Page 17

“Yeah,” he said. “I guess I was lucky they had rooms free.” It had been an extremely last-minute booking, of course, done in a hurry on his way to Girdwood Springs – the fact that there had been anywhere at all available was a small wonder, but getting this place was nothing short of a miracle.

“Is it just as gorgeous inside?” Chloe was still staring in wide-eyed wonder as they walked up to the front porch and the massive oaken door.

“I… think so?” Ethan frowned. He’d been tired enough when he’d arrived that he’d collected his key from where it had been left for him, and then fallen right into bed.

To be honest, he was surprised he’d even remembered his room had its own garden – but he had a great memory for things he’d read, and it had been there on the website when he’d booked the place.

As it turned out, he was totally correct, though – the foyer at least was stunning , with antique chairs, a soaring ceiling, and worn timber floors decked out in plush rugs.

A huge vase of flowers – dahlias, lilies, and others, even more brightly-colored, that Ethan couldn’t identify – that had obviously been picked from the B&B’s gardens sat on the solid marble reception desk, infusing the air with their delicate scent.

“This is… well, this is pretty… wow… ” Chloe murmured. “I thought stuff like this only existed in interior design magazines.”

“My room’s just down this way,” Ethan said.

He hadn’t really paid much attention to it before – he’d just fallen into bed so he could wake up as early as possible to get this ghost ordeal over with.

But even if he had been paying attention, now, with Chloe by his side, everything seemed…

better somehow, more full of life, as if he’d been viewing the world in black and white before, and now, suddenly, his vision had gained color.

Chloe turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “I gotta say,” she said, as she followed him down a long hallway, “this definitely is the most creative way a man has ever tried to get me to come back to his hotel room with him.”

Ethan glanced at her, as his pegasus stomped its hooves in anger.

Tell her that’s not what this is! it cried in distress. Tell her we would never behave so dishonorably! Tell her we will transform right here in the middle of the hall if she so desires it!

“I – I really don’t want you to think that’s why I suggested it,” Ethan said in a rush. “It’s not like that – but I’m sure you can imagine that just turning into a pegasus in the middle of the diner –”

“You really are going to do that then, huh?” Chloe eyed him skeptically, then shrugged.

“You know what, sure. I’ll play along for now.

After the performance with Margot the witch and Curtis the ghost, I’m curious about it.

Margot just burned some herbs and said some words, that’s easy enough to fake.

Curtis I’m a little more confused about, but I’m sure experts could make it seem like a ghost appeared out of nowhere.

But turning into a pegasus? Do that in front of me and I might just start believing all of this is real. ”

Ethan’s heart sank a little at her hard tone, but then, he reminded himself, it was better this way. Chloe needed proof – she was a doctor, after all. He’d much rather have a mate who was strong-willed and spoke her mind.

In fact, it’s actually kind of sexy.

Ethan frowned, pausing as he turned the key in the lock to his room. He hadn’t really thought much about what kinds of things made a woman sexy before. But now, that could pretty much be boiled down to one thing: Chloe.

Everything about her was intoxicating.

What had he been missing out on all these years?

But I have to remember, she hasn’t accepted our mate bond yet, he warned himself. And I can’t say yet what kind of impression I’ve made on her.

You’ve been an ass so far, his pegasus helpfully piped up. You must impress her, or our precious mate will slip through our fingers!

Ethan swallowed heavily. Little as he liked to admit it, the pegasus was right. He’d been nothing but awkward and stiff since he’d met Chloe. He had to up his game.

Somehow.

“This is my room,” he said, pushing the door open.

Clearly, no expense had been spared here either, though he’d had to take the only room the B&B had had available, which had also been the most expensive.

He could see why, though – the bed was a massive four-post affair, draped in green velvet, while the rug on the hardwood floor was a deep red.

There were more flowers here too, on the large stone mantlepiece over a glazed tile fireplace – he was pretty sure they’d been there last night, but they showed no signs of wilting.

“This is amazing,” Chloe said as she looked around. “Seriously. I guess even little mountain towns need luxury.”

“I think it’s quite new,” Ethan said. “It’s only been here a couple of years, according to their website. The husband and wife who own it completely refurbished it. There were lots of interviews with the wife in architectural magazines – I looked them up.”

