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The gentlemanly thing to do was take the couch.
He’d seen enough romcoms to know that.
In truth, what hewantedto do was share the bed with Valentine. He could suggest that they put the pillows between them and sleep on the king-sized bed together.
He didn’t.
If he got into bed with his mate, there was zero to no chance that it would end well.
Not because he was going to do something bad, but because he wouldn’t be able to stop himself, and he would try to seduce her. He had the tools to do it, too. He had the charm. He had the kisses … and those were proving to be quite the force to pull his mate in.
He also had fate on his side.
Nero didn’t know why fate had decided to send him a Half-Blood mate or why she would be so uncertain about who she was, but that’s the hand he was dealt. It sucked for Valentine, though.
How could this fearless woman not see herself clearly?
“I am going to take a shower, and when I get out, you better be in the bed. Sleeping.”
He shook his head. “I’m actually going to go take a run. I’ve been sitting way too long. I need to move. My wolf is tearing at my skin.”
She shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
Nero couldn’t tell her that there was no way in hell he could stay in the room if she was going to be nude and wet with only a door between them. He had self-control, but he didn’t need to exert it all on their first night together.
There was no telling how long this trip would be, and he had to pace himself if he was really going to keep his hands to himself.
Nero didn’t know the town, but it didn’t take long to learn that there was indeed a bit of a wooded patch on the outskirts of town. He changed into his running gear, but it was only for pretense.
The second he got to the woods, he took to his wolf form and ran through the trees like his life depended on it. To call it a forest would have been a misnomer. There simply weren’t enough trees to qualify as a forest, but it was better than nothing.
He ran and ran until he thought it was safe to go back to the hotel room
Nero stood outside the door and listened carefully to the sounds inside. There was no shower running. No hairdryer, no TV. With any luck, Valentine would be in bed … on the actual bed.
He slowly opened the door and poked his head in. The room lights were on, but from the doorway, he couldn’t see where Val was.
He walked in, closed the door, and just as he turned, he saw her.
His heart clenched … as did other parts of his body.
There his mate was.
The bathroom door was wide open, letting out thick clouds of steam. The mirror was completely cloudy, and there Val was.
Wearing nothing but a tiny hotel towel wrapped around her naked body.
Her head was down as she bent at the waist. Long sheets of wet auburn hair hung inches from the ground as she towel-dried her hair.
“Hey,” he said carefully, not wanting to scare her. She looked really focused and totally unaware that he was back. “Val.”
Valentine gasped and stood.
Too fast.
The sudden movement made her towel fall and slide right down the length of her curvy body. She was so shocked that she stood there.
In all her naked glory.
