CHAPTERTWENTY
DANA
Dana stood at the pinnacle of her dreams one year after asking the panther shifter who loved her to wait for her. They had just finished playingThe Swanfor a sold-out audience, all of whom were on their feet, giving the Philharmonic Orchestra a standing ovation.
To say that Dana was enthralled was an understatement. She was spilling over with a magical force that could only be felt when one fulfilled their creative aspirations.
She had performed in the Orchestra for almost six months, but every time they performed, she exploded with exhilaration. It was an odd feeling to be anxious and then tell the world that it was exactly what you were seeking.
That excitement, the anticipation, and the final striking of her bow were everything that Dana had ever lived for.
Dana grinned ear-to-ear as she bowed with her team, forming a line on stage and wrapping her arms around people who had become her family. They lowered their heads and bent at the hips a few times, jovial, ecstatic, and laughing from the deepest depths of their soul.
Dana looked around and spotted Rux in a special booth at the top of the theater. He was standing there in his solid frame, his immaculate suit outlining the body that had held her close on so many nights since they’d met.
He shot her a wink from afar, making her heart soar and her body crave him.
They all left the stage, talking joyfully and congratulating one another. Dana was happy being around all of them, and they had all celebrated many times after successful performances, but she was eager to get to Rux.
She needed to tell him something, desperately.
It was something she’d found standing there on stage, sparkling in her finest black dress and the height of her success as a musician. Her heart pounded like a kettle drum, seeing Rux’s handsome face supporting her. She wanted to see it there for the rest of her life.
Dana said goodbye to her fellow musicians and got her coat and cello case. Rux had helped her purchase a new case with a red velvet interior to replace her old raggedy one.
She carried it down the stairs backstage, then walked to the front lobby, a glimmer moving through her as he spotted her man waiting patiently for her.
“Oh, honey,” he cooed. “You are so gorgeous. I want to eat you up.”
Dana launched herself into his arms, which were full of a stunning bouquet of roses. He stumbled backward, laughing, as she wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him in for a deep kiss.
People were milling around them, but Dana didn’t care. He wrapped one hand around her waist and pulled her in close as they kissed, breathing in each other’s intoxicating aromas. She curved herself against him, arching her back and leaning away like a woman on a movie poster.
When she pulled away, Rux had an adorable look of shock on his face.
“Hi,” she whispered, a sultry look on her face.
“Hi,” he panted back.
“Fancy meeting you here,” she joked.
They stood in an even stance, and Rux had to clear his throat and adjust his tie to come back down to Earth. Dana loved surprising him. Even after a year of dating, her appetite for him still managed to take him aback.
“Well,” Rux began, “that was some greeting, you superstar.”
He held out the flowers to her, which she took with a beaming smile. Rux took the cello case out of her hand and carried it out into the night as she breathed in the fresh and succulent aroma of the many roses.
“Mmm, Rux,” Dana moaned. “These are beautiful. You’re such a charmer.”
Rux slid his free hand into hers as they strolled to his car. Feeling his hand fit comfortably into hers always struck her like a lightning bolt.
“I’m so proud of you, baby,” Rux said, squeezing her hand. “Every time I see you up there, you shine so brilliantly. I can’t believe I get to take you home.”
They stopped next to the car before Rux opened the door for her and kissed her once again. It was lighter, less intense, but it still built that fiery sense of need deep inside Dana’s belly.
She licked her lips as she pulled away, then cocked an alluring eyebrow at him.
“I’m thinking about the kitchen tonight,” she said in a low tone.