Page 115 of Ice King

Beck was eating this up and I almost agreed. What the hell?

“Whoa, did I say what I was thinking out loud?” I said again.

My brother snorted. Jake laughed. “Buddy, your thoughts were so easy to read anyone on the interstate could have done so. Come on. Don’t you know when you’ve found your mate everything is different? Food tastes better. Wine is an experience. Just breathing air is as you’re waking up to a new world all the time? And sex… Well,” he whistled. “To die for. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”

I thought about what his words and his suggestion. “As if you’d know,” I snarked, still grousing under my breath. “So you think I should go to her house and simply tell her she belongs to me and that’s it. The end.”

“Yep,” Jake said while nodding to Beck.

“Sounds about right. At least you won’t mope around the office any longer.” Beck burst into laughter.

“No wonder you’re both single. You’re Neanderthals.” Although sitting and sulking wasn’t going to get me anywhere. “Shit. I don’t know what to do. She went to all that trouble creating a framework of an incredible contract with Mr. Young and I almost killed the man out of jealousy. You didn’t see her face or hear her tone when she told me she never wanted to see me again.”

“She didn’t mean that. She just wants you to make a fool of yourself,” Jake offered.

I shook my head, grabbing my beer as I did. That trick wouldn’t work ever again.

“She wants to know why,” Beck said quietly.

“Why I was an idiot?”

“Yeah, but more important, why you can’t let go of the past.”

While Beck and I had always been close, he’d never nagged me about what had happened more than a decade before. To hear the angst in his voice gave me pause. “Maybe you’re right.”

“Oh, I know I am. Hunt her down. You have the skills. So I’ve been told.” He laughed and while teasing me, he was also pushing me in the right direction.

So maybe he was right.

As I slipped from the booth, Beck nodded in encouragement. Just before I walked toward the entrance, I gave Jake a piece of advice.

“Don’t be like me, buddy. Tell Roxanne how you feel before it’s too late.”

Too late for what I wasn’t certain, but I knew one thing in my heart. If I allowed another night to go by, I would never be able to find happiness.

Not without her.

I was lucky in that after a harrowing drive at ninety miles an hour in heading for her house that her car was parked in front.

And that I hadn’t gotten into an accident.

There was no time to waste, at least not in my mind. In three long strides, I was at her door, pounding my fist against it.

Hearing no footsteps, I was instantly frustrated.

But her scent wafted through every crack and crevice, providing me with incentive and boosting my raging desire. A few seconds later, I pounded again. “I’m not leaving, Georgia, and I know you’re inside. I will stand out here all day and all night until you open the door. I need to talk with you.”

As expected, there was no reply and no real sound coming from the other side.

“You are my everything, my mate and lover, and my friend. I’m sorry. Okay?”

A lot more of nothing.

I thought about what might grab her attention and grinned. “Since you seem to like eighties movies, let’s see if you can guess where this one is from.” As I started to sing ‘I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am,’ I did so with gusto.

After a couple of minutes, I thought for certain my horrible rendition would work. She’d moved closer to the door but wasn’t budging.

So I continued.