Derek
As soon as he walked away from that stunning female, it struck him that he had not gotten her number. What kind of fool was he?
The suburb they lived in wasn't large, but it wasn't tiny either. That had been one of the main requirements back when the pack had asked Roman to move. They didn't mind living out in the country, a few miles from civilization. But they definitely wanted to have access to a town in a city. Otherwise, they'd said there was no point in moving.
He would always remember how strongly Roman had fought the change. He'd even tried to get satellite Internet for them out in their remote area, hoping virtual activities would placate the young shifters. But it did not.
They wanted to see the world and Derek didn't blame them. He’d always felt the same way too, but he had been content with short eventful trips, and he had absolutely no desire for a human job or education. He learned everything he needed to know at Blackwood Academy when he was eighteen. Being the second in command for a large pack was more than a full-time job anyway.
He had to get her contact information. He had to see if she was willing to give it to him, and if that took a few minutes, then Roman would just have to deal with it.
Yes, Everleigh was in labor, but the baby was Roman’s, not Derek's. He could deal with impending fatherhood by himself for just a moment. Of course, he wouldn't be alone, Jameson would be there too. And they had probably called Everleigh's family as well. Her clan of bear shifters had been very closed-minded about her relationship with Roman, and they’d only just recently started to accept that she was mated to a wolf shifter for life.
He turned and walked quickly back down the sidewalk. Of course, if he wanted to sprint, he could've been there in half a second. But there was no reason to call attention to himself, not if he could help it.
Luckily, the gorgeous wolf shifter was still on the sidewalk, thankfully walking very slowly.
Was it possible that she was hoping he’d come find her?
He liked to think so.
He didn't even know her name. That had been a really stupid move, not asking her. "Hey,” he said, hoping that wasn't too offensive.
She turned around with a wry look on her face. "I thought you were in a hurry," she said.
He liked her sass. He liked interesting people who had strong thoughts and opinions. It was one of the reasons he could tolerate Roman and Everleigh so well when they drove other people mad with frustration.
"I am in a hurry,” he said. “But I realized an important fact."
"And what was that?" She lifted her eyebrows. A slightly smug, half smile curved up one side of her mouth.
"I didn’t get your phone number. And I didn't get your name either." He held out his hand knowing that some etiquette books still said a lady should always offer her hand first. But hell, she was a gorgeous wolf shifter, not a lady. And he’d always ignored most etiquette anyway. He could be a gentleman later.
She held her small hand out and placed it in his. Her grip was firm as he expected. "My name is Kyra."
He liked the feel of her warm hand in his. "My name is Derek."
"That's a very human name for a wolf shifter in Alaska."
"And Kyra isn’t?" He reluctantly let go of her hand.
She threw her head back and laughed. “My parents were enamored with the human world."
"Mine were not,” he said. A shadow passed over her face so quickly he wondered if he imagined it. But then her smirk was back in place. “But that's okay. We’re all figuring it out now. So before I go, would you be willing to give me your phone number?" he asked.
She held out that same small hand and flipped it, palm up. He placed the phone in her hand and he watched, rapt, as she typed in her phone number. Her fingers were slender, and her nails were neat and unpolished. Was she typing in her real number? No one had ever given him a fake number, but he’d heard of plenty of women using that tactic. He didn’t blame them. It just hadn’t happened to him. And if it had, he would have moved on without a second thought.
But if Kyra slipped him the wrong phone number?
Well. He’d be pretty damned crushed.
She handed it back, and that small act was filled with more tension than he’d felt in ages. He had gotten the phone numbers of hundreds of females over the years. Never once had he watched one of them type it in with such fascination.
He sent her a text with just his name in the box. As an afterthought, he typed, nice to meet you.
Her mouth turned up on one side again. He liked the look of her half smiles.
“Okay, you better get to your friend before his baby starts walking. They won't be very happy if you miss the birth, I'm sure," she said.