As much as Jasper enjoyed the time he spent with Brooke at Smooth Sailing, Waylon's interruption invaded his thoughts as much as his overly strong perfume had invaded his nose. With the meeting with Kudzu Pack's leadership just hours away, it wouldn't be long before he'd find out exactly what their nasty Beta had told the rest of his pack.

As if Waylon's threat to reveal his relationship with Brooke to everyone wasn't bad enough, he'd also cost him the chance to kiss Brooke again. All he'd had to do was feed a sea turtle, and he would have finally gotten to enjoy the warmth of his lips on hers. Instead, the most they'd done was hold hands as they looked at the rest of the animals.

Today would be different. Today, he'd make his move.

He could only hope that move didn't involve putting his foot in his mouth.

"You look beautiful today. I mean, not that you don't look beautiful every day, but..." Jasper cleared his throat, fidgeting with his tie. She'd only just come out of her house, and he was already making an idiot of himself. "You look nice."

"Thanks!" Brooke's radiant smile matched her bright yellow sundress, with a pair of turquoise bracelets bringing out the blueness of her eyes. "So do you, but aren't you hot in that suit?" Her cheeks flushed bright red. "I mean warm. You're hot too, though. I just..."

Nervous giggles flew from her mouth. Jasper's shoulders shook with laughter as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. What a pair they made.

"I wish I could change into something more comfortable, but I have to go straight to a meeting after this," he said. "Alpha duties aren't all cocktails and caviar, unfortunately."

"Guess we'll just have to stick to the shade. Or did you pick something indoors?" Brooke's lips twitched into a playful smirk. "Where are you taking me, Alpha?"

The way she said that word made Jasper's pulse quicken. He'd give anything to hear her say it like that again.

"W-w-we're going to..." And now he could barely string words together. Goddess, he was acting like a lovestruck teenager! "I was hoping we could check out the gardens. I have no idea if you're into that sort of thing, I've been dying to get a good look at all the flowers."

"The gardens," Brooke said slowly. All traces of her former playfulness were gone, leaving her voice soft and quiet. "I haven't been there since Grandpa..."

The silence that followed told Jasper everything he needed to know.

"We can do something else if you'd like," he said gently. The last thing he wanted was to make her do something that would upset her.

Brooke shook her head. "It's fine. Really." Her lips curled into a shaky smile that didn't reach her eyes. "The gardens are especially beautiful this time of year. At least, they used to be."

Jasper opened his mouth to ask if she was sure, only to think better of it. Brooke was always so open about what she was feeling. If she thought she was up to handling something, he needed to trust her. "Okay, but if it gets to be too much, let me know."

"Thank you." Brooke slipped his hand in hers, sending a wave of warmth radiating through his chest. "Come on, I know how we can get to the gardens without spending too much time in the sun."

Brooke led him through a series of pathways that began near one of the buildings that specialized in catering to vampires. The shaded walkways shielded anyone susceptible to sunburn or in Jasper's case, heatstroke, from the worst of the sun's rays. Even in his form-fitting suit, he only felt pleasantly warm by the time they reached their destination.

The gardens themselves proved to be just as comfortable and welcoming. Red hibiscus flowers bloomed beside the entrance, and bright orange birds of paradise lined the gently sloping pathways. Wooden benches ringed a burbling fountain, with tiny tadpoles swimming around the water lilies. Just watching the breeze caressing the gardens' bountiful flowers made Jasper wish he could stay here forever.

"This is all so beautiful," he said as he knelt to watch a pair of butterflies fluttering through the flowers.

"Grandpa always loved growing all sorts of plants, so Grandma created these gardens for him so he could share his passion with the whole resort," Brooke said quietly. "It feels so empty without him here."

However long it had been since her grandfather had passed away, his mark on the resort still lingered. All around Jasper, colorful plants flourished and brought happiness to all who visited the gardens. He'd never met the man himself, but anyone who could cultivate such a paradise must have been truly special.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said softly.

"Thank you," Brooke said. "Grandpa was so amazing that Grandma only lasted a few hours after he joined the Goddess." Her voice cracked as tears spilled down her cheeks. "Sometimes I wonder if they'd be disappointed in how I turned out. Everybody thinks I'm a massive screw-up."

"That's not true." Jasper brushed her tears away with the pad of his thumb. "I bet they're both really proud of you."

"Mom always says that too, but I know she just says that to make me feel better. I mean, look at all this." Brooke waved at the rainbow of plants surrounding them. "Grandma and Grandpa built the whole Cowrie Cabana from nothing, and all I do is throw parties. Half the time, I can't even do that right!"

