Page 15 of Protected Promise

A shiver of awareness shot through me as I slowly looked up. The large hands were followed by impossibly bulging biceps and broad shoulders. Even with the suit he wore, I could imagine the taut ridges of muscles across his chest and torso.

Looking up I was met by a pair of dark gray eyes the color of steel. There was so much in those eyes that I knew I could get lost for days.

“Are you okay?” a deep, husky voice asked me.

Somehow, I managed to nod as my throat went dry.

I was vaguely aware of Tobi and Jackson waltzing by us.

“You’re supposed to dance when you find her,” Tobi told the man holding me in his big strong arms.

“I know,” he said, sounding just as frustrated as I felt.

I couldn’t make out all of his face with the stupid mask on, but I could tell he was handsome. Maybe the hottest guy I’d ever seen in real life.

“Are you okay to dance?” he asked.

I nodded again, knowing my voice would betray me if I dared try and speak.

I was hot all over and the hair on the back of my neck stood up, but not in a bad way. There was nothing inside me warning me away from this man. Instead, there was desperate need to get even closer to him.

Mate,my wolf echoed what I already knew.

When we reached the middle of the dance floor, the music switched to a slow song. He smiled down at me and pulled me into his arms as we began to sway to the music.

My head was pressed against his chest. There wasn’t even an inch of space between us. I could feel every part of him against every part of me.

Much to my shock, I loved everything I felt and craved more.

As the song came to an end much too quickly, he seemed hesitant to let me go. My own thoughts of fleeing were long gone. I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to walk away from this mysterious man.

“Kait, there you are,” Kian said.

It took a moment for his words to sink in as they pierced through the magic bubble I’d been held captive in.

“Hey,” I said without even looking at my friend.

“I see you found your match,” he said with a hint of displeasure in his tone.

“I did,” I managed to say as I slowly pried myself away from my dance partner.

“Kian,” he said to the stranger.

“Landon,” he replied.

Landon. I caught myself mid-sigh.

What was happening to me?

I had seen several of my friends find their true mates, fall madly in love, and go on to live happily ever after. Is this how they felt in the beginning?

I thought back. No, that wasn’t possible. Maybe the confusion part, but this ridiculous lust for a complete stranger?

My body warmed again when his hand rested on the small of my back. I should have been furious at the small gesture of proprietorship, but I did nothing to correct the situation. Kian noticed too, the surprise evident on his face.

“So, you think you can dance?” he asked Landon.

I had no idea what he was getting at.