Starlight Web (Moonshadow Bay #1) - Yasmine Galenorn Page 0,26

robe had come loose and it was hanging wide open. The wolf and mouse had gotten a glimpse of me in all my naked, jiggling glory—jiggling, thanks to my boobs and thighs. While I was fairly proportioned for my size and had an hourglass figure, there was plenty of me to go around.

“Well, I hope the critters enjoyed seeing my hoo-ha,” I muttered. But the scene kept playing out in my head and I couldn’t help but feel that somehow there was something odd about the wolf. He felt familiar, as though I’d seen him before.

But my thoughts were cut short as I caught sight of the clock.

“Oh hell, I’ll be late!”

I had to get dressed and out the door if I was going to make it to work on time. I dashed upstairs and quickly changed into jeans and a warm tank top, over which I threw a lace overshirt. I buckled a silver belt around my waist and pulled on knee-high leather boots with nonskid soles, and then brushed my hair back into a thick ponytail. My hair was so long and full that if I didn’t pull it back into a ponytail, it would be falling into my face all day long.

I grabbed my purse, made sure I had my wallet, phone, and keys, and headed out front to my car. I was about to unlock the door when I heard a “Hello!” from Killian’s driveway. I turned to see him leaning against his car, snow shovel in hand.

“Hey,” I said, waving.

“Morning,” he said. He was grinning, a light dancing in his eyes, and it struck me once again how handsome he was. “You want me to shovel your walk? I’m about to do mine and I don’t mind.”

I glanced back at the walkway to my house. It was a mess. “Thanks, that would be wonderful.” I paused, remembering what Ari had said about the Winter Cotillion. While I wasn’t ready to ask him to that, I said, “Hey, Killian…the Winter Carnival’s going on this weekend. Most of the town shows up. Would you like…” I froze, suddenly tongue-tied. I’d been married for eighteen years and even though I was glad to be free of Ellison, I had no clue of how to actually ask a man out. But Killian saved me from my shyness.

“I’d love to go with you—if that’s what you were asking,” he said, again flashing me the dancing smile.

“Wonderful! Thanks.”

“Where are you off to so early?” He straightened his shoulders, shaking the snow out of his hair.

“I got that job I interviewed for! I’m headed in to my first day of work. Thanks again, about the carnival and shoveling my walk, I mean. I’ll see you later.” I scrambled into my car, stopping only a moment to text Ari that I had asked Killian to the carnival and that he had said yes. Feeling like forty going on fourteen, I eased into the street and headed for Conjure Ink.

I stopped for coffee and a sausage muffin and still managed to arrive at work at eight sharp, only to find the others already there.

“Am I late?” I asked as I walked in.

“No,” Tad said. “Hank and I were here early, talking to a new client. We’re taking on a case, though I’m not sure what we’ll be able to do about this one. Caitlin arrived just before you did. I’ll be sending you out to do some fieldwork as soon as she finishes her preliminary research, but for the moment why don’t you get yourself situated at your desk.” He pointed to two other doors. “That’s the supply closet and archives room. The other’s the bathroom. Feel free to stock your desk from the supplies. Also, Caitlin will get you set up on your computer with a password and access codes. If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a few calls.” Abruptly, he headed back to his desk.

Caitlin and Hank were discussing something. I felt left out, even though I knew it was just one of those awkward beginnings to any situation where you came in as the outsider and weren’t sure what to do.

I took off my coat and hung it on the coat rack, then glanced in the desk drawers. Completely empty. I headed toward the supply closet, only to find I had mixed up the doors and I was staring into the bathroom. I noticed a shower in there, as well as five lockers. There were names on four of