Page 41 of All for the Beast

“I’d love to,” Melyn said. “Just let me make a call to my other dinner plans.” She took out her phone and walked a few paces away.

Vharlk looked back the way Katy went but could no longer see any trace of her. Even her smell disappeared, but the way she touched him the night before still lingered on his body.

Katy was still supposed to meet them for dinner. He took out his phone and messaged her.

Will you be at dinner tonight? We have final plans to discuss before you leave.

He waited for a response while Melyn called her contact, but he did not get one. Melyn returned, looking pleased with herself, and Vharlk held out his arm for her to take.

The walk to the restaurant was short and uneventful. While Melyn told him about something that happened to her earlier in the week, Vharlk’s thoughts returned to Katy again and again. He couldn’t stop himself from imagining what their life would be like together. It occupied all his waking moments.

Katy was smart, funny, and capable, and best of all, she kept Vharlk grounded. He could never want anything more than her because she could provide everything he needed. She was not just a stable presence in his life but someone he could build a life with. If he could never have that with her, he did not know what he would do instead.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Vharlk remembered what Katy had said about the door and opened it for Melyn. Katy had been so invested in experiencing as much of Nova Aurora as she could, including all the restaurants in the area, which meant that she would show eventually. They still had cruise details to go over.

“Oh my, thank you, kind sir,” Melyn said. Her accent was unlike Katy’s as well, charming in its own way but far inferior to the woman Vharlk loved.

Every word out of Katy’s mouth sounded like a bird song, whereas Melyn’s sounded like a choir of children.

The waitstaff was quick to make them comfortable.

“Everything on the menu again, sir?” the head waiter, Patar, asked. He set down a bottle of Sidaii wine, the pink-colored brew that Vharlk always ordered when he came here.

“Not tonight, Patar,” he answered. “I’ll let the ladies choose what they want.” Instead, he ordered three more bottles of Sidaii wine, feeling the need for it.

“None for me,” Melyn said, “I had a big lunch. I’ll take a glass of that wine, though, cher.”

He poured one for her, turning on the lovey-dovey eyes. His eyes pointed toward the door to the restaurant, waiting for Katy to show.

“So,” Melyn said, a purr in her voice. “You and Katy really aren’t mated?”

Vharlk shook his head. “Nope. But that leaves plenty of time for me to meet the right person.”

“Then why are you always with her? From what I’ve heard …”

“Shhh,” Vharlk said, pushing his finger up against her lips to quiet her. Judging by the softness of her gaze, it worked. He took a deep breath, inhaling her scent … like a sickly-sweet bouquet of flowers, but underlined with something else. He could not tell what it was, but it irked him. “We don’t have to talk. We can just enjoy each other’s company.”

He put an arm around Melyn’s back and pulled her closer to him right at the moment Katy appeared. As soon as her eyes caught them, her expression soured as though she was drinking grun juice. Though Vharlk kept Melyn occupied, with his hand on her cheek, she jumped at the sound of a chair scraping against the floor as Katy pulled it out.

“So,” she said, clearly pissed. “I see you two have acquainted yourselves.”

Vharlk shrugged. “Yes, we have. We’re having a really great dinner, thanks a lot. So nice of you to finally join us.”

Katy’s eyes narrowed, and her nostrils flared in anger. Even when she was furious, she was still sexy, beautiful, and cute all at once. Maybe even more so. Vharlk wanted to be the one to infuriate her for the rest of her life … and everything else.

Really, he only wanted Katy to love him as much as he loved her. Was that so bad? Was it horrible of him to want to provide a nice life for her by his side? At the moment, she did not look like she wanted a nice life. She looked like she wanted to bite Vharlk’s head off. It was, surprisingly, very hot.

“We were waiting for you,” Melyn said, enjoying every second of Vharlk’s attention. She looped her arms around Vharlk’s waist, pulling herself in closer. “Vharlk didn’t want to be rude by eating before you got here. Did you, cher?”

She glanced up at him, pouting her lips sinfully. Vharlk pretended with everything he had that it looked good to him. He could still smell something that put him off.

“That’s right, Mel.” He hoped the nickname would grate on Katy and chanced a look at her to see whether it did. She crossed her arms.

“Great,” she said. “Let’s eat.”

“Great,” Vharlk and Melyn replied at the same time.

“By the way,” Vharlk said as the waitstaff came to take Katy’s order, “I have to thank you so much for introducing us. Melyn is perfect. She’s the best replacement for you.”

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