“Oh, I’m doing that too,” I said, shaking my head. “If I’d known mating heat was like this, I probably would’ve hesitated at least a little.”
Pop chuckled. “No, you wouldn’t.”
“I thought it would be easier,” I blurted out. “Uncle Dalton and Aunt Halle?—”
“Dalton and Halle fought their own battles before you knew your letters,” Pop interrupted. “Just because you’ve always known them settled doesn’t mean they didn’t fight to get to that point.”
“Really?” From the stories Aunt Halle had told me, their bond had been rainbows and butterflies from the beginning.
“Of course,” Pop said in surprise. “No relationship is perfect, Flower. Mating bonds are more difficult because you’re not getting to know someone in order to decide whether you want to spend your life with them. That decision has been made for you already. It’s all backward.”
“You like Daniel, right?”
“Sure, I do.” He looked at me closely. “Seems to worship the ground you walk on. Protective. Polite. Loves his family. Why?”
“Just asking.”
“The more important question is ifyoulike him.”
“I…” I paused, trying to find the words. “Yes. Iadorehim. He’s just so…”
Pop watched me expectantly.
“I don’t know if it’s the same for him,” I sputtered out finally.
Pop scoffed. “That Vampire would happily die for you, Rosemary.”
“He keeps leaving,” I argued. “He leaves and—” I gagged and had to take a deep breath, in through my nose and out through my mouth. Great, the nausea was back. “He makes me feel like this. He won’t take me with him, but he insists on going every day. What am I supposed to think?”
“Have you told him?” he asked reasonably.
“He should know,” I yelled in frustration. Turning, I took two steps and threw up the breakfast Pop had insisted I eat. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I swiped at my mouth with the back of my hand.
God, I was miserable. The rain no longer felt cooling against my skin, just wet. All of my clothes were damp and sticking to my skin, the friction like tiny razor blades all over.
“He should know,” I repeated, turning back to Pop. “He’s well aware of what the mating heat entails. It should be hurting him too.”
“I’m sure it is.”
“Then why does he keep leaving? Huh? Why would he keep putting us through this? Why would he keep puttingmethrough this?”
“You know, some days—most days—I wish your mother were here. I never know what to say to you. Didn’t know how to comfort you in high school when you got that terrible haircut that made you look like a mushroom. Had absolutely no clue how to use tampons and had to read the directions before I talked to you about them. Hell, I forgot to put sunblock on you more times than I could count.” He rose to his feet and braced ahand on the back of the chair. “But this? This I know. This I can set you straight on.”
“Enlighten me,” I ordered, throwing my arm out.
“Daniel is so terrified that you’ll be hurt and he won’t be able to save you that he’s willingly making you both miserable for a few hours a day because he knows you’re safe here. That’s his goal, Flower. Keepin’ you safe.”
“That’s bullshit.”
“He’s gotta go home to his family to check in. Lost one brother already, house was attacked, his family is healin’ in more ways than one.”
“I know that.”
“Don’t you think he’d rather have you with him?” Pop asked curiously.
“I don’t know what to think!”
He just shook his head. “When you’re done havin’ a pity party and want to talk logically, we’ll talk.”
