“What do I smell like to you?” she asked, turning her head to meet his eyes.
Matt inhaled deeply, considering. “Sunshine. Warm honey. Something floral I can’t quite name.” He kissed her again. “You.”
“You say the sweetest things.” She reached up to touch his face. The moment stretched between them, intimate and perfect.
Until his bear nudged him urgently.The pancakes are burning.
Matt jerked away with a curse, lunging for the spatula. He flipped the pancakes to reveal their blackened undersides and grimaced.
“Sorry,” he said, scraping them onto a plate. “Got distracted.”
Tessa laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “I think that was my fault.”
“Worth it,” Matt said, flashing her a smile as he poured fresh batter onto the griddle. “I can make more.”
This time, he managed to focus long enough to produce a stack of golden pancakes. He arranged them on plates with the bacon he’d cooked, then poured them each a mug of coffee.
“Let’s eat outside,” he suggested. “It’s too nice to stay indoors.”
Tessa nodded, gathering silverware and napkins while Matt carried their plates. They settled at the small table on his back deck, the morning sun warming their shoulders as they ate.
Matt watched Tessa take her first bite, satisfaction flowing through him when her eyes closed in pleasure.
“These are amazing,” she said after swallowing. “What’s in them? Cinnamon?”
Matt tapped the side of his nose. “That’s for me to know.”
She pointed her fork at him. “I’ll figure it out eventually.”
“I’m counting on it,” he replied, the words carrying more weight than they should have for a conversation about pancakes.
They ate in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying the food and the view of mountains rising behind his property. Birds called from the trees at the edge of his yard, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of pine and wildflowers.
“It’s strange,” Tessa said finally, setting down her coffee mug. “Twenty-four hours ago, I had no idea shifters existed. Now I’m having breakfast with one.” She shook her head, looking bemused. “And I’m apparently his mate.”
“Did I move too fast?” Matt asked, suddenly anxious. His bear tensed within him.
“No,” she said quickly, reaching across the table to take his hand. “Just... this is not what I expected when I came to Bear Creek.”
Relief coursed through him. “Life rarely goes as planned.”
“True.” She squeezed his fingers. “For once, it’s better.”
Matt lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. His bear rumbled happily inside him.
Tell her,his bear urged.Tell her we want her to stay forever.
Not yet,Matt cautioned.One step at a time.
They finished their breakfast as the sun climbed higher in the sky. Matt couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this content, this complete. This was what had been missing from his life. This woman. His mate.
As they carried their empty plates back inside, Matt realized with a pang that she would be leaving soon. Going back to Rachel’s. Did Tessa still think of her life in Bear Creek as temporary? The thought made his chest tighten uncomfortably.
She must have sensed his shift in mood. “What are you thinking?” she asked as she rinsed their plates.
Matt hesitated, then decided honesty was the best approach. “I’m thinking that I don’t want you to go.”
Tessa turned to face him, her expression serious. “I have to check on Rachel.”
