“I’m glad he did, though I wish I had been there with you instead.”

  “It was all good. Have you heard anything more about Brenda?”

  “They took her in for questioning at the police station. That must have hurt her ego. If her brother-in-law wasn’t lying and she truly did pay him to go after you, she’ll be in a worse situation. So I’m sure she’s sweating it out. They’ll be looking for a cash withdrawal in the amount she allegedly paid him. Unfortunately, Lars didn’t have the money she supposedly paid him because he was too busy spending it.”

  “Oh, great. And if she has large sums of cash in a safe or something, she might have been able to pay him off the record,” Kate said.

  “Exactly.”

  Kate let out her breath. “I’ve been following the social media, but I haven’t seen anything on it. You would think a news reporter would have heard about it and wanted to do a story. I’m afraid with her wealth, she’ll be able to get away with it. You know how it is. The wealthier people are, the more they can get away with crime—even murder.”

  “I agree with you,” Derek said.

  “Okay, enough about her and all of that. I just want to enjoy the dance with you. I’m so excited about it. I was thinking we all should go to a mystery murder dinner sometime. All of us wolves. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

  He laughed. “We’ll have to make you our party coordinator.”

  “I can do that. I’m very good at organizing things.”

  “That’s why Lexi made you a partner in the business.”

  “Yep!”

  Then they arrived at the restaurant and found their way to the ballroom that made her feel as though she was immersed in the 1920s—the music, the costumes everyone was wearing, the decorations. The only thing they didn’t have was a smoke-filled room, and she was glad for that. No one was smoking, but several were holding props to appear like they were.

  She knew none of their friends were going to be here, but if they had been, it would have made it even more fun.

  Then they moved through the ballroom and looked around at everything the event had to offer. Pickup poker, gin rummy, blackjack, roulette, and craps seemed to be the favorites of the partygoers. The organizers for the party had even hired real dealers and gaming tables to use for the games. Kate was more interested in dancing than gambling, but she still wanted to take home some of the chocolate prizes. Dealers had made sure the guests had plenty of chips to gamble with when they arrived so they could win bottles of liquor, wine, six packs of beer, chocolate cigars, chocolate guns, strands of faux pearls, and a few disposable cameras.

  Men and women were busy playing the games, some dancing, others just nibbling at a table of appetizers and enjoying alcoholic beverages. Some of the people who talked to Derek and Kate had purchased from Clair de Lune Cosmetics.

  “Congratulations,” one woman said to Kate. “I’m sure you’re happy about the partnership with Lexi.”

  “I am, thanks.”

  “Well, Lexi has done nothing but praise you for all your hard work. It’s well deserved. Oh, and as to Brenda Connors, a lot of her closest friends are distancing themselves from her for what she allegedly pulled,” the woman said.

  Good. Kate hoped they would all dump her. “Well, there wasn’t any reason for it.”

  “She says there was, but we know she was just bitter. You know she has been married and divorced and has two kids by the marriage? She has to support them, and she wants to snag herself a much wealthier man so she can still have tons of money to play around with. That’s why she wanted to marry you so badly, Derek. But it sort of backfired.”

  Another woman listening in said, “Yeah, everyone knew it. She was really vocal about wanting to marry you. I hadn’t known about the ex-husband and kids. I don’t know if she just thought no one would ever mention it to you or that you didn’t care, but with threats to Kate’s life, people are really backing away from Brenda. If her brother-in-law didn’t lie about it to get himself out of hot water, then she’s not going to be welcome at any of these functions anymore.”

  A third woman was holding a long, tapered faux cigarette in her hand and shaking her head, her feathers dancing around on her hat. “She cooked her goose on that one. The paparazzi finally got word about the whole sordid affair. I heard they’re going after her. They’ll also be featuring the two of you, I’m sure.”

