Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Just as he finishes talking, Aubrey comes walking down the hall with her mouth hanging open. Her face is as pale as snow as she stares at us.
“You’re a shifter?” she says as she stares at me in disbelief. “And I’m your… mate?”
“Oops,” Westin says as he takes a step back toward the door. “I’ll just unpack and leave the stuff in the garage.”
I turn to him with eyes that could kill. “That would be great,” I say with murderous intentions seeping out of every word. “And thanks a lot, Westin.”
He nods his head to me then to Aubrey and then disappears out the front door.
There’s tension and thickness in the air between us as we both stand there, not saying a word.
“Am I your mate?” she asks as she watches me with shining eyes.
I take a deep breath and take a step toward her, but she takes a step back.
“Yes, okay?” I say, coming clean. She’s going to find out eventually. “I’m a grizzly bear shifter and you’re my mate.”
She drops her eyes as her mind puts all the pieces together. “That’s why you wanted me to stay. That’s why you’re being so nice.”
That’s why I won’t ever let you go. That’s why I’m already in love. That’s why I need your body under mine so badly it hurts.
“I didn’t expect this either,” I say as I slowly approach her. She lets me take her hands and I can’t help but think that’s a good sign. “But when I saw you in the classroom, I just knew. It killed me to leave you after that, Aubrey. I can’t get you out of my mind. I think about you every second and it’s killing me that you’re not mine when I know that you are.”
I can tell by the way she’s watching me that she’s still piecing things together.
“You feel it too,” I say, throwing it out there. “Tell me the truth, Aubrey. Do you feel a pull to me?”
She waits a long moment before nodding her head. “Maybe a little.”
“Maybe more than a little?”
She swallows as she stares into my eyes. “Maybe a little more than a little.”
I smile as relief fills me. We don’t have to pretend anymore. We’re living together and we’re meant to be together. It can’t get more perfect than this.
“I’m still going to sleep in that room,” she says as she pulls her hands back from mine. “I’m not ready for that yet.”
“You take all the time you need,” I tell her as I feel my heart swell so big it feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest. “We have forever.”
Her hand goes to her temple and she starts rubbing it. “I think I need a nap. I have a killer headache.”
“Go lie down,” I say as I grab the keys to my truck. “I’ll go get you some Advil.”
She walks back down the hall with her head held low and then pauses at the doorway to her room. My pulse is racing as she turns around.
“I’m not upset that you’re my mate,” she says with a forced smile. “I’m just… I don’t know. It’s been a long day and I don’t know how to react yet. I need some time.”
“I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
She smiles a strained smile at me and then goes back to her room.
My bear starts growling again, urging me to follow her and take what’s ours.
I squeeze the keys in my hands and hurry out the door instead.
The impatient fucker is just going to have to wait.
An hour and a half later and I have her car repairs paid for, some new clothes that will show off her sexy curves, and some food for dinner. I even bought a huge dog bone to keep Buddy busy for when his master is finally ready to succumb to her mate’s desires.
She’s still sleeping when I return, so I get dinner ready while I let her sleep. I prepare some honey garlic chicken with Buddy by my side. I give him a few choice pieces of white meat and if we weren’t friends before, then we’re best friends now. The dog won’t leave my side.
“It smells good in here,” Aubrey says as she walks into the kitchen.
I inhale deeply, breathing in her intoxicating scent and nod in agreement. “It does now. Do you still have your headache because I have two options?” I place the Advil on the granite island as she sits on one of the barstools. Then, I place a wine bottle next to it. “Advil or wine?”
She grins as she looks at it. “We better try the wine. Since this is a date after all.”
I smile as I grab the bottle and start to open it. “I was hoping you were going to say that.”
She watches as I pour it and I’m so focused on her beautiful face with her round cheeks that I spill a bit of it on the counter.