Trust the Moon Read online

  “I’m not just here because I’m horny and looking for a good time, Gena. I’ve been thinking about you nonstop since my birthday, and I want to know who you are. Or did you just let me stick around tonight because you’re horny?”

  “If I wanted sex, I wouldn’t have been hanging around here on my own, now would I?”

  “So you do want more than sex from me?”

  Her lips pressed together, her nostrils flaring. Her body was poised for flight, so much so it was hard not to tighten his hold on her.

  “I don’t really know you well enough to answer that.”

  She didn’t sound unkind, but the words stung all the same. They were dismissive. As though the next sentence might be “And I don’t want to.” The night they met, he had walked away without pushing her, feeling like it wasn’t his place to demand more of her time or company than she was willing to give. But he was not going to meekly let her push him out of her life.

  “Then let’s fix that. Come to Delta. Let me take you on a date.”

  “A date. You’re serious about that?”

  “As a heart attack.” Dylan’s pulse jumped. It wasn’t a yes, but she hadn’t told him to fuck off, either. “You up to it?”

  She stared at him blankly. “What would we do?”

  “We’d have a nice dinner. I think there’s something to be said about sitting in a comfortable restaurant, eating the best food, drinking the best wine. Every Saturday night, there are shows in the park. I think there’s a concert this week, but if you don’t want to listen to that music, we can go to the movies. And in between all that, we can talk. And I guess if we don’t have anything to talk about, that answers my question.”

  Despite his earlier optimism, he feared she’d shoot him down. She wasn’t smiling, and her eyes were still dark with indecision. He didn’t regret asking her, but he’d regret all of the lost potential if she told him to leave.

  She moistened her lower lip. “I like to dance. Do you think we could do that?”

  The thought of seeing her lithe body moving to a driving beat made him a little too eager. “We could dance. And if you don’t like any of the clubs in Delta, we’ll drive until you find one you do like. Even if that means we have to go all the way to Vegas.”

  Her mouth twitched. Her good humor was returning. “Flying would be faster, you know.”

  “But then we’d have to show up naked. And then we’ll never make it to a dance club.”

  “Oh, I bet we could find some kind of club in Vegas where clothes were optional.” Gena shifted closer against his chest, burying her nose into his skin as she closed her eyes. “It’s a good thing you’re legal now, though I bet people will still stare because I’m older than you.”

  “If anybody stares, it’s because they’re wondering what a goofball like me is doing with a hottie like you.”

  “Am I going to find out why it is you think you’re such a goofball on this date? Because I just see a gorgeous guy who’s ballsy as hell.”

  The compliment warmed him and banished his earlier fears. If he wanted a real shot with her, he needed to find a way to set himself apart from other men. “I guess I better make my confession now. I can’t dance. I have two left feet.”

  Her head shot up, as did her eyebrows. “Any guy who can fuck like you do can dance. It’s all about rhythm. You just need the right partner to show you.” A slow smile curved her mouth. “Good thing for you, I happen to be a great dancer.”

  “That’s a very good thing for me. Just consider me your willing student.”

  “So when are we doing this? Tonight?”

  The question wasn’t laced with eagerness. Unless she was eager to get something unpleasant over with. But he smiled, anyway. “It’s pretty late now. We won’t have a chance for a proper date. Come to Delta on Saturday afternoon. I’ll be the guy standing out in my yard, breathlessly watching for your arrival.”

  “All right. Saturday it is.”

  “Saturday,” Dylan repeated, sealing the promise with a kiss.

  Chapter Three

  This was not a good idea.

  Gena fidgeted with the hem of her blouse yet again, tugging it down and smoothing it over her flat stomach as she stood on the corner of Dylan’s street. She knew she looked good, but she wasn’t ready to walk down to the third house on the left and knock on his front door. Like she was some kind of high school girl. Like she was one of them. She’d left Delta for a reason.

