Page 46 of It All Started with a Bite

To my surprise, my best friend hadn’t insisted on tagging along for the family dinner. I wasn’t sure if this was because she was worn out or because she had an inkling it might be about as much fun as having a date with a serial killer.

The Subaru finally made it to the cul-de-sac. I used the remote control Victoria had given me to open the gates and headed up the driveway.

The Hawthorne mansion looked even more imposing at night. Light shone from the windows and smoke curled from several chimneys, the scent of burning logs sharp and crisp in the cold evening air.

I pulled into the circular driveway at precisely 6:59 p.m.

“Your heart’s going crazy,” Bo observed from the passenger seat. “You should calm down before you have a coronary.”

“I am calm,” I lied.

Bo adjusted his bow tie with a paw. “I can smell the acid reflux on your breath.”

A figure emerged onto the portico before I could come up with a suitable retort. I stared, my heart going crazy for a whole other reason.

Samuel looked stunningly charismatic in a dark evening suit that hugged his powerful frame and left little to my fevered imagination. He’d slicked his hair a little and was wearing his tortoiseshell-framed glasses.

The sight of him made my inner wolf sit up and beg.

He came down the steps as I climbed out of the car.

“You’re right on?—”

Samuel froze, his eyes widening. His gaze swept over me in a way that made the mate bond sing, the amber fire that flashed in his pupils and the scent suddenly coming off him telling me he liked what he saw.

I swallowed and resisted the urge to fan my face.

“You look beautiful.”

I blinked, surprised at the raw honesty in his expression and his voice. “So do you.”

He smiled. “I would rather be called handsome.”

My inner wolf wentWoof!

Samuel’s gaze dropped to Bo. His expression turned amused. “Nice bow tie.”

“Pearl picked it for me,” Bo preened.

Samuel blinked. His startled gaze switched to me. “She did?”

“Victoria practically fell off her chaise longue.”

A concerning grinding sound came from Ethel’s engine as the Subaru cooled. Samuel inspected the vehicle with a faint frown.

“Please tell me that’s not your regular transportation.”

“Ethel is perfectly reliable,” I said defensively.

“You named your car Ethel?”

I lowered my brows.

Samuel sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “We need to get you something more appropriate for a luna.”

“But I like my car,” I said mutinously.

“Your car sounds like it’s about to die,” Samuel said sharply. “At least let me find you something you can make a quick getaway in if you need to.”

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