I ignore the flutter in my stomach and the way my womb cramps slightly at his words.
“Rowan,” I sigh, giving up my struggle. “I’m not ready to have some giant heart-to-heart with you about my life, okay? I barely know you. You heard more than enough last night. I won’t…Ican’tgo into that anymore. And I’m really fucking tired.”
He blinks, then his grip on my bag slackens. I yank it out of his grip, pleased that I caught him off guard.
He looks me up and down, taking in my black tank top and wrinkled leggings. “Have breakfast with me,” he says, and I balk. Before I can reply, he holds up a hand to halt my response. “We have smoked salmon and bagels,” he says quickly. “And avocados.”
I pause. “Yeah?”
It’s possible Travis told them what my favorite breakfast food is.
Actually, I’m sure that’s what he did.
“And lemon. And fresh dill,” Rowan adds. “With capers, too.”
“That’s…entirely too specific,” I say.
He shrugs. “I may have had intel about your food preferences”
At his terrible attempt at a joke, I huff.
“Look,” he says. “I don’t know how to do any of this. At all.” He motions to himself, then to me. “All I know is that you’re here now, and I don’t want you to go.”
His eyes swim with emotion, his expression full of longing and vulnerability.
“When Ryland told us about you, I wasn’t sure if I would ever even meet you,” he admits. “I didn’t know if Travis would ever act on the year-long crush he’s had on you. They told me to stay away from you and to give you time.”
My mind skids to a halt.
Travis had a crush on me for ayear?
A year?
And they told Rowan to…
“They told you tostay awayfrom me?” I ask, frowning.
He nods.
I shake my head. “Wait.Why?”
“They didn’t want to push you. They thought maybe you weren’t ready.”
I stare at him, dumbfounded.
“Not ready?” I repeat.
“Not ready to know about me, or that we were all in a pack. They thought it might be too hard for you based on your reaction to Ryland.”
I take a step back from Rowan, my mouth twisted into horror.
I knew Travis thought it was a good idea, but to imagine him and Ryland scheming to make sure Rowan didn’t try to see me makes me furious.
I’m not fragile. I’m not some broken person that needs decisions made for her.
I make my own decisions.
“I’m not a helpless child,” I seethe.
