Page 22 of A Roar for Magic

THIRTEEN

Clover’s face flamed. Around them, other couples lined up—Romi and Xabir to their left, still making eyes at each other, and Lane with a pretty wolf shifter to their right. The younger Katz kept shooting knowing grins in their direction, which Rook steadfastly ignored.

“Ready?” Thane’s voice rang out from the finish line where he stood with several other judges. “On your mark... get set...”

A blast of magical sparks shot into the air, and chaos erupted.

Coordination, Clover quickly discovered, required far more concentration when every step brought new awareness of Rook’s solid warmth. His arm around her waist held her steady as they found their rhythm, each movement a dance of trust and instinct.

“Together,” he guided, his voice pitched for her ears alone. “Left foot first, then right. Trust me.”

And stars help her, she did. They found their pace naturally, moving in perfect sync while other couples stumbled and laughed around them. Her magic sang in harmony with his, creating a current of energy that made everything feel effortless.

“Show-offs!” Romi called as they pulled ahead. She and Xabir had already fallen twice, though from their giggling and stolen kisses, winning didn’t seem to be their priority.

Lane and his partner kept pace for a while, but a mistimed step sent them spinning into Banner and Sabine, creating a domino effect of tangled limbs and laughter.

Clover and Rook crossed the finish line first, their victory celebrated with cheers and good-natured jeering. Her careful control slipping, she turned to hug him—and found herself caught in his arms, both of them breathing hard, still pressed together from hip to chest.

Time seemed to slow. His eyes had gone tiger-gold around the edges, and he looked at her with such heat that her magic sparked visibly between them.

“Not bad,” she managed, trying to ignore how right it felt to be held against him. “For a cat.”

His smile held promises of trouble. “Want to try for two out of three?”

“You just want an excuse to keep me close.”

“Is it working?” His expression softened into something that made her heart flutter. “Though I should warn you – accepting that this might be date-adjacent means I’m going to keep finding new ways to spend time with you until you admit they’re actual dates.”

“Is that so?” Clover tried for skeptical but landed somewhere closer to breathless as he guided her into a slow turn.

“Mh-mmm. I can be very persistent when properly motivated.”

“And what’s motivating you now?”

He pulled her a fraction closer, his warmth seeping into her bones. “The way your magic reaches for mine. How you fight your smile when I say something ridiculous. The fact that you’rethe first person who’s made me want to be less...” He gestured vaguely at himself.

“Less what?”

“Alpha-y.”

She couldn’t help her laugh. “Alpha-y?”

“You know what I mean. All the...” Another vague gesture. “Growly business tiger stuff.”

“I don’t mind the growly business tiger stuff.” The admission tumbled out like windblown petals.

His eyes brightened with interest. “No?”

“Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Too late.” His arms stayed wrapped around her, natural as breathing. “Though I notice you don’t seem intimidated by it. Most people at least pretend to be impressed by the whole alpha thing.”

“Please. I’ve seen you knock over three different displays in my shop. Your fierce predator mystique is somewhat undermined by your relationship with gravity.”

“Those displays were asking for it.”

“By existing?”

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