"You and I both know your job is a lot harder than that," he said. "Who else do you know that can invent all sorts of games for pups, decorate an entire ballroom, and still find time to make every guest feel like part of your family?"

Brooke waved his compliment away with a flick of her wrist. "Mom and Benjamin handle half of that. I just goof off and have fun most of the time."

"Isn't the entire point of going on vacation to have fun?" Jasper pulled her close. "My father always told me one of the most important things an Alpha can do is lead by example. If you're not doing that, then I'm a seagull."

"The day you're a seagull is the day I'm a walrus." Brooke hugged him tightly. "Thanks for being so sweet."

"You make it easy," Jasper said. Even though she'd stopped crying, she still wilted like a dying flower. If a compliment wasn't enough to coax a smile out of her, there was only one thing left to do. "Hey, do you know why seagulls don't go by the bay?"

Brooke cocked her head to the side, her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "Why?"

"Because then they'd be bagels!"

Any lingering traces of sadness vanished from Brooke's face as she laughed so hard birds fled from the nearby trees in a storm of squawking. "How did I not see that coming? I tell that one to the pups all the time."

"With everything that's been going on, it can be way too easy to forget what we enjoy." Goodness knows Jasper had forgotten far too much until Brooke had reminded him how to enjoy himself. He could only hope he could help her the same way. "Why don't you show me some of your grandpa's favorite plants?"

Brooke laughed. "He had so many it'll take us all morning!"

She led him through oceans of orchids and pale purple petunias. Tendrils of ivy turned wire tunnels into cool canopies that provided a brief respite from the summer sun. Mangoes bent branches with the weight of their sweetness, bringing the tantalizing fruits just out of reach.

As they strolled through the gardens, Jasper told Brooke about how Uncommon Scents used different plants in their perfumes. Pineapple's fleeting fragrance made the first impression. Orchids lingered as the heart after the first impression faded away. Distilled birch bark formed strong, smoky base notes that outlasted the other components.

Although she knew as little about perfumery as he did about marine life, Brooke hung onto his every word. Not even the ducklings swimming through one of the gardens' many ponds could distract her for more than a moment as she peppered him with questions about his work.

As the end of their date loomed over them as surely as the palm trees shading them from above, Jasper knew he had to give her one last surprise.

"Thanks for coming with me today," Jasper said as they paused beneath a tree full of plumeria. The breeze caressed the white petals, filling the air with their sweet, delicate scent. "I've been meaning to give you something."

Brooke's eyes lit up. "Ooh, is it taffy? I know Hudson was working on a new flavor. Maybe some chocolate? But that would melt." She leaned toward him, trying to peek inside his suit pocket. "Can you give me a—"

He pressed his finger to her lips. "No hints. Close your eyes."

She obeyed, smiling against his skin as she quivered with excitement.

Jasper plucked a plumeria, gingerly tucking the white blossom behind her left ear. "We never got to finish what you said we'd do at Smooth Sailing."

"A certain somebody never did feed a sea turtle." Though her tone was teasing, Brooke's pulse quickened beneath his fingertips.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear, his voice softer than the breeze. "Maybe not, but I was hoping you'd let me show the most beautiful thing in these gardens just how much I want to make her happy."

"You already have." Brooke closed the gap between them, pressing her mouth against his.

His lips parted with a gasp, inviting her inside him as his heart quickened. Warmth flared in his chest, filling his body with a rush of heat.

More. He needed more.

Trembling fingers cupped her cheek, gently turning her head and guiding her deeper inside him. Hands traveled up his back before coming to rest behind his neck. Goosebumps rose to meet her touch as his entire body quivered.

"Goddess, this feels amazing," Brooke gasped as their lips parted just long enough for them to catch their breath. Redness bloomed across her cheeks, and her breathing hitched as Jasper's fingers wound through her hair.

Words could never do justice to the sheer happiness flooding Jasper's body. Every inch of him itched as if a colony of ants skittered across his skin. Every caress of her fingers along the back of his neck scratched that incessant itch, only for the sensation to surge through him tenfold, concentrating somewhere down below.

A soft whine passed his lips as he struggled to find a way to ease the pressure. The more he fought to return his focus to the lips pressed against his, the more something tightened inside him.

The heat in his chest flared to a roaring crescendo. A howl tore from his throat as a thunderous rip filled the air.

The heat fled Jasper's body in an instant. No longer was Brooke pressing against him the only sensation he perceived. Gravel crunched beneath his feet, muffled only by a sea of fallen petals. The cool ocean breeze filled his lungs as he and Brooke panted for breath.

His tail wagged wildly through a gaping hole in his pants.