More than Secrets

Graffiti

TYLER'S P. O. V.

“So, on a scale of one to starving, how hungry are you?” I ask Dani after parking my car in the restaurant’s parking lot. I notice it's filling up pretty quickly with the lunch rush.

She furrows her eyebrows into, what I’ve noticed is, her signature thinking face. Goddess, she’s adorable. “Uhm, I’d say about an eight. Why’d you ask?”

“I thought we’d take a little detour,” I say getting out and quickly running around to the passenger side to open up the door for her.

She hesitates in the car for a moment before getting out. I see her eyes dart between me and the restaurant and she bites on her bottom lip.

I can’t stop myself. My hand reaches out of its own accord and I let my fingertips brush her soft lips, then move slowly – as if in a trance – up to her cheek, behind her ear, and down the side of her neck. The tingling sensation shooting up my arm as I let my fingertips linger on her marking spot has Hunter howling in ecstasy. Her breath hitches and her eyelids flutter closed at my touch. I want her so badly it hurts.

I drop my hand quickly in an effort to calm my wolf who’s fighting at the surface, ready to break free and finally mark his mate.

I’m still standing close enough to Dani that I can pick out the specks of gold swimming in her incredible hazel eyes as she stares up into mine. This girl has my whole heart.

I lean my head in slowly, dropping my eyes to her lips, making as if I’m going to kiss her, but I turn quickly at the last second and whisper in her ear, “The chow mein's not gonna run away, I promise.”

She lets out the breath she was holding in anticipation of the “almost” kiss, giggles and rolls her eyes at me. “You’re right. Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise,” I reply, taking a hold of her good hand and walking in the opposite direction of the restaurant.

A few streets away is a park (well more like a small patch of grass) that stretches along the bay.

Besides having a great view of the lake, the “park” also features a giant mural in the center that looks like ribbons of marble, banding together at the concrete base.

The base is actually the highlight of the entire statue because, after it was erected in the park many years ago, people started to graffiti their names or little pictures, messages of love and hope (and even some gang signs) all over it until the base was almost completely covered.

I watch as Dani walks up to the mural and crouches down on her haunches to read some of the names and messages.

I crouch down next to her and pull out the black Sharpie I had stashed away in my pocket earlier for this exact moment. Her eyes light up in excitement when she sees the marker.

“Will you do me the honor?” I ask her playfully, wagging the marker around in front of her.

“Gladly,” she replies and takes the marker from me. She begins to scribble: Tyler & Dani: 09.09.2020.

She stands back and admires her work, then hands the marker back to me. “What do you think?” she asks.

“Hmm…” I pretend to be an art critic, walking around the mural and examining her “work” from all angels. She bursts out in a fit of giggles, when I add “Ooh, ah, yes, this is a very interesting piece indeed.”

I would be silly for her all day if it meant I got to hear that heavenly laugh.

I laugh along with her, my act failing as I’m unable to keep a straight face any longer.

“It’s almost perfect,” I say, as I take the lid off the marker and draw a small heart over the “and” so that it reads: Tyler(heart)Dani: 09.09.2020. I stand back and smile. "Now it’s perfect.”

I stare at my gorgeous mate. She’s blushing and avoiding my eyes. I just can’t wait anymore, those soft lips are calling to me. I just have to have them now.

Hunter is nodding furiously in agreement. I can just picture him hopping around and wagging his tail with excitement.

I gently place my hand under her chin and stare into her beautiful eyes. I want her to know that she doesn’t need to be afraid of me, that she can trust me with her whole heart, in the same way I can trust her with mine. Her eyes drift down to my lips and it’s all the confirmation I need that she wants this just as much as I do.

I dip my head down as she stands up on her toes and leans her body forward into mine. Our lips meet in the middle and sparks erupt. She presses her chest tightly against mine as her fingers run through my hair. I can’t help myself. I let my hands roam down her sides and grip onto her hips, pulling her forward until our bodies are flush against one another. She rolls and rocks her hips into me as our lips move together with more urgency. She opens her mouth and her sweet hot breath enters my mine. I stick my tongue out and swirl it around with hers, committed to tasting every corner of her mouth. She tastes so damn good.

Oh Goddess, when she lets out a small moan and my canines extend on their own, I have no choice but to force us apart.

My lungs are burning. I close my eyes and press my forehead against hers, trying to catch my breath. She’s breathing heavily too and her fingers are still tangled in my hair. The way those delicate fingers are gripping onto me spark feelings of pure desire.

“Thank you,” I say breathlessly.

“For… what?” she asks softly, still trying to catch her breath too. Her body shivers involuntarily against mine.

“For giving me the best birthday gift ever.”

She pulls her face away and stares up at me in shock. “It’s your birthday today!?”

“Yeah,” I rub the back of my head and smile sheepishly at her.

She gives me a pointed look and crosses her arms in front of her chest in an effort to look intimidating. She just manages to look cuter. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“I didn’t think it was necessary,” I reply with a causal shrug, while brushing a soft curl behind her ear. “From now on, every day that I get to spend with you is worth celebrating.”

Her beautiful features are flushed again as she turns her gaze towards the lake, understandably embarrassed and more than a little unsure of what to say to my sudden bluntness. I know it’s bold, but I’m an Alpha and I need her to know that I’m not messing around here. I need her in my life or I will surely die.

“You don’t have to say anything now. It’s okay,” I say, taking her hands in mine and kissing them, “but I love you Dani.”

She turns to me with wide eyes and opens her mouth to say something, but our moment’s interrupted by a chubby, park security guard. He’s jogging over to us, belly bouncing up and down, and shouting: “Hey! You two kids! Scram! No graffiti on the statue!”

Dani and I make a run for it like the naughty kids we are, laughing all the way back to the restaurant. There’s no way that security guard will ever be able to catch us.