Inside the car, Maxwell drove in thoughtful silence. Naya thought about letting him ramble on, but she was too anxious.
"What does he expect me to buy?"
Maxwell looked at her, as if only at that moment did he realize that he wasn't alone.
"What do you want to wear to your wedding?"
Naya frowned.
"I'm getting married in the Lunas' dress. He's a werewolf, he should know that this dress doesn't tear or age, and can only be worn by the Lunas."
"I hope you plan to wash it. Adam hates the smell of mothballs."
Naya's face turned red.
"If that's what he wanted me to buy..."
"I imagine you must have clothes... Intimate, better and more... Current than that dress you're wearing."
"Oh!" Naya felt her face burn even more with embarrassment. He was talking to her about sexy nightgowns. That was embarrassing.
"My mom made my trousseau."
"Oh my God! Are you going to wear clothes like this dress, which was probably your mother's choice, on your wedding night? Better not wear anything, Naya, or I think you'll die a virgin. Even I, who am not picky, get more turned on by a peeled potato."
Naya tried, but she couldn't. She cracked a wide smile.
Maxwell suddenly slammed on the brakes, startling her.
"Naya! Don't do that again while I'm driving!"
"What have I done?" She was surprised, but still smiling.
"I've never seen you smile before! You can get even more... Exuberant! I came to think that the old spirit of some Luna from the past had possessed your body, and your soul was old, faded, bitter, and unbearable."
Naya looked at him amused.
"Why do you describe the Lunas like that? Have you met any of them?"
"I've read about them. In my brother's mind, there's a library on all subjects related to werewolves. And I couldn't have met any Luna from the past. Do I look over a hundred?"
"No. But you're a vampire. You don't age."
Maxwell looked at her thoughtfully.
"I think what I read was Adam's impression of the Lunas... But I've always believed the way he sees you." Maxwell said, thinking about what she had said, about him not aging.
"I'm sorry for not living up to your expectations. But shopping for underwear, with a vampire accompanying me, is definitely not in my plans today."
"What are you going to do, then?"
"We're both going to stop off at a human bar and have a chat. I have a lot of questions..."
"I'd love to answer all your questions, Naya, but I need to pick up my son for the wedding."
"Are you bringing your family?"
"I... He's Adam's son, but I raised him."
Naya thought. It was going to be a long story.
"I don't think I have any clothes that your brother will approve of, for traveling after the wedding. You help me, and we'll talk while we shop, okay?"
"All right, Luna." He said, and started the car and drove off.
They stopped at the mall, and Naya bought everything he pointed out, without trying it on.
"Alfa fell in love with Bruma, right?" She asked, as she paid for her first purchase.
"Yes."
"And he's still in love with her?"
Maxwell took a deep breath.
"Why do women have this need to suffer for their husbands' pasts? Forget it. Adam wasn't born the day he met you, Naya. There was a twenty-five year history before he got here. Bruma wasn't the only woman in his life. Do you want to know the story of each of them?"
"Only the ones that were important to him..."
"Then you'll want to know the story of each of them."
"He falls in love easily..."
"No. But despite the cruel, cold way he dismisses women after he gets bored with them, he's not a man for shallow, superficial relationships. He'll hate me if he hears me say that, but he's a man of deep feelings."
"Why did he get tired of them?"
"Each of them has a different reason."
"But Bruma was the most important of these women?"
"Yes. Bruma was the most important of these women."
"She's your wife. How do you feel about that?"
Maxwell stopped pointing at clothes she wasn't even looking to buy, and put his hands in his trouser pockets.
"I'm secure in my relationship. She chose me. Adam will marry you. Happy ending for everyone, period."
Naya stood there with a vacant look on her face, and her expression grew sad.
"What happened, Luna?"
She seemed to wake up and looked at him.
"That's not the happy ending, Maxwell. For either of us."
"What do you mean?"
"I glimpsed the future."
"E..."
"I'm going to have a son and a daughter. The boy has red hair and the girl has black hair, like mine. They can't be your brother's children."
Maxwell looked at her in amazement.
"Why can't they be his children?"
She sighed sadly.
"Because the girl marries Ian." She said and walked away, looking at the store windows.
Maxwell realized that she hadn't noticed that she had said Adam's son's name, without ever having heard it before, and knew that she had a true vision.
Naya stopped suddenly and Maxwell, who was walking distractedly, bumped into her, and to help her from falling, he held her steady, and they stared at each other for a few seconds.
Neither of them could tell if their heavy breathing was due to the surprise of the moment, or the attraction that was evident in that simple contact.
Maxwell let go of her, amazed at the strength of the attraction.
"I'm glad you didn't fall." He said, to break the awkward silence.
"Yes. Good." She seemed as anxious as he was to forget that moment. "Can we go to the office now?"
"Yes. I've already asked you to leave your shopping in the trunk."
"Thank you."
Maxwell gestured for her to go ahead, but Naya stood still.
"Is there a problem?"
"I... I've lived eighteen years of my life having to let people make decisions for me."
Maxwell frowned.
"That doesn't sound like fun."
"I don't want to live like this anymore."
"Adam isn't doing it. You decided to marry him..."
"I know. That's not what I'm talking about."
"Then..."
"I'm not going to ignore the fact that there's a strong attraction between the two of us, because that would make me accept any opinion from my future husband, in order to get away from it. To get away from you."
Maxwell crossed his arms.
"And what do you intend to do?"
"Assume this attraction. I won't pretend it doesn't exist, and as much as my body craves your touch, I'll be in control, and I'll say we'll never be lovers."
"All right." Maxwell said, pointing to the exit. "Now can we go?"