A Magical Shift: A Hot Paranormal Fantasy Saga with Witches, Werewolves, and Werebears (Weres and Witches of Silver Lake Book 1) (6 page)

He appreciated she was trying to be discreet in public by not saying the word
werewolf
. An Alpha having a non-werewolf mate might never have happened in the past, but if they were destined to be together, he didn’t mind being the first. “I honestly don’t care what people say since it’s none of their business.” Though as late as yesterday, he was in denial about the possibility.

“I agree.”

When Izzy folded her menu, he raised his hand for Molly. She came over, and they both ordered. “So what do you like to do for fun?” he asked, wanting to learn more about her.

“Fun? Practice my skills.” Her brows rose, clearly trying not to say anything that would tip off the rest of the human population about her extensive abilities.

“Anything else? Do you like to ride horses, bowl, watch movies, work out, or what?”

“Are you interviewing me for a job?”

Oh, shit. He hadn’t meant it to come off like that. “No. I guess I’m out of practice being around a beautiful woman.”
And one whose fragrance is driving me crazy.

The tension in her shoulders seemed to disappear. “Thank you, but I didn’t peg you as the shy kind.”

“It happens now and again.”
When I’m with someone who means a lot to me.
It seemed as if someone had lined his boots with lead. He was sinking faster and faster with each word—proof that he cared too much.

This is Izzy. Enjoy.

She leaned back in her seat. “Since you asked what I like to do for fun, I’ll give you the quick lowdown about me. Growing up, I always had the sense my parents expected great things from me. Taking time to run around with the regular kids was hard, because I was too excited to see what new things I could conquer.”

“You turned out okay.”

“Thank you, but I never really fit in. Being me could be daunting at times. I’d see someone struggling and want to help, but to do so would expose my powers.”

He’d never thought about how hard it would be to stand by helpless. At least if a fight broke out, he could lend a hand as a human. “That would be tough. I’d live in guilt.”

“I do sometimes.” She cleared her throat as if she didn’t want to speak about herself any more. “What about you?”

Compared to Izzy, his life was mundane. “I grew up like everyone else, except that I had a few extra talents.”

She smiled. “Like the ones that came in handy on the football field?”

He gave her an evil eye. “I’ll have you know that I pumped iron more than anyone on the team, though I won’t deny being a natural beast didn’t hurt.”

She chuckled, just as he’d intended. “I was only kidding, you know.”

Rye enjoyed teasing her back. “Uh huh.”

“In all seriousness,” she said, “Despite your normal upbringing, you did very well for yourself. Not many thirty-two year olds are asked to lead a large group of men and women.”

“I wish I could say I’ve earned the honor, but those things are handed down from one generation to the next.”

She shook her head. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your father wouldn’t have stepped down unless he was confident you were ready.”

He’d like to think so. “Maybe, but time will tell.”

His cousin waltzed up with the food and placed the first plate on the table. “Chicken for the lady and a hamburger for Rye. Bon appetite.” She grinned, spun around, and rushed off.

“Molly’s looking good,” Izzy said.

Rye wasn’t sure how to respond. Telling Izzy she looked better probably wouldn’t be welcome. “I think it’s because she’s happy. She likes working here, at least for now.”

They both dug into their meals. Halfway through, the front door opened and Rye glanced up, his senses reacting to the presence of a
Were
. Four people came in, but none were shifters he recognized, and he didn’t like it one bit.

“What is it?” Izzy asked, concern lacing her tone.

‡

R
ye looked Izzy
straight in the eye. “Nothing. I thought a friend had come in, but I was mistaken.” He smiled then dug into his meal with gusto, proving his earlier claim that he had been hungry.

She wasn’t sure she believed him. Twisting around to check it out, two of the men who entered were carrying some electronic equipment they then brought up on stage. “Are those the Lakewood Boys?” Izzy hadn’t seen them since high school.

Rye glanced up. “Sure are. They’re good too.”

“I remember enjoying them.” She hoped it wouldn’t become so loud that they couldn’t talk. Having been on her guard for the last four years, it was so nice to be able to relax and not have to worry if she slipped up.

Rye seemed intent on eating quickly, but she couldn’t tell if it was because he didn’t know what to say or if he couldn’t wait to show off his pool skills. She’d played the game perhaps three times in her life and was terrible, but hopefully, she could convince him to give her some pointers.

Normally, she wouldn’t have bothered asking him, as she doubted she would play again, but something about Rye made her want to be near him. And that voice! Holy crap, it was so deep and sexy, she could listen to him talk for hours. The only real issue was that he kept sending out mixed signals. At times, he exuded such control, especially when his protective side flared up, but every time she tossed him a smile, he looked away—and that confused her. He had seemed interested in her talent and not at all afraid of what she could do, yet something about her seemed to shove him off balance.

Regardless of how he acted around her, for the first time in her life Izzy was actually interested in him—as a man. She always figured she would end up with a Wendayan for obvious reasons, but she saw no reason not to branch out. It didn’t hurt that she loved the way he smelled, and just watching him move made her wonder what he would be like in bed. As for playing pool, if he were willing to help, having the hunky man draped over her wouldn’t be a hardship.

Wanting to get on with their date, she set down her utensils, and finished off her glass of liquid courage.

Rye looked up. “You finished?”

“Yes, but don’t let me stop you.”

He pushed his plate away. “Don’t want any more. You want to play some pool or would you rather go out for a walk? I’m good either way.”

No he wasn’t. He seemed to love pool and wanted to play, but she appreciated how concerned he was that she have a good time. One of the Lakewood Boys tapped the microphone, did a quick sound check, and then strummed his guitar. “Pool’s good, but go easy on me. I’m a newbie.”