He had, too – just part of being thorough. He didn’t like the unknown.

Which was why, perhaps, he felt so at sea with Chloe. The last thing he’d expected was to meet his mate. That seemed like the ultimate unknown – how to woo her, impress her, to make her want to stay by his side for the rest of their lives.

“Well, they did an amazing job.” Chloe shook her head. Her eyes strayed to the enormous bed for a moment, before snapping back to him. “But that’s not why we’re here. Come on – if you really are a pegasus, show me.”

Ethan nodded. “This way.”

He opened the glass doors from the main room, which led out to the small private garden.

A little deck with table and chairs – For enjoying romantic breakfasts the morning after we seal our bond with our mate, his pegasus said, completely unnecessarily – was settled on the edge of a truly lush garden.

Another brilliantly red-leafed maple tree grew in the corner, surrounded by ferns and mossy rocks, little wildflowers strewn between them.

It was exactly the sort of place he would love to spend lazy mornings with Chloe, eating, talking, drinking coffee, taking it easy before, maybe, slipping back between the sheets of their bed…

Since when have I ever wanted to take it easy? Ethan thought to himself. Lazy mornings? I have work! I can’t show Father I’m fit to take over the company from him if I’m… drinking coffee!! And what kind of mate would I be if I didn’t work hard to provide for Chloe?

But try as he might, the image wouldn’t leave him. His chest ached – could that really be the kind of thing that Chloe might like? That he might like?

“I – I should stand over here,” Ethan said abruptly, forcing himself to think clearly again. “I need a little space. And remember, Chloe – no matter what, I’m still me. Even if I look different.”

“Well, okay,” Chloe said, a little dubiously. She sat down on one of the chairs on the deck, crossing her arms. This was not off to a promising start. “Go ahead then. Transform before my very eyes!”

Despite the mild sarcasm in her tone, Ethan nodded. He moved to stand in the center of the garden, making sure he had plenty of space. And then he closed his eyes, drawing his pegasus forward.

He may not have shifted all that often, and only on a very strict schedule, but shifting was just like riding a bike – no shifter ever forgot how to do it once they learned.

And now, Ethan had no trouble at all changing his form.

A shiver of heat ran through him as he shifted.

He could feel his arms and legs growing longer, his wings sprouting from his back and sweeping up into the space above him.

His senses became sharper – his hearing, eyesight and perception all becoming enhanced as his shifter senses took over.

Finally, he stood in the garden on four legs, his golden hooves sinking into the moss and ferns of the garden, his massive white wings stretched out above him. A pegasus.

Despite the fact this was exactly what he’d come here to do, Ethan found himself almost anxious to look over at Chloe – how would she react? Would she still think this was some kind of trick? Or would she run screaming, thinking he was some kind of monster?

How could she think we were a monster?! his pegasus demanded. We are magnificent!

Now that it was dominant, it swung its head toward where Chloe sat – well, not sat , since she was now standing up as if she’d jumped to her feet in surprise, her mouth and eyes both wide open.

She’d had her arms crossed over her chest before, but now they were dangling by her sides, as if she’d forgotten about them.

Does she believe me now? Ethan wondered. Surely, she can’t think this is some kind of trick…

Chloe closed her eyes, seemed to count to ten, and then opened them again.

“I…” she started to say, then trailed off. “I… okay. Uh. I don’t know what to say.”

Say you accept us as your mate! his pegasus cried out, though what actually left its lips was a very insistent-sounding whicker. Say you will be ours – just as we will be yours!

“I guess I really didn’t expect that you were actually going to turn into a pegasus,” she continued, a little shakily.

“Not that I really thought you were lying! It’s just…

everything since I got here has seemed so…

so…” She shook her head. “Well, you have to admit, ghosts and witches and pegasi – wouldn’t you be a little skeptical?

Or maybe not. You know. Since you are a pegasus… ”

The pegasus let out a little snort, which Ethan hoped sounded comforting – that was how the pegasus had meant it, after all. It didn’t blame Chloe for wanting to see proof. She had had to deal with a lot today. She really was taking all this remarkably well.

“Um. Can I… I mean, would it be all right to…” Chloe trailed off, looking a little sheepish. But she quickly gathered her resolve. “Would it be okay to… touch you?”