Dinner at the Silver Scallop went well. Splendidly, in fact. By the end of the evening, Jasper had enjoyed hours of delicious food and even better company. Clams and mussels steamed in a delicately herbed white wine sauce yielded perfectly tender flesh, and the buttery lobster tails melted in his mouth. The meal would have been lovely with just the seafood tower and his conversation with Gwen.

With the addition of the lava cakes, it was perfect.

At the first bite, an eruption of melted chocolate bathed his tongue in creamy decadence. Topped with a raspberry drizzle and a wonderfully refreshing sprig of mint, the delicious dessert had him longing to lick the plate.

The only thing that could have made it better was if Brooke had been the one to bring the desserts out to him.

Had he done something wrong? Brooke had gone out of her way to surprise him and Gwen with the lava cakes, yet he hadn't seen her since he'd helped her prepare the playroom for the pups. Was she avoiding him? Was he completely wrong about what the Moon Goddess might have in mind for them?

These were but a few of the questions that plagued his mind like an infestation of fleas as he paced the ballroom. Brooke was supposed to meet him here any minute now, and every moment he spent waiting gnawed on his nerves.

Like every other part of the Cowrie Cabana, the ballroom radiated pure luxury. Crystal chandeliers overlooked a mosaic depicting swirling ocean currents. The scent of lavender caressed Jasper's nose, mingling with the ocean breeze as if the two smells were always meant to blend with each other.

With each step he took, Jasper felt as if he was tainting the perfectly spotless room. He didn't belong here. He didn't belong at this resort at all, not when he couldn't even think about the selkie he was waiting for without checking his watch every other minute.

What in the Goddess's name had gotten into him? Jasper's heart fluttered like an overexcited jellyfish as he glanced at the ballroom's gilded doors for what must have been the hundredth time. There was still no sign of Brooke. No mango scent drifting ever closer. No echoes of that wonderfully carefree laugh. Nothing.

Jasper stopped pacing, wincing as he massaged his sore hip. Maybe this had been a mistake. If Brooke wasn't interested, it didn't matter whether or not the Moon Goddess thought they were meant for each other. He would never force her to spend time with him if she didn't want to.

Just as Jasper began limping toward the exit, galloping footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. Brooke barreled through the massive wooden doors, panting for breath as she nearly crashed into him. "I'm so sorry I'm late," she said between gasps. "Some super important guests arrived this morning, so Mom had me prep a huge welcome basket for them."

Jasper smiled and waved away her apology. "Don't worry about it. If anything, I should be apologizing for taking up so much of your time." Especially since she'd rushed to see him.

"But I love spending time with you!" Jasper's heart skipped a beat as Brooke blushed. She cleared her throat, fidgeting with her sealskin. "I mean, it's really no problem. What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Since my leg is still bothering me, I thought it would be a good idea to practice dancing before the Blue Moon Ball." Jasper tugged at the collar of his suit as warmth crept into his cheeks. "Nothing too strenuous, just enough to make sure I don't embarrass myself in front of the other packs."

"You want to dance with me?" As quickly as Brooke perked up at the idea, she wilted and cast her gaze to her shoes, refusing to meet his eyes. "I really shouldn't. I'm as clumsy as a three-flippered walrus, and I'd probably make you even more sore than you already are. I'll ask Mom if she knows anybody who could help you."

"I'd really like to practice with you, though," Jasper blurted out. Goddess, he sounded desperate. Probably because he was. "The other packs are bound to gossip if they find out I don't feel confident about all this. I can't even wear mismatched socks without people howling about it from the rooftops."

"You and I both know you'd never do that," Brooke said with a chuckle. She was looking at him now, thank the Goddess, but she was still more hesitant than he'd ever seen her, even when she'd been faced with a mountain of ice cream that had given them both upset stomachs. "I don't know the first thing about fancy dances. Usually, I just do whatever makes the pups laugh."

"You don't have to know any of the steps. I'll take care of that." Jasper bowed and offered her his hand. "May I have this dance?"

For a long moment, he thought she might say no or make some excuse about one of the many tasks he was sure she had to do around the resort. Her eyes darted from his hand to his face and back again, making his heart hammer harder with every passing second.

At last, she smiled. "Alright, let's give this a try."

He took her hand at his, marveling at how delicate it was. His fingers swallowed hers, yet though she was smaller than him, her arms carried an unexpected firmness. All those hours spent hauling party supplies and rushing from one event to the next had left her with muscles he'd never noticed before.

Once he moved her hand into position, he wrapped his arm around her back, gently pulling her closer to him. "All you have to do is follow my lead, okay?"

"Okay." She held herself so close to him he could feel her heart hammering through her uniform. The scent of her nervousness prickled in his nose, but nothing could overpower the excitement rolling off her in waves.