  As long as Kate and Derek were seen in a good light and they didn’t portray Brenda as the poor woman who had been everything to Derek until Kate broke them up. It would be hard to explain how they meshed so well so soon after dating because in truth, they were wolves and had a lot more in common than most people they knew.

  After that, it seemed the ice was broken, and several others came over to offer their support and condolences for the repugnant affair. Kate was surprised but glad. She had worried that being out in public might have been uncomfortable if anyone had learned what had gone on. She wasn’t sure that the press had really captured anything on it. Though she hadn’t been looking at the news either and Lexi hadn’t mentioned anything to her about it.

  Then the small crowd of people moved off to enjoy themselves, and Kate and Derek kissed. “I was a little worried about everyone’s reaction over this whole business with Brenda and her brother-in-law,” Derek admitted.

  “Oh, me too, but I hadn’t wanted to mention it and ruin this for us.”

  “Me either.” He smiled at her and took her around the room to see what else the event offered “If you wondered, I didn’t know Brenda had an ex-husband and kids.”

  “I wonder why she didn’t get custody of the kids.”

  “Maybe it cramped her style too much. I’m having my PI check into it for me.” Derek took a moment to text someone and then pocketed his phone. “Done.”

  A large dance floor was surrounded by tables trimmed in gold fringe and a band dressed in period costume playing ragtime and swing tunes for the entire night.

  “What do you want to do first?” Derek asked.

  Kate immediately led him to the dance floor. “Let’s dance.” She hoped she remembered the dances well enough from when she had danced them last year.

  An instructor was there to give lessons on the various roaring twenties dances for anyone who didn’t know the steps. But Derek was a marvelous dance partner, and Kate was having the best time with him.

  They did the Charleston, and then they danced the foxtrot, the Texas Tommy, and the Black Bottom.

  After that, she got a Brandy Alexander and he got a Hanky Panky, drinks that had been invented in the 1920s. It had been a toss-up between those and a Grasshopper and a Blue Hawaiian, and they snacked on the appetizers—egg rolls, meatballs, deviled eggs, and lobster Newberg.

  Then they were off to play roulette, and they won her coveted chocolate gun. They headed over to the booth to take pictures, though they were also taking pictures of themselves all over the place.

  When the band took breaks, the sound system filled in the gaps. That meant between playing games, eating, drinking, and picture taking, they spent the rest of the night shimmying to the music like there was no tomorrow. They were dancing to the Brazilian samba and then doing the shimmy, slow waltz, and tango and loving it.

  Even though Derek and Kate took a number of pictures of themselves participating in the activities, a professional photographer was on hand taking photos too. They had their pictures professionally taken in front of a gold-and-black city backdrop to take home as souvenir photos in their costumes. It was just too much fun. The event even provided a few disposable cameras in case someone hadn’t brought a smartphone with them and hadn’t won a camera at one of the games.

  Kate kept thinking about Brenda and how peeved she might be if she saw the pictures of Derek and herself plastered all over the place on social media and in the tabloids, particularly if she was being questioned for wrongdoing in Kate’s case.

  Kate and Derek were having so much fun dancing to the songs that she felt Derek needed to be her lifelong dance partner, pedal boat partner, camping partner, swimming partner, walking-the-dogs partner, and running-as-wolves partner. She didn’t know for sure if he was feeling the same way or he wanted to continue to date her for longer to see if the magic wore off, but she knew she’d never find another wolf she cared about or enjoyed sharing so many similar interests with as much as she did with Derek.

  She’d never met another wolf like him, who charged up her day and made her want to do more things than she normally would because she loved doing them with him. Even the social events and dinners she attended as a means of promoting Clair de Lune’s products were better with a hot wolf date. That was a whole new experience for her, and she loved it—she felt empowered, not alone.

  She’d known she’d have a blast at the roaring twenties party with him. No more trying to decide about this. She loved how protective he’d been of her when he hadn’t even been there to take care of her. That was above and beyond being a hero for her.