He gave her a cheeky grin then slid out of the booth. “I have a feeling I’m going to get my ass handed to me.”

“Trust me, that won’t happen.” Not unless she redirected the air from the vent, which she’d never do in public.

With his hand on her back again, he led her past the bar into the back room, and that one gesture made her feel warm, safe, and rather turned on. What was it about Rye that had her pulse soaring? Perhaps it had been too long since she’d been with a man. When she was near him, all her feminine parts tingled, and she suspected she glowed a bit too, but hopefully nothing that was noticeable.

Two of the five tables were empty, and he walked up to the one near the far wall. “First we need to find you a cue stick,” he said.

She didn’t think it mattered which one she used, but apparently, he wanted her to have the best experience. Rye had her test out a couple, and because she was tall, she decided she preferred a longer stick. Izzy inwardly giggle. What woman didn’t like a big one? “This one’s good.”

While he arranged the balls, she watched some of the other players. Their power and accuracy impressed her. If only they’d been Wendayans, they might have been able to channel their talents into something quite helpful.

“I’ll break,” Rye said. “Unless you want the honors?”

She’d much rather watch his tight ass bend over the table than make a fool of herself anytime. “Have at it.” After taking aim, Rye pulled back the cue and then jammed it forward, his muscles flexing. The cue ball hit the stack and sent them scrambling. “Wow.”

He smiled then immediately refocused. This was a different side of the man—driven to succeed—and she liked that.

“Looks like I have stripes, so you get solids,” he said.

Because a few of his balls had fallen into the pockets, Rye took the next shot. After chalking his cue, he lined up his stick.
Smack. Pop. Drop
. Izzy clapped. “Nice job.”

“Thank you.” He studied his shots. With a light tap, the white ball hit a striped one, but the ball clipped the corner and bounced off. “Your turn.”

Izzy wasn’t normally giddy, but the challenge excited her. Perhaps there was more to pool than she had thought. “Hmm. Which one should I try for?”

“I thought you didn’t want to cheat.”

She opened her mouth. “It’s not cheating if I request some help.”

He grinned, acting as if he’d been waiting for her to ask. “Okay, then. Let’s try to sink the number three ball into this side pocket.”

She knew the fundamentals of angle of incident equaling angle of reflection—or something along that line—but that didn’t mean she could put the ball where she aimed. After walking around the table, she leaned over to take her shot.

“Wait,” Rye said. He came up behind her and slid his hands down to her wrists, his face inches from hers. His groin was snug against her ass, and it was clear she wasn’t the only one turned on.

She was tempted to turn her head and kiss him just to see his reaction, but of course, she wouldn’t. What she really wanted to do was grind herself against him and then have everyone in the bar disappear so they could make love on the pool table.

Stop fantasizing.
She couldn’t help it since him being so close messed with her entire electrical makeup. Izzy stood still, took a deep breath, and rotated her fingers on top of the cue stick. “Like this?”

He adjusted her hands. “More like this. Now choke up on the stick then aim right here, but don’t hit it too hard. You don’t want to sink the cue ball.”

Choke up. Aim here. Don’t hit it hard.
Sheesh. He’d be better off teaching her how to ride a motorcycle or something. “Okay. I got this.” Rye stepped back, but his presence was affecting her ability to concentrate. Trying to do as he instructed, she slid the stick back, and the end of the stick rammed into him.

“Whoa,” Rye said, as he whipped the cue stick right out of her hands.

She spun around, her gaze going straight between his legs. “Where did I hit you?”

“In the worst place possible.”

Oh, no. Heat raced up her face. The devil in her wanted to ask if she could rub it and make it better, but she didn’t want to scare the poor man away. “Sorry. Maybe you should stand on the other side.”

“Good idea.” He croaked out a response, but when he grinned, she figured he hadn’t been hit that hard. Rye handed her back the cue then moved across from her. “Give it your best shot.”

Wanting to make him proud after that fiasco, she closed her eyes to imagine the trajectory then struck the ball.
Click, clack, thunk.

“You did it!” Rye sounded truly happy for her. He trotted back her side of the table and slapped her palm in victory.

As much as she enjoyed the little celebration, what she really wanted to do was throw herself in his arms. After the ice between them was broken, they just had fun. Rye was great about helping her, but in the end, he sunk the black ball to end the game.

The music was going full blast, and while she enjoyed the tunes, a lot of people had come in and the place was becoming rather stuffy.

“You want to head back?” he asked, undoing the top button of his shirt.

“Sure. The noise is making it hard to talk.”

They put their cue sticks up, found Molly, and asked for the bill. “I’ll pay at the bar,” he told his cousin.

“Works for me. Just leave a big tip.”

Rye laughed. “Don’t I always?”

“I guess.” His cousin grinned. “I’ll see you around, Izzy.”

“For sure.” It was good to be back among old friends. Izzy had been only a year ahead of Molly in school, but they’d enjoyed many of the same activities during that time.

Rye waved down his brother Finn and paid his tab. “Let’s get out of here.”

Because a group was on the dance floor, Rye placed his hands on her waist and guided her outside. Once in the fresh air, she inhaled the sweet scent. “It was a bit stuffy in there.”

“It was.”

After he made sure she was safely strapped in his SUV, he took off toward Wendaya Cove. She tried to imagine what the next few minutes might bring—and what she wanted them to be like. Izzy was tempted to ask him inside for a drink, but if he turned her down, she’d be upset. It wouldn’t matter if he claimed he had Clan business to take care of. It would be best to let him take the lead. After all, he had asked her out.

The drive home seemed to take only seconds. Rye pulled into her driveway, and after he cut the engine, hope surged. He slipped out of the vehicle, and then came around and opened her door. While she was capable of opening it herself, she was a bit old fashioned and appreciated the chivalry.