Page 82 of The Mating Claim

“Uh huh,” he murmured absently. “I have no need ofshowering.”

“Must be nice. I went for a long swim in the Gulf, and then tried the pool after I showered off the salt, but all this relaxation is making me tired. You haven’t lifted your eyes from that book. Can’t you take abreak?”

He turned another page, trying to ignore the delicious scent of her threading through the air, teasing his senses. “If I take a break, I may miss something. Go upstairs and rest. Tonight, I thought we’d have dinner out around six o’clock. Your choice. Mytreat.”

“Wow that sounds terrific. Well, twist myarm.”

Now he did glance up in bemusement. She grinned, her teeth white against her tanned skin. “That’s an expression, wizard. I don’t need anypersuasion.”

“Cute.” But he didn’t mean her words. More like how she looked, glowing with health, her cheeks pink, her expressionradiant.

A simple suggestion of dinner out did that? Perhaps Tristan wasright.

Instead of usingher beaten car, he conjured the most extravagant vehicle he could think of, after using the internet Tristan had told himabout.

When Lacey emerged down the stairs at six, he could only stare. The white sundress with blue flowers that flared at the hips showed off her newly acquired tan. A purse with a chain link strap dangled from one shoulder. White strappy sandals accented her pretty feet. Her legs were long and sleek and he couldn’t help imagining them wrapped around his hips ashe…

Not going there. Notyet.

She took the hand he offered, blushing as he complimented her outfit. Had it really been that long since he’d escorted a woman on a realdate?

Nine hundred years. Damn, he felt rusty. Flowers, maybe. But not rightnow.

“You look amazing,” she told him, her gazebright.

Drust glanced down at the charcoal gray suit, the starched white shirt and the cobalt blue tie and polished loafers. “I thought I’d update my wardrobe, seeing it is the twentiethcentury.”

“Twenty-first.” Lacey laughed. “Don’t worry, as long as you don’t dress like you’re going to the disco, you’re instyle.”

“I leave the disco up to Xavier. He still remains behind thetimes.”

Outside, she stared once more, this time at the vehicle sitting in the driveway. “Um, we’re going in…that?”

His brows wrinkled. “Is it not a suitable means oftransportation?”

Drust looked at the private jet on wheels, fashioned from the body of a small corporate jet with tires to make it road worthy. “I saw it on theinternet.”

“Um, sure, but most people… wouldn’t have something so…extravagant.”

Drust studied the vehicle. “Truly? It is an airplane and you enjoy flying, but the restaurant you mentioned has no landing strip, so I thought this was a suitable alternative so we could drive and then park at therestaurant.”

Red suffused her face. “Um, it’s sweet, Drust. But alittle…”

“Much?”

Lacey put her thumb and forefinger apart an inch. “Just abit.”

“Ah. I do not want you uncomfortable on our dinner date.” He thought a moment, waved a hand and turned it into a sleek, but comfortable two-door red Jaguar. “How’sthat?”

She beamed. “Muchbetter.”

With a flourish, he opened the passenger door for her. Lacey climbed inside and then gave him a doubting look. “You know how todrive?”

“Of course.” He jingled the keys in his hands. “I am capable of many things, young dragon. I have manytalents.”

“Drust this is a car,” she told him as he climbed into the Jag and closed his door. “Not a horse and carriage. A sophisticatedcar.”

“Fear not.” He handed her the keys. “Tell the car where we aregoing.”