  Being in his arms for one final waltz of the night, feeling his hard body against her, smelling his interest, the heat of him warming her, she envisioned being with him like this always.

  The party was ending at 2:00 a.m., and the dance music was still playing. About ten minutes before the party ended and still in the middle of their dance, men in old police uniforms rushed into the ballroom, shaking billy clubs, shouting, “This is a raid!” Several of the coppers were blowing whistles, adding to the chaos.

  Chapter 24

  Kate’s heart skipped a beat when the fake old-time cops raced into the ballroom, and she was thinking she needed her gun out and readied before she realized what was going on. Then she saw Cliff and Will were some of the ones wearing the vintage police costumes—based on the navy-blue uniforms that had been surplus United States army uniforms left over from the Civil War and used by the police in the 1920s. They were wearing wool stovepipe hats, similar to a top hat but not as tall.

  Everyone began laughing and grabbing up their party favors and other belongings, the jazz band immediately stopping in the middle of the “raid,” signaling it was time to leave.

  What a delightful way to end the party. She would never forget how much fun she’d had with Derek, and she was so glad he had asked her to go with him. She couldn’t believe that Will and Cliff had been coppers taking part in the raid either!

  “Did you know your bodyguards were going to chase us out of the party tonight?” she asked Derek as he led her outside and a valet got his car.

  “No. I’m glad they appeared to have as much fun as we did. Will and Cliff dressing up and chasing us off appeared to be the highlight of the evening’s events for them,” Derek said.

  “Do you blame them? We employ them, and suddenly, they’re the ones in charge?” Kate laughed.

  By the time they arrived at Derek’s place, it was so late, she knew they wouldn’t be doing anything but going to bed.

  “I’m going to give you my event schedule for the rest of the year,” he said, surprising her.

  She smiled at him as they got out of the car and went inside the house. Immediately the dogs greeted them. They both petted the dogs, and Derek’s comment made her think they were headed in the right direction.

  “I don’t know when I’ve had such a wonderful time other than the time I’ve spent with you.” Derek grabbed some glasses of water for them to take to his bedroom, seeing Cliff and Will coming inside about that time.

  “Oh, me too with you,” she said. “You can be my dance partner always.” As soon as Cliff and Will joined them in the kitchen, she said to them, “I loved your stunning performance.”

  The guys both laughed. “We were trying not to let our little secret slip before the big night,” Will said.

  “So you knew about it all along?” Derek asked.

  “Yeah. Half of the bodyguards who wanted to play the game left to get dressed and the other half stayed focused on their mission,” Cliff said. “The rest of us waited out of sight while the other guys dressed in costume. We all had a blast playing the cops.”

  “Well, you did a good job keeping the secret. It was a real surprise to us,” Kate said, “and it added so much fun.”

  Then Derek and Kate said their good nights. The dogs would stay with whoever would be pulling guard duty.

  Derek swept her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom, while the guys decided on who was staying up tonight to serve as a bodyguard and who would relieve him after a few hours.

  Derek set her down on the floor, where she breathed in the leather scent in the room. The king-size bed featured a camel-colored leather headboard and footboard, and the mattress wore a light-gray comforter. Very stylish for an alpha male wolf.

  “I love your king-size bed. Lots of room for romping and loving.”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  One wall featured paintings of the ocean, seagulls, and porpoises. A large dark oak dresser and mirrors took up another wall, and the other had large glass windows and doors that viewed the pool and, beyond, the Pacific Ocean. The bathroom was huge and perfect for pampering oneself. She suspected Derek didn’t use it for that purpose, but if she lived here, she sure would.

  The bathroom had a large whirlpool tub, which she wanted to enjoy with him too. The countertops were gray-and-white marble, and the toilet had its own little room. Kate’s was like that too, but her bathroom was all in tan and white and had white cabinets. His were dark gray. She liked the differences between them.

  He smiled at her when she came out of the bathroom. “Do you like it?”

