Page 26 of Enchanting the Alpha

Romi felt her cheeks warm. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble...”

“Nonsense,” Neve waved off her protest. “The café is covered - Thane and Clover insisted. And the community could benefit from seeing their leaders taking time to nurture their... connection.”

“Very subtle,” Xabir said dryly, but Romi noticed he was already reaching for one of the backpacks.

“Subtlety is overrated,” Felix declared. “Now go enjoy your totally-not-planned romantic evening while we pretend we had nothing to do with it. And maybe, if we’re lucky, you’ll finally resolve some of this sexual tension that’s driving the whole town crazy.”

“Felix!” Romi hissed, mortified.

“Again, I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking.”

As they setoff down the trail, Romi couldn’t help laughing at the obvious matchmaking. “They’re not exactly being stealthy about it, are they?”

“About as stealthy as your blushes whenever I’m near,” Xabir replied, his hand finding hers as they walked. The nearest lantern burst into golden light, illuminating their path with a warm glow.

“Says the alpha who keeps finding excuses to work from my café.” She squeezed his hand, enjoying the way his fingers interlaced with hers perfectly.

“I like the atmosphere,” he said, echoing her earlier excuse with a knowing smile.

“Just the atmosphere?”

He stopped walking, turning to face her. The moonlight caught his features, softening his usual stern expression. “No,” he admitted quietly. “Not just the atmosphere.”

Her heart fluttered as he stepped closer, one hand coming up to cup her cheek. “Xabir...”

“I’ve been trying to take things slow,” he murmured, his thumb tracing her jawline. “Be respectful. But you make it very difficult.”

“How so?”

“You have no idea what you do to me, do you?” His other hand settled on her waist, drawing her closer. “How distracting you are, especially when you’re focused on your work, that little crease between your eyebrows when you’re concentrating on a complicated brew.”

She caught her breath as his fingers tangled in her hair. “That explains why you’re always at the café instead of your office.”

“Among other reasons.” His eyes dropped to her lips again, and this time there was no other to interrupt.

When he finally kissed her, it felt like coming home. She melted into him, savoring the way his arms tightened around her, the soft sound he made when she pressed closer.

They eventually continued their walk, talking about everything and nothing - his latest hotel plans, her ideas for new brews, the ridiculous poems Felix was undoubtedly composing about them at that very moment. It felt natural and comfortable in a way that made her heart sing.

When they finally returned to the café, they found a note from Clover: “Everything’s handled here. Take your time. P.S. - Felix is already writing an epic poem about your moonlit walk, just so you’re prepared.”

Romi laughed, leaning into Xabir as she read the note. “We’ll never hear the end of this, will we?”

“Probably not.” His arms slipped around her waist from behind, and she sighed contentedly as he pressed a kiss to her temple. “But I don’t mind if you don’t.”

“Even when Felix inevitably performs his poems at the next town meeting?”

“Even then.” He turned her in his arms, smiling that rare, devastating smile that made her knees weak. “Though perhaps we should give him better material to work with.”

This time when he kissed her, she forgot all about garden saboteurs and nosy townspeople. There would be time to deal with those problems tomorrow. For now, she just let herself sink into the moment, into him, and finally, finally admitted to herself that maybe the whole town had been right about them all along.

TWENTY-EIGHT

Xabir lingered inside the café, reluctant to leave, and his wolf urged him to pull Romi close for one more kiss. Her scent - vanilla and coffee with an undertone of magic - had become intoxicating.

“Have dinner with me tomorrow night,” he said, brushing a stray curl from her cheek. “At my place. I’ll cook.”

Her eyes widened with surprise. “You cook?”

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