“There are other ways to warm me up,” she said aiming to keep her tone light and sexy.
“Later, little one.”He walked over to her and handed her a smoking mug.“Scoot over a bit.”He sat, huddling himself under the blanket with her.Her tiger, which had been pacing relentlessly, jumped afore, scratching at her chest with glee.Mate.She shoved it aside.
“Thanks.”
He blew and took a sip of the cocoa.
“It hits the spot.Oh, let me turn off my phone.One second.”He reached for the coffee table, setting his cup down and picking up his device in its stead.“My boss said I need to rest.We busted a case today,” he explained, while glancing at the screen.“Check this out.My colleague sent it to me.”He laughed.“My friend Eddie loves sending me the weirdest memes.”
Katya laughed drily.She glanced at what he was trying to show her.Her gaze widened and she took a hasty gulp of her chocolate.She coughed, almost choking on the hot liquid.
“Easy now, it’s hot.”Adam placed the phone down.He patted her back in soothing circles.“I was looking for you, you know?”
“You were?”She glanced at him.
“Yeah, all over the damn city.I wanted to return your phone and see you again.”
“I was home,” she lied.
He grinned.
“You didn’t have an address in that little bag.Where is home?”
She told him.
“That’s far.How did you get here today?”
“Uber.”
“In a fancy Tesla?It must have cost a pretty penny.”
“Oh, no, it was a, um, white Honda, I think.An SUV.It wasn’t so expensive.”She barked out a laugh trying to follow his conversation.It was forced, unnatural.Were they trying too hard?Didtheyknow?She sipped at the chocolate again.“It’s really good.”
“Thanks.It was my mom’s recipe.”
“Is she...?”
“She passed away a few years ago.Cancer.”
“I’m sorry.”
They remained in silence, sipping their drinks.Adam looked at her, his gaze softening, the corner of his lips turning.She swallowed.His warmth was intoxicating.It bled into her, warming her inside and out.His scent, woodsy, undid her.She wanted to bury herself in his embrace and forget everything, but she couldn’t.
“Katya, what are you doing here?”he asked gently.
“I had to see you,” she replied, this time honestly.
“Why?”His brow furrowed, as if he were really trying to understand what brought them together.“You said there is no shifter magic, but all I want is to be here with you, and we just met.”
If he was going to die, he deserved to know the truth.
“You’re my mate.”
“Mate?”he echoed.
Katya nodded.
“In our world, we mate.It’s something innate.When you meet the person you’re meant to be with, you just know.”She drank the last of her chocolate and placed her cup next to his.It was a picture-perfect moment.Two people, entwined together, enjoying nothing but each other’s company and the affection they felt.“It’s like the animal just knows and wants nothing else.No one else.”It was a travesty.A robbed moment of a future they would never have.She clenched her fists.Adam grasped them, undoing them, and flattening her palm against his.She stared at them.His large hand, calloused, rough and gentle, against her smaller one, pale, trembling.
