The Shifter's Gift

by Haley Weir

  The phone nearly slipped out of her hand, and she leaned her hip against the counter as she tightened her grip. "Wow, what? That's great! I'm speechless, Isabella!"

  "Now, this next part might be short notice, but your date is tomorrow evening. I've emailed you the when and where, along with a refresher on Ms. Prince's tips how to make the most of it. I'm really excited for you! You'll have to let me know how things go, okay?"

  "Tomorrow night? You were not kidding about the short notice. Huh, okay. I can make that work. I'm excited too! Thank you so much, and you'll be the first person I call to tell how it goes." Isabella's giddiness was rubbing off on her, and she already started planning what she would wear in her head. She had a little black dress that she had wanted to wear out for a while now. This seemed like the perfect occasion.

  "Great! I'll chat with you later. If you have any questions or concerns, give me a shout, chica."

  "You know I will. Bye, girl." Sophie shoved the phone back into her pocket. Meeting her match occupied her mind all throughout making her lunch and throughout the rest of the workday. She worked well into the night so she could have plenty of time to pamper herself a little during the day and not stress about needing to work a lot before going out. She wanted her mind to be on the date and not her job.

  * * *

  After pulling into a parking spot, Sophie glanced down at her cell phone, wondering if she was actually in the right place. This marina housed several expensive yachts and other impressive-looking boats. She could not remember the last time she visited somewhere so nice. The restaurant nearby was equally amazing and expensive, but the email had specifically mentioned the marina, not the restaurant. She chewed on her lower lip.

  Unless the city was full of marinas next to fancy restaurants, this was probably the same place that Olivia went with Jared, where the private investigator had taken photos of them. That thought nearly soured her stomach, and she pushed her negativity aside. It was likely just a coincidence, especially considering Ms. Prince’s wealthy clientele.

  A man in a nice suit walked toward her as she exited her car. He looked familiar, and she remembered him from the waiting room at the Prince Dating Agency. Something about him struck her like she had not thought possible when they made locked eyes there. She'd never believed in love at first sight, but maybe it was lust or attraction? After that connection, it felt hard to believe that their match was simply luck. Maybe Ms. Prince really did use magic.

  "Hello, I'm Sophie," she said, extending her hand to him.

  Her date accepted her hand and shook it with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Sophie. I'm Will." His gaze dipped to take in her dress. He took his time, as if unable to tear his eyes away.

  Heat warmed her skin, and she felt a blush work its way up her neck to her cheeks. For whatever reason, she enjoyed his roaming gaze. It made her feel desired and beautiful. "It's nice to meet you too. To be totally honest, I've never been on a boat before. I was pretty surprised to be invited out here."

  "I hope it was a good surprise," Will replied. "My family loves boats. We've had them for a few generations now." He extended his arm to her, and she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. "I'm not trying to show off or anything,” he added. “It was a pretty demanding deadline for the date, and I wanted to do something that might be memorable." He led her down to the docks, toward the larger yachts at the end.

  He stopped in front of a beautiful boat and gestured towards it. "Here we are. I'm thinking we'll take it out for a spin and have a nice picnic type dinner, if that sounds good to you? If you're not, then there's always the restaurant. It's excellent."

  She looked over at him, a little wary of how fancy the restaurant might be. "Oh no,” Sophie began. “Like I said, I've never been on a boat. This will be great; a new experience. I'm really looking forward to it." Then again, maybe she shouldn't have worn heels and a short dress. If she'd known she was about to go out on the water, she would have at least swapped out the heels. But being here with him, and catching him checking her out was well worth any wobbly moments.

  “I’m looking forward to it too.” He climbed onto the boat and held out his hand to her, offering his assistance. “Careful with your footing.”

  “Thank you.” Once again, she second-guessed her decision to wear heels as her foot caught momentarily on the gangway. But with her hand in his, she steadied herself without an embarrassing incident. She was grateful she dodged that potentially mortifying bullet.

