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She scrunched her nose in thought. “No, I can’t say that I have.”
“A fated mate is the one person that the universe created for you. The other half of your soul and your best chance of finding happiness in this life. To find your fated mate is the greatest blessing you can have. For shifters, their mate iseverything.”
Mila had begun to lean in closer. Her dark eyes shined like wet obsidian as she processed what he was telling her.
“Gerri is the best. She has a sort of … sense for these things. That’s why she brought you here.”
“She brought me here … to meet my mate?” Her voice was low and uncertain, but he could also hear something else lurking beneath the surface. Desire.
His bear walked the edges of his skin. He wanted her, wanted her to know without a doubt what this meant to him.
“She brought you here because you’remine.” His voice was a low growl.
Mila’s full lips popped open, and she blinked rapidly, clearing away a flash of emotions before he could get a read on them. “So, I guess I’m not getting the job?” she said jokingly.
Though her voice was light, Cyrus could see the pensive lines on her mildly frowned brow. He wanted to soothe her.
“You don’t have to worry about all that. I’ll take care of you. You’ll never need anything with me.”
That must have been the wrong thing to say because Mila recoiled. Her soft face contorted into a look that walked the link between horror and shock. He could feel this moment snowballing into a pit of lava. His muscles tensed, and he was speaking before he realized what was happening.
“I’m not saying that you can’t work … you can if you want to, obviously, but I do have enough wealth that you could just enjoy your life.” He reached over the table and took her small hand in his. “Mila, you’re my mate. I’d do anything for your happiness.”
Her face began to settle, a subtle tinge of pink rising on her cheeks as she flicked her eyes between their hands and him. He could see the war behind her thick dark lashes as she searched his face for any hint of something he hadn’t revealed yet.
Her hesitancy gave him courage. While it wasn’t a yes, she didn’t refuse him flat-out either. Cyrus changed tactics. With everything all laid out on the table, it would only help if he gave her the space she needed to make her own choice.
He remembered the way she bristled at the thought of having her job taken from her. His little Mila was independent, and she took a lot of pride in that. So as much as his bear didn’t like it, he was going to back off instead of pushing.
“Would you like to go for a walk?” he asked, changing the subject.
Mila’s posture relaxed a little at the suggestion. “That sounds great.”
After picking up the check, Cyrus held out his arm for her. She hesitated a moment before finally slipping her slender arm through his. Her warmth spread to the epicenter of his being. Her delicious vanilla and rose petal scent made his throat dry. He swallowed the torrent wave of lust and kept his eyes forward, not trusting himself to look at her.
She was quiet as he led her through the back doors. The walkway went around the property, allowing the guests to take strolls between meals or simply to enjoy nature. The cool, crisp wind pulled her sun-streaked hair from her face, giving him the perfect view of her delicate features. Though she seemed to be enjoying the nature around her, he sensed the unspoken questions in her eyes. She gave his arm a small reassuring squeeze.
It was barely noticeable, but it was there all the same, offering comfort when he was in need of it. Was she aware of what she just did? Probably not, but that didn’t matter. Some part of her wanted to be here. He was sure of it.
Cyrus wanted to kiss her. His lips ached to brush hers. The need to taste the sweetness of her mouth was close to maddening. He couldn’t, though, not if he wanted her to come to him.
“I’ve never been speechless before.” She gave a shy peek through her lashes in his direction. “Honestly, I’m not sure what to think.”
The uncertainty in her voice was like a knife in the chest. He held back his bear, feeling his agitation at the possibility of her walking away. His muscles tensed with the need to drag her into his chest, caging her into him forever.
He had to convince her to stay, at least to get to know him, before she made any permanent choices. Not that he honestly thought she would get away if she left. No, the most likely scenario was that his bear would slowly eat away at his resolve until they hunted her down. But she didn’t know that. And he wanted to keep it that way, at least for now.
He stopped walking and turned to her. Taking her other hand, he stood a little straighter. He wanted her to see who he was, to know he would never hurt her, and she would always have a choice. He hoped she could see that when he looked at her.
His voice was low, coarseness scratching at the corners of his vowels. “You have all the time in the world to figure this out, Mila. I’m not asking you for anything more than the opportunity to know you. I understand how overwhelming this can all be … people who can shift, fated mates, anddestiny. But I know you feel this too.” He brushed a stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “And I’m willing to wait as long as it takes to prove to you that we were made for each other.”
Mila wet her bottom lip with her tongue, staring at him a moment longer before finding her resolve. Her dark eyes went glassy with interest, excitement, and worry. Standing so close to him, she looked smaller, but her shoulders were relaxed.
At first, her voice came out so low Cyrus almost missed her question. Her voice came out stronger the second time. “Can I see it?”
For a moment, his brain froze, short-circuiting as a sudden wave of lust filled his dick. “Huh?” he said, dumbfounded.
“Can I see it?” she said again. “Your polar bear?”
