fiddle with his erection. His member had grown a mind of its own and had only one thing in mind. But a nature reserve, which by all accounts, was a family place, was not the place to go full wolf on his mate.
“Let’s keep going,” he said, rearranging the backpack on his back. “We still have a little way to go before we get to our destination.”
“Do you come here often?”
“Oh, sure. It’s one of my favorite places in the city, even if it’s not technically in the city. I jog this path all the time.”
“You do?” her shock was comical.
“It takes skill.” Yeah, his wolf cut into his thoughts, like the skills to turn into a wolf. You couldn’t run this path without me, and you know it.
“I’ll say. Any other talents I should know about?”
Rush contemplated this for a second. “I don’t think so. What about you?”
“I turn slabs of fabric into pretty dresses. That is pretty much my superpower.”
“That is pretty amazing. If I wanted to get a suit designed, would you do it?”
Chantal shrugged. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about the colors that would look good on you. I was thinking a soft gray material with maybe a hint of lavender accents.”
“Purple,” he said. “I’m guessing that is your favorite color.”
“It is, yeah. When I was a kid, I fought my mom and dad to have my bedroom painted purple. They were scared I would get sick of it. But I didn’t. To this day, that room in their house is still purple.”
“I like that. A woman of conviction who knows what she wants.”
“Yup.”
Rush tried not to read too much into it when she slid her hand in his, but it was too late.
His heart was already hers.
After a twenty-minute hike through the nature reserve, they finally reached a clearing. The sun was just setting, and the forest was quieting down. It was a beautiful dusk, not too cold or too warm.
Rush pulled out a small blanket and laid it out onto the ground. He helped Chantal settle down before cuddling close to her. “The entire purpose of the hike was for this.” He pulled out a small cloth cooler and proceeded to set a small bottle of red wine, two sandwiches, crackers, and a few other things.
Chantal watched him, her mouth slightly agape, and her big hazel eyes blinking. “You packed us a picnic.”
“I did,” he said, handing her a glass of wine. “This is made of plastic, so the wine might taste funny, but I thought it was a nice touch.”
“It is—”
He stopped short, holding onto one sandwich. “I can’t read your face. Is that a good look?”
She swallowed hard. “Yes, I’m fine. This is just really thoughtful. I really thought you had just brought me here to walk around, which would have been lovely. Don’t get me wrong. I like spending time with you. But this? You made us our very own takeout.”
He smiled at her. “I like spending time with you, Chantal. In fact, I really, really like it. That is why I have to confess something to you.”
Chantal stiffened. “Okay—”
He was doing this wrong. Chantal was more stressed than anything; he could hear it in the beat of her heart. He reached over and took her hand in his. “You’re my mate, Chantal.”
She frowned. “Oh. You’re a shifter like Jeremy.”
He nodded but didn’t say anything else, fearing that she still needed time to process. It took a lot out of him to keep quiet. Chantal edged closer, interlocking their fingers.
“Shifters only have one mate, right? It is like a destined, fated, soul mate kind of thing?”
“That is exactly what it is.”
She looked down at their hands. “So, the night of the masquerade, when you saw me from across the room and got all turned around — You knew I was your mate?”
He nodded.
“That is why you worked to find me. Because—” finally, she looked up to meet his gaze. “Because I really am your Cinderella.”
A laugh tore out of him because she was so hopeful and so earnest. He bundled her up in his arms and held her close. “You really are my Cinderella.”
“I get it now. Why it is so damn hard to stay away from you when we’re close. It is because we’re mates.”
“Yes,” he said, running his lips against her temple.
“Oh, shit. So, you know Jeremy! Oh, shit, shit, shit. He always told me not to ever fall for a shifter, that you’re more trouble than you’re worth.”
“He said