by Haley Weir
She parked toward the back of the lot. That way, her old beat-up car might not draw much attention, and she could escape from the “date” without Mason Sinclair seeing what she drove. Not that it mattered. She wasn’t here to impress him and live happily ever after, right?
Ava smoothed down her little black dress and headed to the maître d’. To her surprise, she was instantly greeted by name when she walked up to the restaurant’s front desk.
“You must be Ava. This way, madam,” the host said, leading her through the restaurant toward the back of the building that faced the water. “Here we are.”
A man in a dark grey suit was already sitting at the table with his back turned to her. When she followed the maître d’ past the man as he pulled out a chair across from her date, her heart nearly dropped into her stomach. It was the man she ran into at the Prince Dating Agency! Ava was more confused than ever.
She sat in the chair and looked up at Mason. “Hi. It’s a surprise seeing you here,” she greeted him nervously. The butterflies fluttering like crazy in her belly replaced any hungry growling. Food was the last thing on her mind now. She barely stopped herself from chewing on her lip.
The host smiled at them. “Your waiter will be with you shortly.” With a slight nod, he walked away from their table.
Mason kept his gaze solely focused on her, not bothering to respond to the host. “It’s good to see you again. Ava Daniels, right?” He held his hand out to her. “My name is Mason Sinclair, but I think you know that already.” He nodded toward the window, at the water and sunset. “I hope you like seafood and ocean views. This place has the best of both,” he continued.
“Of course. Who wouldn’t love that?” She accepted his large hand. Even though he looked like a quintessential businessman, Mason’s palms were rough and calloused as if he wasn’t afraid of getting his hands dirty. She found that undeniably attractive.
“I’m sure those types of people are out there somewhere.” Mason motioned to the bottle of red wine sitting on the table. “I had a bottle of wine brought to the table. If you’re not a fan of red, I can have them bring out a bottle of white.”
She looked at the label, surprised to see the vintage. Wine had been one of her mother’s passions. She’d grown up taking sips at the dinner table after her mom explained the flavor profile and other details about each bottle. “I’m a fan of both. I grew up with wine, actually. That’s a really nice bottle. What’s the special occasion?” She laughed a little, trying to look confident, even if she was still quivering from nerves. This didn’t feel as much like some sort of third and final interview anymore. The longer she sat at the table, looking across the dimly lit candle glow to Mason, the more she felt like she was actually on a date. When she’d bumped into him a few days ago, there was a definite spark. It almost felt like fate that she was even here, sharing an expensive bottle of wine with him.
He raised an eyebrow at her, and took her body in slowly before his gaze drifted back up to meet her eyes. Ava noticed him checking her out, and found she loved the way he looked at her. “I think the special occasion is that I’m having dinner with a lovely woman like you. That’s all the excuse we need, isn’t it?” His lips curled at the edges, and he poured some wine into her glass before picking up his menu. “Have you ever been here before? If not, I could give you a few suggestions. Depending on your tastes, of course.”
Ava looked down at her menu, noting the delicious blackened salmon entrée was still available. She looked back up at Mason. Should she admit that she had been here? What suggestions would he give her? He certainly seemed like the type of man who knew what he wanted, and how to get it.
The truth was, she knew that she wanted him. Her mind buzzed with the possibilities. She imagined Mason gently pressing her against a wall, kissing her passionately, sliding his hands down her body, and laying her on a bed. She quickly snapped back to reality, and blinked to clear the thoughts away. A blush warmed her cheeks and she looked up to see him giving her a knowing grin.
“Something on your mind?” he asked, amused.
They both knew that there was, but she certainly wouldn’t be sharing those thoughts with him, especially not during their first date and second time ever meeting. “Oh, sorry…right,” she mumbled. “Just thinking. Um. Actually, no. It’s not my first time here. I was here once before with a group of coworkers. But I’d still love a suggestion. Do you have any favorites?”
