Page 8 of Touched By Moonlight

Shrugging, I stepped back even more. A few minutes more of that and I would have climaxed. From a kiss! I was a fool. Orgasm meant possible loss of control of my body and magick, especially in a place like this surrounded byshifters.

“Gotta get back to the bar before Cass looks for me,” Imuttered.

Not even turning to see if he followed, or went into the men’s room to have a happy session with his hand to finish what we’d started, I almost ran to the bar. Once there, I pulled out a cold pop and swigged it down, rolling the bottle over my sweating forehead. Cass gave me an odd look, but left mealone.

A tingle rushed down my spine as Grayson returned to the bar, slid back on his stool. Judging from the bulge in his jeans, he hadn’t ventured near the men’sroom.

He was as frustrated asme.

I helped Cass fill orders, fetched Grayson a beer, even though he didn’t request one. I sensed he neededit.

Cass gave me a sympathetic look as things slowed down. “Go take your dinnerbreak.”

As I left the bar, Stephan waved me over as Nicolas stared into his beer. I walked over, glad for a reprieve. Needed dinner, anyway. My stomach grumbled, reminding me to take advantage of the free food Dante offeredstaff.

I liked Stephan. He always put me at ease, while Grayson made me tense in a differentway.

Nicolas, though. He barely glanced atme.

“Pull up a chair.” This from gregarious Stephan. He looked cheerful. If he had a tail right now, it would be wagging. “How are you,Sienna?”

“Fine.” I perched on the chair’s edge. “You guys need anything? I have to make sure my best customers are happy. HiNick.”

Nicolas nodded. The dark, brooding type who seldom talked. Not even when I call him a name no one elsedoes.

“You’re the only one who gets away with calling him Nick,” Stephanobserved.

A little pleased, I shrugged. “If you didn’t like it, Nick, then I’d count on you to be square with me and let me know. Do you likeit?”

The challenge in my words finally made him sit up and look straight at me. Nicolas had sensitive brown eyes, but his expression was hard. “Maybe. If I heard you screaming it in bed, I’d like it a hell of alot.”

A flush warmed my face. Stephan looked interested. “Sienna, you’reblushing.”

“Warm in here,” Imuttered.

A waitress came over, pad in hand. “Sienna hon, what do you want fordinner?”

“Twenty chicken tenders with barbecue sauce,” I toldher.

She nodded and scurriedaway.

“Twenty tenders?” Stephan leaned forward. “Girl, you must behungry.”

Too embarrassed to admit it was my only meal since yesterday, I shrugged. “I always share. I hate to eatalone.”

Stephan tensed and murmured something about not being hungry. He refused to meet my gaze. Now it was his turn toblush.

Nicolas shook his head. “We ate already,” he said, glanced at Stephan. “Brought down a nice big deer before cominghere.”

Stephan seemed to relax a little. “Yeah.”

“Well, if you change your mind, there’s plenty,” I told them both, puzzled by Stephan’s reaction. Did he have something against friedchicken?

The waitress came back with my tenders and a bottle of water. Dante always made sure our favorite foods were served as quick as possible to get us back to work, and keep usfed.

Between bites of chicken tenders, I chatted with Stephan about movies he’d seen recently. He was his usual animated self, but kept studying my food, practically salivating. Sensing his hunger, I pushed the platecloser.

Immediately he tensed up. “I hate bar food,” he muttered, gulping down hisbeer.