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“You have my boredom over the past half year to thank for why I’m taking this so well.”
His brows drew together. “I don’t understand.”
My cheeks heated as I admitted, “Two of my favorite guilty pleasures are reality television and reading romance novels.”
He shook his head. “You’re gonna have to give me more than that, baby. Because I’m not getting the point you’re trying to make.”
“I’ve read lots of books about shifters,” I mumbled.
His eyes widened. “There are books about shifters?”
“They’re not non-fiction. The stories are made up.” I pressed my lips together as I thought about how my life was turning out to be stranger than fiction. “Or at least I thought they weren’t real until I met you. But if shifters are searching for their fated mates, then I guess those romance authors got some of it right.”
“Hold up. Are you trying to tell me you read romance novels about shifters and fated mates?”
My cheeks got hotter as I whispered, “Yeah.”
I expected him to judge me the same way so many others had done before, but he grinned instead. “Were any of the guys grizzlies like me?”
Thinking about the book I finished last week, I nodded. “Yup.”
“He better have been your favorite,” he growled.
“He was.” I raked my gaze down his body. “But the reality of you is so much better than any hero in the books I read.”
“Damn straight, baby.” He flashed me a cocky grin before getting serious again. “I’m not sure how much else those books of yours got right about shifters and mates, but I’m so fucking glad they’ve made it easier for you to believe me. I figured I’d have to haul you outside so I could change into my grizzly to stop you from thinking I was crazy.”
“I definitely want to see your bear sometime, but you don’t have to shift to convince me that you’re telling the truth.” I clenched my thighs together to ease the ache in my core. “But I am curious to know how close the authors were to the truth when it comes to fated mates.”
His gaze dropped to my lap, and his nostrils flared. I couldn’t help but wonder if shifters really did have a heightened sense of scent, and Keane could smell my arousal. “What kind of things did they say in your books?”
No way in heck was I going to tell him about the steamy sex scenes with biting and knotting. Not when I already felt as though I would have an orgasm just from how he was looking at me.
Shaking my head, I murmured, “Nuh-uh, tell me how the whole fated mate thing works, and you can read one of my books later to find out how accurate they are for yourself.”
“I just might take you up on that offer.” Keane winked at me, and my inner walls clenched. “See what kind of things you like.”
I fanned myself with my hand. “Is it hot in here, or is it just me?”
“With how smokin’ hot you are, it’s definitely you, baby.” He leaned back and stretched his legs out, and I couldn’t miss the large bulge in his pants.
Crossing my arms against my chest—partly to hide how my nipples had pebbled and were pressing against my shirt, but also to stop myself from attacking the sexy beast sprawled next to me—I grumbled, “Explain now, compliments later.”
His brown eyes were filled with need as he spelled it out for me. “Fate gives shifters a match who is the other half of their soul. The person they’re destined to spend their life with. The only one they’ll ever want.”
My favorite shifter books all had one thing in common—mates never felt desire for anyone other than each other. I was afraid to get my hopes up, but it sounded like that was what Keane was saying. I needed to be sure, though. “And by that, you mean shifters only love their mates, nobody else? Or they can only have kids together?”
“I think this will help make it painfully clear.” He reached out, wrapped his fingers around my wrist, and pressed my palm against his hard-on. “My dick didn’t work until I caught your scent trail. From the day I was born until the day I die, you’re the only woman I will ever desire.”
Whoa. That was exactly what I was hoping to hear. “And how many years ago was that?”
“Fifty-five. How old are you?”
“Eighteen.” My gaze dropped to his hard-on again before jerking back up to his face. “You’re very hot for an old guy.”
A deep growl rumbled up his chest, making me giggle. “It’s good you think I’m hot because I’m the only man who’ll ever have you.”
I hadn’t ever so much as looked at another guy with interest, but I still had to ask, “How do you know I’m a virgin?”
