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Her expression clouded with both guilt and irritation Right then, he realized she didn’t just want a night off… she probably needed a night off

"Forget it You’ve been working your tail off Tonight, a orks for ht decision when he saw the relief Lyra was a stoic, but shea little oing on in that beautiful head once in a while Her absolute refusal to ask for help worried hi with her stubborn self-reliance… even as he knew these qualities were sorab the waitress and take care of the bill, and we’ll head out"

Jaden watched her stride away and sighed to hi scent of her perfume He didn’t knohere they were headed, the two of them Nowhere fast, probably

But he wanted, very ht have been chilly, but Lyra loved being out in the open air She breathed in deeply, tipping her head back to look at the night sky Soht pinpoints of stars to shine down unobstructed

Jaden walked beside her in co for her to speak That was one thing about hie when provoked, but he didn’t seem to need to just chatter for no apparent reason She was used to being talked at--whether it was because of her position in the pack or just because she looked like she ht have answers, people tended to come to her with their problems, their concerns, their stories No one, except maybe Simon, had ever been very interested in her own

Now there was Jaden, waiting patiently for her to say so, content in his own skin It was… interesting

And incredibly attractive But hadn’t she decided she wasn’t going to think about that anymore?

Yeah, right For tonight, Lyra supposed she would blarance really did sreat on him And for now, a convenient explanation like that suited her just fine

They left the square behind, alances at Jaden occasionally, enjoying the fact that he seemed to appreciate the beauty of her place, if not necessarily the inhabitants Even there, though, she’d seen a change People were getting used to seeing hi a bunch of wolves, the more comfortable her pack would probably becoe that spanned Illoren Creek

There were areas for pedestrians along the sides, and she stopped, leaning over to watch the water and enjoying the sound of it as itthe creek, too, but his words indicated he’d been looking at her instead She found she didn’tyour necklace," he said "The one I brought back to you I haven’t seen you wear it since then"

Lyra picked up the led between her breasts and looked at it, rubbing her thuht it brought her luck Maybe it did, in its way

"I don’t wear it all the tiht of hi her so intently and illuht farther back down the road, momentarily took her breath away He was so perfectly suited to the night, she thought So dark and beautiful And having his undivided attention fixed on her, when he looked so verylike a dark and sensuous blooht more words to fill the silence

"When I’m away, I wear the necklace for luck, and because it remindssome kind of pack business to let people know not to bother ainst the railing beside her to look over "I’m sure your Blake would be flattered to knoas deemed important by a pack of olves"

"He’s not mine, because I don’t want hih Some of them are more astute than is safe for us We don’t want that kind of attention"

"No, I’ out into the distance She let her gaze linger on his profile, allowing her eyes to caress what her fingers longed to There was so much she didn’t know about him, and he offered very little freely But here, alone, she felt emboldened to pry a little ave her a sideways look "I drove"

Lyra pursed her lips "Hilarious I didn’t mean literally I haven’t ever talked an back at that safe house where Ihe said was coht about that Ty knew hiot too Sneaky bastard, but char Daht before sunrise"

Lyra winced "Wow I’ from any number of directions If it hadn’t been Da"

"Who’s Damien?" she asked She didn’t reh in fairness, that whole episode had been unnerving Fleeing there had been a last resort