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“Constance…”
She pulled her wrist away from him, not wanting his touch or to have anything to do with him.
“Seriously?”
“You don’t get to touch me.”
“Oh, please, all you women are the same. You all want my touch.”
“Wow, how do you even get through the door with a head that size?” She shook her head, marveling at how big of an asshole he actually was.
She hated him.
“Tanner, leave,” Gage said, rolling up his sleeves as he stepped through the door. “Morning, Connie. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.” The lie fell easily from her lips. He didn’t need to know how difficult it was for her to relax in a strange house, even if it was the alpha’s.
“Try again.”
Tanner had already left.
“Huh?”
“Connie, we’re going to go through some … conditions, and one of them is I don’t like being lied to. While you live here, I would like you to be open and honest with me. Do you think you could do that for me?”
“Yes, of course.” She rubbed at her temple. “I slept. I don’t think I slept well, but I slept.” She winced. “It was probably the new house. I was never invited for a sleepover at other people’s houses. I only ever stayed in my bed, and I’m so rambling right now. I will be quiet.” She pressed her lips together, hoping the world would open up and swallow her whole.
Nothing happened.
Typical.
Gage chuckled. “Are you hungry?”
As if on cue, her stomach chose that moment to growl. “Starving.” Her cheeks had to be on fire, even as she shivered.
“The cold still affecting you?” Gage reached out a hand and touched her.
The moment he touched her, all the coldness ceased to matter. She felt warm from the inside out.
“I was fine last night. This morning, I feel cold.”
“Come on. We have much to talk about.” He took her hand, and she nibbled on her lip, trying to contain her smile as he led her into the kitchen.
It was a nice modern kitchen. White cupboards, black counters, a pristine stainless-steel sink. She saw a couple of modern appliances such as a coffee machine, food processor, and a mixer. Did he like to cook?
“Take a seat.”
She perched on the edge of her seat and watched in amazement as he pulled some tofu and peppers out of the fridge. “You know I don’t eat meat?”
“Connie, I’m an alpha. I know everything there is to know about my pack.”
Her movement into only plant-eating had been another element of annoyance for her parents. They had been angry with her for choosing vegetables over meat. Her mother had told her if it helped her to lose the fat, she didn’t mind. The fat had stayed, but she’d been happier within herself, and so she didn’t see a problem with eating the way she did.
She sat on one of the chairs and watched as Gage got to work chopping up onions, peppers, and some garlic. He crumbled the already pressed tofu and her mouth watered.
“Do you like cooking?” she asked.
“It relaxes me. When our previous alpha got sick, I learned how to cook for him.”
Constance didn’t have much memory of the previous alpha. The pack spoke fondly of him.
Silence filled the room. The only sounds came from the sizzling of the pan.
She glanced around the kitchen, wondering how to find out what he wanted from her. What did he expect her to do? All night, she had to wonder what this meant. Were they mates now? Boyfriend and girlfriend? The last thing she wanted was for him to see himself as a father figure.
Constance didn’t look at Gage like a daddy. Far from it. With the way her body lit up when she was around him, she did not have thoughts suited to a father figure.
“Talk to me, Connie,” he said.
“Er, I don’t know what to say. I’m kind of confused here.”
“Talk, and I’ll try to clarify any parts you don’t understand.”
She smiled. “Right. Okay. About … last night, I’m not sure what that means.”
“You know what it means.”
“But that’s the problem. Are you helping me out because of me being a member of the pack, or is this more?”
He added in the tofu, along with some nutritional yeast, black pepper, and black salt. After giving the pan a final toss, he divided it onto two plates, presenting her with one and taking a seat opposite her.
She watched him pick up a fork and take a bite. Eating shouldn’t be sexy. It shouldn’t arouse her, but it did.
This was one of the reasons why she had every intention of rejecting Tanner. There was no attraction there. Not even a little smidgen. Instead, hatred in spades.
“Try it.”
She took a forkful and closed her eyes. It was so good. “Thank you.”
He chuckled. “No need to thank me. Now, Connie, this arrangement is up to you. The cold is getting to you. The rejection has already started. If you want me to work with you to bring Tanner back to you, I can. As an alpha, I’m within my right to instruct a period of time for him to give you a chance.”
