Things between us had definitely shifted a little.
I knew he wanted me, even without fate pulling him to. My attraction to him was more than obvious, too.
He knew I’d assumed I would have to take a mate sooner rather than later, and I was now aware that he’d been thinking about taking a mate for a while.
We hadn’t discussed what any of those things might potentially mean forus, but the question was hanging heavily in the air.
I couldn’t really answer it, or even genuinely consider it. Not while I was hiding so much from him. He just didn’t know that.
Maverick grabbed the remote and turned the TV on.
“Is everything okay with your pack?” I hoped the question would ease the tension of our unresolved shit.
“Yeah. We’re too far for the mental link to function, so Rhone was just updating me. No new developments in the case, either.”
“Is anyone else dead yet?”
“Nope. I’m crossing my fingers that Phyllis is next, though.”
“When did you meet Phyllis?”
“On Sunday. The woman is a fucking menace. I’ve never met a human so ballsy before.”
“She’s actually my best friend now. She told me I have a great figure.”
“Well, she’s right about that,” Maverick said.
“What did she say to you?”
“She told me my tattoos were trashy, and that I’d do a better job of winning your heart without them.”
I laughed. Hard. “She didn’t.”
“She did. I believe her exact words were, ‘If you didn’t have so many disgusting tattoos, maybe you wouldn’t be having such a hard time seducing Bloom. It’s not like a vampire could do better than a werewolf.’.”
“You have to be kidding.”
“Wish I could say I was.” Despite his words, he was grinning.
“What did you say?”
“I told her it was a little late, and I’d just have to buy you more sweaters to make up for it. She recommended a coffee bar instead. She was right, so I’ve been going to her for advice ever since.”
My smile was so massive, it hurt. “You’re lying.”
“Alright, I didn’t go back for advice. The coffee bar really was her idea, though.”
“Well, that’s my favorite one of the gifts, so she was right about that. Wrong about your tattoos, though. I think they’re sexy.”
“At leastsomeonedoes.”
I swatted his arm. “I’ve never looked at them closely. Can I?”
“Of course. I belong to you, remember?”
“Right.” We were sitting so close that I had to turn and scoot a little to see him better.
He lifted his arm up to rest on one of his knees so I could get a closer look. It was a patchwork tattoo sleeve, with branches of what looked like cherry blossoms winding around his full arm. There were various tattoos on his skin, filling his arm in a way that looked completely intentional.
