“Taco would wither and die without one.” He was a hardcore extrovert. If he had to be a lone bear like I had been, I think he would go stark raving mad.
I pulled the Dorito bag onto my lap and started munching on them. I was starving again. “And Mathan? Is he okay? He seems… not okay sometimes.”
Riggs sighed, sitting back on the sofa. “Mathan comes from a difficult past. He and his sister both. He has a lot of scars from that time, scars that he tries not to let anyone else see.”
I nodded, offering the bag to him. He grabbed some chips and handed it back.
“And Alistair?”
If Mathan could be considered grumpy, Alistair was ten times worse. He was moody, icy, caustic, and had a massive chip on his shoulder. He was mostly respectful to me, though, and he clearly had a soft spot for Alanna, but yeah. He was not a happy bear.
Riggs munched thoughtfully for a moment. “Alistair is… Alistair. I only know a little about it because Roarke told me, not because Alistair did, but he has a destroyed mate bond. I’m not sure why.”
I winced. Ouch.
“He’s soft with Emrie, I noticed.”
He nodded. “He asked her to marry him at one point, before she and Roarke got together. He thought they’d be good together, because they’re such good friends. He has a soft spot for her, and pretty much no one else.”
“Except Alanna.”
“Except Alanna,” he repeated.
We cleaned up, putting all the snacks and drinks away, and tidied up the game room so Zin didn’t get hit with the mess all by himself in the morning, then he walked me to my room. For once, I didn’t protest his overprotectiveness.
At my door, I turned.
“Goodnight, Piper. Sleep well,” he said quietly.
As he turned to leave, I grabbed one of the sleeves of his shirt, halting him.
“Riggs?” I said softly.
He turned back to me.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not pushing you away anymore. I’m sorry I did. My head has just been in a weird place, and I didn’t want to jeopardize me and Alanna.” I brushed my hair away from my face. “If you’re still… okay with us, I’d like to try.”
He turned, surprise and fragile hope in his eyes. “Are you sure?”
I nodded. “Very sure. I’ve always been kind of a loner. When I first met you, the concept of a mate was difficult for me to imagine.” I let out a small breath. “But these last few months here with the Clan have been eye-opening. And the last few months with you have been wonderful.” I smiled faintly. “Frustrating, but wonderful.” My smile faded. “That is, if you still want to?—”
He stepped closer instead of answering.
His hand came up slowly, brushing his knuckles along my jaw as if giving me time to pull away.
I didn’t.
His lips met mine gently at first, and then the kiss deepened. My breath caught, and I rose onto my toes without thinking, my hands flattening against his chest. His arms circled my waist, steadying me as I leaned into him.
As it finally slowed, the kiss softened again, sweet and lingering.
When we pulled apart, he rested his forehead lightly against mine. “Always,” he said hoarsely. “I’llalwayswant you. You never have to ask, or guess. And if you do, then I’m not doing my job right.”
He gave me another gentle kiss, then wrapped me in a hug. I could feel how fast his heart was beating. Probably as fast as mine.
“Goodnight, Piper. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I nodded, squeezing his hand before it slid away. When the door closed behind me, I leaned against it, my mind and emotions reeling. After a moment or two, I smiled, shook my head, and went to get ready for bed.
