Page 40 of Never His Mate

His command rankles. “I think I’ll stand.”

“Please.”

Ugh. “Fine.”

A flash of a satisfied smile, then he tilts his head. He’s staring openly at me.

“What are you doing?” I ask him.

“Just looking at you. Have I ever told you that you’re absolutely gorgeous? Even if you weren’t meant to be mine, you’d be just the type of female I’d choose. You were fucking tempting in those sundresses and with those curls, but now?” Ryker drops his hand to his crotch, drawing my attention to the obvious erection pushing against his jeans. “The things I want to do to you, Gemma. Come on. Say ‘yes’. Be mine.”

I stare at the outline of his dick for longer than I probably should. When I hear him take a deep breath, followed by a rumbled groan, my cheeks flame up. No doubt he’s picking up on my sudden arousal.

I can’t help it. My heart is wary, my head knows to be guarded against this male, but my pussy? Yeah. She’s never gotten the message.

I clamp my thighs together, scooting a little further away from him. When I’m on the edge of the bench, inches away from dropping to the sidewalk, I clear my throat. “That’s what you want to talk about?”

“Luna, yes.”

Okay, then. Two can play this game. He knows he can turn me o thanks to his nose, but there’s no hiding that erection from anyone.

I point at it. “Where was that attitude last year?”

“It was there, but last year I had to be careful not to frighten my omega mate away from just how bad I wanted her. Now that I know you’re no more an omega than I am, I don’t have to hold my wolf back.”

Then, as if proving his point, he snaps his canines at me.

I jump and only manage to save myself from landing on the ground by a single claw. Ignoring his chuffing laugh, I shift so that I’m sitting closer to him.

He sucks in a breath.

Ha. Good to see I affect him as much as he affects me.

I cross my legs, the toe of my boot brushing up against the top of his calf. With another groan, he widens his legs so that his thigh touches mine.

It’s a dare, and I know I’m only doing what he wants, but I refuse to be the first to move. Instead, I slide my jeans against his, then tell him as sweetly as I can, “You should’ve come looking for me last year when you discovered the truth. Maybe then I would’ve still cared.”

He stiffens next to me. Not because he’s aroused—which, yeah, he is—but because he’s suddenly fuming.

I can feel the heat from ever here.

“I did! How many times do I have to tell you that I did? It’s not my fault. If you weren’t wearing that fang, I would’ve found you a year ago.” Beneath the sunlight, his shifter’s eyes flare a brilliant amber color. “Fair play to Filan. He knew exactly what he had to do to keep you away from me. And without you feeling me on the other end of our bond, it’s easy to forget that we’re made for each other. Huh, Gemma?”

What?

“What are you talking about? Our bond died the night you rejected me.” At Ryker’s scoff, I raise my voice a little. “Aleks didn’t even know that I was running out on you when I first met him. I don’t even think I mentioned your name the first few weeks I was in Muncie. If he hates you now, it’s just that he’s protective of me. You did a number on me, Ryker. I’m not gonna let you do it again. Aleks has nothing to do with that.”

“Oh, sweetheart. You can’t be that naive.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know he’s in love with you, right?”

It’s one thing to know that. But to hear Ryker put it out there like that?

I shake my head royally, knocking the curtain of hair out of my face. “He’s… he’s told me he has feelings for me. But I told him I don’t feel the same, and he gets that.”

Ryker gives me a look of pure disbelief.

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