Page 77

"That song," she says softly. "Was it really for me?"

"Every word." I set my guitar down. "Did you like it?"

She crosses the room in three quick steps and throws her arms around my neck. "It was beautiful," she whispers against my ear.

I hold her close, breathing in her scent. "I wrote it the night we met. It just... poured out of me."

She pulls back to look at me, her hands still linked behind my neck. "No one's ever written a song for me before."

"Well, get used to it. I've got about ten more started."

She laughs, "You're something else, Axl Valentine."

"So, I've been told." I tuck a curl behind her ear. "Are you hungry? I've got dinner waiting for us back at my place."

"Your place?" She raises an eyebrow.

"My penthouse will be private."

She considers this for a moment, then nods. "Lead the way."

My penthouse takes up the top two floors of one of the city's most exclusive buildings. Its floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of the skyline, glittering like stars against the night sky. But the real showstopper is the rooftop terrace, where I've had dinner set up.

"This is incredible," Dahlia breathes as we step outside.

The terrace is lit with string lights, creating a warm glow over the table set for two. A bottle of champagne chills in an ice bucket, and covered dishes wait to be revealed.

"I figured we could use some peace and quiet," I say, pulling out her chair.

She sits, looking around in wonder. "It's perfect."

I pour champagne for both of us, then lift my glass. "To the brilliant Dr. Baldwin, the savior of shifters everywhere."

She clinks her glass against mine. "And to your new songs and new beginnings."

She sits between my legs, her back against my chest, and my arms are wrapped around her waist.

"Thank you for tonight," she says, her head resting on my shoulder. "I needed this more than I realized."

"Anytime." I press a kiss to her temple. "I'm always up for rescuing beautiful scientists from their laboratories."

She turns in my arms to face me, her eyes reflecting the string lights above us. "Is that what this was? A rescue mission?"

"Maybe." I brush my thumb across her lower lip. "Or maybe I just wanted you all to myself for a change."

"Are you jealous of the others?" She smiles, a teasing glint in her eye.

"Should I be?"

Instead of answering, she leans forward and presses her lips to mine. The kiss is soft at first, but it quickly deepens as her hands slide up my chest to my shoulders.

I pull her closer, one hand tangling in her curls as the other wraps around her waist. She shifts until she's straddling my lap, her dress riding up her thighs.

"I've been thinking about this," she murmurs against my lips. "About you."

"Yeah?" I slide my hands up her thighs, feeling her shiver at my touch. "What kind of thoughts?"

She rocks against me, the friction making me groan. "The kind that would make you blush."