Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
“I don’t think the alpha likes me,” Daniel said, after working for a couple of weeks on the garden.
Ashley stood up and wiped across her brow.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“No, I don’t know what I’ve done, but he doesn’t like me.” Daniel sat back from where he was kneeling. “Do you think it is the way I smell?”
“I doubt very much that the alpha cares how you smell. In case you didn’t get the memo, we’re all stinking here.” Ashley bent forward and worked out several of the weeds from the field. She planned to clean it up, strip it all back, and then work the ground with fresh new seeds, bringing back the herb and vegetable garden.
“I don’t know, he keeps glaring at me, and he ignores me. I was telling him how I uncovered a few of the statues and asking him where he’d like them to be placed, and he walked away.”
Ashley sighed. “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure he has a lot on his mind.” She was going to have to talk to him. “So, tell me, how did your date go?” she asked, wanting to change the subject to anything but what was going on with the alpha.
She knew what was going on, as did Phoenix. He was jealous of her, and he had no right to be. She had never strayed. At each point that Daniel had asked her to be his mate, she’d shot him down. She had told him point-blank, they were never going to be together that way. They were friends, nothing more. Which is why she was helping him date so he could find the mate he craved.
“It went okay, but like me, she’s looking for her one true mate.”
“Ah, you’re finally looking for her,” Ashley said.
“Yes, I admit it, okay. I watch my parents and the couples in town, and settling doesn’t sound like a whole lot of fun. You’re right and I’m wrong.”
Ashley laughed. “See, I told you.”
“Do you have time to be laughing?” Phoenix asked.
Ashley pressed her lips together as she looked over at her mate. Her hatred of him had somewhat faded in the past few weeks. It was hard to hate a man who was being sweet and kind, and making her forget all that annoyed her about him in the first place.
“Sorry, Alpha,” Ashley said. “We were talking about mates.”
Phoenix glared and Daniel sighed.
“Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a mate?” Daniel asked. “I’ve been on countless dates and I’m trying to find the woman for me.”
“It’s lunchtime,” Phoenix said.
“Of course it is, another lonely lunch for a lonely wolf,” Daniel said. “I’ll see you when I get back.”
She felt so bad for him and turned to look at Phoenix. “You’re not being very nice.”
“He has work to do. It’s not my job to pamper his need.”
“He thinks you hate him because he stinks.”
“He does stink,” Phoenix said.
“So this has nothing to do with jealousy?”
“It has everything to do with jealousy.”
Ashley smiled. She couldn’t help it.
“You think this is funny.”
“A little bit.”
“Daniel is in love with you.”
She shook her head. “No, he is in love with the idea of finding a mate. He had hoped I was that mate, but I’m not. I will never be his mate. You and I both know that.”
“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings for you.”
“And I squashed them down, Phoenix.”
“You did?”
“Yes. Even though you’d done what you did, I couldn’t let him think there was a chance with the two of us, so I told him no. I told him I would never love him that way, and the only chance we have is to be friends. Forever.”
“Wasn’t he your first?” Phoenix asked.
“First? You think he was my first lover?”
He didn’t say anything.
“Wow, okay, I’m going to tell you right now so we don’t end up with any cross-wiring or whatever, but I’m a virgin.”
“What?”
“That’s right, Alpha. I’m a virgin. No man has ever passed this threshold. I’ve never had sex. You were also my first kiss. You’ve been my only kiss.” She winked at him. “I think it’s time for lunch.”
She made to brush past him but Phoenix captured her in his arms. Whenever they were at his home, he rarely touched her. He only ever did so when they were alone.
“Someone might see,” she said.
“Let them fucking see. You’re all mine?”
“You’re not repulsed by that?”
“No.”
“Then yes,” Ashley said. “I’m all yours.” She didn’t know why she said that. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to be mated to him.
“You know this is going to happen between us,” he said.
It didn’t sound like a question to her.
She glanced down his body and then pressed hers against his. “Do you think you can handle it?” she asked. “I mean, I’m so young, a man of your age, you might not be able to keep up.”