  “I love it. Okay, so do I have any say in these outings we’ll be going to?” Kate asked as Derek closed the bedroom door and then pulled her into his arms.

  “Yeah, absolutely. I’ve already signed up for them, so if there’s anything you don’t want to go to, like the pirate party at Halloween—”

  “Oh, I’m going to that.”

  “Or the Christmas dance—”

  “Count me in for that.”

  “Or the New Year’s Eve party…”

  She sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It sounds like I’m all booked up now.”

  He smiled down at her. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”

  “After tonight, I wouldn’t give you up for anything. There are so many things I want to do with you. You are definitely my go-to dance partner. But we need to be mated.”

  “Hell, yeah. At first, I was in denial. Everyone told me what a wonderful friend you were, and I could see it too. I wanted to really meet up with you in the worst way, but I just knew it would be a disaster,” Derek said. “I was afraid you would want to wait longer before I proposed a mating.”

  “No way. I already know what I want, and that’s you. To be with you as your mate, and I will still serve as your bodyguard if you need me to, only I’ll get a lot more perks.”

  “Only if you allow me to protect you when you need me to. Ditto on the perks.”

  “That’s a deal.”

  “Good. I love you more than anything in the world,” Derek told Kate. “I hadn’t thought I would ever feel this completely in love with anyone.”

  “Oh, me too. I love you, Derek. It started out as a huge crush on you. I never thought it would lead to this. I couldn’t be any more thrilled about the way things worked out between us. No pressure—just fun and real. What we have is totally genuine.”

  “I agree.” He moved her onto the bed and began removing her high heels. Then he ran his hands up the gold fringe of her dress and the gold and pearl beads in interesting patterns across the dress and caressed her legs. “I love this dress.”

  She chuckled. “I was whipping you with my fringe half the time I was dancing with you.”

  “Hmm, yeah. I loved the way your fringe caressed my legs. You’re a terrific dancer.”

  “You too. That’s a lot of why I want to mate you.”

  He smiled, the dimples in his chiseled face dazzling. His smiles warmed her, made her want to do anything for him, made her want to smile in return.

  She stood and ran her hands over his pin-striped suit coat and then peeled it off his broad shoulders and down his arms and tossed it on the chest at the foot of the bed. She touched his silk vest—the fabric soft to the touch, his pecs hard beneath it—and began to unbutton it.

  Distracting her, he caressed her breasts through her pearl-decorated dress, making her panties wet, her body already throbbing with need in anticipation of mating him. She couldn’t imagine being with anyone else like this. He was the only one for her.

  Once she removed his vest and tossed it aside, she began working on his cuff links. His thumbs stroked her nipples through the fabric, and she worked faster on his cuff links, finally removing them and setting them on his jacket, not wanting to toss them aside and lose them.

  He leaned down and kissed her temple, his mouth caressing her skin with a gentle touch that made her insides melt. He closed his arms around her and pressed a kiss against her lips. She loved his tenderness and hotness all in one.

  He removed her headband and then slid the pearl necklaces over her head, dropped them on the bench, turned her around, and unfastened her dress in the back. The dress fell to the floor, and he cupped her lace-covered breasts with his large hands.

  Then he turned her again to face him. He settled his mouth on hers, and they were kissing and hugging, sharing the heat and passion with each other. He knew just how to rev up her motor, and he made her feel like a real winner.

  She unbuttoned his shirt and then pulled it off his shoulders and tossed it. Neither of them had worn an undershirt or a slip like they would have in the ’20s, but she realized she hadn’t removed his shoes or socks yet. She pushed him back on the bed, making him sit. She untied his shoes, pulled one off and then the other, and set them aside. She briefly thought of a lotion foot massage after all the dancing they’d done, but she didn’t want to take the time to do it right now. Instead, she pulled off his socks and then pushed him back against the bed to unfasten his belt. He was smiling at her, seeing a side of her that he hadn’t before. She was in charge.