“I like blue too.I hate the heat and humidity, so I like fall and winter.Christmas is my favorite.I have a shitty dad, and we lived in a shitty apartment.I love dogs, but we never had one.My best and only friend is Roxie.I’d be lost without her.”
“More,” I say.
She smiles.“I’ve never had a boyfriend or even a crush.I did well in school.I like cooking, and I’m good with computers.Uh, what else?I like reading and baking.”
“Did you go to college?”
“No, I couldn’t afford it.”
“What did you want to be when you grew up?”
“When I was younger, I wanted to be a dentist.Now, I think it would be boring.I’d like to design apps, I think.I’ve been teaching myself how to code in my free time.”
“That’s awesome,” I say, impressed.“What kind of apps do you want to make?”
“I’m not sure.Maybe something for travel?Or health?I haven’t narrowed it down yet.”
We finish eating quietly.The air between us is thick now.Charged.Alive.
“The mating heat, or whatever it’s called, is… intense today,” she says carefully as she finishes her soup.
I nod.“It will get stronger the closer we get to the full moon.”
“What happens then?”
“I keep my promise,” I say, but my voice is rough with need.“I won’t touch you unless you ask me to.”
She studies me for a long moment.Then she surprises me and stands.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
My bear stills.
Fern steps closer.Closer still.
Then, she touches me.
I tense as her fingers drift over my shoulders.“What are you doing?”I ask hoarsely.
“Just… testing,” she murmurs.
I swallow hard.If my mate wants to test me, I won’t fail.I’ll show her I’m someone she can trust.Someone she can love.
I steel my resolve and meet her eyes as she trails her fingers around my shoulders and moves to stand between my legs.My hands grip the arms of my chair until the wood groans and my knuckles turn white.
I’m sweating already, and all she’s done is graze me with her fingers.
What will she do next?Kiss me?Straddle me?
Fern surprises the hell out of me by sliding her shirt over her head.She lets it fall to the floor.Moves directly into my space and climbs onto my lap as if she owns it.Her lips brush my neck.
My control snaps like overstretched wire.
The kitchen chair explodes beneath me as I surge upright, wood splintering as I barely keep my hands locked at my sides.
Fern freezes.