  A large picnic basket sat on a table along with a blanket near the boat’s lounging area. It was a picture-perfect scene. She looked up at the moon, high and bright in the sky, and wondered what exactly Will had planned for the two of them.

  “Feel free to have a seat. I’ll prepare the boat for us to head out.” He looked her over again, his gaze leisurely. She did as he said, and took a seat at the table. After a moment, she glanced at the picnic basket, feeling the urge to peek inside. She lifted her hand to raise the lid a little, but Will joined her back on the deck.

  “Don’t peek yet! It’s supposed to be a surprise. But if you’re curious…” He tapped his chin as if considering what to do. “I guess you can take a look.”

  Sophie put both hands in the air as if surrendering. “Oh no. If it’s meant to be a surprise, then I’ll dig deep to find my cache of patience. I won’t look.” She liked the banter between the two of them. She was used to joking around with her friends, but that was different.

  Will chuckled as he headed for the boat’s controls. “You’re funny. I like that. Growing up with all brothers, jokes and mischief were the name of the game. I’ve never really dated someone I could joke around with. I’ve always wanted that.”

  She nodded, knowing what he meant, even though her checklist of traits she looked for in a partner were much more simple. Her hopes were more along the lines of find someone nice, who wasn’t a jerk, and didn’t happen to have a secret wife.

  Will steered the boat from the dock, taking them off toward the ocean. He pointed out a few sights that they could see on the shore from the water, including a few celebrity homes, and different types of plant life. She wondered how he knew all of this stuff, but with him spending so much time on the water, it made sense. Why wouldn't he know about something he enjoyed?

  She watched him as he drove the boat. Her gaze drifted over his broad shoulders and his incredible height. He had to be one of the tallest, most muscular men she'd ever met. A man of his size could be a basketball player or something.

  Maybe he was an athlete. She broke the companionable silence after a little while. "So, what do you do?"

  "I work for my family's business. My father always said that he didn't want his kids to go through life with a silver spoon in their mouths, so he's made each of us work our way up the corporate ladder." He cupped his mouth with one hand like he was telling her a secret. "Granted, I'm sure we've risen through the ranks faster than the normal employee might, but I'm grateful for the way he pushed us. It's given me a chance to meet a lot of people I might not have if I hadn't worked my way up."

  A family owned business that was successful enough for them to own a casual yacht, and to have a ‘ladder’ to climb? That was definitely impressive, and a little intimidating. Not that she minded. Will seemed like a nice guy, and his head wasn't in the clouds. Even his father’s parenting style was pretty refreshing.

  "Great. That's cool." She cleared her throat. "I actually own my own business too. I’m a web developer. Hence the dorky cache joke from earlier."

  Once the boat came to a stop, he checked a few things before stepping away from the controls. "You have your own business? Right on. Web development is a great field. I'd love to see your portfolio sometime. I know someone who is interested in having their website redone." He joined her at the table.

  “If they’re wanting it done soon, I’d be more than happy to refer them to one of my contacts. I’m actually pretty booked right now.” She glanced down at the table, feel
ing a little weird that they were discussing work and referrals when they should be getting to know one another. She worried for a moment if it was due to a lack of chemistry.

  “Oh, hey, no worries,” Will responded, sounding a little nervous. “I shouldn’t have mentioned it. I’m sorry.”

  She lifted her head to look at him again. “I brought it up by asking what you do. It’s all good. So, when is the big reveal?” She tilted her head toward the picnic basket with a crooked smile.

  “Well, let’s not keep up the suspense. Do you want to do the honors?” When she politely declined, he opened the lid to reveal a bottle of champagne, two champagne flutes, and three covered dishes to draw out the surprise a little more. “I wasn’t sure what kind of food you’d like. But to go along with the picnic theme, I went with some nice sandwiches and side items that wouldn’t get soggy. I hope you like it. I’ve also brought along some dessert for us. I picked up cheesecake from this delicious bakery around the corner.”