  Her feet refused to budge. They refused to turn around and carry her back home. They knew what that small voice in the back of her head knew, that there was something different about Dylan, something pure. A spark of sheer joy she’d witnessed in their run the night of his birthday. She hadn’t been entirely pleased that he’d tracked down her lair, but even then, when he’d looked at her like she was something special, like she was some fantastic riddle he needed to solve, she’d seen the glimmer.

  Besides, she liked to dance. And he promised her dinner. She’d be stupid to turn down a free meal with a hot guy.

  She took a deep breath and resumed walking. Good idea or not, she was doing it.

  It turned out he hadn’t been lying when he said he would be the guy waiting for her. Only, he wasn’t standing on his lawn. He sat sideways on a long rocker, a laptop resting on his knees. Even from a distance, she could tell he wasn’t really paying attention to the computer screen. His eyes were on the street, his gaze tracking her progress as she approached his tidy yard. When she turned up the walk, he snapped the laptop closed and jumped to his feet.

  He looked amazing. A dark blue shirt tucked into black trousers complimented his eyes, and the cut of his attire reminded her why she thought he’d been worth a second glance in the first place. His broad shoulders tapered down to narrow hips, the fabric draping almost elegantly over his long limbs. The clothes might deceive the casual onlooker, but Gena knew—and appreciated—the muscular body beneath them.

  “You found me,” Dylan greeted.

  “I found you.” She smoothed her hands over her jeans, suddenly worried she wasn’t dressed for what he had in mind. “What did I interrupt?”

  “Nothing. I was just pretending to be casual. Do you want to come in for anything? A drink?”

  “That depends. You’re not taking me someplace that doesn’t serve alcohol, are you?”

  “No. I just thought you might want to freshen up or something, since you’ve had a long walk.”

  His thoughtful gesture shouldn’t have stunned her, but it did. She smiled for the first time since walking up, slow and sincere, and closed the distance between them. Looping her arms over his shoulders, she said, “Do you think I need to freshen up?”

  “No.” His arm snuck around her waist. “But I do think that I need to kiss you once before we go.”

  Her smile deepened. “Kissing doesn’t usually stop at one with us. Not that I have a problem with staying in for the night.”

  Dylan kissed the corner of her mouth, almost tenderly. “I do. Not that I wouldn’t love to stay in with you, but I promised you dinner and dancing. And I intend to keep my word.”

  Gena was reluctant to let him go, but when she pulled back, he caught her hand instead. She looked down at their entwined fingers. Such a simple gesture. She could break the contact without even trying. He probably wouldn’t even put up too much of a fuss if she did.

  She didn’t. A small, secret part of her wanted to enjoy it as long as she could.

  “So where are we going? I’m not going to stick out like a sore thumb, am I?”

  “Not at all. Why would…?” He glanced down at himself and smiled sheepishly. “Oh, this? I go overboard trying to look presentable when I want to impress somebody. Anyway, the restaurant is just in the center of town. We can walk, if you want.”

  “Yeah, I’d like that.”

  She let him lead the way, though she knew Delta as well as she knew the surrounding desert. Something warm bubbled low in her gut. He wanted to impress her. No
t only that, he was open about it. In fact, as near as she could tell, Dylan was an open book who didn’t have a disingenuous bone in his body. A few days ago, she’d thought him cute, but not much more than that. Now, she had more evidence that maybe Dylan was different from other humans.

  “I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Casa Bonita. The woman who owns it and does all the cooking is from Mexico, and I’ve never eaten anything so good in my life. It gets a little bit crowded on Saturday nights, but I thought since you don’t come into town often, you might appreciate getting the best food possible within city limits.”

  She loved Mexican food, but those weren’t the words that stuck out. A little bit crowded. Lots of people. Here in Delta. It was different to go partying at tiny clubs with bodies packed wall to wall. There was anonymity there. Too much skin, not enough light. This restaurant wouldn’t be like that.

