Cally handed the phone back to Marcus . "So have you had breakfast?" she asked . Marcus was nearing 150 years . He thought he had seen nearly everything . He thought he had a clear understanding of their world . Right up till Olen pa.s.sed, he thought he had a certain amount of control over his world . He liked the control that time and experience gives one . Cally was like a whirlwind . He just had too many questions about her for his peace of mind .

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"Yes, I had something sent up earlier . Cally how did you know Rosemount would call?" Cally was slightly disappointed he had eaten already . "Oh, easy peasy, Jean Michel is a creature of habit . He would wait until official office hours to contact you . Yours was the phone I used to speak to him before with . And he would be too nervous to try to come to my door knowing that my priceless jewels had been taken away . " "So you knew something was missing?" "Certainly, I could smell anything that had left my rooms . The crown was kept in an oaken box with a satin liner . All distinctive smells . I knew it had left my rooms but was not in the mood at that time to chase after it . If it was still on the premises it would have been returned by nightfall . "

Marcus followed the perfect logic of her explanation . However he was aware that for her to smell an object and identify it after not seeing it for so long was of course again amazing . Marcus noticed a certain smile had just come across her face . "What?" he asked . That was a sneaky smile if he ever saw one . "Have you had dinner?' she asked . "Cally it's 7 in the morning . I just had breakfast . " Ah! he saw the trap too late . "Cool! I'll pick you up at 7 tonight then . Good for you?" She quickly stood up and started for the door .

Cally took a couple of steps toward the door and stopped . She took a deep breath and without turning said to him, "Marcus, I know you are interested in me at least a little romantically after the kiss we shared . I also know that you are weary of me because I am different than anything you have ever come across . " Cally had been looking down at the carpet; she sighed and looked out the window and continued, " You want to understand me more before you want to get into a relations.h.i.+p with me . Caution is a good thing . But please don't try to understand everything about me before giving me a chance . I am old, so old that no one should want me . But what you see, what you should be seeing is a new me . " Cally laughed derisively, she glanced over her shoulder, "You could look at it as if I am newly out of rehab and starting fresh . See you tonight?" This time she asked .

Marcus stood and walked around his desk . He grabbed her hands and turned her around to face him . He looked at her lovely face for a quiet moment and said, " I am not a hesitant man nor am I afraid of the unexpected . " He gave her a rare smile . It filled his usually stern face . " You weren't born yesterday . More like a little more than week ago . We just met after all . To me being near you is like watching a tightly wrapped rose bud blooming . So if you will allow this old wolf? I shall pick YOU up at 7 tonight . " With that he leaned forward and pushed his face into the area between her chin and collarbone and breathed her in .

He pulled her scent deep into his lungs . It was a highly intimate thing to do especially for wolves . Her skin was as soft as a petal and her smell went straight to his head . Cally stood still . She thought over his words and more than that his actions . When he raised his head she gave him her beautiful smile . She raised a hand and caressed his face briefly . "Thank you Marcus . " She opened the door and slipped out . He stood there a few more minutes . Speaking to himself, "You stupid b.a.s.t.a.r.d what are you getting yourself into?" This was the feeling he had before he went skydiving the first time .