  Sophie could’ve have been happier with the champagne, food, or the ambience. “I don’t think I know a single woman who doesn’t love cheesecake.” She smiled up at him as he poured the champagne. They clicked their glasses together, and she took a sip.

  Who knew a picnic could be so romantic?

  Chapter Seven

  Keeping his eyes off of Sophie was harder than Will anticipated. The little black dress hugged her curves in just the right places, and she looked absolutely gorgeous. His bear wanted nothing more than for Will to breathe her in and run his hands over her body. The more time he spent with her, the more he knew without a doubt that she was his mate.

  After they ate the food and dessert, he tucked the containers back into the picnic basket. “It’s a beautiful night, isn’t it?” The boat gently rocked with the waves as he glanced over at her again. Her gaze was transfixed on the starry night as if she’d never seen the stars this vividly before. Then again, maybe she hadn’t. The light pollution from the city made it extremely hard, if not impossible. But out here, away from it all, the stars twinkled brightly.

  “It is. The food was really good too, and that cheesecake? One of the best I’ve had.” She looked over at him from across the table, then her eyes slid over to the lounge area. “Maybe we can head over there? It looks roomier and more comfortable. Besides, it’s a shame to have the table separate us on our first date.” Mischief sparkled in her eyes, and he swept his tongue over his lower lip. Her lips parted slightly in response, almost in anticipation of what might be to come.

  He shifted in his seat as he scented her arousal. It helped to fuel his own. Should he give into his desires like this? What were the rules? Ms. Prince suggested that sex shouldn't happen on a first date, unless things felt right and naturally progressed in that direction. If they gave in to their base desires too quickly, it could mean the relationship would fizzle out in the end.

  Dating wasn't Will’s forte. He hadn't dated seriously much before this. His relationships were always more casual. He'd met the girls during college, not through a dating agency. And... he stopped himself from thinking more about his ex-girlfriends. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about past relationships. He wanted to focus on the lovely Sophie.

  "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Maybe we could go to that bakery on our second date." He balled his hands into fists under the table. Was that too presumptuous? Already talking about a second date when they weren't through with the first one? He decided to change the subject. "Sure, let's head over there. We can lay on the lounge chairs to get a better view of the sky." He unclenched his fists first, then he stood and offered her his hand.

  Sophie accepted his hand without hesitation and smiled up at him. "That sounds like a plan. I'd love to go there." She stumbled into him as a wave rocked the boat a little harder, throwing her off balance.

  Will wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her. Being this close to Sophie was amazing. He didn't pull away, even if he maybe should have. This felt...right. "I've got you. Maybe it's a good idea to take off your heels. I’d kick myself if you got hurt on my watch."

  "Probably. I wouldn't want to ruin this moment because I broke an ankle." She snaked her arm around his waist as she slipped out of her heels. "There we go. I better hold on just in case another stronger wave comes by." Their eyes met and she smiled up at him.

  They walked over to the lounge area slowly, just in case. He led her to the closest chair so that he could sit on the other side of her. He made himself comfortable and was surprised when Sophie pushed her chair next to his so the two were touching.

  "That's better," she said with a smile. Her hand moved to the edge of her chair as if she was giving him the chance to reach out and touch her.

  "It is." He smiled and let out a breath as he placed his hand over hers. His nervousness was making him feel like a teenager again. They didn't have chaperones around, even if he felt the urge to double check their surroundings. "I'm really glad we were matched,” he said. “When I saw you from the waiting room, I knew I wanted to meet you." But the truth was more complicated than that. His bear had reacted to her. He heard stories of this kind of love at first sight growing up, but until his brothers experienced it, he hadn’t known if it was real. He almost couldn’t believe he was feeling it too. He just needed to say and do the right things to help grow what he felt with Sophie, and to make sure she felt the same way about him.

