Though the shifter hadn’t called it out, he had definitely noticed, and Luka hated how much it had affected him.
Ruger had a smile that could warm even the coldest heart, the kind that made anyone on the receiving end feel like they mattered. Luka loved that smile. To watch it disappear, replaced by a scowl and a furrowed brow had been difficult to witness.
Knowing he was the cause had been nearly unbearable.
He had never opposed having a mate. In large part because the very idea had seemed so absurd. As far as he had been concerned, both the gods and fate had abandoned him on the day of his birth, and for centuries, he had seen no evidence to the contrary.
Then Ruger had found him and literally pulled him from the darkness.
But no one had taught him how to be a good partner. He didn’t even have examples of loving relationships to learn from. At first, he had been content to let instincts be his guide, but as the days passed, he had started to think that alone might not be enough.
How could he possibly make his mate happy when he couldn’t even go out with him in public without drawing negative attention?
“Is that really what you think?”
Luka jerked his head around from his place on the sofa, his heart pounding up into his throat. It had been a long time since someone had caught him unaware, but he’d been so lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t even sensed Ruger enter the room.
“Welcome back,taavi. How was your day?”
Dropping his leather bag into one of the chairs by the window, Ruger stripped off his coat with a sigh and tossed it on top of the satchel. “A fucking nightmare. I’m going to murder those little assholes before this event is over, and I won’t even feel bad about it.”
For some reason, Luka had the insane urge to laugh every time he heard Ruger threaten violence. Maybe because he knew the male would never follow through, or maybe it was because he just looked so damn cute when he got flustered.
The complaint had become so commonplace, however, that he didn’t have to ask which assholes his mate wanted to brutalize. From their first meeting, Aether and Ivy Celeste had been a constant source of stress and irritation.
“What did they do this time?”
“Aether wants to build a magical volcano in the middle of the lobby. Normally, Ivy would be the voice of reason, but he just wants the lava to be purple.” Trudging around the sofa, he dropped down on the cushion beside Luka and leaned against his shoulder. “Don’t change the subject. Do you really think you’re not a good mate?”
Luka hesitated, searching for the right words. “I think your life has changed because I am in it.”
“You’re right.” Straightening, he pressed his palm to Luka’s cheek, urging his head around until their eyes met. “My lifehaschanged since I met you.”
“That is—”
Ruger leaned close, dipping his head and bringing their lips together to quiet him. “It’s better.”
“I believe you think that now, but I will never be accepted.”
“Why do you say that?”
He rested their brows together and sighed. “You saw the way people looked at me.”
To his knowledge, he hadn’t said anything amusing, but Ruger laughed, his warm breath stuttering over Luka’s face.
“They were looking at you because you’re hot.”
Lifting his head, Luka frowned. Sometimes, his mate said the strangest things.
“I was not overly warm.” Ruger had helped him choose his attire for the occasion, and though the style had been unfamiliar, the fabric had felt pleasant against his skin. “And if I had been, they could not have known that.”
Ruger’s eyes danced with merriment as he chuckled again. “I mean they thought you were attractive.”
He understood the explanation this time, but it made absolutely no sense. “I think you are remembering it incorrectly.”
“Trust me, I’m not.” Flopping back against the sofa, Ruger folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. “I was so jealous I wanted to cover your face with the tablecloth so they would stop looking at you.”
“You were jealous?” Because of him. Because Luka belonged to him.
