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It’s probably kind of messed up to think that, considering it seems to be because she’s feeling more vulnerable than usual, but this softer side of her is incredibly appealing.
I can’t say I usually notice my Alpha instincts outside of work, but right now all I can think about is taking care of her. She’s my mate, and I want her close, where I can see her, and hold her, and make sure she’s safe.
“What?” she asks softly.
I realize I’m staring at her, instead of dealing with the kitten who’s running wildly around the room. I want nothing more than to take the two steps forward to close the gap between us, and lean down to kiss those glossy, red-painted lips.
It’s been three years since we met. Almost three and a half years since I last went to bed with someone. Just under three years since I last really, properly kissed someone, and the same amount of time since I completely quit bothering to go near other women.
One little kiss might seem like a perfectly chaste and innocent move, but I know it wouldn’t be.
The second we touched I’d barely be able to control myself. She wouldn’t know what hit her.
I can’t pull something that risky.
Even if it does drive me crazy to know she was with some other guy until recently.
I can’t stand the thought of that now.
She’s not supposed to be with some dumb idiot who would cheat on her and discard her like that.
She’s supposed to be with us. We’ve been here all this time, waiting for her to notice, to acknowledge that we’re hers. She has to feel it. She can’t not.
Even if she doesn’t understand what it means.
“Stay for dinner, okay?” I ask.
She blinks at me. “Um … It’s barely noon.”
“I know,” I admit. “Just … Stay for dinner. Bishop’s a good cook, and he won’t expect you to do any dishes afterward.”
I don’t care what time it is, or what the rules of the stupid bet are.
If she walks out that door, we have no guarantee that she’ll come back.
Bishop thinks she’s afraid to commit. He thinks that’s why she’s been staying away.
If that’s true, then it would be really dumb not to at least try to get her to stick around a little longer.
“I don’t know,” she says. “We have a whole taking turns to order food thing going on next door. If I stay, I’ll be messing up the schedule.”
Damn. She really doesn’t want to stay any later than she needs to.
Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned Bishop’s cleaning habits.
Clearly, the best way to keep her around is to use the lost bet’s consequences.
If there’s really no cleaning for her to do, she’s going to end up leaving soon.
“You know, there is one place Bishop never cleans.”
She raises an eyebrow at me.
Yeah, it’s risky, but I don’t think she’s a clean freak so it should be fine.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve never vacuumed under my bed,” I admit.
“Well, I guess I did agree to cleaning the whole house, but I think I’d rather finish up down here first. I’ll be back once the tiny tempest is done rolling around the floor in here. I need to get the dusting supplies from the kitchen. Where’s the vacuum?”
