She didn’t know how to process the immensity of her gratitude for him. He’d spent hours and hours making her the press, not even knowing if she’d deign to accept it. He’d made her something so special just because he wanted to, because he knew she’d be alone on the holiday, and because hecared.
She wasn’t overcome by the gift itself, though it was gorgeous and thoughtful. No, what made her eyes burn was the love and time he’d put into it, intoher.
Thinking of him sitting in his workshop for hours forced her to remember all the times he’d swung by her house, or asked about her in town, or stood there at the fence. How muchtimehad Clark given her without expectation of anything at all?
He never overstepped her boundaries, but he never gave up, either. And not because he was determined to sleep with her. He did it because that was just who he was.
Clark Wilson, my sweet, stubborn mate who doesn’t give up on anybody.
Nelly pulled the press away from her chest so she could stare at it through watery eyes. It looked back at her, precious and perfect and thoughtfully made. It looked back and it said,Are you really afraid of the dream ending?
Clark wasn’t hiding anything from her. He wasn’t going to hurt her. From the very moment he left that first ridiculous note on her door, he’d shown her exactly who he was — and kept trying even when she refused to do so much as speak to him.
He was good and honest and thoughtful and… hers.
Clark Wilson is mine.
He’d made that clear from the start. She just needed to catch up.
A dazed laugh exploded out of her before, and with a great explosion of energy, Nelly stood up from her spot on the back of the couch.I need to see him!
Clark couldn’t go a minute longer thinking she wasn’t certain about him. She wouldn’t allow it.
Setting the precious flower press down on the coffee table, she rushed into her bedroom to change into suitable outside clothing. Donning fleece leggings, a thermal shirt, a sweater, scarf, and hat, she jogged back to the door to snatch her coat off the hook and shove her feet into her boots. Not bothering to tie them, she wrenched the door open and flew down the snow-covered steps.
Flurries swirled in the air, gentle and pretty against a pastel sunset mostly hidden by clouds. Her breath fogged in front of her as she frog-stepped to her truck. Her legs sunk into the snow almost to her knees, but she didn’t care how wet her leggings got. She had a mate to claim.
Except when she finally clambered into the icy truck, she discovered that the engine wouldn’t start. The fancy control panel in the center console was no help. It only told her that through some system error, the battery had been drained and would need to be restarted.
“I don’t havetimefor that!” Nelly smacked the console once, letting it know her displeasure, before she climbed out of the truck and nearly fell back into the knee-deep snow.
“Fine,” she huffed, setting her chin in a stubborn angle. Her gaze locked on the uneven line of Clark’s fence.
Sucking in a hiccupping breath, she reached for the familiar door in her mind and knocked.Em?
Nelly! Perfect timing. I have got to tell you what just happened. Okay, so Emory decided to try cooking, which I told him wasn’t a great idea, but he got a hold of some mac and cheese— Nelly? What’s wrong?
Her face already felt like it was burning in the cold. Her lungs ached. The muscles of her legs protested as she clambered up and over the Wilson fence.
She didn’t care.
I’m walking to Clark’s.
What? Why? Isn’t he still at your place?
Nelly tried to pick a path over the hill that wasn’t covered in knee-deep snow, but it was a futile task. It was a good thing speaking to Clementine didn’t require breath.
He left to give me space.She tried to swallow around the hard lump in her throat.And because I didn’t tell you what happened.
Clementine’s mental voice, always soft and a little raspy, tightened with concern.What happened, Nell? Are you okay?
Her boots crunched in the snow in time with her heavy heartbeat and sawing, uneven breaths.I bonded to him, Em. He took the kohl. He’s my mate.
Holy fuck. Shit! Nelly! And you let me go on about Emory eating the powder out of a mac and cheese box? Are you kidding me? You’re not serious. I don’t believe you.
An incredulous laugh burst out of her, exploding into the air in great plumes of condensation. Through the mist, she could just make out the shape of the Wilson homestead in the far, far distance. It’s true, I swear. He’s my mate and he’s wonderful and kind and I can’t wait for you to meet him.She was still laughing when she asked,Wait, did Emory raw dog the cheese right out of the packet? Tell me you got a picture.
She could hear her sister’s astonishment in her mental voice when she replied,That’s absolutely not what I thought you’d say after spending a few days locked up with your shitty neighbor, Nell. I’m in shock. Good shock, but shock.
