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Once I was back in bed after my walkabout, I drew Sasha back to me, spooning around him, and he wiggled and scooched, getting close, nearly driving me right out of my mind by shoving his perfect little ass up against my groin. Surely I was a very good man for not attacking him right that second. And I wanted him badly, as would anyone with a brain. I had to wonder why no one else had claimed him while I was being an idiot. But, of course, I was his true mate, so no one else would do. I was so lucky.

“Ah-hah!” he yelled triumphantly.

When I turned, he was pulling a bag of oranges, a few of which had actually turned blue and dusty, out of the cabinet to the right of my sink.

“You’re not going to be able to finish your science experiment,” he announced, walking them to the garbage can under my sink. “I’m so sorry.”

I was shaking my head when he turned. “I was wondering why no one else ever made a play for you while I was purposely staying away, but I’ve figured it out.”

He was waiting there, eyebrows raised, ready to hear whatever it was I was going to say.

“You can be a real wiseass.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “Always have been. Are those the last two?”

I had packed three large rolling suitcases and a garment bag of clothes. There was also a wicker laundry basket I had already taken down to my BMW X5 SUV earlier that had everything from my bathroom. I’d also moved my duffel from the back of the coupe to the SUV.

“It’s amazing how much you don’t have,” he said, passing me on his way to my bedroom.

“I already got everything.”

“We’ll see,” he called back.

“You don’t believe your alpha?”

“I am unfamiliar with my alpha’s packing game. It could be terrible.”

“We can always come back if I forget something.”

“Heaven forbid,” he yelled.

He was insufferable but very cute, and I really wanted to eat him.

After a few minutes, when he didn’t emerge, I walked into the bedroom to find him sitting on my bed.

“What’re you doing?”

He shook his head but didn’t lift it, and then I saw him wiping at the tears on his cheeks.

“Look at me.”

When he raised his chin, I saw the swimming eyes.

“No, no,” I grumbled, walking over and sitting down beside him. “There was banter. Why’re you sad?”

“Because you were living here, alone, with no one to take care of you, in this horrible sterile environment with a bed with no give at all, and you didn’t even notice you were unhappy, because I don’t think you’ve ever not been, and that makes me really sad.”

“I’ve been happy,” I assured him.

“In this apartment?”

I had to think.

“See?”

“Yeah, all right, maybe not in this apartment. But every year when Gigi’s parents visit for the holidays, or we all meet in some fun place like Switzerland—I enjoy that.”

“Well, from now on, you’ll have me and my parents either along with you on those trips, or all of us will be together here in Chicago.”