge. Something was brewing. But what? Inhaling again, she looked for anything that remotely smacked of Jackson or his mother. But the air was clear.

“Cecy, you’re starting to scare me. What is it?” Chase took hold of her shoulders, turning her to face him.

“It’s nothing, or maybe it’s something. This is visceral. A vibe. I can’t explain it any better than that. The puma side of me senses danger, but not danger. Just a stirring of…of,” she lifted a hand in frustration, “possibilities.”

“Possibilities for what? Is it Jackson?”

She shook her head again. “That’s just it. There isn’t a trace of him or anyone connected to him.” Cecily exhaled. “Maybe it’s my imagination. I’m not used to being so happy. My subconscious is probably conjuring things to make me feel as though the other shoe is about to drop.” She didn’t believe that, though. A shifter’s dual nature didn’t send up flares for no reason.

Chase slipped his arm around her shoulder. “Come on, you,” he said, steering her across the street toward the Cross Creek Restaurant and Bake Shoppe. “My mother always said good food and good company were the recipe for contentment.”

“Like Chicken Soup for the Soul?”

“Same concept, but for my mother it was mangú served with los tres golpes, the three strikes,” he replied. “Ripe plantains with butter, almost like mashed potatoes, but topped with red onions and a little oil and vinegar. It’s served with the tres golpes—eggs, salami and fried white cheese, all fried together. It sounds like a heart attack on a plate, but it is so good.”

A pang of regret bit into Cecily’s stomach at Chase’s obvious nostalgia for his family. Something she never had. “You know. For such a tough guy, you really are a marshmallow.”

“Maybe. Like I said, my mother was Dominican, but my father was from Spain. I like to think I got the best of both. Latin sexiness, with a dash of European class and all-American determination.” He winked.

She laughed, feeling her unexplained apprehension lift a bit. “And let’s not forget, modest, too.”

“Hey, no one’s perfect.”

Inhaling, she smiled to herself. Latin sexy? That was an understatement.

He held the door to the restaurant open, and she slipped from under his arm to enter first.

“Everyone here says this place is the best in town. I know there’s not much else to base that against, but they baked the cruller you made into oral pornography, so let’s see what they’ve got on the lunch menu for the tease queen.”

She chuckled, but her inner cat chuffed again, and this time it wouldn’t let go. From the doorway she caught a glimpse of a couple in an approaching pickup truck. They watched her and Chase as they passed, and in that moment, Cecily pivoted under Chase’s arm back out onto the sidewalk. Their eyes made contact for a split second, and her inner cat hissed. Her mouth went dry, taken back by the intensity of her puma’s reaction.

So much for the other shoe dropping.

“Do you know those people?” His gaze followed hers as the truck passed.

“No.” Cecily’s eyes watched the truck as it turned out of sight. “But my cat seemed to, and she’s not happy.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never had a reaction like that to total strangers.”

“Maybe it was just a coincidence. Like you said,” Chase offered. “Could you remember what they look like, just in case?”

Cecily nodded.

“Okay, then. If your puma sends up more red flags, we’ll deal with it. In the meantime, we can’t hunt down a random pickup truck because of a gut feeling, right?”

She glanced down the empty street. “I guess.”

“Your dual-natured warning has been duly noted. Let’s grab some lunch and then take a ride up the mountain. There’s a particular view I’d love you to see.”

“You’re all about gratification, aren’t you?” She laughed.

“When I’m with you? Definitely.”