Page 68 of Stripe Theory

Alora opened her door and promptly forgot how to breathe. Rehan filled her doorway in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit, hisusual intensity softened by the warmth in his amber eyes as he took her in.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured, stepping close to brush a kiss across her lips.

“You clean up pretty well yourself.” She smoothed her hands over his lapels, enjoying the solid strength beneath expensive fabric. “Though I still don’t know where we’re going...”

His smile held a hint of mischief. “Trust me?”

“Always.” The word emerged without hesitation, surprising them both with its simple truth.

The town car waiting outside whisked them through Manhattan’s evening traffic. Alora’s curiosity peaked as they approached the Museum of Natural History, but instead of the main entrance, Rehan guided her to a side door where an elderly gentleman waited.

“Dr. Sky, Mr. Kedi.” The man’s eyes twinkled. “Everything’s prepared as requested. Take all the time you need.”

Alora’s scientific mind clicked into gear as they entered the darkened museum. “Wait, is this about the new big cat exhibit? But it doesn’t open to the public for another week.”

“Being a major donor has its privileges.” Rehan’s hand settled warm against her lower back as they walked. “I thought you might enjoy a private preview. Especially since you missed the staff preview while saving the world last week.”

Emotion threatened to close her throat. He had remembered her excitement about the exhibit weeks ago before everything with Leeta had exploded. More than that, he had found a way to combine her love of science with an intimate date.

The exhibition space took her breath away. State-of-the-art displays showcased the evolution and biology of big cats with special emphasis on tigers. Interactive exhibits demonstrated hunting patterns, social behaviors, and conservation efforts.

“This is amazing!” She dragged Rehan from display to display, her enthusiasm making him chuckle. “Look at these genetic markers. And the skeletal comparison studies. Oh! Did you know that tigers-”

“Have specialized vocal cords that let them produce infrasound?” he finished, watching her with obvious affection. “I might have done some research.”

She turned to face him fully, heart swelling. “You studied tiger biology? For me?”

His hands settled on her waist, drawing her closer. “I wanted to understand both sides of your world. The science and the shifter aspects.” His smile turned sheepish. “Though I may have alarmed my assistant by leaving research papers on tiger mating habits open on my laptop.”

Alora couldn’t help laughing. “Poor Hunter probably thought you were finally cracking under pressure.” She lifted onto her toes to kiss him softly. “Thank you. This is perfect.”

They spent the next hour exploring, their conversation flowing easily between scientific discussion and personal stories. Rehan described his first shift - how he had gotten so excited, he accidentally turned into a tiger cub in the middle of a board meeting. Alora countered with the tale of her first chemistry experiment, which had turned her entire family green for a week.

“In my defense,” she argued as they settled onto a bench facing a magnificent tiger skeleton, “the molecular structure suggested the reaction would be completely different. How was I supposed to know it would stain skin?”

“Your poor parents. Though it explains why my mother was so concerned when she heard you had access to our labs.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know I haven’t accidentally dyed anyone interesting colors in at least six months.”

His laugh echoed through the empty museum as he pulled her closer. “Remind me to keep you away from the chemical storage when you’re angry with me.”

The next part of Rehan’s surprise turned out to be dinner - not at some fancy restaurant, but a private meal set up in the museum’s planetarium. Stars wheeled overhead as they shared stories of their childhoods between bites of perfectly prepared food.

“Wait.” Alora nearly choked on her wine. “You actually climbed the Empire State Building? In tiger form?”

“I was seventeen and trying to impress a girl.” Rehan’s ears reddened slightly. “My father was not amused by the headlines.”

“‘Mysterious Big Cat Spotted on Landmark’ - I remember that story. That was you?” She dissolved into giggles. “And here I thought I was the only one with embarrassing teenage stories.”

“Oh?” His eyebrow arched. “Do tell, Dr. Sky.”

“Well...” She traced the rim of her wine glass. “I may have once tried to prove shapeshifting was scientifically possible by building a molecular restructuring device in my garage. The resulting explosion took out three walls and turned my sister’s hair pink for a month.”

“And now you’re mated to a shifter. Life has a sense of humor.”

FIFTY-THREE

The casual mention of their mating sent warmth curling through Alora’s chest. Everything about this evening felt magical - the private museum tour, dinner under the stars, the way Rehan kept finding excuses to touch her.

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