"First I step forward," Jasper said, guiding her across the floor. "Then we step to the side and bring the first foot to meet the second. Step. Side. Glide. One. Two. Three."

"One. Two." Brooke's foot firmly planted itself on his toes. "Crap! Are you okay?"

"It's fine," Jasper said, fighting to keep his smile from turning into a grimace. "Take it slowly this time, alright? And there's no need to take your foot off the floor. Imagine you're gliding like a manta ray."

"I'm a manta ray," Brooke muttered to herself as he led her through her next steps. Starting slow and tentative with her eyes glued to her feet, her movements gradually became more confident until she no longer needed to talk herself through each one.

Brooke was adorable when she was concentrating on something. Her lips pressed together with the tip of her tongue peeked out. She hummed in time with their movements, her sense of timing as immaculate as if they were following music. Best of all, she brightened the ballroom with the most beautiful smile Jasper had ever seen.

He had to do something to make sure she understood how he felt about her.

"I think we're ready to try a dip," he said.

"I've always been a fan of crab dip, myself."

Jasper chuckled as he led her through a turn. "I like it too, but that's not what I meant. It's a dance move where I'll lift you while you lean back."

"I've always wanted to try that!" Brooke's nervous laughter bounced off the walls as strongly as it warmed Jasper's heart. She cleared her throat and glanced at her feet. "Sorry, I should be taking this more seriously, especially since it's so important for you."

"No need for that," Jasper said, giving her leading hand a gentle squeeze. "You're so beautiful when you're having fun. Your laughter brings out your dimples."

"Does it?" Another anxious giggle, this time accompanied by a blush that reddened Brooke's skin to match her hair. Goddess, looking at her was enough to fill his chest with warmth.

"It does. Now, try not to laugh too hard when I do this, alright? We need to focus."

Brooke took a deep breath. Nodded. "Okay."

With one hand wrapped around her ample waist and the other supporting her upper back, he guided Brooke into leaning backward. Her eyes sparkled like tide pools as she stared up at him, her lips curving into a smile that was as soft as moonlight.

Jasper bent to meet those beautiful lips with his own. Their warm, pillowy softness yielded as Brooke gave a soft squeak of surprise. Jasper paused, his eyebrows raised in a question.

One breath passed. Two. On the third, Brooke's hand trailed up Jasper's back, her fingers curling around his hair.

She wanted more.

Jasper obliged, his tongue slipping past her lips. She welcomed him with a soft moan, her eyes closing as she deepened the kiss. Bit by bit, he eased her out of the dip until they were both upright again. Any pretense of practicing for the Blue Moon Ball fled as Jasper's hands traveled up her back.

A gentle hand cupped his cheek, stroking his bristly sideburns. He leaned into her touch with a soft hum of appreciation. "This feels wonderful," he whispered breathlessly as their lips parted just long enough for them to catch their breath.

"Yes, Alpha," Brooke murmured.

The instant that word left her lips, the warmth in Jasper's chest surged, filling his entire body with an itching sensation not unlike the time he'd accidentally rolled in poison ivy as a pup. The feeling intensified near his tailbone as if he was about to—

Fuck! Jasper concentrated on the feel of his body. His fingers getting lost in Brooke's cascading curls. His teeth catching on her lip, too dull to break the skin. His lower half confined by pants that suddenly felt far too tight.

Pants that would rip if he allowed his tail to spring free and wag as hard as it could.

Just as the itchiness dulled enough to let him return his full attention to the kiss, Brooke pulled away with a sigh. Though her arms still held him close, losing those warm lips opened a vast chasm between them.

"Is everything okay?" he whispered breathlessly. They'd kissed so long he'd lost himself in her depths, forgetting to come up for air.

"Yes! But no. Maybe?" Brooke groaned. "I don't know."

"Was that too much?" A soft whine escaped Jasper's lips. "I thought you were enjoying it."

"I loved it. I wish I could dance with you forever. I just..." Brooke eased herself out of his arms and backed away. "I can't do this. You're a wonderful ki— I mean dancer! A very good dancer who doesn't need me to help him practice."

"I was never worried about that." Jasper attempted to cross the distance between them, only for a jolt of pain to shoot through his hip. Perhaps he should have been more concerned about his injuries, but the ache in his heart overpowered any soreness in his body. "All I wanted was to—"

"Don't say it!" Brooke covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. "Please don't say it. I can't do this. We can't do this."

"But I want to." Jasper had never been so sure of anything in his life. The thought of ignoring whatever was blossoming between them sent a pang of longing through his heart. "Can't we at least—"

"I need to go ask Benjamin how we're going to handle the guests who arrived this morning," Brooke blurted out. "I mean, they already have a room, but inter-species families can be complicated, and I just..." She shook her head, her voice cracking. "I have to go."

She ran out of the ballroom, leaving Jasper alone.