He kissed her soft shoulder. “The last thing I want to do is leave you, but I’ll have to go out soon, my mate.”
My mate.
Thunder boomed in his brain. He’d said it out loud.
No warning, no gentle explanation—just blurting it out after they recovered from their climaxes. Not the way he would have planned.
She tensed at his side and propped herself up onto her forearm. “What did you call me?” Her tone sounded—wary.
He couldn’t take it back now, and he didn’t want to. “My mate.”
The silence after those two words was palpable.
She tilted her head. “Like the way Larissa is for Roman?”
“Yes.” He nodded solemnly.
“That intense connection?” Panic started to claim her eyes.
“Yes.” He couldn’t lie to her.
“How do you know?”
“I can’t explain it. I just do.” He put his hand on his chest. “Like knowing I’m me.” He exhaled, keeping a steady gaze on her.
She maneuvered out of his grasp and sat up, pulling the sheet over her beautiful breasts. “What if you’re mistaken? It’s just sex confusing you.”
“It’s not.”
She bit her lower lip and then asked, “What if it’s a fluke thing? You wake up one day and that feeling’s gone.”
“It won’t.”
“How can you be sure?”
“There’s no doubt when it comes to your mate.”
Her gaze darted around the room, avoiding him, as if seeking escape.
Was there any way he could break through her fear? “I know this is hard to understand, but I sense it with all my being.”
Her chest rose and fell with quickened breaths.
His gut twisted as he sensed he’d made an awful, terrible mistake. “Are you freaking out?”
CHAPTER12
JANIE
When Arto asked if she was freaking out, Janie answered automatically. “No.”
Her rapid breathing and racing pulse indicated otherwise.
Larissa had explained the concept of mates before her bonding ceremony with Roman. It sounded like some serious, intense soulmate connection but with additional weirdness. They could freakin’ communicate to each other with theirminds. She would have a longer lifespan. Who knew what else was thrown into that cauldron. It was crazy, simply crazy.
And overwhelming.
Janie slid out of the bed and searched for her clothing. As she dressed, she fumbled with her leggings as she grew more flustered.