The curiosity in his eyes grew stronger. “Thinking about what?” he asked with intensity, and when Ava couldn’t muster up a response fast enough, he laughed and allowed the subject to change. “That’s a shame you’ve only been once before. Still, I’m sure you know how good their food is. The Alaskan king crab is probably my favorite. The grilled swordfish is also nice, as is the filet mignon.”
Her mouth watered just hearing the options. She couldn’t remember the last time she ate so extravagantly. “Those sound terrific. I had the blackened salmon last time. It was very good.”
Mason nodded in approval. “Their salmon is some of the best I’ve ever had.”
The waiter approached the table to take their dinner orders. The two talked for a while, sipping wine and getting to know each other while they waited for their food. Ava kept Isabella’s tips in mind as she tried her best to keep the surprisingly wonderful momentum of their date going.
Chapter Six
Mason strode out of the restaurant with Ava, feeling the warmth of her dainty hand on his arm. He knew their date wasn’t over yet, and his plans for the night only started with dinner. “I hope you’re not in a hurry to get home. I have something else planned for us.”
Ava looked up at him, a curious smile on her face. He could smell her arousal for the second time that evening, and his bear wanted to bury himself inside of her and breathe her in deeply.
“Me? No, I don’t have any reason to head home now. I’m having a wonderful time,” she responded.
“Good. I’m glad to hear that. Follow me,” he took her hand and led her toward the marina. “My family has a boat here. I like to take it out when I have the time. Would you like to join me? There’s a bottle of champagne and some chocolate-covered strawberries as a treat if you’re up for them.” He regretted not leaving that last part as a surprise, but he didn’t want to give her any opportunity to turn him down.
Her eyes widened. “A boat? Your family has a boat? Here?” She cleared her throat and licked her lower lip, glancing back at the marina again. “Wow, I’ve never been on a boat before. I’d love to join you.”
They walked out to the docks. Earlier, Mason went to the yacht and made sure everything was set up perfectly. Before tonight, he wasn’t the type to get nervous around women, but Mason and his bear wanted this night to go as perfectly as possible. He looked over Ava, and it wasn’t hard to see why she had wormed her way into his brain. She was an absolute knockout.
“In my family, I think a passion for the water is genetic. My great-grandfather was a fisherman, and he saved up everything he earned to buy himself his own boat. He passed it down to my grandfather, who then passed it on to my father. Once our family business become successful, my dad retired that boat and got a new one,” he said. Why was he talking so much? He cleared his throat. “One of these days, I’d love to go sailing around the world.” He remembered talking to his father at length about that dream. With all of his responsibilities to the company and to his pack, he doubted that would come to pass.
Ava’s hand ran over his arm gently, sending a nervous tingle down his spine. He looked down at her. “That sounds amazing. I hope you get a chance to see the world like that.” She smiled at him, and her blue eyes twinkled in the moonlight.
The yacht was just ahead of them, and he nodded to let her know it was his. “I do too. Would be nice to have someone to go with me though.” Ava wobbled as her high heels got caught in one of the small gaps of the gangway. She tried to yank it out to no avail. She looked up at him helplessly, cl
early embarrassed. He walked up to her, and swiftly picked her up, holding her in his arms like she weighed nothing at all as he walked. He winked quickly and set her down. “Welcome aboard, Ava.”
She looked around the yacht with those wide eyes again. “Thanks for the lift! This is...incredible.” She kept her hand on his arm, grateful for his nearly inhuman grace and sure-footedness.
“Follow me and I’ll show you around.” A couple crewmembers were inside; ready to make sure the evening went according to plan.
Rodrigo, one of the Sinclair families most trust employees nodded to Mason as they entered the boat. “May I take your coats?” He went to Ava, helping her out of her sweater, neatly draping it over his arm before taking Mason’s own coat. “Becca has everything prepared for you on the top deck, sir.” He disappeared down the hall to put their coats away and presumably give them some privacy.
