The drive towards the location of the party was silent.
Nate was pondering about the pups' requests and their painfully low expectations from him. Lara was still shocked by the absence of any comment on her looks.
Not that it would have meant anything... She just wanted to be acknowledged as a young, pretty woman. Even if it was false, she wanted to hear it. Wasn't dating all about saying nice things to one another? Especially after long and tiring preparations.
Her fingers were clenching the skirt, almost wrinkling that silky and expensive fabric. Her eyes would peek at Nate from time to time, and her tongue tickled from the need to say something. To ask for a compliment.
She had never felt like that before. Not even with her stern and compliment-tipsy parents. Not from her friends in general. Not even from her cubs.
She hadn't needed a nice word before, and she was good with the truth. For some reason, with Nate, it was different.
«I haven't organised anything for after the party,» Nate said, interrupting that tedious silence. «I couldn't come up with a good idea, so I let it be. We can decide later together, right? Is there somewhere you'd like to go?»
«Nowhere in particular.»
«Then we'll come up with something when we're done. The only point is to be alone, right? I'd like to spend more time alone with you...»
He was a little mechanic with his words. His tone was weird as if saying he wanted to be with her was more difficult than staying silent.
«It's okay,» she sighed.
«After all, it's our date. We decide what to do. We can just take a walk.»
«You're too well dressed for a stroll in the park, Nate.»
Lara bit her lip, realising she had fallen prey to that temptation. She had complimented him just for the sake of probing his opinion about her outfit.
«Oh, right. I'm such an idiot!» he said. «You have high heels.»
«That's not a problem. I can walk on these shoes!»
She seemed a little offended, so Nate raised his brows. He parked - they were there, finally - and he turned to her.
«Are you okay? Is there something you're unhappy about?»
«No.»
«I feel like there's something I forgot, Lara. What is it?»
She bowed her head, hiding her expression. Too bad Nate was a man on a mission that night.
He had some left-over confidence he wanted to throw at Lara to show her how desirable he could be.
He unfastened the belt and bowed over, lifting her chin with a finger.
«A penny for your thoughts,» he whispered, an inch from her face.
Lara blinked a couple of times, confused by his proximity. She was teleported back to her worst teenage years, and her body broke in turmoil as she observed his lips first and then his eyes.
Was that an invitation to kiss her? She didn't know herself. She was supposed to keep the lipstick on for the duration of the party!
«Nate, we should go,» she tried, but he didn't let her flee just yet.
He leaned closer, his lips reached her ear. He nibbled her lobe, light and teasing. Only when her breathing skipped a pair of cycles, he let go and moved on her neck. The dress was on the way, so he just pecked her through the cloth.
«This dress makes me want to hide you away,» he whispered, revealing his heart.
She might have had the wrong impression. She might have been frightened after such a revelation.
He couldn't foresee where Lara's brain was going. She opened her mouth to say he didn't need to show her to anyone if he didn't want to if he felt ashamed.
But she didn't have time. His confession wasn't over.
«Just the thought that all the people at that party will look at you, see you so gorgeous... so sexy... Oh, that thought is killing me.»
«Wh-what?» she stuttered, taken back. Her knee pressed one against the other, and she straightened her back, trying to keep her mind clear. A sudden heat in her belly was spreading to the rest of her body. Nate was so straightforward... Too direct for her poor heart. And for her lewd body, apparently.
She inhaled abruptly when she remembered how wolves could feel scents. Nate could understand what was going on with her... Locking her legs together wasn't enough to hide it from him. She was aroused; she wanted his lips directly on her skin and not on an annoying piece of fabric.
That dress was awesome, but she hated it for a moment.
Thankfully, Nate retreated without teasing her anymore. His smile reassured her, even though it was obvious he noticed.
He seemed happy, though. He liked the fact that she reacted at his first caress? She blinked again, calming down.
She had to look presentable for the party.
«It's difficult for me, Lara,» he said. «I'm only thankful that, among that bunch of people, I was the first to see you today.»
He wanted to add something even more shameless, guided by her alluring scent. It screamed to him; it yelled that he needed to kiss her, to touch her and let her feel good.
But they were in a car, in front of a prestigious restaurant. They were supposed to walk out of there and meet people. He needed to calm his instincts.
«You are the first who saw me,» she confirmed, gulping to gather the courage to say something more. If he was smooth, she had to try being it as well. «And you will be the one seeing me in many other versions, Nate. In all my other versions. This is just one of those.»
It was a promise: they would stay together long enough to explore each other. Or, maybe, there was something sensual about her words?
Nate decided not to investigate. He could just believe in her and accept what she offered.
Next to her, he didn't need anything else.
«Shall we go?» he inquired, doing his best at containing that naughty smile.. Failing repeatedly, at that.
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