“Your aura changed colors. We’re fated mates. I understand we’ve not yet claimed one another, and we only just met a littlewhile ago. But I promise you that I’m incredibly easygoing, and you can talk to me about anything. What’s bothering you?”
Camden took several breaths, each one seeming to calm him a little more. When he finally met my gaze, he seemed determined. “I just don’t wish to live somewhere that you’ve had others. I’m not normally a jealous person, but my lastrelationshipsort of ended badly because he was a douche, and yes, we knew we weren’t mates, but he demanded I be faithful while he himself wasn’t.”
I digested what he was saying to me a moment before I nodded slowly in response. “I would have to agree that he was a douche. I’ve not been in a relationship since well before I left England. Even then, nothing was overly serious.” I was no virgin, but I also wasn’t an ass. “I haven’t been with anyone intimately but my own hand for some time. And nobody has been to my house here on Treasure Ridge except me and a few friends. Platonic and already mated friends.”
I had a few, but for the most part, they were mated, and I wasn’t. They had families, and I didn’t. They had lives, and I was on call twenty-four seven. Their lives involved families. Mine only had work.
“When were you last with someone? Can I ask that?” Camden asked.
I chuckled. “You may ask me anything. It’s been some time. Before I left England around five years ago. I’ve not found anyone here, but I’ve also not really put in any effort. I keep busy with work, and the thought of exploring anything with someone other than my One hasn’t appealed to me for some time.”
“You’re saying you haven’t been with anyone in…a while? Seriously? But you’re so…hot. Like…I could seriously climb you right now.” Moments after those words left his mouth, Camden’s eyes widened.
“That’s good to hear,” I told him. “The answer to your question is yes. It’s been quite some time since I’ve been with anyone. Several years, actually. I’ve been here for two, and it was at least a decade before that I’ve been with someone.” There truly had been no interest. It wasn’t that I didn’t have needs. I had simply taken care of them myself.
“I’m not sure if I feel good about that or not. I mean…I’m happy but not? You’re my mate, and I don’t want you to be lonely. Yet at the same time, I’m happy you aren’t currently seeing anyone.”
I grinned. “Nobody in my life at the moment. Except this cute blond that happened to show up at my clinic this morning. I’m trying to see if he’d like to go out on a date. Maybe spend the day with me and see how the day ends, but other than that…” I shook my head. I was trying to be playful, and it seemed to work because Camden grinned.
“I’d like a date. I believe they are a good way to get to know someone.”
“I agree. How about we spend the day together, and I can show you around Treasure Ridge a bit more? We can end the date at your place or mine, no strings attached if not desired.”
Camden shook his head. “Yeah, you and I both know we’re going to end up in bed together at some point today. I’m not upset about that, Maxwell. Truly. I just didn’t want to be in a space that you had shared with someone before me.” Camden sighed. “Even if that is completely unreasonable, which I know it is. You had a life before me, just as I did you.”
I shushed him with two fingers on his lips. Camden nodded slowly. “I get it. If it will make you feel any better, all of my furniture in my house here is new. With the exception of some books and other family mementos, I started new and fresh here.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Camden said. “But it does help if I think about it for more than a moment.” Camden sighed.“I really don’t know what’s gotten into me. Seriously. I cannot expect you to have nothing from the past in your place.”
I shrugged. “It’s new. We can discuss and work through those things. Communication is always going to be important, and my hope is that you feel the same.”
Camden smiled. “Yes.”
I stared at him a moment before smiling back. “Good.” I glanced over at the clock on the office wall. “It’s still early. Where would you like to start the day? A tour of the area? A trip to Timber Valley? Somewhere else? The world is but a thought away.” I’d not traveled with someone in a long time. When we got the chance, I would very much enjoy going places with Camden and, later, our children.
“You know, I’m thinking that staying close is good. Can we just do a walking tour of the area, and then you could maybe show me your place? Mine is on the other side of the council building. It’s not terrible, but it’s not somewhere that I would ever really think that I wanted to live for a long time.”
“That can most certainly happen,” I told him. With a quick bit of magical thought, I had the sign up on the front door of the clinic, the door secured, and my own coat on. “Did you need a warmer coat? I know some shifters don’t need a lot of extra when it comes to dealing with the winter temperatures. But being out in it for a bit can be different.”
Camden glanced down at his own coat and shook his head. “I have a warmer one that I used to wear in the winters back home. I still have it, but I was under the impression that I wouldn’t be spending a whole lot of time outside and would be perfectly warm inside.” Camden met my gaze again. “If I get cold, I’ll be sure to let you know.”
That sounded like a good plan to me. I took a step away but ran my hand down Camden’s arm until I had his hand in mine.After lacing our fingers together, I started toward the back door where I’d entered the clinic not that long ago.
After securing it behind us, I pointed to the right. “Just over there is the childcare center,” I told him since we’d talked about it briefly earlier. “I’m not sure where all Alpha Osmund had shown you.”
Camden looked up at me and shook his head. “Not many places. I met him at the council building. We happened to run into Luc, who I guess I do look a lot like, but after that, he brought me over here.” Camden sighed. “Can I just say that where I really want to go is to either my place or yours? I’m not asking you to jump into bed with me immediately, but there will be time to do the tour thing later. Can we go somewhere private so we can talk? Perhaps discuss things in more detail as to what we are wanting or expecting?”
I couldn’t help but grin. I nodded as I pulled Camden closer. With another thought, I had the two of us standing inside the den at my place. “We can certainly do that,” I said quietly. “Would you like a tour of here? Or would you want to wait for that as well?” I asked suggestively. True, he’d just said he wanted to discuss things. That didn’t mean we couldn’t do that somewhere quite comfortable. “There is a very comfortable sofa just over there. It has plenty of room for two.”
Camden grinned, and when he started walking that way, he tugged me along with him. I was only too eager to follow. After all, it was my suggestion.
Chapter 6
Camden
Iliked playful Maxwell. I liked seductive Maxwell even more. I couldn’t help it. I was but a horny omega who had just met his alpha. In my case, sire. And, well…I wanted him. Desperately. With him being playfully seductive though, that only made my own desire increase, and I needed to do something to put it on hold. At least for a little while. The best thing I knew to kill my libido was to think about my parents, and so that’s what I did. It worked like a champ because by the time we got to Maxwell’s comfortable-looking sofa, my immediate desire had dampened.
“What just happened?” Maxwell asked as we sat down, him not quite next to the arm but not far enough to the middle that I could sit on the other side of him, and me next to him in the middle, turned toward him enough that I could easily look at my mate.