Ava looked up at Mason with a bewildered smile. “This is crazy. I’ll follow your lead. I’m sure you know where the top deck is better than I do.”
“That I do,” he chuckled. They walked up a set of stairs toward the back of the ship. Earlier he met with Becca, one of the Sinclair’s chefs, to discuss the best place on the boat for their date. The top deck was an instant choice. “Here we are,” he said, and opened the door for her. She stepped onto the deck, her eyes shining.
“This is incredible. I...don’t even…I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been anywhere like this before.” She looked back at him, then at Becca, who stood a short distance away by a table. Beside her, a candle was lit, surrounded by the bottle of champagne Becca and Mason had hand selected earlier that evening. The chocolate-covered strawberries were already on plates for the two of them.
Rodrigo and Becca had done a wonderful job preparing the yacht for Mason’s date. He would ensure that they both received special bonuses for their hard work.
“I’m guessing you don’t have a swimsuit with you,” Mason mused with a crooked grin. “But I have one set aside for you in case you’d like to take a dip in the Jacuzzi with me after dessert. It might be a nice, relaxing end to the evening…watching the stars, drinking a glass of champagne.”
From the flushed look on Ava’s face and the arousal scenting his nose, he could tell her thoughts were drifting somewhere else again. Not that he minded. The yacht had a few bedrooms to choose from, if things progressed that far. She glanced over at the deck, taking in the view. “Of course, I’d love to do that.”
They headed for the table where Becca was patiently waiting. He pulled out Ava’s chair and waiting for her to sit down before walking around the table to take a seat.
He took the opportunity to sneak a look at her curvy form once again. Her body was perfect hourglass shape in that little black dress. He wondered what she looked like without the dress on. If they dipped into the Jacuzzi, he’d soon find out. Mason smiled at Becca as she opened the bottle of champagne with practiced ease. She poured Ava the first glass before filling his glass too.
“Have a wonderful evening. Please let us know if there’s anything else we can do to make this evening special for you,” Becca said as she sat the champagne in a bucket with ice before heading inside.
Mason picked up one of his chocolate-covered strawberries and placed it to his lips, watching as Ava stared at him. She swept her tongue over that lower lip of hers with a worried look. He kept her gaze as he bit into the strawberry with a grin, finishing it in two bites.
He picked up a second strawberry and leaned toward her, touching it to her lower lip. Normally he would never be this bold with a woman on a first date, but his bear approved of her. The more time he spent with Ava, the happier he was that he’d persuaded the dating agency to hook them up, despite his strong-armed methods. He worried about that coming back to bite him, but he cast those thoughts out for now.
Ava giggled and bit into the strawberry, cupping her hands beneath her mouth, catching a piece of chocolate that broke away. “Why thank you. I didn’t realize you would literally be feeding me. I could get used to his.” She picked up a chocolate-covered berry from her own plate and held it out for him. He playfully grazed his teeth over her petite fingers before biting into the strawberry. Her face reddened into another blush.
“To an excellent night with fantastic company,” he announced, holding up his champagne glass after they’d finished feeding each other strawberries. They clinked their glasses.
Mason led her inside toward a bedroom where Becca had laid out a swimsuit. They had plenty of parties on the yacht with his fellow bear shifters. They kept extra clothing around for guests. “I’ll change and meet you outside, unless you’d like me to stay here and walk you back?” He smiled at her, checking her out for at least the third time that evening.
“I think I’ll be fine. I should be able to find my way back to the top deck. I guess if I do get lost, I can always call out for help?” She grinned at him and walked over to the small bikini and trailed her fingers over it. “Wow, that’s…” her eyebrows rose and she cleared her throat. “Pretty.”
“I’ve been told I have excellent hearing. If you call out for help, I’ll be right here.” The way she reacted to the bikini made him wonder if something was wrong. She had a nice figure, and the suit would no doubt fit. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh no, it’s fine. It’s just more revealing than I thought it would be. Sorry, I’ll get changed now.” She tugged that lower lip between her teeth, and he had to fight the urge to grab her, throw her on the bed, and bite that bottom lip himself.
