That was a much better response than I’d hoped for.
Then again, it was worse in some ways. He definitely didn’t want another mate, which was going to be a problem.
“Why haven’t you gone back?”
He shrugged. “It would be really fucking awkward.”
“Valid point. Are your parents still there?”
“Yeah. They’re so relieved I survived the rejection that they’ve never tried to get me to go back. They come to see me every year. I’ve thought about visiting, and I’d like to, but I know Corinne and Aidan would come by. I can’t say I’m happy for them, or that I’d like to see them, so it’s easier to stay away.”
“I’m not surprised you don’t want to see them. She cheated on you. He was a willing participant. The situation might’ve been shitty all around, but cheating is cheating.”
“She didn’tcheat.”
“Jones, I don’t know much about werewolves, but in the human world that would be what we call anemotional affair.”
He was silent for a moment.
Hopefully I hadn’t just reignited anger or any other feelings about the situation that he’d moved past a long time ago.
“I guess I can see that,” he finally said. “Doesn’t matter at this point, though.”
He stepped away from the engine and rolled back beneath the car. After he came back up with a pan of oil, he carried it across the garage, disappearing behind one of the vehicles. I could see his silhouette through the windows of the furthest one, so my wolf didn’t flip out.
Then again, I had yet to see any evidence that she would lose her marbles when Wyatt was out of my sight.
“It would probably be best if you and I just aimed for friendship,” he said, his voice echoing a little across the oversized garage.
My eyebrows shot upward. “Why?”
“You weren’t looking for a mate. I wasn’t either. If we just go with friendship, no one gets hurt.”
“We’re supposed to have a ton of sex after my wolf bites you, Jones. Does that sound like friendship to you?”
“Friends can have sex.”
“I don’t have sex with my friends. When was the last time you hooked up with one of yours?” I countered.
His silence answered that question.
“I’m not thrilled about this magical connection thing either, but I think it’s way too soon to decide what the extent of our relationship will be. We don’t even know each other.”
“You already know more of my past than any of the guys in my pack.” Wyatt made his way back toward me without the oil pan.
“A person’s past is a tiny part of who they are. I don’t know what you like to do. Or eat. Or what your sense of humor is like, if it exists. Or how you treat people.”
He looked slightly unnerved by my response. “You should try to wash the grease out of your hair. I don’t know if it will damage it.”
Wyatt was changing the subject rather than bringing up whatever he thought or felt. Interesting.
I didn’t beat around the bush, but maybe he did.
“I’m more worried about how it will affect my nipples,” I said, pulling the neck of my shirt away from my skin and making a show of peering down.
When I lifted my gaze, I found his face red, and his eyes fixed on my chest. He peeled them away quickly, but not fast enough.
Wyatt might not have been attracted to his first mate, but hewasattracted to me.
