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“Details,” he said. “Do you prefer the younger boys at the university?”
She definitely had no interest in boys. If she had to choose, she’d pick a real man like the one sitting right in front of her. She’d choose Xander Blackhawk.
****
He was getting nowhere fast, but at least he had her alone.
If only he’d taken more notes on seduction over the years. How could he convince a woman to fall in love with him? Were there books on the subject? At forty-four, he never expected to find his mate. He’d accepted the fact he’d live out his days alone, a recluse amongst his pack. Even as alpha, the humiliation and pain of not having a mate was growing too much to bear.
Willa was everything. An answer to a prayer. The promise of a future. Love and companionship that he’d been without for far too long.
He had to do this right.
“I’m not interested in any of the students,” she said.
This game would be so much easier if she were a shifter. They’d both sense their connection, wasting no time in cementing their bond. Instead, only he could scent her desire, her readiness. Humans were stubborn, denying their desires out of pride or fear, he wasn’t sure.
“How about us? Will you give me a chance this week to prove I can be a worthy mate?”
“This is so unexpected. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes. You won’t regret the decision.”
He watched the heavy rise and fall of her chest. Her nervousness was endearing. “I’m sure Tyson wouldn’t approve. This can only make the situation worse.”
Xander shook his head. “I’m the father, not him. I’ve raised him myself and will always look out for him, but he’s eighteen and I have my own life to live too.”
She smiled. “You’re right. Everyone deserves happiness.”
The food came and they ate in mostly silence. He wanted to take her away to the forest, to introduce her to his wolf, to fuck her, to mark her as his mate. Instead, he was in the city, playing human, cutting up a steak with a knife and fork while keeping all his desires locked away.
“What do you do for fun besides reading?” he asked.
The dinner was coming to a close, and he had yet to build enough of a connection.
“Honestly, not much.”
“I don’t like that answer,” he said. Xander paid the bill and then stood, beckoning for her hand. She was much smaller than his six-foot-three frame, bringing his protective instincts dangerously close to the surface. He loved the feel of her soft little hand in his.
Once they were outside, he took a cleansing breath.
“Let’s go for a ride before I bring you home. Is that okay with you?”
She nodded.
He wanted to give her a little thrill, some spark in her life. She’d been sheltered for too long and needed to laugh and live more than she had been. If he could crack her tough exterior, maybe he’d stand a chance.
Xander held open the passenger car door open for Willa, then got behind the driver’s seat.
“I’ve never been in a car like this,” she said.
“Well, I suggest you put on your seat belt. It’s got a lot of power under the hood.” As soon as they pulled out of the parking lot, he hit the accelerator. He got onto the freeway, watching her reactions occasionally. Her hands tightly gripped the sides of her leather seat, her body stiff.
“Relax, Willa. I’ve been driving like this all my life. You’re in good hands.”
He did a few tricks as he pulled off the highway onto a quiet side road, making her jostle back and forth.
He laughed which made her giggle.
