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They’d let their animals run together a few more times. Her devil had softened toward his cat. She was beginning to soften toward Tate, too, but she didn’t show it much—determined to make him work to prove himself worthy.
If he wasn’t too busy throughout the day, he sometimes appeared at the center to see Havana at random times. She knew he regularly checked in with Deke and Isaiah—she often heard them talking to him via cell phone. Gideon hadn’t struck again, but no one was getting complacent.
Aside from when she went to work, she never ventured far from home. She also never balked at Tate’s hyper-strict security measures. The harder she made it for Gideon to get to her, the more agitated he’d become, and the more likely he’d be to make a mistake.
Tate splayed his hand on her thigh and squeezed. “Have you decided what you want yet, babe?”
She hummed. “I’m gonna go with the pecan pie.”
Tate called over the waitress, who was one of his pride mates, and placed their orders.
Havana snapped the menu shut and slotted it back in its holder, accidentally jabbing him with her elbow. “Sorry. You know, you’d have more room if you sat on the other side of the table.”
“I like looking at you, but I also like touching you. I can do more of that when sitting next to you than I can when I sit opposite you.” His gaze dropped to her mouth, and then his lips were there, sipping from hers. “You taste better than anything here.”
“Dude, you don’t have to ply me with compliments—you’ll get laid later for sure.”
Tate chuckled, liking the back and forth they had. It felt easy. Comfortable. Intimate. “Good to know.” He put his mouth to her ear and whispered, “If we weren’t in a restaurant full of shifters, I’d be stroking your pussy with my finger right now. But I don’t want them to know how you smell when you’re desperate to come.” He was far too possessive for that.
“Neither do I, so I appreciate your restraint.”
He rubbed her thigh again. “So … has Aspen and/or Bailey told you if they’ll join the pride, or are they still reluctant?” They’d asked to have a few days to think about it.
“I spoke with them about it again earlier. They said that if you and I mate, which will instantly make me a member of your pride, they’ll join—providing they’re allowed to continue working at the center.”
“No one would expect them to stop working there. And there’s no ‘if’ you and I mate. We will mate. It’s only a matter of time. Which is why there’s no reason you can’t just officially join the pride now.”
“Yes, you’ve made that clear before. On several occasions, in fact.”
Okay, yeah, he’d mentioned it a few times. Maybe more than a few. “Because it makes sense.”
She took his hand in hers. “I’m not going to rush any part of this relationship. You think your cat doesn’t have commitment issues after all. But you could be wrong. I don’t want to push any buttons for him. I don’t want to make him feel pressured or as if things are moving too fast.”
Realization dawned on Tate. “That’s why you haven’t branded me yet.”
She nodded.
“He wants you to mark me. I want you to mark me.” Neither Tate nor his feline liked that she held back on that. They’d wear her brand with pride.
“I don’t want to risk spooking him. Plus, my devil needs time, too. She’s lost some of her anger toward you, but she doesn’t fully trust that you won’t give me up again.”
“That’s not going to happen. Tell me you know that.”
“I don’t think you’ll walk away again, because I understand all the issues surrounding your reasons for giving me up. She’s too much of an elemental creature to process any of it.”
He let out a long exhale. “I want to wear your mark. I want you living with me. I want you in my pride.”
Havana had to stifle a laugh. “Well, aren’t you cute?” And so very, very spoiled.
His brows snapped together. “Cute?”
“I get that you’re used to people dancing to your tune, your Alpha-ness, but I’m not going to be one of those people—you know this already.” Havana gave him a look that said he could pester her until he was blue in the face, but she wouldn’t budge. She could see that he still wanted to push, though.
Well, of course he did.
Tate wasn’t a man who let things stand in his way. He was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it. And he always looked so endearingly perplexed when it didn’t happen. It made her devil snort in amusement every time.
He sighed. “All right, fine.”
She felt her lips twitch. “You can’t say that through gritted teeth and think I’ll truly believe you mean it, Garfield.”