  Gena turned her head to tell Dylan to pick something else, but only got as far as opening her mouth. The hopeful gleam in his blue eyes stifled her argument. He wanted this. He wanted to give her this. And the way he looked at her made her feel she could do anything. Even face a room full of shifters who refused to be true to their animal selves.

  She took a deep breath and squashed her slight nerves. “Is that new? I don’t remember it from when I lived here.”

  “Fairly new. Luz moved here about four years ago. She doesn’t talk too much about Mexico, but I think she fled to Delta because her town basically kicked out all the shifters. Even people who were just accused of being shifters.”

  Gena scowled. “That’s what happens when you try to live with normals. I don’t blame her for getting out.”

  “I don’t think she wanted to get out,” Dylan said softly. “I think she wasn’t given a choice.”

  “But why would anyone want to live where they don’t fit in?”

  “Well, she grew up there. Her friends are there. Her church is there. I think she even had a restaurant there. Those sorts of connections…they’re difficult for some people to break free from. Especially if it’s by force, not by choice.”

  “If they’d been real friends, they would’ve stood with her. Supported her.”

  “Yes, they should have. Maybe they did. I don’t think we’ll ever find out what really happened to her. But, at least she’s happy here. Stuffing gringos with her tamales and huevos rancheros.”

  Gena didn’t like this turn in the conversation, but thankfully, Dylan’s shift back to the food helped dispel some of her encroaching mood. Nothing infuriated her more than people being two-faced. It was one of the reasons she preferred them when they were shifted. Animals were far easier to understand.

  She cast a glance sideways, assessing Dylan’s trim but muscular body. “You must not eat there very often,” she teased, desperate to get rid of the somber topic. “Or you exercise nonstop to work it off.”

  Dylan snorted. “Actually, I do eat there a lot, and I never exercise. Except when I go out for runs. I am just blessed with very good genes.”

  “So no sex marathons with other girls?” She squeezed his hand. “Lucky me.”

  Dylan grinned down at her. “You don’t want me to see any other girls?”

  “Not if it means I don’t get to fuck you whenever I want.”

  “I wouldn’t want to accidentally double-book myself. I guess I’ll just have to make sure that nobody is blocking your access to me.”

  “Or I claw her eyes out when I want to see you. That works too.”

  Dylan tilted his head. “No, I don’t think I’m worth that level of violence.”

  “I think you’re underestimating just how good the sex is.”

  “You’re not just saying that because you had a dry spell, are you?”

  It was Gena’s turn to tilt her head, her expression softening in spite of herself. “I haven’t accepted an offer for a date in over five years. And never from anyone from Delta. What do you think?”

  “Well, I guess the sex must have been good enough to earn a date. I have to admit, I hope I’m good enough to earn a second one.”

  His confession startled her. “You’re thinking about a second date already?”

  “No, I’m thinking about earning a second date.”

  Her laughter rang out. On a whim, she leaned her head against his shoulder. “I like the way you think sometimes.”

  “I’m glad. I like the way you think too. And, incidentally, the way you look in those pants.” They reached the corner and he guided her to the left, leading her towards the center of Delta. A few cars sped past them, and music and lights were already spilling from several of the doors ahead. “I don’t see a line in front of Casa Bonita. We might not have to wait.”

  Though she had spent the first fifteen years of her life in Delta, sometimes it still felt like wandering through Never-NeverLand when she returned. Human faces wherever she turned, hiding their secrets, pretending to be things they were not. When some young men honked and waved to Dylan from a passing car, prompting him to smile and wave in return, she had to fight not to flinch.

  Get it together, girl. You’re better than this.

  Dylan kept her hand tucked lightly into his when they reached the restaurant. As he opened the door for her, the pungent scent of cumin made her stomach rumble.

  “God, that smells good,” she said without thinking.

  “It tastes even better,” Dylan promised her.

  “Hey there, stranger.” Gena tensed, but realized that the young waitress was addressing Dylan. “Where have you been? We’ve missed you.”

  Dylan smiled. “I’ve missed you guys too, but I’ve been busy.”

