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Maddox longed to wrap her up in his arms, hold her close, whisper that he loved her and that, if he could, he’d wait forever for her to come back to him on her own.
But they didn’t have the time. As Colt so kindly—okay, maybe not so kindly—reminded him when they talked after he settled Evangeline in the bedroom, Maddox had started the clock. He was a fool if he thought that no one would think to check Wolf’s Creek for him and Evangeline.
The move in the middle of the night had been a calculated risk. He was determined to make her see that they belonged together. In his haste, Maddox had fucked up any goodwill he had earned when Evangeline let him feed her dinner. He’d be lucky if she ever accepted anything from his hand ever again.
Still, he had to try. He’d come so far already… there was no other choice.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
“I’m not your sweetheart,” she retorted. No heat, though, only a deep resignation that made his wolf sit up and howl a sad, lonely song. “And I’m not your mate. When are you going to give up on this and let me go? You’ve got to know that your true mate’s out there waiting for you. Stop wasting your time with me when I’m nothing but a mistake.”
There was venom in the way she spit out the last word. Maddox didn’t understand it, and decided not to question it. There was a reason he started this conversation and, fuck it, he was going to make sure she knew.
Time was running out. He told her he had proof.
He had to show her.
“You’re no mistake, Angie.”
“Stop. Just stop—”
He couldn’t. “Shifters know their mates at first sight. At first sniff. But it’s not as simple as that. I didn’t take a whiff and say, ‘yeah, she’s the one’ just because you smelled good. It’s a little more... obvious than that. I knew it was you because, for the first time in my life, my body was ready to take a mate. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
Evangeline hesitated, as if she was about to tell him to stop again, then she surprised him. Instead of arguing, she simply shook her head.
It was as close to a go sign as he was going to get.
“I knew you were my mate because you were the only one that could ever do this to me.” Maddox moved quickly. Before she could react, he took her hand gently and hovered it over the bulge in his jeans. He waited for her to struggle, to yank her hand back. When she didn’t, he placed her palm against his aching hard-on. “I can only mate with my mate. And that’s you, Angie. So no fucking mistake, alright?”
Evangeline stiffened. Once she got a feel of how hot and hard he was, Maddox expected her to pull away—but, to his shock, she didn’t. After a few seconds when he held his breath, she pressed her palm down against his cock, applying enough pressure that he wanted to grunt and groan.
Questing fingers stroked lightly against the denim as she explored his length. Afraid he might spook her—terrified he might be dreaming—Maddox bit back another groan. A few soft touches from his mate’s hand and he was about to start coming in his jeans like a schoolboy.
“Oh, wow,” she breathed out, her voice gone husky. “I shouldn’t be doing this.”
He knew that voice. Whenever she was ready to go to bed, her eyelids became heavy and she started to sound like she smoked a pack a day.
She should definitely be doing this, Maddox thought. He leaned into her hand, the most he allowed himself to do in case he scared her into stopping. This was more than he could have hoped for and, after all these years without her, it took everything he had to hang onto his control.
Before he lost it entirely, he flared his nostrils. If he scented any type of worry or fear, he would stop himself. He would follow her lead every step of the way, just like he had before.
When the intoxicating musk of Evangeline’s arousal filled his senses, he gave a sudden jerk. He couldn’t keep his moan back.
Evangeline went still, her fingers resting lightly against his erection. “I’m sorry. I’
ve never— am I doing this right?”
Through the haze of overwhelming sensation, it got through to Maddox that Evangeline sounded like an uncertain virgin with the practiced touch of his wife. Her hands knew what she was doing even if her mind didn’t.
She still didn’t remember, didn’t know that he was her husband and her mate. He should be frustrated, and he definitely was, but that wasn’t all. In an instant, when her meaning sunk in, Maddox was so fucking happy, it felt like his heart was about to leap out of his chest.
She hadn’t been with anyone else since him. She hadn’t even been with that Adam fucker.
Not that it would have mattered. Just like when she admitted to him during their courtship that he’d be her first, Maddox knew he didn’t have any control over what—or who—Evangeline did when she wasn’t bonded to him. But, hell, it was great to hear that they were still each other’s one and only.
It was a reminder that fate had gotten this right. This woman was meant for him, just like he belonged to her. Deep down, Evangeline must know that. Her body did. Maybe her heart did, too. He just needed to get her head on board.
Later.
