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ballroom, she admired the view of his backside. That man had one luscious derriere. Her wolf wanted to nibble it like a chew toy. The line at the bar gave her ample time to openly admire her mate without him catching her in full ogle mode.
    Imagining him naked, a thought occurred to her. If he agreed to be her mate, how would the claiming affect him? Would his amputated leg cause issues? She needed to have a private talk with Emma Le Beau. She would know what to expect and how to handle Mark’s condition.
    First things first, she needed him to fall in love with her before she could chance telling him about shifters. If she pushed too fast, he might run for the hills. He would be much more willing to listen to her and give her the opportunity to explain if he loved her. She prayed when the time came, he would be open-minded.
    Mark’s neck tingled. He suspected Sharon was watching him, but didn’t dare look. If he turned and placed his foot wrong, things would become embarrassing in a hurry. The last thing he wanted was to ass plant himself in front of the woman of his dreams. He always worked hard to mask the slight limp he hated, but dealt with. Tonight, he worked doubly hard. Even though she knew about his prosthesis, he didn’t want to remind her of it.
    Waiting in line, he had more time to think than was wise for a man prone to panic attacks. He imagined her reaction to his mangled leg the first time he got naked in front of her. There would be no hiding or pretending when she came face to face with the reality of his condition. His breathing became shallow and his skin grew clammy. His dog must have felt his distress. As the arousal he’d been sporting since he laid eyes on Sharon faded, Rizzo nudged his palm. Hands deep in her pelt with his head spinning, he struggled to suck in a breath. With the help of Rizzo, he got himself under control. “Thanks, girl,” he whispered.
    Moments later, Cade gripped his shoulder. “Are you okay, man?”
    “Yeah, I’m just having a moment.” Simon told him all of his family knew about his issues and since he’d arrived they had all been incredibly supportive.
    He glanced at Cade as the man gave him a supportive pat on the back.
    “If you need anything, give me a sign. We dealt with just about everything a serviceman goes through when Simon came home. I’ve got your six.”
    “Thanks, Cade. I think I have it under control now.”
    Cade gave him an understanding nod and returned to the other room where the last few singles were taking their turns on the auction block.
    Mark made his way back to the table with Rizzo obediently at heel, two glasses of wine in hand. Sharon smiled brightly at him the entire way, which thrilled him, but made concentrating on walking a challenge. He breathed a sigh of relief when he handed her a glass without having spilled a drop.
    “Thank you, Mark.”
    “You’re welcome.” He grinned so wide his cheeks ached. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this happy. And the fact that his arousal was back was the icing on the cake. Rizzo settled under the table, snoring softly, leaving him to romance his lady.
    They were sipping the last of their wine when Sharon looked toward the entrance from the auction space. “I think the bidding has ended.”
    Mark followed her gazed. “I think you’re right.”
    As if on cue, a flurry of wait staff entered from a service door. The exquisite aroma of the dinner they were about to be served wafted around Sharon and Mark.
    Mark’s stomach rumbled. He blushed as he caught Sharon’s eye. “I didn’t realize I was so hungry.”
    “You’re not alone. I was going to skip the dinner, but now that I smell it, I’m famished.”
    “Which meal did you order?” he asked as he took his last sip of wine.
    “I chose the braised chicken breast. What are you having?”
    His grin widened. “I chose the same thing.”
    Several couples joined their table. They introduced themselves and enjoyed a sumptuous meal.