Dire Wolf Mates - Chapter 83: Chapter 83

Was there anything about this man that was unattractive? He was too good to be true.
“Phoenix Tala, are you some kind of angel walking on earth? I mean, you are just too good to be true.”
“I’m no angel, Tracey.”
“Well, you’re not just a man either. You’re too kind, too hot, and you even offered to take me for a ride on your bike after dinner.”
“All my pleasure.”
“How can you say that?”
“Easy. I get to be with you,” he told her, and damn, her heart started pounding in earnest.
“This has been some day,” she told him, exhaling as she tried to find her nerve.
Phoenix linked their hands again and pulled her through the sparse crowd. His shoulder brushed against hers, and tingles raced down her spine.
“How do you mean?” he asked once she was beside him again.
“For one thing, I ran away from home—yes, at my age, that is still possible. Then, I jumped in an Uber and traveled to Maccon City with no hotel reservations during peak season and almost wound up sleeping on the beach. Next, I went skinny dipping in the ocean with you, as it turned out. And now, here I am, insulting the sexiest man I ever saw and still getting him to take me to dinner.”
“You’ve been busy, beautiful.”
“Yeah, you can say that again. My whole life has gone upside down. Strangest. Day. Ever.”
His glittering aquamarine eyes sparkled down at her, and she felt his attention down to her toes. He really seemed interested, and that, in itself, was amazing and awesome. Even more amazing, Tracey was enjoying herself. She’d embarrassed herself a dozen times or more, but he was still there, so maybe she was doing something right, after all.
“You know, if you want to talk about it, I’m here for you, beautiful.”
“You really are too good to be true. Are you sure someone didn’t hire you to be nice to me?” She wondered aloud, biting her lip when his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“What? Woman, I don’t know who you’ve been hanging with, but it is a privilege to be anywhere near you, and if it takes forever and a day, I’m gonna make it my job to make sure you believe that,” Phoenix stated, narrowing his eyebrows.
Tracey stared, wide eyed. No one talked like that. At least not to her. Her pulse was racing as long-forgotten parts of her woke up with interest. When was the last time a man’s gaze had made her feel so feminine and desired?
Never. Never ever ever.
But standing on the semi crowded sidewalk with this man, well, Tracey felt every bit the siren he seemed to think she was. It was a good feeling—a very good feeling.
Tracey did not want it to end. Could she trust it, though? That was the real question.
“Come on, beautiful, let’s get some food and beer, or wine, if you prefer. We can chat or just enjoy the silence. Whatever you like.”
“Okay, just answer me one question. Why did you ask me to go out to dinner with you?”
“Tracey, you seem to be operating under some false belief that you aren’t the most spectacular fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Let me clarify exactly how I feel about you right now.”
He tugged on her hand, pulling her flush against his body. They were both still damp, smelling of sea salt and summer. Tracey’s pulse raced, and even more amazing was the fact she could feel his own heartbeat pounding like a runaway train inside his chest. He dipped his head and brushed his lips against hers.
Holy crap.
The whisper of a kiss was so soft, so light, so full of promise—she felt it down to the soles of her bare feet. He brushed his mouth against hers, once, twice, and the third time, well, that really was the charm. He crushed his mouth to hers, one hand cupping her neck as he pushed past her semi-closed lips and delved inside her mouth with his long, hot tongue. Phoenix blew her mind with that kiss. She couldn’t think or move. For several long seconds after he pulled away, Tracey remained breathing heavily. She still stood pressed against him, eyes half-closed, mouth throbbing from his passionate kiss.
“You believe me now?” he asked, his voice impossibly deep.
“Whoa.”
“Yeah, whoa. If you hadn’t agreed to come with me when I asked, I planned to ask you again tomorrow. And the day after that, and so on. I meant it, Tracey. I wanna get to know you,” he said and brushed her hair back with his hands, dropping another soulful kiss onto her ready and waiting lips.
“Now, I know you’re too good to be true,” she whispered, and reached up on tiptoe to kiss him back quickly before she ran out of courage.
“Nope. Just honest. You got me wild for you, Tracey Donner,” Phoenix growled against her mouth, deepening the kiss for a moment before pulling back.
She shook her head and tried to come up with something clever to say. There simply were not words for how she felt about this man.
“I think you are trying to seduce me,” she blurted, half hopeful it was the truth.
His deep chuckle reached her ears, and Tracey blinked rapidly. Had she said that aloud?
Double crap.
The feel of his callused finger beneath her chin as he gently tilted her head upwards had her opening her eyes. Phoenix Tala was staring down at her from his incredible height, and damn, the man was potent this close.
Her whole body seemed to tremble and wait for him to do whatever it was he was about to do. She couldn’t have made a bigger ass of herself if she’d tried, but he was still there. And God help her, Tracey wanted to know why.
“If it will help you to know what I am planning, beautiful, let me spell it out for you. First, I can hear your stomach growling, and I need to feed you—call it a biological imperative to see to your needs, if you like. Second, I plan to share that meal in your very delightful company. And third, I have every intention of seducing you, Tracey.”
“What?”
“Come on, the restaurant is right here.”