AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thanks for today. I’ve learned a lot.”
I wave her thanks away with a small shake of my head.
“It’ll be a breeze for you. You know most of it already. It’s been great having someone here to help.”
Maya frowns at me, her smile tightening a little at the edges as she considers my response. Her shoulders are suddenly stiffer and her back rigid.
“You had Kim before I came along.”
There is an edge to her voice and my senses prick at the way she grips the strap of her bag a bit too tightly. Could my mate be jealous? Perhaps even if she doesn’t recognise the bond for what it is, it still affects her. That means the good and the bad. Her attention lingers on the folders filled with documents and post-it notes in Kim’s clear, blocky script on the covers.
I need to choose my words carefully.
Standing right in front of her, I let my fingertips touch hers, allowing the flow of sparks between us. I pray she can feel them, too, that it’s not just me. I want to remind her this connection isn’t all in my head and that she feelssomething.
“Yes, I had Kim.” I’m not sure whichhadshe means, professionally or romantically, but both are true, and I won’t lie to my mate. “But from the second I saw you, I knew I would never need or want anybody else again.”
Maya says nothing, but her cheeks flush. Clearly uncomfortable, she swallows hard and slowly pulls her fingers away from mine. My heart sinks and I feel completely crushed as she turns to go. Maybe she doesn’t feel it all, and she only saw it as a one time thing. Is her reaction to me all in my head?
At the last second, she spins back around and quickly goes up on her toes to give me the briefest of kisses on the cheek. I sigh in happiness and force myself not to grip her and clutch her tight to my body.
Patience, Nathan. Patience.
When she tries to dart away, I catch her elbow and wait until she looks up at me through thick, dark lashes. Something passes between us as we stare into each other’s eyes.
“I mean it.”
Willing her to understand just how obsessed I am with her, I rejoice internally when her chin drops in a tiny nod.
“Ah, I’m glad we caught you two.” Rex appears at the door with Leah tucked underneath his arm.
“There’s a gang heading out to Taaffe’s later. Want to come?” Leah directs the question at Maya because she knows that if Maya goes, I’ll be there. There is absolutely no chance I could stay away if she’s going to a bar packed full of unmated shifters. Rex and Leah probably think this is helping me, arranging for us to spend time together, but it’s not. I’m not sure how I’ll cope watching other men hit on her, watching her, knowing she doesn’t think I’m her mate. I’m sweating just thinking about it.
“I don’t think that’s a good…” I begin, quickly clamping my mouth shut when Maya glares at me and tilts her head, daring me to answer on her behalf.
“I’d love to,” she announces brightly.
I have a feeling that even if she hated the idea, she’d agree purely to spite me. Leah beams and Rex smirks at me, knowing exactly how tortured I am feeling right now.
“Great! I’ll come and get you when we’re leaving. Oh, this is going to be fun!”
Leah claps her hands together and hugs her mate tighter. Rex presses a kiss to the top of her head and a pang of envy shoots through me, but I won’t wallow. I have everything I want within reach. Rex didn’t have it easy, but it worked out for him in the end. And it will work out for us too.
MAYA
Once again, I spend way more time than I normally would fixing my hair and doing my make-up. Normally not one for dresses, I find myself wearing a pretty olive wrap dress that shows off my cleavage and swings around my knees when I move.
Today was amazing, surprisingly so.
Working closely with Nathan has done nothing to dampen my desire for him. If anything, it’s made it worse. He was impressive already, but hearing and watching him doing his thing made me realise he’s not just a really, really, pretty face. Nathan’s clever and funny, and good to his employees. When one man called in sick to a job because his mate was unwell, Nathan was kind and understanding.
The fact that I like him, as well as fancy him, is problematic. Because it’s all or nothing for him. If I take him at face value, he wants forever. He told me that if we have sex, he’ll mark me. He’s made his intentions clear. This won’t be a friends-with-benefits or let’s wait and see how it goes type of arrangement. If I give in to my needy body, I’m telling him I’m all in. That I’m his and his alone.
And that scares the hell out of me. I’ve seen what that can mean.
I try to put my past to the back of my mind and convince myself I can be strong. We’ll take things slowly, spend some time together, and I won’t give in to the pulsing heat between my legs. I might be part animal, but I don’t have to act like it. I can resist. Repeating this mantra to myself, I open my door and step out into the hallway, jumping a mile when I turn and see Nathan standing right there.
“Maya.”