  "I know how you feel. It was almost like some kind of...instant attraction. I've never been into the whole concept of love at first sight. That was interesting, though." She settled on her back on the chair, staring up at the stars as the boat softly swayed. "To be honest, I'd never thought about looking for love through a dating agency. My friend talked me into trying it out, and I've been so distracted by work that I haven’t dated anyone in a while." Her gaze drifted back over to him. "I'm glad I listened to her."

  He lifted Sophie's hand toward his lips, lightly kissing her knuckles. "I'm glad you listened to her, too. Dating agencies were never on my radar until my older brothers signed up and found the women of their dreams. Seeing how happy they are, proof that it actually worked, made me more open to trying it out myself."

  "My best friend met her soon-to-be husband through the dating agency, too. It helped convince me." She watched his lips as he brushed them over her knuckles again. She scooted closer to him, until she was nearly on his chair.

  He released her hand and dipped his head to place his lips on hers. He moved his hand up to her cheek, stroking his thumb over the line of her jaw.

  The ocean breeze swept across them, making the moment that much more sensual. Her lips parted as she slipped the tip of her tongue out to caress his. She moved one of her petite hands to rest on his chest. The sensation of her touching him was something he’d never experienced. It warmed him from the inside, and desire swelled within him.

  His bear moved closer to the surface of his skin to investigate their new mate, but he pushed his beast back down. The last thing he needed was to be caught off-guard by his beast like in the waiting room at the Prince Dating Agency. It was a struggle to force his bear to behave, especially when Sophie was so close and the bear was so hungry for her. Neither of them had ever experienced a feeling this powerful before. Sophie climbed over onto his chair, nearly tipping hers over in the process. She burst into giggles at her clumsiness as he gripped her by the waist, making sure she didn’t tumble onto the deck.

  "I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to get so... greedy." She looked down at his hands on her waist and placed her palms on his chest. Her breathing came out a little faster, and she leaned down to kiss him again before he could respond. Her mouth explored his, taking her time now.

  He moved his hands toward her backside, feeling the material of her dress bunch up higher beneath his hands as she straddled his legs. Part of him wanted to break away to take in the view of her short dress, but he didn't want to stop the momentum of their kisses.

  Her hands moved up his ches
t toward his neck, and she trailed slowly over his skin there, just below his neatly trimmed beard. But she pulled back after a few moments, not in a hurry. Her lips were slightly swollen, and he could smell her arousal even more. If something did not change, he might not be able to hold back from claiming her body beneath his.

  "This is incredible. Maybe I apologized too soon." She leaned back, resting her backside against his legs. "I'm not ashamed of being greedy."

  The way she sat back in the short dress gave him access to see her black lace panties. A normal guy might've had a hard time viewing them in the nearly pitch darkness, but his eyesight was better than a normal human. He moved his gaze toward her lovely green eyes.

  "You have no reason to apologize. I'm enjoying this...maybe a little too much." The tightness of his pants attested to that. "Maybe we should have some more champagne?"

  Sophie glanced down at his crotch as if just noticing his arousal for the first time. Her lips curved in a grin. "Oh, I see." She looked like she was going to say more, but licked her lips instead. "More champagne would be great. Do you want me to get it?"

  Will shook his head. "It's okay. I don't mind doing it." He held onto her hips for security as she re-positioned herself on her lounge chair before he rose from his spot. "I'll be right back."

  The night was peaceful, and he didn't want it to end. But he caught a yawn escape Sophie when he was pouring the champagne, and it had been a long day for him, too. He headed to the office extra early this morning to get work done before planning this evening, and he could not deny he was beginning to feel sleepy. Then again, if she was up for it, he would've spent the rest of the night out here with her. That probably wasn't the best idea, though.

  "Here you are. One glass of champagne." He reseated himself in his lounge chair and leaned back to look up at the stars. Her hand found its way into his.

  "Thank you."

  They sat that way for a while, sipping on their glasses and staring up into the sky as the waves continued to gently rock the boat.