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“No point. I’ll just end up happily ever after with you.”

Laurence gave a cheer as though he were watching a basketball game, and laughter from all four of them filled the room.

Around ten thirty, Leslie walked Ryker out to his car.

“How am I doing?” she said. Of course his parents could hear her from inside, but she felt no need to keep her question from them.

“As I predicted, you’re amazing.”

Ryker wrapped one arm around her, pulled her close, and kissed her. Not for long, but he didn’t need more than a few seconds to make her toes curl. She leaned into him, her hands flat on his chest.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.

“Do you have to check in at work first? Because of that big case?”

“I might get a phone call or two throughout the day, but everyone knows I’m off on a long weekend. I was thinking tomorrow I could show you my gym.”

“I brought athletic clothes for climbing your rock wall.”

“It won’t measure up to your mountain. But it’s a lot of fun, and you’ll meet Tai. We spar.”

She leaned back to gape at him. “Spar? You mean fight?”

“Sure. He’s faster. I’m stronger.” He flashed a grin that looked every inch the predatory vampire. “It’s mostly a contest of who can pin who and get them to say uncle.”

He’d never mentioned this pastime before, but it fit seamlessly into the image she had of his friendship with Tai. “What about me? Do I get to spar?”

“Sure, if you want to. Have any experience?” The tilt of his eyebrow suggested he knew the answer.

“Not a bit,” she said, and he laughed.

“I’m not at the instructor level, but I can take you through the basics. I’ve never met a vampire that didn’t pick it up super-fast. It’s mostly about coordination and reading the other person’s moves before they make them.”

Sudden anticipation hummed through her. She wanted to test herself, wanted to experience the rush. She wouldn’t likely beat him unless he let her, and Ryker wasn’t likely to let her. But unlike her boyfriend, she didn’t love competition for its own sake. She wrapped one hand around his neck and pulled his head down to kiss him one final time tonight.

When the kiss ended, she said, “I’m looking forward to losing to you.”

He gave a low chuckle.

“But for real—it sounds like fun. And I’m definitely looking forward to meeting Tai. Is this one of Claire’s hangouts too?”

“Not so much,” he said. “As far as physical pastimes go, Claire would rather swim or ride a horse. Can I pick you up at six?”

“That depends. Will you promise to get a full night’s sleep after all the skipping you’ve been doing?”

“Hey, don’t talk like that. Mama’s got the best hearing in Virginia.”

“Easy solution: go to bed. And I’ll see you at six.”

Ryker was sliding behind the wheel when a sudden worry hit her. She needed to ask him without being overheard. “Can I have your phone for a second?”

A crinkle formed between his eyes as he handed it over. Leslie opened his Notes app and tapped a quick message, then held it out to him.

Do your parents know Tai’s secret?

Ryker shook his head. She typed some more.

I feel weird knowing about it without him knowing I know. But I don’t want to bring it up and make things awkward. To be fair to him, would you tell him before we meet tomorrow?