“I’m sure it’ll look lovely on you. I’ll be right down the hall.” He paused. “If you don’t feel comfortable, there are other swimsuits. Don’t hesitate to ask, all right?”
A blush ran up Ava’s neck as she walked over to the door. “No, I’m sure it’ll be great. Thank you,” she replied quickly, and smiled slightly before closing the door behind her.
After quickly changing into his swim trunks, he headed back to the room Ava was in. She walked out right as he approached, and his heart hammered in his chest at the sensual sight of her. His beast was already convinced she was the one. It wanted to take her into his bedroom and claim her as his own, but she was a human. Things didn’t work the way they did with bear shifters. Humans had to be wined and dined. Connections needed to be formed. Only then could he reveal who…and what…he really was.
“I was right. You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
She whirled toward him and placed a hand over her chest, letting out a small yelp. “You scared me! For such a big guy, you move so quietly. Are you sure you’re not a ninja?” She hunched her shoulders a little and crossed her arms over her stomach. “Thank you though.”
His bear might be massive, but it was a predator well adept at stalking its prey.
“Nope, not a ninja. I grew up with three younger brothers. That helped me develop my stealthy walk.” He nodded toward the direction of the top deck. “Shall we have some more champagne and relax in the Jacuzzi?” He held out his hand to her, wanting to make her feel more comfortable.
Slowly she held out her hand to him. “Three brothers? I bet that was nice. I was an only child.” There was something sad and distant about the way she talked about family, like she was recalling painful memories.
“Are you kidding me?” he said with mock outrage. “There were many times when I’d wished I was an only child. My parents never listened when I asked them to put my brother Liam back where he came from.” Her giggles brought him relief. Knowing that he could cheer her up meant something to him.
Again he remembered how this date had come to pass, and hoped that he could forget his actions soon, because things were going really well with Ava. For the first time, he was glad his father had pushed him to find a mate.
Chapter Seven
The combination of the heat and the jets of the Jacuzzi massaged away the tension in Ava’s back. She sipped on a glass of champagne and looked out over the endless dark water and the
night sky. Her evening felt like a dream. She never imagined she would experience anything like this, especially not with a man like Mason.
His stealthy footsteps had startled her, but seeing him in his swim trunks and his rippling muscles had thrown her entirely. She’d imagined he took care of his body, but his abs and toned body exceeded her wildest expectations. He was tall with a wide chest, and looked like he’d be more comfortable on a football field than in a boardroom.
They sat there in comfortable silence for a while, just relaxing and taking in the ambiance of the evening. Granted, Mason appeared more interested in stealing glances at her than staring the stars, but she didn’t mind. After a little while, he stretched his arm behind her on the Jacuzzi’s edge.
Ava set her glass out of the way before resting her head on his shoulder. She turned her face up toward him, feeling the butterflies return with vigor. He looked down at her, his brown eyes held a warm glow that made her insides hot. She sat up even straighter, keeping her face lifted toward his, hoping for a kiss. In the moment, Ava second-guessed herself. She still wasn’t sure whether or not their evening together was rooted in business. But she was starting not to care. She wanted more of Mason, and it seemed like he wanted more of her as well.
He drifted toward the center of the Jacuzzi, gently tugging her along with him. His hands skimmed up her arms toward her shoulders, and a shiver chased up her spine, especially as he leaned in closer to her.
She placed her hands on Mason’s chest, unable to believe how comfortable she felt with him. She’d dated before, but she’d never been in a relationship that really made her feel good about herself. The previous men in her life only seemed to want her around to stroke their ego, and while she could tell Mason certainly had a confidence about him, he seemed to be much deeper and more genuine. The evening he’d planned for her was unexpected and delightful. It was easy to see how much thought was put into making sure everything turned out perfectly.