  “Are you going to come out next weekend? You’re the best shortstop we have.”

  “I hope to.”

  “Just the two of you, tonight?”

  “Yep.”

  The waitress looked Gena over from head to toe and then back again. Gena pulled herself a little straighter, her eyes narrowed.

  “Right this way, then.”

  Gena followed Dylan to a corner booth, sliding into its sanctuary as soon as he released her hand. “Water,” she said when the waitress asked for the drink orders, and tried not to glare at the girl when she flashed a smile at Dylan before leaving. “Doesn’t it bug you?”

  “Doesn’t what bug me?”

  “How everyone is in everybody else’s business.”

  “Diana isn’t in my business. She just wanted to know if I was going to play softball next week.” Dylan shrugged. “She has a right to know, since she’s in charge of keeping the teams together.”

  That made a little bit of sense, though it didn’t lessen Gena’s irritation with the girl. “And I guess checking out their best shortstop’s date falls into that category too, right?”

  “I don’t blame her for that, either. After all, she’s not the prettiest girl in the room, anymore. She probably feels threatened.”

  His words prompted her to glance back at the waitress again. Gena hadn’t even really noticed how pretty the other girl was, too wrapped up in her own anxieties to think past her initial reactions. When she turned back to face Dylan, he was regarding her with that soft, easy smile of his, his eyes bright and appreciative. She immediately felt a little ridiculous and even more petty.

  “Sorry.” Apologies usually stuck in her throat, but this one came out with ease. “That’s a neat trick of yours, though.”

  “What trick?”

  “Always saying just the right thing. Do you have some secret shifter ability that I don’t know about?”

  “Like, the secret ability to shift into the perfect guy?” Dylan shook his head. “No. Maybe I just know you.”

  “Oh, really?” Leaning back in the booth, Gena stretched her legs beneath the table until their knees grazed, their feet nudging against the other’s. Her pulse jumped at the simple contact. “Then I guess there’s no need for the getting-to-know-you portion of the date. We can get straight to the good stuff as soon as we eat.”
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br />   “Not straight to the good stuff. Luz would probably turn the hose on us if we did that here. Which means I can get to know more about you before we eat, and while we wait for the bill, and on the walk home.”

  “That better be your home, then, because that’s a hell of a lot shorter walk.”

  “That’s what I intended. But you don’t really want to miss out on teaching me how to dance, do you?”

  A slow smile spread over her face. “Maybe that was what I meant by the good stuff.”

  Dylan returned her smile. “I guess I’m not much of a gentleman with my mind always in the gutter.”

  “Nah, my mind went there too.”

  Diana returned with the drinks, and hovered in wait for their food orders. Gena picked up the menu and scanned it over, but her thoughts were still a little too scattered to focus. “Why don’t you order for me? You know what’s good here.”

  “Sure. We’ll start with the hongos al ajillo, then we’ll have the Pablano plate and…what’s the special?”

  “The enchiladas rancheras.”

  “Then one of those too.”

  Her stomach growled again as Diana took the menus away. “I hope you’re not impressed by girls who don’t eat. Because I think you’re going to have to fight me for some of that food.”

  He chuckled. “I ordered a lot of food. All that is going to come out on huge platters. I hope you don’t mind if it’s a bit hot? I figured you might like things a bit spicy.”

  “Spicy is good.” On a whim, she rubbed the side of her foot along his calf. She couldn’t really feel anything through the short boot she wore, but it was enough to see his eyes darken slightly at the physical contact. More than enough. “This date thing isn’t turning out too bad so far.”

  “It’s going pretty good from where I’m sitting. I have to admit, I was a little worried you’d change your mind.”

  She debated her response for only a moment. “I almost did.”

  “What stopped you?”

  “I didn’t want to look like a coward.”

  “For the record, you could have gone with, ‘You’re so attractive and amazing that I couldn’t stand the thought of being away from you for another night.’” The grin never left Dylan’s face. “Just in case the question comes up again.”