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clear—Hiram and her werebear friends had decided to become allies. Again, she got the feeling this was something momentous.
    The men left, John and Hiram in the lead, talking like old friends. Tina closed up the shop, but when she looked for Zak, he was near the door. Tom was waiting to drive her back to his place because Ashley didn’t want Tina staying in the apartment alone until the vampire was gone for good. Or so Tom said when she asked.
    Zak shrugged and left, letting Tom help Tina lock up. She’d wanted to talk to Zak some more, but it looked like tomorrow would have to be soon enough.
     
     
     

CHAPTER SIX
     
    Zak wanted everything to be perfect for his date with Tina. He spent the morning organizing things and preparing a lunch he hoped she would enjoy. He liked cooking and pulled out all the stops for this special lunch date.
    He had a spot picked out near the cove, but not so close to the water that they’d be out in the open. He’d found a secluded area on the property he’d recently purchased that was like a little glade, surrounded by rocks, down near the water. It was open to the beach, but few would see them if they picnicked inside the rocky area, just before the tree line.
    Zak picked Tina up at twelve on the dot. She was pretty as a picture, wearing a pair of jeans that hugged her curves and a pretty peasant blouse that was white with colorful embroidery around the neckline and sleeves. It looked Mexican, but Zak wasn’t an expert on women’s clothing. Still, he liked the outfit. It made her look like the free spirit he knew her to be, unhindered by convention and comfortable in her own skin. He liked that about her. She was a confident woman but easy-going by nature.
    “You look beautiful,” he told her, wishing he was a little smoother around the edges. He’d spent most of his life in the military, trying to prove his worth to the bigger guys. He hadn’t spent a whole lot of time wooing ladies—at least not ones who really mattered.
    And Tina really mattered to him. And to his bear.
    More and more, he suspected she was the one for him, but time would tell. Zak was younger than most of the other guys in Grizzly Cove and didn’t have quite as much experience, though he’d joined them when they decided to quit army life. They’d been his family more than the shitty Clan he’d been born to, and when Big John had wanted to settle down to civilian life, Zak had decided to follow his lead.
    “Thanks,” Tina said, ducking her head in a shy gesture that charmed him.
    She was a woman of contrasts. Confident, yet flustered by his compliment, as if she didn’t receive such words often. Zak made a mental note to tell her how gorgeous she was at every reasonable opportunity. Several times a day ought to do it.
    “Where are we going?” she asked when the silence dragged on a little too long.
    Damn. He’d been staring at her, lost in space. He had to work on his powers of concentration. She had a way of mixing him all up when they were alone.
    “Just a little ways down the road. I recently bought some property near town with the idea of building a place for myself, but I haven’t started work on the house yet. Still, the property has some gorgeous views, and there’s a perfect place for a private picnic between the trees and the beach.” He led her toward his patrol SUV while he spoke.
    “Sounds perfect,” she said as he opened the passenger door of his vehicle for her and helped her hop up into the high seat.
    They talked of generalities as he made the short drive from the bakery, which was along the main stretch of roadway at the center of the cove, to a smaller road that led around one side of the horseshoe-shaped inlet. His place was close to the central part of the small town. He’d wanted to be near the action, but also on the water, and this parcel of land accomplished both goals nicely.
    “Ready for a little off-roading?” he asked, shooting her a challenging grin right before