Chapter 61

Rachel POV

Outside Camelot Records

Hours of going over tapes made me feel numb to sound. I walked outside Camelot Records only to stand on the sidewalk staring around me at the world moving along while everything felt muffled. I had to resist the urge to check my ears for plugs.

I was so caught up in shaking off my sound shock, I didn't notice Tyler until his hand was already curled around my bicep. He tugged me against his chest and I screamed as if I were being murdered, startled and stunned by the strange sensation of someone grabbing at me.

"Rachel! It's just me."

Tyler shook me a little as he pulled us away from the safety of the recording studio. His sedan had pulled up to the curb; Adam waved at me from behind the wheel. I could tell from his expression he'd heard me shrieking my head off.

Naturally Tyler's Beta found it amusing when I was caught unawares. I had always thought Adam possessed a warped sense of humor. I did give a chuckle at myself because what had I thought was happening? John Wright would abduct me on the street in front of a bustling crowd? Nathan Lewis would whisk me away in a desperate bid for my affection?

"I'm sorry," I apologized and realized I was genuinely sorry for being startled, "I was caught up in my head. I feel a little deaf. I've been in headphones all day."

"Don't worry about it. Adam is the only one who saw and he's not going to tell anyone. He likes you."

That was news to me. I had felt as if Tyler's Beta pitied me in the past or felt a bit of fondness for me since I was his Alpha's mate. I'd never considered he might like me enough for friendship.

Tyler opened the back door and gestured for me to get in, "Let's go get something to eat. It's time for dinner."

"Sure, but you know you're going to burn yourself out if you keep taking it on yourself to feed me?"

I wasn't joking as much as I was warning Tyler. I knew spending too much time together could prove disastrous for our attempts to reconnect. We had never lived in each other's pockets. If I made Tyler dinner one day, I was certain he wouldn't be home the next so I wouldn't bother.

We squeezed together in the back of the sedan. Adam pulled smoothly away from the curb, merging with the evening traffic as easy as breathing. I couldn't even tell we were moving though I knew the speed of our travel might have more to do with my comfort than the luxury car.

No one got anywhere in a hurry during rush hour in the city.

"Are you worried because I brought you breakfast I won't want to share dinner with you? I seem so quick to tire with my toys?"

Was I a toy to Tyler? Was that how he saw me now?

Quirking a brow, I said, "I don't know. We've shared more than one meal in the same day less than a handful of times. I planned meals every other day because I knew you wouldn't come home every evening if I had a meal ready to share."

Tyler had the good grace to look abashed at my point. I had wondered if he would try to deny it. Neither of us liked to be wrong which led me to believe either of us might try to shrug off prior bad acts using ignorance as an excuse.

"Was it my cooking? I know I had to bore you since I was awful enough to deny you chicken as an option for years."

Teasing Tyler felt good. Right. I liked the way his eyes seemed to have life in them as he kept his gaze fixed on me. My outfit and makeup for the day were simple, but I felt beautiful with the way he looked at me. It was the first time in a long time I had felt I pleased him completely.

"No. You do overcook my steak, but I'm willing to forgive you because you make up for it with either a butter or a sauce to add flavor. I think you only served me shoe leather once or twice."

"My steak is never dry!"

I punched him in the arm as he throwed off on my cooking. What did he mean I overcooked the steak? I was an excellent cook!

Tyler laughed, draping his arm over my shoulders and squeezing me against his side where I found I fit as if I were the other half of a puzzle made up by only the two of us.

"We're going to have to agree to disagree on the steak. I prefer mine with more red showing. Blame it on my nature as a carnivore."

He whispered the last against my temple, his sharp teeth nipping my earlobe. I couldn't hold back a giggle. I felt as if we were having the casual dating stage we'd never gotten before.

"Fine. I suppose I could have served it more rare. I don't like my food still bleeding."

"Why not? Don't you like knowing you're the conqueror?"

"I shop for our dinner, Tyler. I don't scavenge it or run it to ground myself. I have no desire to 'conquer' my meals though I admit I'm starting to see the appeal behind conquering you."

I rested my head against Tyler's chest the way I'd longed to do the night before. His scent moved over me in a heady haze. I felt calmer from nothing more than this ride in the car at his side. Was it possible for things to be so easy for us? Could we come together the way we were meant to in the beginning from nothing more than a few honest conversations?

"Is that the new fantasy? Conquering me?"

Tyler murmured the question against the top of my head. I wondered if Adam could hear or if he was hoping to keep quiet enough to prevent the Beta from listening in. There was an understanding among wolfen society Alphas were meant to be strong at all times. Showing weakness could have led to death for an Alpha in the old days when packs were won or lost based on rite of challenge.

No pack I knew had participated in a rite of challenge in decades. I thought if one were likely to have it happen, people would expect it from Moonglow Pack since they were archaic enough to believe in those old ways.

"No. I think all my fantasies are much more mundane. I miss sleeping beside you at night. I never thought I would say that."

I hadn't either.

Tyler and I were not lovers in the sense we held one another in the dark. I had stopped yearning for his arms around me while I slept right around the time I realized I would only be able to sleep at his side if I pretended I were alone.

"I never thought I would understand what you meant if you said it. I'm sorry. For all the nights I wasted."

Was that how Tyler thought of our past? Wasted days and wasted nights as we wasted away our mate bond?

"We are going for Thai. I thought you might like something different. Did I think wrong?"

Tyler had the typical Alpha attitude all his thoughts or plans were right all the time. I was surprised -pleasantly- to hear him doing his best to offer me a chance to give my input into the conversation.

"No. I haven't had Thai in a while! That sounds like fun."

In truth, Tyler could have been taking me for Mesopotamian mud pies and I would have just planned to drink extra water with them. I didn't want to ruin this chance to regain some ground together.

"Good. I was in the mood for a little spice. Heat reminds me of you. Was your mother the fiery type?"

We had never spoken of my mother.

My smile slipped a little until I realized Tyler was trying his best to connect with me. I had asked for him to talk to me and he was doing the best he could. I'd told him there were no magic words or phrases to unlock my heart. We were trying to rebuild and, in some ways, build from nothing.

"My mother was the opposite of your stepmother. Claire is always put together. Calm. Cool. I think of her as an Ice Queen. Not flattering, but honestly I admire her for being strong. My mother was all hot emotions, quick to show affection, hugs and kisses every single day."

"Claire isn't my stepmother. Technically speaking. My mother and father were never married. As far as Claire is concerned, we have no connection to each other. You're right about her being cold though. She's a frozen bitch."

"A bitch-cicle," Adam inserted, proving he could definitely hear our conversation, "We're here. You want me to circle the place a few times or are you ready to eat?"

"Eat. Now."

Adam stopped at the curb before the restaurant and Tyler flung the door open as if he couldn't wait to get away from the car.

Was he trying to leave the conversation behind or Adam listening in? Either seemed possible, but I hoped he wanted to keep talking.