I wriggled around so I was facing Garrak, our noses almost touching on the pillow.
“Do you really mean that? Am I yourdkaar?”
There was a flash of green in his dark eyes, unusual this early in the morning. “I do not lie.”
Teasingly, I popped a kiss on his nose. “Good boy.”
And he chuckled.
But that hadn’t been what I’dreallywanted to know. I took a deep breath and held it, more nervous than I’d expected. “And am I your Mate?”
His gaze flicked across my features, and I think I might’ve felt it, even with my eyes shut. “Do you want to be my Mate?” he finally murmured.
There is a knowing.
Is this connection why I could read him so well? Why my heart beat in time with his?
“You don’t belong in my world, in New Orleans,” I admitted.
“You could belong here.” He slowly pulled me closer. “Build a life here with me on Eastshore Isle. We could get a bigger place or build one of the houses going up in Sylvik’s neighborhood if you wanted more land. Or?—”
“I’d be happy where you are, Garrak.” My smile twisted. “I’m just…not used to sitting around doing nothing.”
“You do plenty!”
“You take care of me. You’ve even said that you think it’s strange not to have to get up to go to work.” I kissed his nose again, sort of a consolation prize. “Eventually we would need more money.”
“I’m not planning on quitting the poker circuit anytime soon, and you’re the only human who knows my tells.”
That was true. He could probably make enough to keep us and his community center going indefinitely. It’s just…
I stifled my sigh. How could I explain that while I was grateful for the way he took care of me, I also wanted to contribute? Ineededto be useful. I needed to take care ofhimtoo.
“I have something for you.” Garrak suddenly pushed the blankets out of the way and sat up.
His erection was more or less waving to me, and I resisted the urge to wave back. “Is it that?”
“Maybe, little human. Go start the coffee, I’m going to take a shower.”
I followed him from the room, loving how open he was with his body. “No run today?”
His wince was obvious. “I walked too much last night. My leg is aching.”
Immediately, my chest clenched. “Go take a hot shower, I’ll have myactually this doesn’t completely suckomelet waiting for you, then I’ll rub your leg for you.”
Garrak’s chuckle followed him into the bathroom. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”
I was smiling again as I cooked. Maybe I wasn’t the world’s best chef, but I was doing something useful, taking care of him in some small way, and that made me feel good. Still, when I tried to get him to eat at the couch so I could massage his thigh, he brushed me off.
“It’s my job to take care ofyou, sweetheart,” he announced, settling himself at the table. “It’s bad enough I’m making you cook for me…”
Damn.
“Ilikehelping, Garrak,” I told him in a quiet voice.
He merely shrugged, vigorously attacking his omelet. “But you don’t have to.”
Was I his Mate?
