18 Shameless Flirt

Julien met her at the door when Lacey walked in. "Did you have fun today?" he raised an eyebrow, his hair was down over his shoulders, looking as sexy as ever.

Lacey nodded, smiling. She nearly fell over from his change in attitude, but she wasn’t going to question it. "I did. What about you? What did you do today?" she asked as they walked slowly inside.

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Wouldn’t you like to know."

She chuckled. “Well, that all depends upon what it is.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Sometimes, a little mystery in a relationship is good.”

He chuckled. “And are you a mysterious woman?”

Lacey shrugged, surprised that he was actually flirting with her. She lifted her chin, smiling. “That, my dear, you may never know.”

He sighed, suddenly serious. "Lacey, I was wondering if you would like to dine with me tonight in the private dining room."

Although she was finally full, she wasn't going to let the chance to get to know him better slide by. Besides, her wolf was practically panting, wanting to be near the man she had claimed as her mate.

Lacey nodded. "Sure! What time?"

"Seven o'clock?" He raised an eyebrow, asking instead of demanding.

"Sounds good," she started off toward the stairs. "I'll be there."

One corner of his lips curled into a sexy smile. "Oh! And wear something nice... like the dress from the dinner party?" He shrugged. "Or nothing at all. It's your choice." Then he walked off laughing, leaving her with her mouth open.

"For two cents I'd meet him in the raw," she mumbled to herself, heading up the stairs when she nearly bumped into someone.

She looked up and saw it was Brock, the sexy shifter with dark blonde hair. He was a bit too cocky, but that was the nature of the beast with shifters, so to speak. "You're going to meet who in the raw?" He raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"None of your business," Lacey replied, continuing up the stairs. "I was just talking to myself."

"So," he turned around, down the stairs form her. "You're going to meet yourself in the raw?" He shrugged. "That seems like a waste." He bit his lower lip and released it slowly.

"Okay. That's enough," Lacey replied, raising an eyebrow. "Don't make me have to put you down in the ground like I did earlier."

Brock scoffed. "Now, that was a lucky shot."

"How do you figure?" She laughed, lifting an eyebrow. "As a shifter, you always have to be on your guard." She smirked. He was good, but not that good.

He smirked. "Oh, yes you do. You never know when a sexy shifter might come along that knows how to fight."

Lacey laughed, taking a step toward him on the stairs. "You don't want to mess with me. I'm Julien's future mate and he doesn't share."

“Future mate is the key.” Brock took a step closer to her, raising an eyebrow. "Julien may not share, but do you?"

Lacey smirked as she started back up the stairs. "You're playing with fire," she said in a sing-song voice, her back to him.

"Oooo... it's not fun unless there's a chance of getting burned," she heard him say down the stairs as she disappeared around the corner.

Lacey sprinted up the other flights of stairs to her room. She had just gotten out of confinement and had been granted more responsibility. Lacey wasn't about to let a cocky shifter like Brock ruin it for her... she didn't care how good looking or nice he was.

***

In her room, Lacey had just showered and had a towel wrapped around her when there was a knock on the door. Lacey quickly looked around for a robe and then gave up. "Who is it?"

"It's Gwen!" Her voice rang out from the other side.

Lacey relaxed. "Come in!" There was no need to put on a robe when it was just Gwen... and she had a towel wrapped around her, so she was good. "I'm in here!" Well, there couldn't be too many places she could be in this small room, but she went with it.

"Hello, Prin... Lacey," Gwen corrected herself. Then she looked over and saw the tray still on the small round table from the night before. "Oh! My goodness! I'm so sorry, Lacey! This should have been cleared already." She quickly picked up the tray and started toward the door. "Can I get you anything else?"

"Yes!" Lacey quickly shut the door. "Julien... er... I mean, Alpha Grey just invited me to dine with him and he wanted me to wear my red dress… the one I wore the other night. Anyway, I slept in it and hadn't had a chance to clean it yet. I'm afraid I have no other suitable dresses until Madame Pomeroy—"

"Say not more," Gwen cut her off and then lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I'll see if I can find you something suitable." She shrugged, looking down at her own petite frame. "I'm afraid my clothes won't be any help, but I'll find you something."

Lacey was a good six inches taller than Gwen and any long dress she had would be tea length on her. But she shrugged. With the right dress, it could look cute. Lacey chuckled at the thought. "Thanks, Gwen! I owe you one!"

Gwen leaned in, raising an eyebrow. "You owe me many," she said and then burst out laughing. “I’ll be right back." Then she headed out the door, carrying the tray. Lacey was glad that Gwen was finally starting to joke around with her. Maybe there was hope for her in the Harvest Moon Pack after all.

But one thing was sure. Lacey was glad that Gwen was her maid... and quickly becoming her friend.

While she was waiting for Gwen to come back, she did her hair, this time, leaving it down over her shoulders, knowing that Julien liked it that way. As she did her hair and applied the finishing touches on her makeup, she found that she was excited to eat with Julien again. Lacey just hoped that Brock didn't do anything to ruin it.