Page 47 of Wedding the Werepanther

“This gives Dewdrop a place he can call his own.” I pat the trunk, my hand “accidentally” brushing hers. Then I drop my voice into a seductive purr. “It also gives you the chance to have more… private time.”

Her cheeks turn bright pink, and her heartbeat speeds. The sweetest of scents perfumes the air with musk and woman and something indescribably Kayla.

My nostrils flare, and I suppress my instinctive possessive growl as my erection twitches to life.

Soon my long stalk will come to an end, and I’ll win the courtship game. My witchy beauty will be mine.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Kayla

By the time date night arrives, I’m jittery with excitement.

I’ve spent the last couple of days working non-stop. A part of me recognizes I’m trying to get ahead of schedule so I can throw my completed project in Topher’s face early. Just thinking about that asshat made me wear one of my favorite tees for two days in a row:Fueled by caffeine and spite.

But there’s more to it than that. The trip to Faerie lit a fire under my creativity, and the ideas just keep popping. If the last five years of being a game designer have taught me anything, it’s that you gotta grab hold of those sweet ideas while you can.

When my phone chimes that it’s time for me to get ready, I log in to the Buffy Guild and hit up my gaming besties for one last bit of reassurance.

AmethystAssassin:The date’s tonight! Wish me luck.

Ipwnedurass:girl, you don’t need luck. you got this

Xena4Eva:You picked really good games for a newb.

AmethystAssassin:What if he doesn’t like it?

I haven’t told them what’s really happening between me and Shadow, so they think this is a regular date. First off, how the hell do you tell someone you’re under a magical marriage contract forced on you by your house, which you made sentient? Secondly, I’m not sure the town’s protection spell would let them remember what I said, anyway. Or would it change the words I type into something boring and un-magical so they never even read the weird?

Ipwnedurass:then you dump his ass. (kidding)

Xena4Eva:If he’s not a gamer, is that a deal breaker?

I pause, fingers hovering over the keyboard. WhatdoI want to happen tonight? If Shadow likes video games, then that transforms him from Guy Who’s Unbearably Hot into Guy Who’s FlippingPerfect.

Do I want that?

Things will be a helluva lot easier if he hates gaming.

With a sigh, I type the truth. I’m letting the Witch Bitches see more of the real me, and I want to do the same with my gaming besties.

AmethystAssassin:I don’t know.

That’s hard to admit. I like being thought of as capable, as the one who always has an answer.

Xena4Eva:If things get awkward, you can always stop and watch a movie.

Ipwnedurass:what she said

Their replies are nothing but supportive, and I let out the breath I’d been holding. I can do this. I can let people I trust in, be more open and vulnerable, morereal. My besties love video games as much as I do. They’re not going to ostracize me like my parents.

The doorbell rings, and I yell out, “I’ll get it!”

AmethystAssassin:Gotta go. Thanks!

As I near the front door, Victoria throws it open for me.

A large group of pixies hovers above the front stoop, a net bag holding two pizza boxes dangling below them. They drop the boxes into my hands with a loud cry of “Pizza!”